C O Potter
by Twixt1999
Summary: "I agree with both of you," Ced told them. "But another question is, how did a terrorist organisation get into Hogwarts?" With many original characters, this story picks up where H J Potter leaves off. This starts during the Christmas holidays of Cedric Potter's third year.
1. Chapter 1

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 1

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 **I am writing this because I enjoyed reading H J Potter very much. This picks up several years after the ending of that story.**

 **It is the Christmas Holidays of the 3** **rd** **year of the oldest Potter child.**

 **I own none of the rights to the characters created by JK Rowling, I am just grateful that she lets us play in her universe.**

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"Cedric and Cici sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G…"

"Shut up!" the third-year black-haired boy yelled at the first-year platinum blonde girl across from him, "Before I hex you into next week!"

"Try it, and I'll stun you so hard mum won't be able to rennervate you." She replied deathly cold, the temperature in the train compartment started to drop suddenly. This was his first signal that he had made her mad. Well, this wasn't the first time that he had done that, she was his sister after all. He had done a good job of avoiding her for the first half of the school year, now here she was riding in his train compartment with what he hoped would be his girlfriend. Her pale blue eyes darkened until they were almost black. Then, as quickly as it had gotten serious, she asked, "So, when are you going to tell mum and dad that you two have bonded?" in a light and childish manner.

"What!" the older students almost yelled in unison.

"We're not bonded! We only just shared a kiss! And we only did that because we thought you were a sleep!" her older brother continued.

"Yep, well you two are bonded and married. Whole glowy light thing and all." She waved her hands about like she was imitating the glowing light that settled over the young couple.

"What's she talking about Cedric? What is this bonded stuff?" asked the black-haired witch with the American accent, concern growing heavy in her voice.

For the last little bit of the trip to Kings Cross Station, Cedric tried to tell his new wife what little he knew of soul-bonded couples. He didn't think that those big beautiful eyes of hers could get any larger, but they did, and they grew wet, as he told her what he knew. He was, after all, raised by the most famous soul-bonded couple in all of Europe, not just Magical Britain. They could hardly go anywhere without people approaching them to shake their hands or thank them for this or that. The legends were almost as exaggerated as what really did happen. A simple trip to Diagon Ally could take half a day if his parents didn't move quickly enough or use a glamour charm to change their appearance. For someone that hated being famous before, he could tell that it would get under his dad's skin if the fans of the "Boy-Who-Lived" got too pushy. As he went on and on with the tidbits of what he knew of soul-bonded couples he could see Cici's face falling and the tears clinging to the corners of her beautiful eyes.

And then he heard it in his head, _"Why me?"_ she cried in a tiny little voice. _"All I wanted to do was to just kiss him."_ For two years, she had been noticing him. His dark hair that was always out of control. His incredible smile, the sound of his voice. Then when they both tried out for Quidditch, she thought that she was the luckiest girl in the world! But, what did his sister say? _"Married?_ _But how?"_

Pulling her into a gentle hug, he thought to her _"It's part of being soul-bonded. My parents never told me that they could communicate this way. This explains so much of what they could do and know. Our desire to be together is only going to grow. That much I do know. Just in this little bit of time, my desire to be close to you has grown too much to describe!"_

She could feel the tenderness and earnestness in his _'voice.'_ She sat there, holding his hand with their fingers interlaced together, deep in thought, staring out the window of the train, not watching the scenery go by, as they approached the train station. How was she going to tell her dad that his little girl is now married?

" _I'll figure something out,"_ he thought to her. _"The punishment for breaking up a soul-bonded couple is death. The wizarding world takes this serious. I'll, I'll, just talk to him!"_

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Standing on the platform, Harry and Hermione, watched as their eleven-year-old daughter ran across the platform with her trunk floating behind her. "Daddy! Mummy!" she yelled as she got closer. Harry dropped down on to one knee and waited to scoop her up into his arms. He swung her around and around to the joyful squeals of his beautiful daughter.

A few moments later, his oldest son and an attractive young girl walked up to him carrying their school trunks. _"How is it that your little sister can levitate her trunk, and we have to carry ours?"_ the dark-skinned, black-haired witch thought to her new mate with jealousy tinging her thoughts.

"Mum, dad, I would like you to meet Cecilia. She's …" Cedric started telling them with happiness overflowing in his voice.

"His soul-mate," finished Daphne sounding like one of the professors at Hogwarts. "They kissed in front of me, and there was the whole glowy light thing going on and …"

"Can we tell our story please," asked Cici sounding pleasant but irritated. "It is our story, because it happened to us."

That little blonde head snapped around and glared at her. Judging her, sizing up this new part of her family. A family that was in her opinion, three siblings to large already.

"Yes," Hermione told her with concern in her voice, while looking around, trying to find out who was within earshot of what was just said. Thinking to Harry, _"We need to find… "_

" _Everyone."_ He finished thinking for her. _"Can you call Remus and Amelia while I call Os and Hugues?"_ Saying out loud to Cecilia, "Please hold that thought." While holding his index finger up, "This is not the place for this conversation. Where are your parents? We're going to need them to hear everything also."

Looking around, Cici found her parents at the back of the platform next to the wall. Looking as if they wanted to just blend into the wall. "There they are, over there, next to the wall!" she said as she pointed in the correct direction.

As Harry followed her look, he could see a Muggle couple standing back by the wall looking very uncomfortable with all of the hustle and bustle that was the start of the Christmas holidays for platform 9 ¾.

" _Angel,"_ Harry thought with some trepidation to his loving wife.

" _Yes?"_

" _Her parents are muggles,"_ Harry thought with worry flowing through their telepathic link.

" _Well, so are mum and dad. And they didn't kill you!"_ she thought back sarcastically.

" _You know, sarcasm as a form of humour is highly overrated."_ He replied sarcastically.

As he looked at Hermione, she had already started talking to someone on her communications watch. Harry looked at Cecilia and asked her very kindly if she would go and bring her parents over so they could meet them. As she left, he contacted Os on his watch. "Os! Could you join us for dinner tonight please?" stressing the importance of joining them tonight with the tone of his voice. "Yes, bring Daphne and Astoria also, please. This will concern them too." He responded with the urgency of the situation evident in his voice.

The reduced noise caused Harry to start looking around, he could see that the platform was beginning to clear out quickly with everyone wanting to get home and get the holidays started. He looked up and saw that he had just a minute more before Cecilia and her parents arrived.

Turning away he called Lord Hugues Delacour. "Hugues, how have you been? I was hoping that you could join us for dinner tonight. If not tonight then tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Yes, please bring Apolline and tell Fleur and her sister. It will concern them too. Great, Thank you." Turning back just in time, Harry stuck his hand out to greet Cecilia's father, Raymundo.

With a confused and sour look on his face, Raymundo took Harry's hand.

"Sir, this is my father Raymundo," Cecilia said trying to put her best foot forward.

"Harry, please call me Harry," Harry responded with an award-winning smile, hoping to defuse a situation before it became too tense. "And this is my wife, Hermione." Gesturing to the most beautiful woman in the whole world. Causing his wife to blush just ever so.

"And this is my wife, Angelica." Gesturing to the shorter dark-haired, plump woman next to him and Cecilia.

"It is a pleasure to meet the both of you. Please join us for dinner tonight. I would like to learn more about Cecilia's parents. You both seem to be such wonderful people. I'm sure that there will be much for us to talk about." Harry said laying it on thick. The last thing that he wanted to do was to stun them and take them forcefully or to have such an important conversation in such a public place.

" _Harry,"_ Hermione thought at him, _"You're getting kind of intense. Let me handle this part. We need to invite Neville and Luna also. You deal with that, and I'll handle Raymundo."_

"What my husband is saying is …" Hermione started.

"Mom, dad," Cecilia interrupted abruptly, "Cedric and I have soul-bonded, and you need to come with us so we can talk about this."

Harry turned around to find her parents too in shock to argue at this point. Looking he could see Cedric's mouth hanging open and Hermione looking at her in awe.

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Walking out of the foyer, Harry looked at Charles and told him to expect several guests, and to start preparing for a small private wedding ceremony, tomorrow afternoon or evening, Sunday at the latest.

"Yes, my Lord." Was all he responded with a bow.

"Why don't you children go and take your trunks to your rooms. Cedric and Cecilia, come back and join us in the sitting room so we can talk more about the current situation." Harry encouraged the kids. "Raymundo, Angelica, please, let's go to the sitting room where we will have more peace and quiet to talk about what has happened and what is happening with our children." He said gesturing in the direction of the sitting room.

As they walked across the entry room, Harry could see Cecilia's parents trying to take in everything. The grandeur of it all was overwhelming them. As the Ramoses walked across the grand entryway, their jaws just hung open. They were undoubtedly in sensory overload. And this was definitely making them much more pliable, and Harry had not even started trying to get them drunk.

" _You can't do that!"_ came the thought in his head.

Upon entering the sitting room, they were met by Gareth who informed them that several owls had brought both letters and two packages for Master Cedric and Mistress Cecilia.

"Thank you, Gareth. Cedric and Cecilia will be here momentarily." Hermione informed the second in command house elf.

Looking towards the large table, standing next to the outside wall of the room, she could see where the house elf had placed the too familiar letters and packages.

"Please, have a seat," Harry said inclining his head towards the large antique couch. While he sat down in an oversized armchair. As the girl's parents seated themselves, Hermione sat across Harry's lap wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a short loving kiss. This act just helped push the Ramoses closer to the edge of sensory overload. After asking the couple if they would like anything to drink while they waited for the kids, Harry called for Dobby and asked for two Butterbeers, one for himself and the other for the gorgeous woman in his lap. About two sips in, the kids showed up and took the other couch.

"Cedric, why don't you and Cecilia please tell us what has happened, to bring us to where we are tonight?" Harry asked with a smile on his face and in his voice.

"Well, we were sitting in the train car and when we thought that Daphne had fallen asleep and we kissed," Cedric replied matter of factually. "I have always liked her, ever since we first met two years ago." He continued with great concentration evidenced by his facial features. "And then we kissed, and Daphne starts singing 'Cedric and Cici sitting in a tree' so I threatened to hex her into next week." At this point, Cici's parents gasped, with fear plastered all over their faces. Cedric continued with his side of the story, "And she got all cold and angry like she does and told me to go ahead and try it, and that she would stun me so hard that mum wouldn't be able to _rennervate_ me. Then she tells us that we're a soul-bonded couple complete with the glowing light and all. So Cici asked me to explain what all of this soul-bonded couple stuff is. Yes, babe, I'll get to that part too." He said out loud turning to Cici, looking at her lovingly, but with frustration written all over his face.

At this point, Hermione turned and asked Cecilia if it would be okay for her and Harry to call her Cici also. Cici politely told her yes that would be fine, Hermione asked kindly, "How do your parents feel about you being a part of the Wizarding World? Do they seem to like it? Or are they letting you go to Hogwarts begrudgingly? It is a rather large financial burden on a family to send their children to a private boarding school after all."

Choosing her words carefully she told them that she felt as if her mother likes the idea that she is special in this way, but that her father seems to not be as happy for her. "We only came to this country three years ago, and we live in a small flat outside of London, in a not so good neighbourhood. The boys in the area call me names because I enjoy reading all kinds of books." She explained that England and Hogwarts are very different than where she was born.

"Where were you born Cici?" Hermione inquired "I do detect an American accent. But having never been there I don't know where to place it."

"I was born in Tucson, Arizona on the 27th of November. Tucson is a hot, dry, dusty place with warm, mild winters and scorching hot summers. It is not nearly as green as it is here. And it has taken a lot of getting used to, the wind, the rain, and the cold, wet winters. Not being able to use a warming charm on myself in the winter over the Christmas holidays is hard and then in the summers, I can't use a cooling charm either. That is really frustrating, having all of this ability and not being able to use it because I'm underage!"

"So, what did Cedric tell you about being a soul-bonded couple?" prompted Hermione.

"Well Daphne, that's her name, right?"

"Yes."

"Daphne said that we're now married. But all we did was a kiss! How can we be married if all we did was kiss? And then he tells me that by Wizarding law, because we are a soul-bonded couple, that we are now married! What if we never kissed?" Cici pleaded.

"The soul-bond would have driven you two together eventually. Even if you had met and married other people, the bond would have driven you two together." Hermione explained patiently.

"That's a bunch of horse sh…." Raymundo started to yell. When Charles appeared next to him and whacked him on the knuckles with his stick. "Ow! What the fu.." whack! On the knuckles, again.

"You will not use that language in this house sir!" scolded Charles harshly.

"What the fu.." Whack! Again.

"Sir, you will please refrain from using such language in this house, for as long as you are a guest of Lord and Lady Gryffindor!" Charles scolded him again.

"Hit me again and …" Started Raymundo.

Harry and Hermione were out of their seat before he had even finished the sentence. "You will not ever threaten a member of this household!" Harry towering above the smaller man, his tone was ice cold and forceful, he told Cici's father. "My title is Lord Gryffindor, and this is my wife, Lady Gryffindor. We are working very hard to make this conversation pleasant and personable."

"I'm not going to let a couple of crackpots," Raymundo started, as he rose to his feet, "And I don't care how rich you think you are, steal my daughter from me! She's just fourteen-years-old! And now you're trying to tell me that they are soul-bonded? What does that even mean anyway!" Raymundo came back at Harry hotly. "I hear kids all the time saying 'Oh, he's my soul-mate or oh she's my soul-mate. Who gives a rat's a…" and he shut up looking down at Charles who was getting ready to hit him again.

"In the Wizarding World, soul-bonded couples are a very real and rare thing. The creator of the Wizarding World built in a failsafe, that in times of great evil a soul-bonded couple would come about to protect the good from the evil. A Wizarding soul-bonded couple is very special, the punishment for breaking apart a soul-bonded couple is death, period, there is no appealing the judgment. A soul-bonded couple is joined mentally, emotionally, spiritually, magically, and physically. If one of the soul-bonded dies, the other will die also. They are able to communicate telepathically, and they are probably talking right now as I am speaking to you. Emotionally, one can feel what the other is feeling, they can feel the happiness of the other or feel the sarcasm in their telepathic conversation. They are joined magically, their magical cores combined are greater than the sum of just the two added together. You and I have no say in this." Harry stated matter of factually. "We can get as mad as we want, it will not change a thing. We can rage against the world, and it will do us no good. The best thing that we can do for our children is to support them in every way possible. And as mad as you got earlier, you are not going to like this next part at all. They cannot be separated physically. It will cause them physical pain, emotional pain, and mental anguish to be apart, and this will go on for the next year or so. They will have to be in constant physical contact with each other, with only very short breaks, for the next full year."

"So, what does that mean? Constant physical contact?" Raymundo asked his temper reaching the boiling point again.

"Yes," Hermione replied coolly "They will have to sleep together. If you look at them, even now they are touching." And everyone looked at the young couple holding hands, and as physically close to each other, without being on top of each other as possible.

"I'll take that drink now if you don't mind." He said tiredly, deflating, falling back into the chair he was standing in front of.

"Dobby!"

"Yes, my Lord!"

"A glass of Firewhiskey for Mr Ramose if you please." Pop, pop.

"Here you go, sir!" Dobby said with great happiness in his voice. Pop and he was gone.

"What are these creatures running around your house?" asked a tired Raymundo.

"I am not, a creature," Charles spoke forcefully. "I am a House Elf. And we are here to serve the Lord and Lady of this house!" Turning to Harry and Hermione, he said calmly and respectfully, "Your other guests have arrived and are waiting in the living room, my Lord."

"Thank you, Charles," Harry responded respectfully.

"One other thing, Raymundo, you cannot tell anyone anything about this. Our children's lives depend on absolute loyalty and secrecy." Harry said without a hint of emotion. And then turning "Please, let's go join the other guests and prepare for dinner!" He said enthusiastically.

After greeting all of the other guests, Harry had Cedric introduce Cecilia and her parents all-around. After all of the pleasantries had been exchanged, they moved to the formal dining room for dinner. Keeping his mouth closed and his eyes open Raymundo watched as Harry held out a chair for Hermione, the other guy about Harry's age Cedric, held a chair for his incredibly beautiful wife. It seemed as if he was completely out of his element here with these people.

As dinner wound down and the pudding had been served, Harry stood up and cleared his throat. "I would like to thank all of you for joining us this evening. It is with great pleasure that I would like to introduce the newest member of our family. Mrs Cecilia Ophelia Potter. She joined our family this afternoon after a simple kiss, turned out to be not so simple after all. Much the same as happened to Hermione and me. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my beautiful wife for remaining calm and being the level-headed one in all of this. We will have a small private wedding ceremony either Saturday or Sunday. All of you are welcome to stay here until after the wedding when we will be leaving out of the country for part of the Christmas holidays."

After sitting back down, the chatter in the dining room rose loudly. It was about this time that Cathaoir strolled into the dining room looking for Daphne Potter.

Upon seeing Cathaoir, Angelica screamed, and Raymundo let out "Oh god, what is that!" as he stood and backed into his wife.

" _I am Cathaoir, I am the last of the Golden Griffins, I am not a what, and I am here for Kitten."_ His baritone voice ringing firmly inside their heads.

"You're back!" A high-pitched squeal said bolting around the table. Running straight at Cathaoir and hugging him.

Watching Daphne "Kitten" Potter hug and climb fluidly on the monster in front of him he turned to Harry and asked "You let your kids play with monsters like that?" with disgust dripping in his voice.

At this point, there just happened to be two roars heard in the house, one from Cathaoir as he looked at the disgusting human in front of him, _"I am not a monster! I am the last remaining Golden Griffin, and I have sworn my allegiance to this house! You would do well to remember your place human! No Kitten, do not throw an ice bolt through his heart. It will cause more problems than he is worth."_ Glaring at Raymundo, as he turned, he said: _"Uasal is here also, and she brought a guest."_

At this Cedric Potter perked up and he asked his new wife, "Would you like to go meet Uasal and her guest?" There were two other smaller voices that asked excitedly if they could go also.

"Would you mind Ced if your little brother and sister went with you for now? We'll come and get you in a bit. We need to explain things to the others. Then I'm sure that your mother and the other women will want to get together with Cici and her mum to plan out this wedding ceremony." Harry said looking at his oldest son.

He could see the love building between the young couple as they stared into each other. He could sense that they were talking silently to each other.

"Sure dad, but please don't be all night," Cedric replied almost but not quite whining. "Come on Susy, come on Nev. Let's go meet Uasal and her guest!" He told the kids in a much more upbeat tone than what he felt.

As the children left the dining room to go meet Uasal and the unknown guest, the adults moved into the large living room so that all of them could have a seat. And where there was no seat, Hermione quickly conjured a seat for them.

"This is an interesting turn of events." Commented Sirius, breaking the ice.

"Yes, most unusual." Added Professor Minerva McGonagall. "They can use the married quarters that you and Harry used in your third year." The others could see the wheels turning in her head. "Would it be okay if I brought Professor Vector in on this? Of course, she would have to take an oath of loyalty to you two before anything would be discussed."

"I would want her to swear an oath of loyalty to the family even before that," Harry added solemnly. Hermione just nodded her head once in agreement.

"I'll have to inform Poppy of the changes," Minerva added again while thinking of the other complications that this was going to make to running the school.

"What are you all talking about! What changes? What married quarters?! What …." Angelica Ramos was starting to ask with hysteria growing in her voice when she was interrupted by a high-pitched scream of "Mum!" from a small girl's voice.

Pop and Hermione was gone, pop and Harry was gone, leaving the guests to wonder what was happening. Moving quickly, they all started running in the direction of the scream and now the roaring of two dragons. Wands in their hands the younger adults sprinted down the hallway towards the danger to protect those that they had sworn their loyalty to. Quickly the older adults formed a protective shield around the two muggle couples. Sirius and Os were both on their watches calling Susan and Daphne desperately seeking information, as Cathaoir and Kitten came calmly down the stairs.

"Don't all of you want to go see Uasal's son?" Kitten asked brightly.

"Uasal brought her son with her?" Asked Amelia in shock. "Your mum is out there with two dragons?"

"Yes!" she said with excitement ringing in her voice. Running over to Aunt Amelia she grabbed her hand and was trying to drag her down the hallway. "Come on! Let's go!" She said tugging on the older witch's hand.

And then she resorted to apparating, and pop they were gone. Leaving a shocked and stunned Sirius, Os, and the other adults standing there.

"Well, I guess we need to hurry." Said Dan Granger matter of factly. As he started leading the group down the hallway towards all of the commotions. As they arrived at the scene of the commotion, Dan found his only daughter standing in the middle of two circling Hungarian Horntail dragons. With smoke and tufts of flames coming out of their noses he assumed that the two dragons were very angry. Dan recognised Uasal, but he had never seen the other dragon. It was three different shades of black. Its skin was a flat black, the scales looked to be a semi-flat black, and the horns and spikes were a shiny gloss black, a truly beautiful creature.

" _You assume correctly Dan Granger."_ He heard in his head.

"What is going on Cathaoir? Why is Hermione in the middle of the two dragons?" Dan asked Cathaoir.

" _The younger of the two dragons have bonded with little Susan."_ The voice in his head responded.

"Does Harry know what's going on?" Asked Dan with worry starting to creep into his voice.

"Cathaoir, are you able to translate and let all of us hear what is happening?" Asked Daphne Greengrass.

" _Yes, I can do that for you."_ The baritone voice boomed in their heads.

" _Child of mine why did you do that! You had no right to do that!"_

" _Mother, I am old enough to make my own choices!"_

"Car-baun, you should have asked first is all we are saying," Hermione said to the younger dragon.

" _Why, what is it to you?! Two-legged. It was our choice. Not yours."_

"Raaaahhhh! _This is what I am talking about! You need to have respect!"_

" _You treat me as if I am still a hatchling!"_

"Charles."

"My Lord."

"Is the Manor warded against dragon fire?"

"No, sir."

"Sucks to be you, pup," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Charles, if we survive the night, can we take care of that in the next couple of days?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Thank you, Charles. You can stay and watch if you want."

"Thank you, my Lord. I have always enjoyed watching the Lady of the House do her duties."

Leaning over to Cecilia's parents, Fred tells them lowly, "Hermione is the one with real steel in the relationship."

Wide-eyed, Angelica tells him, "I can see that. Is this normal here? In your world?"

"Oh, no, this is a pretty quiet night around here!" George leans in and tells her with excitement. "This is better than a boxing match! Ouch!"

"George, be nice!" Angeline tells him as she hits George in the arm. Leaning over to Angelica she tells her in a quiet voice "No, this is not normal. Normally things are very quiet around here, even with four young children."

With the two dragons still circling, Hermione in the centre of the circle.

She has taken to only facing Car-baun. "Car-baun, we are not upset with you because you have bonded with my youngest daughter. Where the problem lies, is in that you did not ask your mother or her parents first."

" _Why do you keep saying this!"_ just as he was taking in a breath. Hermione could sense that he was getting ready to shoot fire. As he opened his mouth to incinerate her, Cathaoir put a shield around all of the spectators, Hermione shot a jet of water into his mouth. Shuddering he roared at her, _"I will make you pay for that!"_ And again, just as he got ready to torch her, she shot another jet of water in his mouth. "RAAAHHHH! _Two-legged!"_

"I can do this all-night Car-baun! All you have to do is calm down and apologise to your mother, and we can discuss this, like mature creatures. That is all we are asking." You could feel the steel in her voice as she took charge of the young dragon. "Is that acceptable to you Uasal?"

" _Yes Mistress, that will be fine. All I want to do is to teach him respect for others."_

" _Fine, I'll apologise."_

"Susy, come here and give me a hug!" Hermione said as if nothing had happened. Her tone belied the fact that she had just broken up a dispute between two Hungarian Horntail dragons. One a full grown and the other quite obvious to her, a teenager. "Baby, are you okay?"

"Yes, mummy. I just got scared when Uasal started yelling at Car-baun, and he started yelling back!"

"It's okay now. Are you ready for bed? It's getting late, and you can play with your new familiar in the morning."

"Oh, mummy! I don't wanna go to bed now! I wanna stay up with the other kids!" Susy whined, with that sleepy whine in her voice.

"Cathaoir, could you help me please?" Hermione asked tiredly. Breaking up a family feud between the dragons had taken a lot out of her emotionally. As much as she wanted to put the seven-year-old to bed herself, she knew that she needed to deal with the problems created by the unexpected bonding of her fourteen-year-old son.

" _Cub! Come on, I'll sleep with you tonight."_ Laying down he encouraged her to climb on his back to give her a ride up to her room. He had never had children of his own, and being the last of his kind, he enjoyed being part of this family. Even if they were not of the same species, he still enjoyed the young ones.

"Oh, okay." Susy huffed. As she climbed on to Cathaoir's back, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Thank you."

"Thank you," Hermione told him quietly. Turning to the dragons, she asked Uasal "What kind of sleeping accommodations will you need? Would you like us to create a room of some kind to protect you from the cold?"

" _Yes please."_ Came the hard voice in her head

"Hey folks, I am going to need some help here. We need to build a shelter for Uasal and her son!" As Harry took her in his arms to plant a kiss on those attractive lips, she turned and asked Uasal if she would want just a box or if she would prefer something more cave-like."

" _More cave like would be nice. We are both so tired of the concrete boxes that we stay in at the dragon preserve."_ Uasal replied with hope in her thoughts.

"What direction would you like the opening to face?" Hermione inquired, wanting to please the oh so patient mother dragon. "Do you want the floor to be smooth or kind of rough?"

" _Could the opening face the rising sun? And I would like my side to be slightly rough."_

" _Well, I want my side to be smooth.!"_ Car-baun said harshly.

"That is fine Car-baun, we can make your side smooth and your mother's rougher. Would you like Harry to preheat the floor for you?"

" _Yes please."_

" _Yeah,"_ Car-baun grunted.

Hermione just had enough time to duck as Uasal's tail came flying around to hit her teenaged son square in the side. _"I told you before we left to be nice to these two-leggeds!"_

"Alright, we need to build a cave structure over there away from the main house with the opening facing to the east. One side of the floor needs to be slightly rough, and the other side needs to be smooth. Harry, when they are done building this could you please pre-heat the floor for our guests?" Hermione said very sweetly looking at all of the men. "Come on guys! We've got two tired dragons out here that are just getting grumpier by the minute!" She ordered when nobody was moving.

Remus and Neville stepped forward quickly and started to conjure the cave structure for the two dragons. When they had finished, Fred and George began work on the inside making it what they hoped the dragons would like. After getting the approval of both dragons, Harry stepped in and conjured a massive fireball to start warming the structure. He stepped outside and motioned for Uasal to come let him know when the cave was warm enough for her. If she was a cat, Harry thought that he could have heard her purr with the warmth of the cave. It was definitely making an improvement in her attitude. Maybe, Car-baun would catch a little slack now.

" _Harry, could you make a small steady flame at the back of the cave for us?"_ Uasal thought to him.

"Sure," he smiled at her, "Is that large enough for you?"

" _Yes, thank you very much, and I'm sorry for the disturbance of my son. He still has much to learn."_ Uasal's hard thoughts came through.

"We all do Uasal, we all do." A tired Harry responded. "Good night Uasal, good night Car-baun."

Walking hand in hand, Harry and Hermione followed the group back to the living room of the Potter Mansion. "That was very sexy of you Angel, refereeing a fight between two dragons."

With everyone back in the living room, and the youngest children headed up the grand staircase, Hermione climbed into Harry's lap just as Daphne Greengrass was climbing into Cedric's lap so that the two were facing each other.

With all eyes on Os, he stood up and just before he spoke, he looked over to the Ramoses to see a look of dismay on Raymundo's face.

"Don't worry Raymundo, you will get used to it. It takes a while, but it happens." He commented with mirth in his voice.

"It does take a while!" Dan chimed in looking at the new parents to the group.

"Now, what is going on with Cedric and Cecilia? Also, when did this occur?" The older businessman asked, sounding like the CEO of some of the largest businesses in Great Britain. Looking at the young couple with a twinkle in his eye he asked, "Could you please give us the highlights?"

Cedric started off slowly, the nervousness in his voice was evident for all to hear, "We were sitting in the train car headed to Kings Cross Station, Cici and I kissed, and Daphne said that we were now a soul-bonded couple."

"She said that we are married!" Cecilia added almost hysterically. "How can we be married? We haven't even dated!"

At this statement tumblers of Firewhiskey appeared all around the guests' sitting areas. It was evident to Fred that one of the House Elves had a sense of humour. Many of the adults including Angelica reached over and had a drink. Fred watched her face as the whiskey burned its way down her throat.

"Well, not wanting to rehash all of the soul-bond stuff. The real question becomes, why? What threat is out there that we are unaware of? How much time do we have to prepare? To get these children ready for a fight?" Looking around he spotted Emmeline Vance-Weasley, he liked that couple. He liked that Arthur had found Emmeline, even if she was much younger than him, it made Arthur younger. Like Tonks did for Remus. "What does the Book of Requirements have to say about this?"

"Sorry Os, Arthur and I didn't know that this meeting was going to happen, so neither of us had time to prepare. I'll have more answers for everyone tomorrow before lunch." Looking at Hermione, she asked, "Are we doing lunch here tomorrow?"

Sirius added in a factual tone, "I think that we need to get together again when everyone has had time to digest all of this new information. It's a lot to take in. Personally, I was not expecting another soul-bonded couple for another few hundred years!"

"I think that lunch, here, tomorrow will be fine," Hermione added looking at Harry. "Harry says that he agrees."

"Daphne, wants to know what time you're going to go dress shopping in the morning?" Cedric added while looking in the stunning witch's eyes.

With Hermione getting off of Harry's lap, Harry stood up and clapped his hands together once, "Okay everyone that wishes to spend the night, a house elf will show you to your room. Those of you that wish to return home for the night, I would like to wish you a goodnight." Turning towards Raymundo and Angelica, "Please, spend the night here with us. I think that you will find it more than comfortable and now, peaceful. Gareth!" pop "Please show Raymundo and Angelica to their room. Also, make sure that they have everything that they will need."

"Yes, my Lord." The distinguished looking elf replied with a bow.

"Harry, please, call me Ray," Ray said quietly. "You have good people surrounding you. I'm sorry for thinking that you were a crackpot and for being more difficult than I needed to be. I'm sorry for being a jerk and treating you so poorly. Please forgive me."

"We have all sworn an oath of loyalty to each other." Gesturing around, "It is one of the ways that we keep from letting our differences tear us apart." Harry replied solemnly.

As Cici's parents made their way up the grand staircase, Harry turned to the two young lovers to find them with their arms wrapped around the other's waists. The bond was starting to bring out the latent emotions inside of them. He gestured to them to follow him and his wife into the sitting room. After the last person entered the sitting room, Hermione turned and waved her hand casting all of the needed privacy spells and silencing charms.

Watching his wife closely, Harry started telling the kids the importance of 'Constant Vigilance.'

"Cedric, Cici, please open the letters that you received earlier today. As you open them, there are things that your mum and I need to tell you and talk to you about. Are those the letters congratulating you on your marriage?" The kids both nodded yes. "Please open the two packages that you have received, the small one first."

He suspected what was in the smaller package. As the kids opened it, he could see that the rings were just as beautiful as his and Hermione's. Engraved on the bands was C O Potter, just as his and Hermione's had H J Potter on their bands. The kids just sat there staring at the bands, with the reality as they knew it, sinking in ever so slowly.

"Here, open this one now," Hermione said as she handed them the larger package.

As they opened the package, working as a team, there was another letter that was set aside. Looking at the gift, they could see that it was a house in a bottle and a book titled The Guide to Soul-Bonds. The house looked as if it was set on a beach somewhere warm and quiet. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, both knowingly, and with a bit of shock in their expression. It was different than the house they had received from Edmund. They began to wonder, just how many houses were out there? As they refocused their attention on the young couple, Harry was starting to feel old, they could see that they were reading the last letter with some confusion on their faces.

"So, this is from, the creator?" Cedric asked, both shocked and confused.

"The creator like in God?" Cici asked completely bewildered. Being a muggle-born witch, this was all still so new and confusing to her.

"No, not God as the muggles know him. But Edward, the creator of the Magical World that we live in. You can never tell anybody about what we're going to tell you now. Nobody, it is a matter of life and death for you both, and now for us also."

"You two are about to set out for the rest of your lives. This is your next great adventure. You are about to discover your destiny, together, as a team. You are going to grow together, and the other will become your best friend, and the one that you can count on when you think you have been abandoned by everyone else. As you have found out by now, being able to communicate telepathically has major advantages, in that others can't hear your thoughts. Now, would you like to put the rings on and take the next big step in your lives?" The excitement ringing evident in Harry's voice.

The kids looked at each other, nodded and stood up together. Harry bent down and picked up the ring box. He handed the smaller ring to Cedric and the Larger ring to Cecilia. "Please, Cedric, place the ring on Cici's finger, and tell her what is in your heart."

Holding the ring in his right hand and taking Cici's left. He looked down at her dainty hand. He could feel the calming effect that she had on his runaway emotions. Her fingers were so long and slender. Her nails were manicured and done in what he thought was a French manicure, he wasn't too sure about all that girl stuff. But he knew with all his being that he wanted to place that ring on her finger, it seemed to be his whole purpose in life, his very reason for being. Then he heard her in his thoughts. _"I feel the same way about you too."_ It was such a calming voice, it was like oil on a stormy sea, the waves seemed to stop crashing about in his head. As he slid the ring onto that delicate, slender finger, the ring resized to fit her finger.

"I heard what he had to say to me," Cici told Harry and Hermione. And to her husband, _"You calm me and give me the strength to keep going forward when all I've wanted to do was to retreat and hide from the rest of the world. You give me the confidence to know that we can and will succeed in whatever we set out to do, we do together as one, one in heart, one in mind, one in spirit, and one in soul."_

And with two hearts beating in unison she slid the ring on his much stronger hand, and the ring resized itself to fit his much larger finger. The young couple sealed their new union with a fiery kiss that the older couple let continue until the young lovers returned to the here and now. They could relate, after all, they still experienced the same passion all these years later.

"Okay, that was beautiful in its own right," Hermione said with tears in her eyes. "Now, take the bottle and the letter, go to your room. Reread the letter and do what it tells you to do. Have fun, and we'll see you in the morning."

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 **A/N: Thank you all for taking the time to read. Please, also take the time to review!**

 **Revised again 01.03.2018**

 **Revised again 03.31.2018**

 **It is interesting to me, when I look at the story statistics, that those that read to chapter three will read the rest of the story. I don't know who reads the story, all the numbers tell me, is that the same number of readers read chapter three as read all of the other chapters.**


	2. Year Three Chapter 2

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 2

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As the young couple left the study, they took the bottle, the letters, and the old tome with them. Sharing the workload of carrying everything, they walked arms wrapped around their waists so they could have as much physical contact as possible. They negotiated the stairs as two people moving as one. Nearing Cedric's room, they had to separate to open the door. Walking to his bed, they placed everything, as teenagers as so prone to do, on the bed. Turning to each other they looked deep into their each other's eyes and shared another incredibly passionate kiss.

" _Cedric."_

" _Yes, Mi Amor?"_

" _What do you think your mom was trying to say to us?"_

" _About what?"_

" _She told us to bring all of this stuff to our room. To read the letter and do what it says. Well, it says,"_ Reading over the letter again really quickly she started to point out the highlights. " _Well, it says that it's from the Creator, it says that it's his house that he wants to share with us, and it implies, that if we wish to, we can enter the house if we are wearing the rings. Well, we are wearing the rings, so, all we have to do is wish to enter the house?"_

"I don't know,"he mumbled.

" _How thick can boys be?"_ she thought.

" _I heard that!"_

And then Cici said with her eyes closed, _"I wish to enter the house."_

And she was gone. All that was left was a white glowing rune on the carpeted floor that faded away as Cedric watched.

Cici landed with a thud on a smooth marble circle. Just as she was getting up, Cedric landed with a thud next to her. She watched the white glowing rune fade as he climbed to his feet and brushed the nonexistent dirt from his clothes and his hands.

"Welcome," a female's voice greeted them warmly. "I am Adedes."

"Adedes, are we in the house in the bottle?" Cici asked with some confusion tinging her voice.

"Yes, Lady Cecilia. You are here, at the entry point," Adedes replied as if this was the most obvious thing.

"Annnddd, who are you? Where are you?" Cici asked still confused.

"I am the house, and I am everywhere, I am all around you. Does that make you nervous? Would it be better if I were to take a form?" Adedes answered reassuringly.

"Yes, Adedes, please take a form that pleases you," Cedric answered stepping in. Turning from his new bride, he watched as a stunningly beautiful woman approached them. Her long wavy dark hair flowed out from behind her, reminding him of a Vella's hair. She was dressed only in a Toga.

"Lord Cedric, Lady Cecilia, it is late for you, please, follow me, and I will show you to your room. Tomorrow, I will introduce you to The Sator, and he will explain what you need to know and answer any questions you may have. Currently, it is 3 months of house time to 1 hour of regular time."

"Adedes, please call me Cedric and," looking at his wife she nodded, "this is Cici. We aren't that formal."

"You may call me Ade." She replied in her sensual voice. "Here we are. Your room. Everything you will need is here, if you need anything, please, just call me and I will help. Is there anything else at this time?" She asked in a buoyant and pleasing tone. "Tollak will want to see you first thing in the morning before breakfast," she told them just before turning to leave.

The young couple took a few moments to explore their new room. The enormous walk-in closet held clothes for him and her, Cedric noticed. Cici found the restroom and saw that it only had the one shower. They would need to learn to share, she thought. Moving towards the open wall, they could see the water lapping up on to the white sandy beach below them. The temperature was very comfortable, it was not cold, as one might expect it to be on the beach in the winter. Were we still even in England? Cedric wondered.

"It's incredible!" Cici said quietly, in awe of their surroundings. Turning to stare into the intense green eyes of her new husband, she could see that he was as tired as she felt.

"Your eyes are the most amazing shade of brown," Cedric said falling into her spell, that she had cast over him. Had they only been together less than nine hours? He felt as if he was hers' his whole life. How did he even live before her? Was there a time before her? He didn't know, he didn't care anymore. She was here, now, and he would be there forever.

She could feel the warmth of his emotions flowing off of him and through the link that they shared. Kissing him gently, she knew that he would be there when no one else would. "Honey, we need to shower and get in bed. It's late and tomorrow will come early. Did you see any night clothes for us?" Her voice, soft, quiet, and reassuring.

"Yes, there's a variety of nightgowns for you and pyjamas for me. While you shower, I'll pull out some clothes for us." He responded softly into her ear while holding her tightly to himself.

The heat of his breath on her ear sent a shiver down her spine, and she shuddered ever so slightly.

After two quick showers, and Cedric using his wand to cast a drying spell on Cici's hair, they slipped into bed after discussing quickly who would get which side. A quick peck goodnight, a wave of Cedric's wand to turn out the lights, and the two embarrassed teens turned their backs to each other in the hopes of falling asleep. Toss and turn, toss and turn, until Cedric rolled onto his back and Cici snuggled up against him. She could smell his unique odour that would forever mark him as hers. He could smell her citrus flower sent, which calmed him and caused him to relax. Moments later they were soundly asleep.

Waking in the morning, Cedric was startled by a dark mass of hair blocking his vision, until the scent of his life mate broke through the fog in his brain. Her head was laying on his chest, one arm was across his torso, and a leg was laying across his hips. She was firmly asleep, breathing softly.

"Mi Amor, you need to wake up." Softly he rubbed her back to wake her as gently as possible. "Nature calls."

"Just five more minutes," she mumbled. A moment later she rolled off of him, giving him the opportunity to slip out and use the loo. As he came out the door, she kissed him chastely and closed the door behind her. He looked to find the bed was made and clothes had been laid out for the two of them. Quickly he changed, not wanting her to see him in his boxers. When she asked, he handed her clothes to her through a partly open bathroom door.

"Ade," he called while waiting. Cici appeared at the same time Ade appeared. "How do we find Tollak?"

"Please, follow me, and I will give you a tour of the house on the way," she answered in her amatory voice. During the tour, she introduced them to the other instructors they would have. When they met Edmund, they had a brief conversation in which he told Ade to have Althea start Cedric on some potions to help him bulk up, and another potion for Cici to help her gain a little height.

Cici replied to him that both her mother and her father were short and that it ran in the family. He explained to her that he was not trying to make her an Amazonian woman, but that she could grow to at least average height, it would also make the coming challenges easier for her if she were to be of average height.

"No offence meant."

"None taken. Also, I do not wish to be this short and shop in the children's section of the stores forever," she told him good-naturedly.

To which Edmund laughed with her.

"I like this girl!" Edmund's portrait boomed laughingly. "Well, off you go to meet Tollak. We will meet again later today!"

Upon entering Tollak's training centre, Ade gave them a piece of parchment. She explained to them that their daily schedule was there and that it would update automatically to reflect any changes that needed to be made for either of them.

"Good morning, I am Tollak," a big burly man greeted them, "I will be your combat and physical fitness instructor. You will learn unarmed combat," as he began to pace back and forth in front of them, "or hand to hand combat, you will receive weapons training and discover which weapon is right for you. You will also receive physical fitness training to increase your strength, stamina, and agility. You will run twice a day for thirty minutes each time. Once in the morning before breakfast, and again in the evening before eating dinner. After breakfast, you will have a three-hour break and then another three-hour break after lunch. After dinner, you will have free time for yourselves. I will talk with your other instructors to see how you are progressing in each subject and we will make any changes that will show on your piece of parchment as needed. Let's go running now so I can show you the course I want you to take. We will start off with some warmup exercises to help prevent injury, and I will teach you cool-down exercises to use at the end of each run." Turning he led them to the path that ran around the edges of the property.

During the run, Cedric made a note of the different plant life and the spectacular scenery all around. Tollak set a challenging pace to help the kids complete the full course. Returning to the training room, he turned to them and gave them a couple of potions, "Here, this will help with the burn. Go, shower, have breakfast and get to your next class. I will meet you again before dinner."

After their morning, physical fitness training, the two of them hobbled back to their room, the potions started to kick in taking some of the pain away. As they began feeling better, Cedric let Cici use the shower first. After his shower, he cast a drying spell on her hair and started trying to help her brush it out.

"Here honey, you can use a little more force than that. You're trying to get all the way through my hair and to the scalp, but without scratching my scalp," she explained lovingly to him.

It was after all the first time that he had ever brushed a woman's hair. After finishing her hair, the young couple walked to the kitchen holding hands all the way, in search of breakfast. It was a sizeable protein-packed breakfast to help the kids grow quickly.

After breakfast, they went to meet Edmund. He talked to them about how they came to be a soul-bonded couple. He explained that he could not create the feeling of love, that all he could do was to give it a chance to blossom. He discussed with them how time in the house could move at a different pace than real time. When asked about that, he explained that right now, that it was three months of house time to one hour of real time. He told them that they would not ever age while they stayed in the house. Cici said to him that they generally slept about six hours, and they should be back in the real world in the morning so they would not be missed. Also, that Cedric's parents knew what was going on with the bottle but her parents, being muggles, would not understand if they were not there in the morning to great them. Cedric wanted to know if his parents could come to visit them in their bottle or vice versa.

"No, Cedric, the bottle is keyed to you and Cici. No other person can ever enter the bottle. That is one reason the bottle is so plain looking on the outside so that it will not attract any attention for your safety. However, you could bring in a familiar to receive training if you wished."

After talking with Edmund, they checked their parchment and headed off to the potions lab. Althea spoke to them a bit and then she had them try their hand at a couple of different potions, to find their level of skill. As she watched them, she made suggestions on how they could brew their potions better. From the way, they cut the ingredients, either crossway for some, or long ways for other types of ingredients. She explained the correct way to stir the different kinds of potions. In the end, they could see the difference in their potions. Even though they had made the same potions at school, what they had brewed with her, was a much higher quality of potion. It was this kind of thing, that got the kids talking that night after Toll (he had told them that they could call him that after Cedric had asked him to call them by their given name), had finished with a second brutal workout. A couple of more potions and they started staggering to the kitchen for dinner. After eating they moaned and groaned their way back to their room thinking of nothing more than a hot shower. Cedric told Cici that he could hear the bed calling his name.

"Oh, no you don't. You smell worse than a dead dog! You are not going to stink up my bed!" She told him sternly. Then more lovingly, "Let's put that huge tub to use and soak our muscles. I wonder if it has jacuzzi jets?"

"Okay, but I did 't see any swimwear when I looked through the clothing yesterday. Why don't you fill the tub with lots of bubbles, I will change in the loo and wear a towel, and you just have to close your eyes while I slip into the tub?" Cedric offered tiredly.

"That sounds wonderful, bring me a towel when you get back." A few minutes later, Cici called out, "Okay Ced! It's full!"

He walked out only wearing a towel, and he could feel her excitement through the mind link causing him to blush. "Okay, Mi Amor close your eyes. Alright, you can open them now. Oh, this feels wonderful, let's do this every night," he said to her tiredly as he relaxed into the bubbles.

"One of the faucets said muscle relaxing bubbles and another said pain relieving bubbles, I used them both!" She slid over towards him until she was close enough to hold his hand and touch his foot with hers. They just sat there, eyes closed, heads tilted back, letting the bubbles work their magic on them.

The next morning, Cedric awoke to Cici's hair covering his face again. Oh, how he loved the smell of her. He could not ever remember sleeping so well as when he was with her. "My love, we need to get up and go run."

"Just five more minutes. That's all I ask!"

Slipping out from under her, he headed for the loo. As he exited the door she was waiting for her turn, he looked, and the bed was made once again. She had placed workout clothes on the bed for him. This was their routine that they had found worked for them. As their bodies became used to the workouts, they could feel their stamina growing on a daily basis.

Then one night after soaking in the tub, while sitting on the couch in their room, Cici was leaning up against Cedric, looking through the "Guide to Soul Bonds", and she saw Harry and Hermione's names there.

"Why didn't you tell me that your parents are soul-bonded?" she asked looking at Cedric. " _I could just stare at you forever_." She thought.

" _Trust me, I love to look at you too. You are my wife, and you have a built-in suntan. You have the most amazing skin colour. Kind of like your honey coloured eyes,"_ he thought,"I didn't know, they never told me. They have never mentioned anything about soul-bonds or even being soul-bonded. But now, knowing what to look for I can totally see it," he said out loud. "What about your parents? They seem so cold towards each other. Is that normal for muggle families?"

"No, my dad started getting cold towards my mom a few years ago. Then when I got my letter to go to Hogwarts, he got really angry. He was never mean to me, but I could hear them arguing at night when I was lying in bed. He has never hit her that I know of, but he is not nice to her at all anymore. Sometimes, I wonder if they're going to get a divorce. It would probably be best for my mom if they did. All my dad does is get off work and go to the pubs now," she said sadly, her thoughts turned depressed.

"Wow, that's so sad!" Cedric told her as he squeezed her hand. "All I've ever seen of my parents, is them holding hands and a lot of kissing. Now that I can see it, I can see when they are holding a conversation in their heads! OH! How sneaky of them! Us kids didn't stand a chance!"

"Do people in the Wizarding World ever get divorced?" she asked him curiously.

"I don't think so," Cedric started with his face all scrunched up thinking hard, "I think it falls under a magical contract or something like that. I think that I heard one time, that if you break a magical contract, you'll lose your magic or something like that."

"That's pretty severe, to lose your magic over just a divorce. In the Muggle world, about 50% of marriages end in divorce for one reason or another."

"Wow, that's really sad that people can't stay together and work out their problems. Or maybe they should never have gotten together in the first place! So, what does your mum do?"

"She's an ER doctor. We came to England because my dad got a job over here to build a computer network for some company. Being rich, I imagine that your parents don't do anything all day but go to the wizarding equivalent of a country club."

"What's a country club? And no, my parents have a lot of things that they do. My mum is a doctor also. She works with women that have been beaten by their husbands or boyfriends. She works with abused children also. She also works in both the magical world and in muggle hospitals. And dad, he spends most of his time taking care of the different businesses. He has done some special stuff for the Ministry of Magic that he doesn't talk too much about. They both have always found a way to spend a bunch of time with us kids. I think part of that, is that dad didn't have any parents when he was growing up. They were killed by a dark wizard."

It was getting late, and he could see how sleepy his wonderful wife was getting. So, he suggested that they go to sleep. Crawling into bed Cici found her favourite spot, laying part way on her loving husband. Who would have thought, that just a simple little kiss could have led her to this point in her short little life?

" _Not me Mi Amor. Not me. I don't have to share you with anyone for almost eighteen months."_

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As the white glowing runes faded, the two teenagers looked around at the room they had left eighteen months ago. It was just as they had left it six real-time hours before. Their stuff was still on the bed just as they had left it.

" _It was nice of Ade to return us in the morning here, so we don't have to deal with a time difference. It's kind of weird feeling that it has really only been six hours."_ Cici thought to him.

"Yeah, it is. Let's go for a run!" Cedric suggested enthusiastically. "Wow! I used to fit into these clothes?"

"Well, look at what I was wearing just yesterday?" She responded snickering.

"I guess, I need to get mum and dad to take us shopping this morning."

"Ooo, we do have to go shopping! The wedding ceremony is tomorrow!"

"Yikes! Today is only Saturday. Well, my parents will have a clue as to what is happening to us, so that should be okay. Let's just adjust our clothes to fit, and we can get some later."

As they headed down the stairs, they saw everybody standing around in the living room. _"I wonder what everybody is doing up."_ He thought to Cici. "Hey, mum, dad," he said as he was looking at everyone else. "What are you doing up?"

"Well, honey," Hermione started lightly. "Whenever we all get together, we all do our morning workouts together. Would you and Cici like to join us?"

" _Oh, the challenge is on!"_ thought Harry to the most beautiful woman in the world. And even, after all these years, she still blushed just a little.

"Sure mum," he said looking around. Cedric could see the feral grins creeping onto the faces of some of the others. He knew that not all of them were related to him directly, but he also knew that most of the Wizarding World in Britain was related somehow.

" _And you all over here, think that us Americans are inbred?"_ the sarcasm dripping from her thought was thick. But he could see the slight smile on her face.

Oh, those eyes, and that smile.

" _Focus honey, focus on the task at hand. Running dear, running."_ She said as she started to blush.

Daphne and Cedric, (his namesake) just started to laugh lightly. "Daphne wants to know if we are going to run or are we just going to watch the newlyweds blush all morning?" Cedric asked with fake grumpiness in his voice.

After their morning run, Harry asked if anyone would like to practice duelling. Most everyone agreed, and for the sake of time, they decided to play three on three and set a time limit of fifteen minutes so that everyone would get a chance to practice. As they entered the workout room in the mansion, Harry and Cedric started enlarging the room and placing obstacles in the duelling area.

Looking back at the group of friends, Cedric asked, "Okay! How do we want to play this, girls against boys? Couples? Who's teaming up with who?"

"Well," said Luna, "I think that Susan, I and Daphne, would like to take on Draco, Fred and George. That will leave Hermione, Astoria, Cici, and Angeline to put you boys in your place!"

And so the fun began. About thirty seconds into the match the granite walls were being blasted to dust! The women had quickly put the men on the defensive with the constant _reducto_ spells shaking the foundations of the mansion. Those that were still asleep woke to BOOM! Boom! Boom boom boom. BOOM!

Oswald awoke and commented to his wife that the kids must be at it again! He climbed out of bed, and after changing, he started to make his way downstairs when he met the Ramoses.

"Good morning!" He said with great cheer in his voice.

"What's happening?! We were sleeping when…" Angelica asked with concern in her voice.

"It is just the kids practising." He waved it off with his hand. "They've learned to live what they call 'constant vigilance.' It's what has kept them safe for many years." Os reassured her. "Come with me, and we can watch them play. It's a lot of fun to see how creative they can be," he told her in an upbeat tone.

He just remembered that they had just lost a daughter, or as he would like to think, they had gained a very good son-in-law.

As they entered the workout room, Os gestured to some seats on the sides of the room and cast a quick shield spell to protect them from any flying debris. As they watched one of the twins went down hard. Angelica gave a small scream and a gasp at what had happened. Just a moment later two of the girls went down in a combined attack before Luna took out Draco with a jiggly-legs and a stunner to the chest.

It was then that Cedric called "Times up! Ooo, one and one looks like it's a tie!" He moved over to Draco and cast _rennervate_ on him to get him up, he reached down and helped him to his feet. As Angelica watched, she could see the blood on some of the others and started to rush to help when her daughter caught sight of her.

"Mom! What are you doing in here?" Cici asked her brightly. She was caught up in the thrill of the practice session.

"This is barbaric! Those people are hurt! I need to help them!"

"It's okay Mrs Ramos, my mum and dad … Well, see?" Cedric interjected, with his arms around Cici's waist and his head laying on her head swaying back and forth.

As she looked, Harry, Hermione, and the others had already tended to the downed team members. And as they walked to the sidelines, she was shocked to see all of them smiling and joking with each other. Their clothes showed no signs of blood, the injuries had already been healed, and any marks were fading quickly.

"Cedric's mom is a doctor also," Cici told her, trying to reassure her that everything was okay. "Hermione! Please come here."

As Hermione came within hearing distance, she told her mother again, "Mom, Ced told me last night that she's doctor also. She works with abused women and children."

" _Is everything okay Angel?"_ Hermione heard in her head.

" _Yes, Angelica is a little confused or surprised by what is going on."_

" _Do we need to stop?"_

"Angelica, are you going to be okay? Do you want me to stay with you and explain what's going on?" Hermione asked the woman with the confused look on her face.

Angelica would have sworn that the injuries she had seen would take weeks to heal.

" _It's okay honey, go ahead and practice with the others. Although I don't think that it will be fair since I'm going to stay here with her and talk for a bit."_

" _Okay,"_ He thought to her and then out loud he said, "Hermione is going to sit this one out with Angelica. What do you think? Five on three? Or Neville, Cedric, and I versus all comers?"

It worked out that it was seven on three with the teenagers wanting to get into the fight also. Quickly Hermione cast another shield charm on the spectators as the action began to heat up fast.

Harry thought to her, _"The kids have some good shield spells! I just tried to take Ced down, and he handled a low-level stunner easily."_

It was then that Hermione could see the teens working as a team wordlessly. The three adult men worked well together using hand signals to coordinate their attacks and defence. Splitting up, the guy's set up to take down a large number of their opponents in one large attack of interlaced spells. Walls were conjured and blasted just as quickly. Decoys were placed and blown apart as fast as they appeared.

Each team was working to outflank the other side when Daphne called, "Times up! I think you three are losing your touch!" laughing, smiling, and the sarcasm in her voice evident for all to hear. "Everybody did a great job working together as a team!" She said loudly, like a coach praising their winning team. She was looking at the teens intently when…

"Oi! Have you two grown? I could swear that you have gotten taller Ced!" Fred started in.

"Shut up Fred! You're going to embarrass them! You git!" George said, just as Hermione hit Fred in the face with a coloured waterjet.

"Oh! Water fight!" Was yelled by most everyone, and it was on!

Os just shook his head in disbelief just before he was soaked by Daphne and Astoria. Several minutes later everyone was laughing, and casting drying spells on each other, as they headed to their rooms to get their showers, and then down to have breakfast, before heading out for the pre-wedding shopping, that needed to be done. As everyone was leaving in a good mood, Harry and Hermione pulled the kids aside to talk to them in private.

Casting the privacy and silencing spells, Hermione asked them, "How was your first night? Did you go to the house?" The second question was more rhetorical because she could tell by the teamwork and the skills that they showed, they had been in the house for some time.

"Yes, Edmund set the time difference at three months of house time to one hour of real time," Ced replied honestly to his mum. "Why have you never told us that you're a soul-bonded couple?" he asked with a quizzical look on his face.

"When we were first bonded, the most powerful dark wizard of our time wanted to kill your father. He would have stopped at nothing to get to him. Nobody and nothing was going to keep him from killing your father. If he had figured out that we," she said gesturing between Harry and herself, "were a soul-bonded couple, he would have used me against your father." Looking the teens in the eye, she told them, "It will be up to you, who you trust enough to tell. Just after we bonded, we had about a month before going back to Hogwarts. Your father's best friend was on the train with us when the train was attacked by dementors. The boy rushed out of the compartment in fear, and your father went after him. In the struggle, the boy's arm got broken, and his first new wand was also broken. He then became very jealous of your father and I being together. After that, a jealous girl held me down with a wand at my throat. She was set on murdering me so she could have your father to herself."

"Wow! Why didn't you ever tell us these stories?" Ced asked with a shocked look on his face and confusion in his voice.

"Because I'm not one to brag about what has happened in the past. Your mum and I have always tried to keep you focused on the here and the now, not what happened last week or last month. At this point, this is your life. We're here to give advice and to help where needed. We will always be your parents, and it is our job to worry about you, but we can't live your life for you. Changing the subject. Have you started weapons training?" Harry asked looking very interested.

"Yes, Toll is working with us on melee weapons, and I like a long broadsword like yours."

"I like a katana type of sword," Cici added in. "I like the lightweight and the speed at which it moves in my hands, it just flows so naturally for me," she told them with a glazed, distant, contented look in her eyes. You could see her remembering the feelings associated with it.

"Good, I'm glad that things are working for you two. Now we need to get showered and changed so we can get the shopping done. Angel, I would like to take Cici to see Mr Ollivander and then to meet Ragnarok before you take her shopping. I have an idea I want to run past Mr Ollivander," Harry said with that look of thought on his face.

The two couples left the room with their arms wrapped around each other. Hips pressed up against one another. When Harry reached his room, he wrote a quick note to Ragnarok to meet at 11:00 and sent Hedwig off to deliver.

After breakfast, Kitten asked Harry if she could have a wand for Christmas.

"Sure, Kitten. But what do you want a wand for?"

With a look of deep thought, she told him, "It will help me focus."

"Okay, well we're going to go see Mr Ollivander this morning. Why don't you come with me and then you can go with your mum?"

"Okay, but I don't want a generic pre-made wand. I want a custom-made wand for me, the way I want it. I want to choose the materials."

"Okay, we'll see if he can do that for you."

"Oh, goodie! Cathaoir! Please come here!" She called out loudly.

" _Come on Cub! Let's go see what your sister wants,"_ the voice boomed in their heads. As Cathaoir leapt off the second-floor balcony, they could hear a high pitched little scream of joy.

"Let's do that again!" Susy yelled with boundless enthusiasm.

" _We need to wait until they all leave, so we don't get in trouble,"_ the voice boomed again. _"What do you want Kitten?"_ the thought boomed with love in their heads.

"Can I have three hairs from your mane?"

" _What do you want three of my hairs for?"_

"Well, dad said that I could have a wand for Christmas and I want one of your hairs as the magical core. And dad has an idea for some swords. So that is the other two hairs."

" _That'll be fine. Here …."_

"No! I want to pick them!"

" _Why?"_ Cathaoir asked.

Harry was impressed with Cathaoirs patience. He never got tired of the kids or of their questions.

"Because I want to choose the right hairs for my wand and the swords." As Cathaoir lay down, everyone was impressed, that here was a magical creature that had been around since before the magical world existed, letting an eleven-year-old girl crawl all over him searching for just the right hairs in his mane.

" _Ow!"_

"Stop crying you, big baby!"

" _You said three hairs! Not three handfuls! How many did you take?"_

"I took three, see!" she said showing the three hairs to the Golden Griffin.

"Honey, what are you going to put the hairs in so you don't lose them?" Hermione asked, knowing that there would be more to the story. It was Kitten after all.

"Well, here. Hold these two." She said handing two of the long hairs to her mum. Then, taking the one that she had, she held it, she felt it, she closed her eyes and smelled the hair. Opening her eyes, she looked at the hair, and then she conjured a vial in her free hand. Placing the hair in the vial, she looked at her mum and told her, "Here, this one is for Cici." Then she moved her index finger and Cici's name etched itself into the side of the vial. Then she sealed the vial so the hair wouldn't fall out. She did this again with the second hair and told them that that hair was for Cedric. Then everyone assumed that the third hair would naturally be for her wand. Nope, she did the same things before saying that this was the correct hair for her new wand. With this finished, everyone flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. Once there, the Grangers and the Ramoses decided to stay in the Leaky Cauldron while the others split up. Hermione promised to come and get the women when the other work was finished.

Upon the meeting with Mr Ollivander, Daphne stepped forward and asked him if he could make her a custom wand. He looked her in the eyes and was sizing her up. Who was this young lady that wanted a custom wand? Lord and Lady Gryffindor, he knew. He knew the young couple that was with them, and he knew that this young lady belonged to Harry and Hermione. But, who was this young girl staring him down in his shop? He could sense the power of her magic. He could sense the strength of her character. She far exceeded most adults in both.

"And what would you like for the magical core of your new wand young lady?" He finally asked.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the hair that she had chosen earlier that morning. "This," she said matter of factly.

"Oh, and what is this?" he asked holding the vial up to the sunlight coming through the dingy windows.

"It is a hair from a Golden Griffon," she replied with a matter of fact tone.

"Oh, and where did you find a Golden Griffon?" he asked in a light-hearted tone. Not really expecting the answer that she was about to give.

"His name is Cathaoir, and he is my familiar. Well, our familiar," she told him looking him right in the eye as if daring him to call her a liar.

"May I open the vial?"

"Yes, you may."

Taking out his wand he tapped the vial and it opened letting him pour the hair into his hand. As soon as it touched his palm, he could feel the immense power of the hair. He quickly put the hair back into the vial and sealed it, knowing how valuable it was. He also knew how critical it was to select the correct wood for this wand. It had to be just right. The correct species of wood from the correct tree to make the best wand possible for this amazing young woman in front of his counter.

"I would suggest we try three different types of wood. And within the chosen wood species we will need to select the correct piece of wood to work best with the core and with you," he told her, becoming very serious about this project. The three types of wood would be Acacia wood, Ebony wood and Applewood.

"Let me go get some samples." He turned and went to the back of the shop muttering to himself.

They heard some shuffling in the back, and he returned carrying several different boxes. "Here we are."

Placing the boxes in three different stacks. He then separated the different stacks into rows of three. "This first row is the Acacia wood."

Opening the first box, he handed the wand blank to Daphne. As she began to study the wand blank, he explained quickly about the wood.

"Acacia wood is loyal but tricky to use, it demands a gifted witch or wizard," he told the group of people in his small shop.

As he watched her, she closed her eyes and felt the wood, she ran her fingers up and down the length of the wand blank and spun it in her hands. Finally, she smelled the wood and gave it back to Mr Ollivander.

"May I see another please?" she asked formally.

"Yes, here you go. This is Applewood. Many like it because of how white the wood is. Applewood does not like dark magic, it likes people that have the gifts of charm and the ability to speak to magical creatures."

Again, she checked the wood slowly and carefully. "No, I don't like this wood at all." This time she had a look of distaste all over her face.

"This wood is Ebony," he started to explain as he opened the box.

Inside was a solid black wand blank. Handing her the wand blank he watched her carefully.

"Ebony likes people that are true to themselves, to those that do not follow the crowd, and," looking at Harry and Hermione, "magic used in combat." Again, after checking the wand blank very carefully, she handed the wand back.

"Are there any other choices? I like this one, and I like the last one, but I do not like, at all, the Apple," Daphne said shaking her head, no.

As he took the first box of the Acacia and the Ebony. He gathered all of the Apple wands. You could see the thought come into his head.

"Let me take these back, and there is another. I will also bring up some wands that all have the same magical core so that you can get a feel for them that way if you want." When he returned, he laid down the boxes in order again. "This new wood is what is grouped together as "Vinewood" Opening the box, he handed her the wand blank and started to explain, "Vinewood is a very, very, old magic. It likes people that are driven and have a vision for the greater purpose. It likes people who are beyond the ordinary and have the depth of personality."

Again, she went over the wood ever so caringly.

"May I see another piece of this wood?"

"Yes, my dear, here." And again, with the same care.

"May I see another please?"

"Yes, here!"

"I like this wood, dad." Looking at Mr Ollivander, "Do you have any more of this wood?"

"I have one more blank and this wand that has a Unicorn hair for a core. Are you finished with these other types of wood?"

"Yes, may I see the wand?" she asked politely.

He opened the box almost reverently. Using two hands, as if giving an offering, he handed her the wand. When it touched, her hands the wand lit up as if coming to life, sparks were emitted and then it died down, knowing that another would take its place.

"Let me go and get the last piece of this wood," he said quickly, hurrying as fast as his old body would go, to the back of the shop.

The sounds of boxes falling could be heard upfront as he hurried back to the counter and the amazing witch standing there.

Putting two boxes on the counter, he asked her. "Why didn't you come in and get a wand like all of the others? At the start of the school year?"

"It wasn't time yet." Looking, she asked for the dustiest box. "Why hasn't this one ever been made into a wand? What's wrong with it? It's lonely and sad, why is it sad? It's sad because it has never been chosen," she answered her own question. Taking the offered wand blank, she gave it the same inspection only this time she talked to the wood. "If I choose you, I am going to demand fierce loyalty, no hesitation, and I will never use you for evil, is my promise to you. Can you work with the last Golden Griffin? Because he demands loyalty also. I want your allegiance now then!" Mr Ollivander's mouth fell open as he watched the empty piece of wood light up in allegiance to the young witch.

"I think that we have found the wand for the core!" he tried saying calmly as if this was an everyday occurrence. "It will take about two or three hours to finish the wand," he told the group that was gathered in his dusty little shop.

"That will be fine Mr Ollivander. Mr Ollivander, I would like it if you could join me for a meeting in just a few minutes. This took a little longer than I was expecting and the next meeting is one that I think you will be very interested in if you found this interesting. If you are the only one here, then you will probably need to close up shop for a couple of hours. If need be, I will compensate you for your time," Harry told him in a business-like tone. It was, after all, going to be a business proposition, if it could be done.

"Y-yes," he stammered. "J-just let me put the sign in the window and lock the door." What were the Potters up to now? If it was anything like this young lady, it was going to be interesting.

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 **A/N: I plan to update about every two weeks. To those that have already started reading. Thank you! To those that have left reviews, thank you very much!**

 **Revised again 01.04.2018**

 **And again 07.20.2018**

 **And again 11.13.2018**


	3. Year Three Chapter 3

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 3

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The small platinum blonde girl charged forward as she yelled, "Uncle Ragnarok!" Grabbing the goblin around his waist. He hugged her back and began to scratch her back with his sharp nails.

"Purr, purr, purr," she said, "I love it when you scratch my back!" Pushing away from him, she looked up into his eyes and asked, "Is Aunt Acidelphia coming with you tomorrow?"

"Yes, she is!" He told her with excitement ringing in his voice. She was a beautiful girl after all.

Kitten squealed with delight.

Ragnarok turned to Harry and Hermione, "I received your request to meet this morning, and I am pleased to have you here."

Answering the Director of the Goblin Nation in his native tongue, Harry gave the formal and customary greetings. After which Harry and Ragnarok shook hands and pulled each other into an embrace that could only be shared by brothers in arms. He also apologised for them being late. Ragnarok waved it off with a wave of his hand.

"Hermione, you are as beautiful as always. Ageing has seemed to have forgotten about you." Ragnarok told her.

Greeting him in his native tongue, they shook hands cordially, then she told him slyly, "Be careful Ragnarok, Harry is a jealous husband, and he's right here!" They all burst out into laughter.

"Cedric! It has been a while! My how you have grown! And this is your mate?" Ragnarok greeted him with a warm handshake while looking at Cecilia.

"Uncle Ragnarok. Yes, this is my soul-mate, Cecilia." And then the two teens bowed and gave the customary greeting in Ragnarok's native tongue. Ragnarok looked genuinely surprised and gave them the conventional response with a smile.

Finally, Harry introduced Mr Ollivander, and the two shook hands, carefully.

"What brings you here today, Harry?" Asked Ragnarok as he returned to sit behind his large wooden desk.

As the guests began to sit. Harry started to explain that he was wondering if the goblins could make two new swords of the same calibre as the Sword of Gryffindor. Hermione added in that the Sword of Gryffindor was magically enchanted to only take in that which would make it stronger. Harry went on to explain that he also wanted to place a magical core in the swords making them similar to wands. Hence the reasoning for bringing Mr Ollivander to the meeting today.

"What kind of swords are you looking for," Ragnarok asked glancing at the new couple holding hands. What an astonishing family he thought. What kind of troubles lay ahead for us if there are two soul-bonded couples at the same time?

With Harry looking at Cedric, the teen spoke up. "I enjoy working with a long broadsword like the Sword of Gryffindor."

Then the look went to Cici. She spoke up, "I enjoy working with a katana. I like the lightweight and the speed at which it moves in my hands."

"Are these something that you could have made for us?" Harry asked.

At this point, there was a knock on the two massive doors. Ragnarok called "Come!" and Sliprok entered to inform the Director that the Minister of Magic was there for her appointment.

Harry interjected, "It will be fine if she joins us. I don't have a problem with that. Mr Ollivander, if you need, you can leave at this time. We will be by to pick up Daphne's new wand later. Thank you for coming with us."

"Please, show the Minister in," Ragnarok instructed his underling. "Minister! It is good to see you again. I'm just finishing up with Lord Gryffindor and his family. Lord Black welcome!" Ragnarok greeted warmly, for a goblin. "Now, Harry we were negotiating the cost of two new custom-made swords for Lord and Lady Potter. As I was saying, it will not be inexpensive to make a sword of the same calibre as the Sword of Gryffindor. Also as a personal favour, I would like to spar with each of the teens after they receive their swords!"

Just as Harry was opening his mouth, Kitten interrupted with, "I have something to trade for the swords, Uncle Ragnarok."

"What do you have to trade for these swords, Kitten?" Ragnarok asked almost condescendingly, what could a twelve-year-old human girl have that would be worth two Goblin made custom swords?

"Information," with that statement, she had everybody's attention in the room, possibly even the four guards standing behind Ragnarok's desk.

"What kind of information do you have that could be worth the price of these swords?" Ragnarok asked, humouring the little girl.

"Information concerning the honesty, integrity, and the reputation of Gringotts Bank," she said in that sweet little girl's voice.

With that, every head turned to look at Ragnarok.

"How could you have information concerning Gringotts Bank?" Ragnarok asked curiously.

"Because, I heard another goblin thinking about how much gold he has taken from my parents, Uncle Sirius, and Aunt Amelia. He has taken gold from all of your most valued customers and has sold information on them also," she stated flatly.

Ragnarok was angry! One of his own was stealing from those that the Goblin Nation had an alliance with! Working hard to keep his temper under control.

"Okay, Kitten, you drive a hard bargain, but I will trade the swords for the information, but I still want to spar with your brother and his new mate," Ragnarok said almost in a snarl.

Kitten knew that he wasn't mad at her, but that one of his own would betray his trust, and sell out the reputation of the bank.

Before Kitten could speak again, Amelia injected that they would need the information that he would collect so they could follow any leads. In other words, she said, "Please don't kill him before we get the information that we need! If you want, I can supply you with veritaserum for the interrogation."

"That won't be necessary, we have our own truth potion. Now, Kitten what is the name!" he snarled out, his knuckles turning white as he pressed his hands on his desktop.

Kitten simply said, "Sliprok," and before Ragnarok could order the guards to go and get the thief, she said, "come." And he was there in the room with them. He had a surprised look on his face that he was no longer in one of the vaults, but he had the gold in his hands. One look at Ragnarok's face and he knew he was a dead goblin.

"Please, share the information gained so we can follow up on our side." Minister Bones-Black requested sincerely.

"We will share the information as we get it," he addressed the Minister. "TAKE HIM!" he yelled at his personal guard detail. "Harry if we are finished? Kitten thank you, and I will see you tomorrow at the wedding! Minister, Lord Black, on to your appointment," Ragnarok said, pulling himself together. A traitor and a thief, he's lucky the others were there!

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As the group walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Cici noticed the Grangers had an uncomfortable look on their faces, her mother was looking pissed, and her father was looking, well, sloshed. Feeling the anger rising in his wife, Ced was quick to look where she was staring, and he quickly placed his hand on her bare arm. Just his mere touch had started to cool his lovely wife's temper down. Aunt Tonks and Uncle Remus volunteered to get him a room. It was decided that the best thing would be to take him to his flat. Cici volunteered to apparate him to her home. All of the adults looked at her quizzically. Quickly Ced cast the privacy charms and silencing spells as she told them that being soul-bonded let them learn magic at an accelerated pace. Grabbing her father's arm, silently she apparated.

When she reappeared, several minutes later, her mom asked her, "What did you do with your father?" She was tired of his drunken behaviour, the embarrassment that he was in front of these people. His attitude towards her and her daughter. She no longer thought of him as her daughter's father. She was finished with him. He wanted a divorce? Well, he would get his wish the day after the wedding. She wasn't going to ruin her daughter's special day for this sorry excuse for a man.

"I put him in the bathtub. That way when he vomits all over himself he doesn't make a mess that you have to clean up," Cici replied with malice dripping off of each word. "Now, I want to go buy a wedding dress! Who wants to go with me!" she exclaimed with the volume and excitement in her voice rising with each word. The sorry excuse for a dad was no more. What she didn't tell her mom was that she had _obliviated_ his memory, and he would wake up knowing no more, and he would have an overwhelming desire to move to a small country in the middle of Africa.

Walking towards Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions, Cici started talking to her mom in hushed tones. "Mom, on Monday after the wedding we are going on a trip out of the country. Cedric and I would really like it if you would come with us. I know that it is last minute, but it will be a chance for you to get away for a week and let things settle with dad. It would really make me happy if you were there with us. I think that I heard that it is some Caribbean island." Let's try a little guilt with a bit of incentive.

"What about your father?"

"You know how he gets when he's like this. He's headed down on a binger, and he probably won't even be there when I go back to get him for the wedding tomorrow. It's hard on me also, to know that my own father, he's not even a dad anymore, isn't going to be the one to walk me down the aisle and give me away." The sadness and the anger in her voice were there for the group to hear.

The guys had quickly decided to head over to the men's shop for some new suits and dress robes. Ced was slightly concerned because Cici had put up her mental barriers. He just put it down as she didn't want to spoil the surprise. Harry and Remus took Ced under their arm and helped him chose a classic black tuxedo with a light tan shirt, and a black bow tie. With all of the confusion in the store, Harry was able to slip out to pick up Kitten's new wand. He made it back in time for the fitting of the tuxedo. With everything selected, he procured a promise from the shopkeeper to have everything ready by lunchtime on Sunday. On their way to meet up with the ladies, the guys stopped by the Quidditch shop to check on some equipment. Hanging in the front window were four new brooms.

"Harry! Look at this new Nimbus Mach 1! They're advertising it as faster than the speed of sound! I wonder how they can do that?" Cedric commented in awe.

"Did you look at the Firebolt Afterburner 1.0? They're saying that it is the fastest broom on Earth!" Harry replied with amazement in his voice. "They're so fast that they had to come out with the Firebolt International Quidditch series of brooms."

"Same with the Nimbus brooms. They have their line of International Standard brooms too." Cedric said turning to look at Harry with amazement in his eyes.

"Dad, can we get Cici a broom for Christmas? She's stuck using one of the old brooms at school," Ced asked his father almost pleadingly. He knew he didn't have any money, but he also knew that she would greatly benefit from the new broom.

"Wicked!" Said the twins as they led the way into the shop. An hour later the boys exited the shop with everything from new gloves to a new broom for Cici. Ced quickly shrank the broom to hide it in his pocket, keeping it a surprise for Christmas morning.

After dinner that night, the guys told the girls that they wanted to head over to Grimmauld Place for the stag party. The older adults begged off saying that they were getting too old to stay up that late. The ladies informed the guys that they were heading to Bones' Tower for the hen do. The older ladies said that they were headed for Greengrass Manor for the rest of the night.

After a few hours at Grimmauld Place, several drinks, and more than a few "war stories." Ced made the comment, "But the Chamber of Secrets is just Hogwarts' legend. It doesn't really exist. Nobody has ever been able to find it in hundreds of years of searching!" All conversation stopped, and all eyes turned to stare at the young Potter.

"Harry, you've never told him?" George asked in shock.

"Told me what?" asked a slightly inebriated young Cedric.

"Your dad saved my youngest …" George started.

"… sister from a twenty-metre long Basilisk," Fred finished looking dumbfounded that Harry's own son didn't know this story.

"I've never heard anything about The Chamber of Secrets from my dad. He's never said anything," Cedric replied with confusion in his voice. When had his dad ever fought with a Basilisk? Let alone one that was twenty-metres long?

Cedric Greengrass looked at George and asked him," Do you still have your portkey on your watch?"

"Yes."

"Let's get this party started!" yelled Fred.

Those that still had the portkey helped those that did not, and they all landed in the Chamber of Secrets. Looking around quickly they learned that they were not the only ones in the chamber.

As Ced rushed towards Cici, she was rushing towards him. They grabbed each other with a huge hug and kissed as if they had been apart for months, not just a couple of hours.

Daphne saw them and commented sarcastically, "Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

With Fred's retort of, "I was going to ask you the same thing! What are you girls doing here? This is our party!"

Cedric told her with the amazement still in his voice that Harry had never told Ced that the Chamber of Secrets was real and not just a myth.

After all of the couples had joined back up. They moved to the study room. It was interesting to note, that all of the couples that could speak telepathically, the wives sat across their husband's laps. They all sat in a way that they were facing each other without twisting their heads too far. Harry commented that the chambers were still clean.

Neville told him, "Oh, that's because Binkins comes here once a week to freshen it up. Draco and I come down here about three times a week to practice duelling, when I'm at Hogwarts working with Professor Sprout," seeing the confused looks, he explained. "I work with Professor Sprout part-time, and I work at the Ministry part-time as an Auror. Hey! I've never been beaten! Even four against one!"

"That's amazing Nev!" Harry exclaimed.

George started telling Ced how Harry, as a second year, had saved their little sister, Ginny, from a twenty-metre long Basilisk and a Horcrux that contained a part of Lord Voldemort's soul. Pointing in the direction where the final battle had taken place. He told him how the Basilisk had injured his father and even though he was dying, Harry had taken the broken Basilisk fang and stabbed the diary killing that Horcrux, a piece of Voldemort's soul, and freeing Ginny from Voldemort's control.

"My dad fought Lord Voldemort?" Ced asked with the unbelief written all over his face and voice. No, this couldn't be true. His dad just pushed parchment around and didn't do anything!

"Harry, show us what really happened at the final battle. None of us knows what happened. We know that Snape and Dumbledore both died. But that's all we know," Susan asked of him. She knew that it would not be easy for him, but she also knew that everyone wanted to know.

Hermione thought to him, _"You don't have to do this if you're not ready."_

" _I know Mione. At this point, I think that they deserve to know, it's been several years, and they have been this patient for so long. You will have to fill in the blanks for me."_

Hermione, slipped out of his lap as Harry stood up and turned to face an empty wall. "Mione has agreed to fill in the blanks so you will get the full story of what happened at the end," he told them with solemnity in his voice. Placing his wand at his temple, he projected on the wall the final minutes of the battle with Tom Riddle. He started at the point just before Snape attacked him with the _diffindo_ , cutting him deeply. He showed Dumbledore shadow duelling with both the possessed body of Lucius Malfoy and Professor Snape.

Draco sat there quietly looking at the red eyes in his father's face. He heard the high-pitched laughter of an insane person coming from his father's mouth.

Then Harry and Hermione switched perspectives. As Hermione projected the battle from her point of view, the group could see Shadow fighting fiercely and tearing the arm off of Voldemort. Then they watched as Shadow was thrown across the clearing and hitting a tree breaking his back. They could see the pain and the sorrow on Harry's face as he looked up at Hermione, cradled in her arms. Then they saw Cathaoir telling Hermione to take the Sword of Gryffindor and kill Voldemort while she still had the chance. They watched as she dealt the final blow and the body collapsed on the ground, then her rushing back to her soul-mate. Only to find him dead. They saw her wanting to take the sword and fall upon the blade killing herself to join her love in eternity. She showed Fawkes doing the unimaginable, diving into Harry's chest, sacrificing himself, to give Harry a new life with his bond-mate. Then the combined pieces of Voldemort's soul taking possession of Harry's body.

Harry picked up at this point. He showed them the sacrificing of his soul-bond so that Hermione would live, even though he died. The pain on her face at the loss of the soul-bond. He showed them the battle that happened inside of him, of the darkness that tried to claim him and the fight to reclaim his own soul from evil. They saw the fragments of Voldemort's soul being ejected from Harry's body. Then he showed them how he used his elemental fire to burn the weakened soul fragments, so they were no more.

Harry turned to look at everyone as he stopped projecting the images. He could feel Hermione's hand on his arm giving him the strength he needed to relive the pain of hurting her so gravely. They all sat there in total silence. It seemed as if he and Hermione could leave and no one would know. Neville and Luna both came over and hugged, the two of them silently. Slowly it turned into a silent group hug for the two that had sacrificed everything for all of them. Cedric and Cici learned that they had a lot to live up to. As if hearing their thoughts, Hermione turned to them and whispered, "You two still have a lot of training to do."

.

.

The next morning found the Potter Mansion humming with life. An army of house elves was moving about with purpose in their steps. They had a wedding to finish preparing for after all! Ced could hear the activity as he woke to the most beautiful sight in the world to him. His wife laying on his side with her arm and leg wrapped over the top of him. How was he ever able to sleep without her? Was there a world before her? He knew that he did not have a life before she came along. How long had he known her? "Mi Amor, we need to get up."

"Just five more minutes," came the standard reply.

He laughed silently as he slipped out from under the most fantastic woman in the whole world.

" _No, the most amazing woman in the whole world is your mom!"_ she thought back to him.

As she entered the shower, he thought how much he loved to wash her. Turning the water off with a wave of his hand, he took the bottle of bath wash and started soaping her up beginning with her legs. After running both hands and the liquid bath wash up and down her toned, shapely legs, he seductively started massaging each leg. Starting with her foot he would lift her foot and wash it from the bottom up through the toes, her ankle, then on to her calf, circling his hands back and forth around her calf he moved up to her thigh, up and down, running up past her knee he did the same thing with her muscular thigh. Up and down went his large, strong hands, rubbing the soap over and over on her thigh, massaging her leg. The magical soap bringing out the scent that was her. That sent that marked her as his. Again, he did this with her other leg as she began to quiver at his touch. As he slowly brushed past her private area, he reached around and grabbed her buttocks pulling her firmly into himself. Holding her there she looked up at him wanting the kiss that she knew was coming. Hungrily she kissed him back, pressed against his hard body. Pressed together, he washed her back. His outstretched hands, covering her back as he stroked her up and down, the soap amplifying her scent in his nostrils. Pulling away, he soaped her torso, the strong hands rubbing her clean. Lovingly, he stroked her growing breasts, eliciting excitement from her sensitive deep brown nipples, and more quivering from her body. Lifting one arm, he soaped it up, then began to massage it from her pit to the tips of her fingers, his large thumbs caressing the palm of her hand, willing any stress to leave via her fingertips. Again, he washed her other arm, forcing any stress to leave this woman that he loved, to leave her completely relaxed. Using a week _diffindo_ on the palms of his hand he smoothly shaved any hair stubble from her pits, before she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ever so gently, how could someone so strong, be so gentle with her, she wondered, as he began caressing her neck up behind her ears, his thumbs along her jaw bone. Again, he pulled her mouth in for a long drugging kiss, using both hands with his fingers laced together in her hair, a kiss that left both of them dizzy with desire. With another wave of his hand the water was turned on as she began rotating in the shower with her arms above her head, he watched as the soap slid down her slick skin to the drain in the floor. With her hair soaked, he called the shampoo to him without a word. Taking the shampoo in the palm of his hand, he released the bottle to return from wince it came. Turning her to face him he began to gently but forcefully lather her hair. Working the shampoo down to her scalp he massaged her head. Using both hands, he worked the magical shampoo that amplified the scent of her hair, through her hair fully. Pulling her waist long hair up, as she taught him, he made sure that it was well lathered. Again, he released the one that destiny had given him, to rinse the shampoo out of her black wavy hair. As she leaned her head back, he could see that the tips of her hair reached the cheeks of her perfectly formed bum. He watched as the bubbles trailed down the long strands of hair before falling to the shower floor. When she was thoroughly rinsed off, he turned the water off and called a towel to him. Stepping out of the shower on to the magically heated floor he began to dry her. Patting the excess water from her hair, he then moved to her shoulders and down her toned body, careful to catch any stray drop of water as he went down past her waist. She could feel his breath on her nether region bringing desire again, as he towelled her legs dry. Carefully he lifted each foot to dry her toes. Standing in front of her, she gazed at this man that was her Adonis, while he cast a drying spell on her and her hair.

.

Walking into the small dining room with their arms wrapped around each other, they greeted his parents and her mother. Ced noted that Cici's father wasn't there. It didn't occur to him that even if he wanted to get to the Potter Mansion, that he didn't have a way. He didn't know, yet, that his bride to be had obliviated her father's mind. Making him forget her and her mom. That she had put an overwhelming desire to move to some small country in the jungles of Africa, and he was acting on that desire even as Ced was holding a chair for her, and she rewarding him with a kiss on the cheek. Her mother was very impressed with the manners in this household. She had never had a man hold a door for her, or pull a chair out for her. She had come to believe "that chivalry is dead," as so often her husband, well, her soon to be ex-husband kept telling her. Angelica was still getting used to telling her plate what she wanted to eat and then having it appear a few moments later. Then the small creatures, "house elves?" she thought that they were called, clearing everything away. Even they were polite and respectful. Both Harry and Hermione seemed to go out of their way to compliment them and thank them for even the smallest of things.

"Morning, Harry, morning Hermione," Dan and Jean greeted the kids.

"Morning mum, morning dad," they said in unison.

"Morning Grandmama, morning Grandpapa," Cedric greeted them.

"Morning Mr and Mrs Granger," Cici greeted cheerfully.

"Please call me Dan," Dan told his new grand-daughter-in-law.

"And please, call me Jean."

"Good morning Dan, good morning Jean." Angelica greeted also.

"Well, is everybody ready for the big day?" Dan asked brightly.

"Yes," Cedric started, "But, I'm not looking forward to being separated for a long period of time. Maybe four hours at the most," he stressed. "I think after that I will be in a lot of pain. Even for that long, I think that we should get a nap in before that."

Harry looked at him, nodded his head in agreement and said, "I think that's fair. They are still very new in their soul-bond. For me, it was tough to even let go of Mione's hand for several minutes without starting to feel some pain. We need to head to Diagon Alley to pick up all of the dress clothes this morning also." Turning to look at Cici, he asked her, "Will your father be joining us today or will you walk down the aisle alone, or would you wish for someone else to give you away? Do you want someone to stand with you at the altar?"

It almost seemed as if he knew that her father would not be there. She checked, and no, he had not tried to probe her mind. Am I just feeling guilty?

"No, if my father woke up, he probably went out drinking again, and he won't get back up for several more hours. He hasn't really been that good of a father to me, or a husband to my mom for the last several years. In a sad way, it's a good thing that he's not here. He would only embarrass my mother and me with his drunken behaviour. Changing the subject, none of my friends from school will be here today correct? This might seem odd, but could Uasal stand with me at the altar?"

"It's the same with me, dad. None of my friends will be here today either. I would like it if Cathaoir would stand with me," Cedric added in support of his love.

This was undoubtedly going to be an interesting wedding Harry thought as Hermione told both kids yes.

.

Fast forwarding to one in the afternoon, the young couple bid their parents farewell and turned to head up the stairs for a nap, before separating from each other to honour the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride's dress before the wedding.

It had been a hectic morning for all. The house elves were working diligently on getting everything set up. The couple and their parents had gone for the final fittings, and all had returned just in time for lunch. Then after lunch, the kids headed upstairs while Hermione and Angelica went to check on the wedding preparations. Angelica shadowed Hermione as she started taking on her Lady of the House duties, which with everything else had been neglected until now. Hermione was genuinely grateful for the competent team of house elves that worked at the estate. To accommodate the two dragons, the elves had decided to set the wedding tent far enough away from the house. She chose to conjure some large boulders to run down the sides and around the front of the tent. She would get Harry to superheat the rocks to provide warmth for the guests and help keep the dragons warm also. Yes, a warming charm would work, but this would be useful too. It would also add atmosphere to the wedding with Uasal as part of the wedding party.

After a few more hours of things to do, and to check on, she called Charles and Gareth to her. "If everything else can be handled, then Angelica and I are going to go and get ready for the wedding. Is that okay with you Charles?" Lady Gryphindor asked her Head Elf.

"Yes, my Lady. If everything is to your satisfaction, then we should be okay from here," Charles replied formally. "I'm going to return to the kitchen."

"Yes, my Lady. If it is okay with you, I will return to preparing for the guests to arrive," Gareth answered her courteously.

"Yes, thank you both for your hard work. Please tell the others that those who wish to watch the ceremony may do so," Hermione responded politely to the two elves.

"With the wedding starting at seven, we are going to need to wake the kids to get Cici ready in time," Hermione turned and said to Angelica as she checked the time on her watch.

"I can take care of that while you head to your room. Where do you want me to bring her?" Angelica asked, looking like she finally had something to help with.

"Bring her to my bedroom, that's where all of the other girls are going to meet to get ready and help Cici get ready also. My bedroom is next to Harry's room."

"You and Harry don't sleep together?" Angelica asked in awe.

"Yes, we sleep together in the same bed, but the master quarters have separate bedrooms for the Lord and Lady of the house. It is something that we found odd when we first moved into Harry's family estate," Hermione explained to her as they started to head up the stairs.

Angelica knocked on the young couple's door quietly. Getting no response after the second time of knocking, she opened the door nervously. As she peaked her head into the room, worried about what she might see, she looked around the edge of the door to find the young couple still in bed asleep. She saw her daughter lying naked to the waist on top of Cedric with her leg, and arm draped across his torso. The sheet covered them to their waists. When she saw what she saw, which is what she did not want to see, she gave an audible gasp at the sight. When Cici heard the gasp, it was worse than an old-fashioned alarm clock ringing away next to her head. She spun around grabbing the sheet, covering herself with almost inhuman speed.

"Mom! What are you doing?" Cici hissed at her.

By this instant, Cedric had awoken also and was grabbing for the sheet to cover himself from the intruder in his room. Looking at Cici's mom, his eyes were as wide as saucers. Busted! Busted? But in the eyes of the Wizarding World, they were already man and wife. So, why the guilty emotions? They have nothing to be guilty of. Well, maybe not locking the door. The silencing charm worked though! There's the silver lining on this cloud! Yeah! Oh, wait, his mother-in-law was still in his bedroom. Nuts.

"I, I, I, just came to get you. It's time for you to get ready," she stammered sheepishly. "I, I'm sorry for intruding on you," she finished as she turned to leave the room embarrassed.

"Mom, mom!" "Cici called to her mother before her mother turned back around to look at her daughter. She has changed so much in just a couple of days! "Thank you for waking us," Cici told her sincerely in a loving tone.

Her mother, after all, had just seen her fourteen-year-old daughter, half-naked, in the arms of her lover. It had been months for her, but only hours for her mom.

"We will be in Hermione's bedroom," her mother replied with a dead voice. What was she to make of all of this? It was all moving too fast! She should be home, in her room, at their flat. She's not supposed to be getting married this young. This isn't old Mexico after all. She's not even old enough for her quince for god's sake! Why did she have to be a witch? Oh, but to watch her yesterday morning! The smile on her face was incredible! She liked fighting with the others. And how fast she could cast a spell! She has grown so much! She's lost all of her baby fat. Her body was transforming into the body of a woman. She started thinking about how amazing her daughter truly was, pride growing in her heart for her daughter. She was born for this world and these people. Besides, she could have done a whole lot worse than Cedric for a husband! He was a little hottie himself.

The two teens got dressed and walked to Cedric's mum's bedroom. He knocked on the door and heard his mother telling them to come in.

Cici turned to him and gave him a quick kiss and told him, "I'll see you in a few hours my love."

As she turned away from him, he could see a huge smile growing on her face.

Hum, he thought to himself. I wonder where my dad's at? He walked to his dad's bedroom and looked inside only to find it empty. "Dobby!" pop "Do you know where my dad is?" he asked one of his father's oldest friends.

"Yes, master. He is in the back garden warming the boulders for the ceremony tonight," Dobby answered eagerly.

"Thank you, Dobby. I'll go look for him. Thank you for all of your help in this also," Cedric told the eager house elf sincerely. We have boulders in the back garden?

.

.

After Cici kissed Ced and turned to see her mom, she had a huge smile growing on her face. She started to walk to her mother, and her mother met her halfway. With tears in her mother's eyes, her mom took her in a bone-crushing hug and cried on her shoulder.

She told her, "It's just that so much is happening so fast. You have changed and grown so much in just the two days. I, I'm sorry that I'm having such a hard time with this. It's just that you're so young and I'm having such a hard time letting you go. But know that I will always be here for you if you ever need me."

"Mom, I'm not leaving you! Yes, I am getting married. But, I'm not leaving you, I'll always be here for you!" Cici told her. "Besides, didn't Ced's parents invite you to go with us tomorrow? Aren't you coming with us, to where ever it is that we're going?"

Hermione added, "You are more than welcome to join us. It is going to be very interesting."

"But you don't even have a plane ticket for me."

"We, don't travel by plane," Hermine explained to Angelica. "The way we travel is much faster than a plane."

"It can be more uncomfortable than a plane, but it is a lot faster," added Jean Granger. "I'm the only one in this room that can relate to what you're going through. It happened to Dan and me, the summer that we invited Harry to come and stay with us at our house. One minute, the kids are doing homework for school and the next we have owls flying in and dropping letters telling us that they are married! The kids didn't even know that they were married until they received the letters. And then there was the time that Hermione almost destroyed the beach when she got mad."

"Mum! It was an accident! That's why they call it 'accidental magic,'" Hermione told her exaggeratedly. "Besides it was only a little windstorm, and nobody got hurt."

Jean took Angelica off to the side so they could talk some more about what had happened, and what she could expect in the future. After a while, all of the ladies had shown up and were having a blast fixing hair and doing nails.

.

.

As Cedric stood at the altar waiting nervously for his new bride to show, he turned and looked at Mask who would be presiding over the ceremony. He had Cathaoir next to him, and Uasal was on the other side waiting for Cici to walk down the aisle. As the orchestra changed songs to the wedding march, all of the guests stood and turned to get a better view of the bride. She had chosen to walk down the aisle alone, and she looked magnificent doing so. She was smiling and looking confident as she focused on the one person that mattered to her, the one person that would never leave her alone. He looked incredible in his black tux with the light brown shirt. She could feel the warmth radiating from the heated boulders. As she stepped up on to the platform, she turned to her future husband and took his offered hands. As they stared deep into each other's eyes they barely heard anything that Mask was saying, they did manage to say their "I do's" at the right moments, but to them, there was no one else but them.

" _Harry, there is a two-legged pretending to be a mouse,"_ came the thought from Hedwig.

" _What?"_ Harry thought back as he gave his head a shake to clean the fog of euphoria, _"Where?"_

" _It is on the stage by Uasal."_ The owl responded.

" _I see it,"_ Crookshanks said. _"Katrina and I will keep an eye on it also."_

" _I see it,"_ said Hermione. She quickly conjured an unbreakable jar in her off hand. _"Accio mouse."_ And the mouse flew right into the jar. She quickly sealed the jar and darkened the glass. _"Well, I wonder who our uninvited guest is?"_

.

"You may kiss the bride!" Mask said as the magical bonding faded from the kids.

Setting the jar in her seat she joined all of the others in clapping and cheering the new couple as they turned to face the crowd of family and friends.

.

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Angelica had never travelled by portkey before. The sensation of being sucked in by the navel and then falling through the sky to land at your destination. Cedric and Harry quickly stabilised her when they arrived in the Haitian Magical Customs Office.

The customs official looked up at the group that had just arrived. "Lord Gryffindor, welcome to Haiti."

.

.

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 **A/N: Thank you very much!**

 **Revised again 01.04.2018**

 **Revised again 07.21.2018**

 **And again 11.13.2018**


	4. Year Three Chapter 4

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 4

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As they checked into their four different bungalow style rooms on the northern coast of Haiti, Harry's contact in the country found them.

"Good morning Lord Gryffindor!" The darkest man Harry had ever met in his life greeted him in heavily accented French. "I am Ed. I will be your guide for your visit to Haiti. I will take you to meet Director Wood when you and your family are ready. I have brought a portkey for you."

Shaking his hand, "Please, call me Harry," he smiled at the man. "The others should be here momentarily, thank you." After they had all gathered in Harry and Hermione's room, and introductions were made, the group of them portkeyed over to meet Director Wood at his office.

Rising the tall, slender man walked over and greeted all of them enthusiastically. "Welcome! Welcome to Haiti! I am Director Wood!" He said with a large white smile.

Ed went about making the introductions, and after a sufficient number of chairs were conjured, all of them sat down, and Harry started to explain the reasoning for his visit.

"Director Wood, part of the reason for our visit is to teach my children that it is truly better to give, then to receive. They have grown up in an environment where they want for nothing. I have read many articles about the suffering and misery that many of the Haitian people suffer on a daily basis. I don't know the full extent of their suffering. But as you and I have talked, you said that there are things that we could do to help them."

"That is very noble of you sir. And it is truly better to give, then to receive. To teach that at a young age will grow a better person later in life! I need to caution you about some things. I was recently approached by some bad men, some very-bad men! They were wanting my help in procuring young women, girls really, to be sold into slavery. Us; people that escaped from slavery, selling our own into slavery. Human traffickers are what they call them today. But it is still slavery. This young woman here," he was indicating Cecilia, "she would bring a high price because of her good looks and healthy body. Don't ever let her leave your sight, or you may never see her again!" The director admonished Cedric. "Please, keep track of your children at all times, while you are here on the island. The corruption in the muggle government runs very deep," he cautioned sternly. "Now!" his whole demeanour changing in an instant and becoming cheerful. "I understand that you, Lady Gryffindor are a healer? And that you work with abused women and children?"

"Yes, and Angelica is an Emergency Room doctor also. What do you have need of?" Hermione asked brightly, smiling at the man.

"We have women and children in the small villages, in the mountains that the local doctors," he paused for a moment to search for the right words, "don't have time to see. They are muggles, and the wizarding healers are not inclined to help them because they cannot afford to pay," he fessed up.

"What are your laws on using magic?" Harry inquired. He knew that seven of them could help. Four of them magically and the fifth with medications and two others as dentists. He did not want anyone ending up in a wizarding jail for breaking local laws.

"There is a lot of so-called black magic that is practised in these areas. It is what they call voodoo. As for wizarding magic, the laws here are not well enforced. I will send a couple of my men to protect you, and because you are working with me, you will have my protection also," the director answered him but did not answer him. Harry made a mental note of this.

"We will need to travel by portkey to the different areas. Is there anyone keeping track of portkey travel? Will Ed still be our guide?" Harry probed not so subtlety.

"Yes, I will send Ed with you and two others. Are you still planning on staying, until the end of the week?"

"Yes, unless an emergency happens and we're called back," Harry answered, that small nagging voice in the back of his head was starting to gnaw at him. Constant Vigilance!

" _What do you think Angel? Was this a mistake on my part bringing all of us here?"_

" _I don't like all of his answers either, Harry. Let's help those that we can, and if we start to feel uncomfortable, we can leave. As noble as this is, it's not worth risking our lives. We can go this afternoon to the worst areas and help those in the most need."_

" _Okay, Moody was right though, Constant Vigilance."_

At the same time that Harry and Hermione were talking to each other, Cici and Cedric started talking to each other also.

" _I don't know if I trust this guy Ced."_

" _Yeah, me neither. Did you see the way that he was looking at you?"_

" _Yeah, I did. It made me feel really uncomfortable. It was like I was a piece of meat that he was pricing. I don't mind helping these people, but we need to keep our eyes open."_

"Well, let's go to the worst village first so we can help the ones in the most need first," Harry said to the man playing innocent.

"Great! Ed, take them to the village in the mountains that got hit the worst in that hurricane," Wood said in a commanding voice. "If you have any troubles, I will help you in any way that I can Harry!" he said to them in a reassuring tone.

.

The whole party landed in a clearing about 500 metres from the community. As they walked to the village, Ed took the lead so he could look for the village leader.

With Harry, Hermione, Cedric, and Cici's ability to speak to the local women in Creole, they started to learn that the slavers had taken some of the local girls, and when the mothers tried to protect their daughters, they were viscously beaten, many of them had broken bones that were not set correctly. They also learned that many of the men did not live there, but instead they stayed in the larger cities because that's where the work was. The poverty of these people was breaking their hearts. Learning that they lived on less than €2.00 a day was truly heart-wrenching.

Ed was asking the village leader if they could use his home so they could begin healing the sick and the injured. The four of them quickly decided that they could have the patients cover their faces with towels, this would hide the fact that they were going to use magic to diagnose and then treat them where they could. Working as much as they could, behind closed doors. Harry was the one that did the triage. Hermione had grabbed Angelica quickly to help her with the most severe injuries. The two teens each work in separate rooms healing minor cuts and simple fractures.

" _Why haven't these injuries been healed properly?"_ Cedric thought to Cici.

" _I know! We both have had worse injuries from playing Quidditch. I'm glad that El and Toll had us start learning basic first aid."_

" _We need to go into the house tonight and step up our first aid training if we want to help more. I haven't learned anything from my mum."_ Cedric thought glumly.

" _Me neither. I just thought, just thought that it wasn't important yet. Then as we started with the combat training, I could see where it might be useful. But now, we could really use more knowledge! Be careful that you don't get too tired. The healing magic takes a lot of magic from us."_ Cici cautioned.

One of the last women to be seen by Hermione and Angelica was a young mother whose fourteen-year-old daughter had been taken three nights earlier. The attackers had crushed her face with the butt of a gun as they took the screaming girl from her mother. The mother told them that she fought as hard as she could. To punish her, and make an example of her, they raped her and beat her repeatedly in front of the whole village. She told them that she kicked and screamed, but no one came to her aid. It seemed to go on for hours, and finally, she shut her brain off because there was nothing else she could do.

"What could I do?" She asked of no one in particular. "In the end, they just tossed me aside like a broken doll," she confided in the two women.

Putting her to sleep, Hermione used her wand to check her vitals and then she started to rebuild the woman's face. After finishing with her face, she repaired her broken ribs and healed her other broken bones. As she moved down to the woman's hips, Hermione frowned and became angry. As she closed her mind off more, to focus on the task at hand, she started to repair all of the damage done to the woman's reproductive organs. After waking the young mother, they gave her a potion for the bruising that she had received, and they told her to be very careful the next several days so that she would not damage the healing work that had been done.

The Grangers kept an eye on the three youngest children as they started to play with other kids. Even the Potter kids brought the local kids in to have old wounds healed correctly. For a lot of these kids, Harry would distract the child and then wandlessly heal the child's injury by running his hand over the wound. Before they left, Hermione and Angelica used most of Hermione's potions treating the diseased. As they were leaving, they walked around the small village looking at the living conditions. The fact that they had no safe, clean, drinking water really bothered both Harry and Dan. How could these people expect their children to grow up healthy and strong if there wasn't even clean water to drink and cook with? All of the water had to be boiled before it could be used. They learned that this was a terrorist tactic used by the country's previous government when they poisoned the primary source of drinking water to control the peoples. After having been in the village for a few hours, they portkeyed back to the hotel for lunch. Harry told their escorts that they would stay at the hotel until two o'clock when they would want to go to another village to help the people in that community.

Talking to the teens, at lunch, Harry suggested that they get a short nap in to recharge their magical cores, and he would wake them in time to go to the next village.

When the teens and Harry were alone, Cedric told his father, "Dad, I think that we are going to go into the house so we can get additional training in the healing arts. What we saw this morning is really disturbing, and it bothers both of us that people treat other people that way."

Harry looked to see Cecilia crying at the thought of what they had witnessed that morning.

"That's very grown up of you two to do that. So many other people come here for just the fun and the sun. They don't look past the resorts. We'll see you at 2:00," Harry told the two of them. He was proud of his son and his new wife for thinking beyond themselves.

.

As the group walked towards the second village, they were met at the edge of the small town by several people. The village leader approached them and told them that they had been contacted by the first village, and they have a young woman that was attacked and beaten just last night when the slavers came and took three young girls. The local healer had done all that she could, but the young woman was not expected to live through the night. As they hurried to the young woman, others in the village started gathering around, bringing their sick and injured to be healed. Harry and the others could feel the magic radiating off of Hermione in waves as she became angrier at the situation.

Cedric said to his dad, "Cici and I will work out of this house here if they let us."

The owner of the hut told the teens that it was okay, "Please do," he said, eagerly. He would help those that wanted to help his people.

As the adults started helping the villagers, the younger kids started playing with the local children. Harry had the people start making a line so he could do triage on the sick and injured. He began sending people to Cedric and then to Cici waiting for word from Hermione about the brutalised woman. The two teens had picked up their pace on healing the locals, which helped take the pressure off of Harry, who was working with the kids again.

.

When Hermione and Angelica entered, the room where the woman lay on a cot, the stench of death was in the air. When the door was closed behind them, and she had made sure that they were alone, Hermione quickly banished the woman's clothes to see the full extent of the injuries. Angelica pointed out the defensive wounds on the mother of the taken girl. She had put up a valiant fight, and all it got her was brutalised worse than the first woman they healed that morning. Her attackers had caused many internal injuries that were bleeding. The first thing Hermione told Angelica, was to give the young mother a blood replenishing potion, as she worked to stop the internal bleeding. Once the internal bleeding was stopped. She worked to repair the damages done by those who brutalised her. Then she worked at healing her shattered bones, and then finally, she started rebuilding her face that had been crushed, probably with the butt of a rifle. After waking the woman, they gave her two more blood replenishing potions and another potion for the bruising. Hermione turned around and conjured some clothing for her, as she handed the clothes to her, she told her to rest for several days, and take it easy to avoid damaging the healing work that had been done today.

As the two doctors left the healers hut, they were met by people that were sick. The teens had healed most of the others, it was just the sick that needed the potions to be healed. When Hermione looked in her bag, she saw that she didn't have enough to heal all of the different people that were sick.

She called the healer to her and asked, "Please, just bring me the ones that are the sickest. All I have left is enough for ten people." As the healer moved through her people, she found the ten sickest people that she sent to the Medicine Woman so she could heal them.

Again, they walked through the village before heading to the clearing to portkey back to the hotel rooms.

"This is sickening that people have to live this way!" Cici said heatedly. "This is just wrong!" she growled as they arrived in the hotel room.

.

.

After dinner and a glass of wine later. The younger children were in bed asleep. Harry, Hermione, Cici, and Cedric went walking on the beach. The cruise ship had already left, so the hustle and bustle of the tourists were gone. It was just the four of them, strolling on one of the few sandy beaches in Haiti, enjoying a warm tropical night, their conversation was quiet and guarded.

"I want to thank you two for all of your help with Hermione today," Harry was saying. "You, helped a lot of people that would not have received any help."

"What happened? What did they do?" Hermione asked as she remembered to lower her mental shields.

"While you worked on the two young women that were in the worst condition. Cedric and Cici handled all the rest of the people needing healing." Harry said proudly as he pulled Mione in tighter against him.

" _We are not alone,"_ Hermione thought to Harry.

" _I can feel them also Angel. You did a magnificent job today helping those women,"_ Harry thought back with his love and admiration flooding through their mental link. He was hoping that the kids could feel the other people closing in on them.

Poppoppoppop went the ambush, as Harry felt a wand pressed to the back of his head. Looking he could see Hermione in a similar situation and Cici too. Only Cedric was free, and he had his wand out, pointed at a man that looked strangely like one of their escorts. Glancing around, Ced could see that the others were being held at wand point.

" _Mi Amor? Are you okay?"_ Ced asked Cici.

She could feel the worry and the love flooding through their mental link as she was being held by one stinky guy. Hadn't this guy ever heard of deodorant? _"Yes, but I thought that I felt five of them, not just the four that have us."_

Cici had no more than finished the thought when Harry collapsed to the ground. Hermione broke free, and Cici was apparated away in front of them. Cedric cast a _diffindo/stupefy_ that hit his assailant square in the chest, cutting through his heart, just as the man apparated away. Hermione was on Harry instantly she cast _rennervate_ to help Harry come around. Throwing herself on him, she kissed him, so grateful that he was still alive. The worry and fear were flooding through their mental link. As they kissed, they were enveloped in a golden blue glow, healing Harry and restoring the full power of their magical core.

" _I thought that I had lost you again!"_ She cried into his shoulder. Out loud she said, "Cedric, do not shift to Cici. Is Cici okay?"

"Yes, she's okay. They are walking her to a shipping container," Ced replied, worried about his new bride.

"Don't break the mental link. That is what is going to allow us to rescue her and capture the bad guys. Keep talking to her and keep her calm. The more information that she can give us the easier it will be to find her," Hermione said taking charge of the situation. "That man that you hexed didn't he look like one of the escorts assigned to guard us?"

"Yes, Cici said the same thing. She also thinks that the man that took her stinks!" Ced answered his mother. "Cici just gave me the shipping container number. She says that there are thousands of containers, but from what she can figure out each container has a different number that she can see. She says that the men are talking about the ship is going to leave tomorrow. They are pushing her inside of the container. There are a lot of other girls in the container. They seem to be okay. It stinks in there, like a muggle porta potty. Oh, that is a plastic loo used at outdoor events. There are holes cut into the sides of the container that she can see out of. There are bunks built inside. She is looking out one of the holes, all she can see are containers. She is moving to the far end of the container. She can see a ship. She is looking for the name of the ship. She says that there are other containers on top of their container, so they are not moving yet. Okay, she can see the name of the ship. She can't read the name, sorry she can't pronounce the name of the ship, but the ship is from Syria. I told her to help the other girls that need healing and to get some rest. What are we going to do?"

"Don't shift to her just yet," Harry told him as he got back to his feet. "As your mum would tell you. Rushing in does not always make the problem better. We need to find Ed. Shacklebolt had gone through a vetting process on Ed but not on Director Wood, and I did not like the way that Wood was looking at Cici."

"I think that we all did not like the way he looked at her, dad. Cici told me that he was looking at her like a piece of meat." The revulsion was dripping off of his words as he said them.

As father and son talked, Hermione had sent her patronus to bring Ed to them. Getting the guys attention, she started walking back to their hotel room. The guys still talking in hushed tones. As they entered the room, Hermione cast the different privacy charms, leaving the door unblocked as they waited for Ed. She walked to her bag, reaching in she started pulling out hers and Harry's body armour. Cedric just watched in amazement as his oh so dull, stay at home, boring mum and dud of a dad pulled on body armour. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handgun. She ejected the clip to check that the magazine was full. Satisfied, she reinserted the clip and pulled on the slide to chamber a round. It looked to Ced as if his mother had done this, hundreds of times before. This was really starting to mess with his version of reality.

Seeing the shock and confusion on her son's face, Hermione started to explain to him, "This is dragonhide wizarding combat body armour. Your Uncle Oswald gave it to us just before we left. Just in case we needed it. We started with Basilisk armour several years ago, before you were born, and that helped some. Uncle Os says that this is ten times more protective. It was developed by your Uncles Remus, Fred, and George in Uncle Sirius's research and development facility. But it still won't protect us from the killing curse."

"Well, what about me?" Cedric asked when she didn't pull any out for him.

"Angel, he is going to be in the thick of things. He is the only one that can shift to his wife," Harry told her, trying to comfort his wife.

She didn't want to let go. Cedric was her firstborn, her baby, she has to protect her children and keeping them out of harm's way was the best way that she knew how to keep them safe. How can she push her child out the door and into danger?

"Mione, this is the best way to protect him. To protect both of them. He can shift to Cici when the time is right, and give her body armour to her. We have to protect her too if we want to protect him."

With cold sadness in her thoughts, she reached into her bag again and pulled out another set of body armour. Handing it to her oldest son, she had tears running down her cheeks. Harry could feel the sad anger coming from his wife, coming from the love of his life, the centre of his universe. He could feel the sadness coming from the mother of his children. The anger at being forced to do something that she knew was dangerous, that was putting her child in danger. Yet here it was, time for her son to spread his wings and fly.

All she could do was to give him all the help she could. _"But it's too soon!" she cried through her telepathic link._

" _It's always too soon in our world Mione. Always too soon."_ Harry thought back to her. Watching his son prepare for battle.

As Cedric was donning his coat, there was a soft knock at the door. Harry moved to the door with his wand in his hand. Checking the peephole quickly, he gave a challenge question. Swiftly he moved to the side of the door as it exploded inwards. Hermione cast a shield spell and returned a stunner at the man on the left of the door. Cedric did the same and fired a stunner at the man on the right of the door. That just left Ed standing in the centre looking lost and confused. Pulling Ed and the two bodies into the room, Harry bound them with chains. He was tired of the bad guys using wandless magic to cut the ropes. With a flick of his wand, Cedric repaired the door and cast the privacy and security spells to protect them.

"Ed, are you alright?" Harry asked

"I-I just couldn't stop them. And then we were here. And then the door just exploded inwards," Ed stammered.

"Do you know where they took Cecilia?" Cedric asked, getting hot under the collar.

"She is either here, close by or they took her to Port-au-Prince. If we had the name of the ship, then we could find out where that ship is, and it would be faster maybe." The confused man replied. How were his attackers able to make him do those things?

"We don't know the name of the ship, but we do know that it leaves tomorrow and it's from Syria," Cedric shot back. Why do I have to keep waiting? I can just go to her and save her! He had completely forgotten that she could shift to him just as simply.

" _Babe, I can shift to you just as easily! But we need to save these other girls. They are going to sell them as breeding stock for terrorists! If I could just apparate them one at a time, but there are too many guards around. Some of the guards have guns, and some are wizards."_ Cici thought to Ced.

As Harry talked to Ed, Hermione used the opportunity to slip out of the room and go to her parent's room. After waking her parents and the children, she told them to get dressed. As they were getting dressed she went to Angelica's room and used _alohomora_ to unlock the door. Slipping in she woke Angelica as gently as she could. Keeping her quiet she told her to get dressed. Calming her as she was getting dressed, Hermione disillusioned them and silenced their shoes. The walked quickly to her parent's room. After slipping inside, she tapped their heads to make them reappear.

"Here is what is going on," She paused for a moment to cast the different privacy charms on the room "Cici has been kidnapped."

Angelica gasped and started to cry.

"She's doing fine. She's with the other girls that were taken from the villages that we visited today. I'm going to create a portkey and send all of you back home to keep you safe." Looking at Kitten, "Will you be able to activate the portkey and get everyone home safely? Mummy and daddy are needed here to rescue Cici and the other girls." She said this more for the smaller children than for Kitten's sake. "I want you to wait to leave for five minutes after we leave. If you leave any sooner, then, the bad guys will know that we are on to them and they may hurt Cici and the other girls." Turning she waved her wand and packed all of their stuff. Then with a second wave, she shrank everything and made it weightless. Dan reached over and put the luggage into his front pocket. Taking one of the hotel towels, she converted it into a portkey. "Remember, wait five minutes after we are gone before you leave. I need to get back in there with Harry and Cedric."

As she slipped back into the room, Harry thought at her, _"Are they all ready to leave?"_

" _Yes, I told them to wait for five minutes after we leave, before using the portkey."_

" _Good, we don't want to tip our hand to soon. This was not supposed to happen for our vacation. I just wanted the kids to meet other kids and learn what it is to give."_ He thought to her, blaming himself for the troubles they were having.

" _Harry, none of this is your fault. You had Ed vetted, but none of us knew that the human traffickers were working this country. It's just good that Cedric and Cici have worked as hard as they have in training. Did you see his skill and calmness when they blew the door in? He's almost as fast as we are!"_ Hermione told him.

Ed hung up the hotel telephone. Turning to the guests, he told them that his first hunch was correct. There is a ship with a Syrian registry in the port not too far from here. He made a portkey out of a napkin, Cedric grabbed the body armour for Cici, and they felt the familiar pull behind their navels.

Landing between two buildings the British wizards disillusioned themselves and silenced their shoes. Looking around the edge of the building they could see the massive ship with rust dripping down its sides. Looking around, they could not see the container with the holes in it. They moved out slowly, Ed leading the way. Row after row of shipping containers. They worked their way closer to the dock where the loading crane was picking containers and placing them on the ship. As they got closer to the water, they spotted the first guard with a rifle. Ed walked up behind him and stunned him silently. Cedric then levitated the body behind some other containers. Then Harry wrapped him with chains. One down and an unknown number to go. Going back to where they stunned the guard, they moved forward some more, about six more rows down and they could see the container with the holes in it. Looking carefully, they found another three guards with guns. They had yet to see a wizard guarding the container.

" _Mi Amor we're here. I can see the container, but we only see three guards with guns watching the container. Where are the other guards?"_ Cedric thought to his beautiful wife.

" _Okay, I can see the three out the front, and there are two wizards in the back. I have healed most of the girls in here, but there are two that I can't heal. Your mom will need to heal them. Do you want me to apparate out of here with two girls?"_

" _No, not yet. I have some body armour for you."_

" _Where did you get body armour from?"_ Cici thought back to him, having visions of turning into a Stormtrooper.

" _My mum pulled it out of her bag."_

" _Your mom takes body armour on vacation with her? What kind of vacations do your parents take that they need to take body armour with them?"_ Cici asked in shock.

" _I don't know, this kind I guess."_

"Cedric, can you handle the three guards up front while your mum and I go looking for the rest?" Harry asked as softly as he could and still be heard.

"There are two wizards at the back of the container," Cedric whispered in his dad's ear. "There are also two girls in the container that Cici could not heal. She says that mum will need to heal them. She is also willing to start apparating girls out to us."

"Tell you what, why don't you shift to Cici and give her the body armour. I will have Ed take out the guards up front, and your mum and I will go after the wizards in the back," Harry whispered back to his son. He then tapped himself on the head, and the others did the same. Moving up to where Ed was watching, he asked him, quietly "Can you take out the three guards up front while Hermione and I check around the back of the container? There have to be more than three guards watching the girls." He didn't reveal that he already knew that there were two wizards guarding the back of the shipping container.

"Yes, I can do that. I will give you two minutes to get back there, then I will start taking out these three." Ed whispered back, pointing at the three muggles in front of them.

As his father was talking to Ed, Cedric shifted to his wife. As soon as he appeared, she grabbed him around the neck and held on tightly. Moving his head back he was able to plant a lip crushing kiss on her. While they were still kissing, they could hear the battle starting outside. "Here, put this on now!" Cedric told her urgently. "Grab two girls and join me over that way," he said pointing. Then he grabbed two of the girls, told them to stay quiet and he apparated away. A couple of minutes later Cici showed up with two more girls.

Looking at the four girls, Cici told them, "Stay here, and stay quiet! We will be back with more." And then they both disappeared.

Harry and Hermione found the two wizards behind the container just as Cici said they would be. They looked to be tired and bored, nice easy targets. Two curses later, and Harry was chaining them up. Looking around carefully, Harry saw another guard three rows down.

" _Mione, why don't you go inside the container and start healing the two girls so we can leave out of here soon? I'll get this last guard, and then shift to you."_

" _Don't do anything reckless!"_ she thought to him, as she placed a kiss square on his lips.

As Harry crept down the rows of containers, he caught two more guards talking. "The Director will be here soon! He says that the new girl is worth more than all of the other girls combined! He says that she has light coloured skin that is smooth!" thug one said sounding nervous.

"Ooo I would like to get me some of that light, smooth skin!" thug two said acting all cocky.

"He will kill us all if you hurt her! You idiot! You are not to touch her!" thug one replied with fear in his voice. He really didn't want to die because this idiot couldn't keep it in his pants.

" _Did you get all that Mione? The Director is behind the kidnappings!"_

" _Yes, I heard it all. You need to check with Ed and see if he can arrest the Director. Stay careful Harry. I know that you can take out three guards, but just be careful. I have to work on these two girls, they are in bad shape, so we will be here for about two hours until we can transport them."_

" _The next time you see Cedric, send him out back to me. Have Cici stand guard over you while you work."_

A moment later Cedric apparated silently behind the container. Using hand signals, Harry told Cedric to get ready to stun the guard two rows down from where they were. Using his fingers, he counted down from three, two, one, stun. And all three guards went down. Again, Harry chained the guards and snapped their wands. Walking up front, Harry told Ed what he had overheard about the Director coming down to the docks to check on the girls.

Ed just hung his head and shook it, "Sorry, Harry." And he pulled his wand on him.

Before he could say the curse, Cedric stunned him from behind. "Bloody traitor!" Cedric cursed at the man. "Act all our mate, and you turn on us!?"

"Thanks, son. Let's open the container and move all of the bodies inside. Then we'll obliviate their memories. We need to sit quietly and wait for the Director to show. We'll catch him in a crossfire and do the same to him, lock the doors and let them ship them to the middle east. Their contacts there will take care of the rest!"

"Hope they packed enough food for the trip!" Cedric replied sardonically.

.

With all of the bodies inside the container, the two wizards' set up a crossfire ambush. Staying hidden in the shadows, they waited patiently for the Director to show. Hermione had put her mental walls up again so she could focus on healing her patients. Cedric was able to pass the time by talking to Cici.

" _Mi Amor, how is my mum doing?"_ Cedric asked her. Patience was not his strong suit.

" _She has finished with the first patient, and she is starting on the second. The first girl had been sexually abused by several different men. They tore her up internally really bad she said."_ The sadness and anger she felt started to flood through their mental link.

" _It's almost over. When we get the Director, I think that we'll have cut the head off of the serpent."_

Several minutes later and then they heard the loud crack of someone apparating noisily. As the heavy footsteps approached, Cedric tensed for battle. The excitement, the fear, the anger all were swirling around in his head.

" _Calm down and focus. He can't know our secret! Wait for your dad's lead and then take the bastard down!"_ Cici thought to him trying to get him to calm down. She knew that Ced could take the older wizard in a fight. They had been training in the house for years. Cast and move, cast and move. A sitting target is a dead target. Then she heard the battle begin.

Silently Harry hit the Director with an _impedimenta/stupefy,_ and it was absorbed by his shield. Just before returning Harry's spells the Director shot a hex at Cedric, which he sidestepped easily. In that distraction, Harry apparated to a different location as Cedric shot another _stupefy_ at the Director. Harry hit the Director again with a combination of spells, with one of the spells getting through his shields. Cedric had taken the opportunity to change locations, apparating to another walkway between container stacks. Harry had started shadow duelling with the Director keeping the dark wizard distracted. Just a few minutes later the father-son team could see the beads of perspiration on the Director's head and hear his breathing becoming raspy, they knew the end was near for the despicable human that would sell his own people into slavery. Cedric hit the Director with _Petrificus Totalus,_ letting Harry stun him. Harry snapped his wand, then he bound him in chains. Ced levitated the body into the container.

Cici rushed Ced and flew into his waiting arms. The force of the blow almost knocking him to the ground. A broad smile was coming to his lips when she started to kiss him. The waves of emotions washed over him as the relief flooded through. The pride in her husband taking down the dark wizard was overwhelming. The kiss went on until both pulled away breathlessly. Turning back to Harry the two teens started to blush at their display of affection.

Harry wasn't really affected by their passion, he was proud of his son for a job well done. He was relieved that nothing went wrong and that none on the side of the Light had been injured. As he waited for Hermione to finish with the last girl, he had the two teens take the girl she had finished healing to join the others. Slowly they walked her to join all of the other freed girls.

As Cedric and Cici waited for the adults, they started talking to the girls they had just freed. They learned that the youngest girl was only ten years old, but the oldest was eighteen. They came from all over the country and different levels of income. The only thing that the girls seemed to have in common was that they were all easily taken. The eighteen-year-old girl was taken from a club when she was out with her friends. She said that she took a sip of her drink, and then she woke up in the container. She had been there for three days. She told them that one girl had been in the container for almost a week. When Cici asked about going to the authorities, the girl snorted in disgust. There was none that they could go to.

"Who could we trust?"

Cici just nodded in agreement, they had just taken down the Director and his second in command. The corruption was at the highest levels of the Wizarding World here. She could imagine that the fraud was just as bad in the muggle government. Another problem just popped into her head.

"Ced, how are we going to get all of these girls back to their homes?" Cici asked with the realisation of the task at hand.

"That's a good question!" he answered seeing her point. "Let's ask my dad when they get here."

When Harry and Hermione joined the kids, the kids asked about getting the girls home. "We will take them to the church down the road and make a large donation to the church," Harry stated matter-of-factly.

.

.

Two days later.

.

"Mama!" screamed a young girl.

"My baby!" screamed a young mother in complete surprise. "You've come back to me!"

"I was so scared! The last I saw of you, those men, they were doing things to you, and I thought that you had died when they had thrown you out like a broken toy," she cried hysterically.

"An angel came and healed me," she told her in awe, remembering the experience of being healed by the beautiful woman who was so kind to her. "What did they do to you, my baby?"

"Those men, they took us, and they did bad things to us that hurt, and then they locked us in a metal box. Then they brought more girls and locked them in there too. And then, they brought in the last girl, and she healed us and kept us safe, and she gave us water to drink and increased the food that was there so we could eat! Then she took us to safety and told us to stay there and stay quiet. Then others came, and they were dressed in black, to punish those that did those bad things to us. And they put the bad guys in the metal box. And then we watched as they loaded the metal box on to the ship. And they told us that the bad guys were going someplace far away, where more bad guys would punish them even more. They took us to a church and now I am home with you. I think that they may have been angels too, mama. Because they were nice to us and mean to the bad guys," the young girl finished out of breath.

"I think so too, baby. I think so too."

.

.

.

 **A/N: Thank you for reading!**

 **Revised again 01.04.2018**

 **Revised again 07.22.2018**

 **And again 11.18.2018**


	5. Year Three Chapter 5

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 5

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Gong. Gong. Gong, went the clock as it struck twelve midnight. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Screamed all of the children at the Potter Mansion. Which was a lot of children. The Potter Mansion had become the place to go for Christmas for the last several years. The massive tree stretched two stories high in the foyer, and once again, Sirius had set the mistletoe loose in the house.

"Who's handing out presents this year, pup?" Sirius asked playfully.

"I think that Ced and Cici would be a good choice. What do you think Susan?" Harry replied, passing the ball.

"I like it. What do you think about it Daph?" Susan said passing the ball on.

"I like it too, Ced and Cici it is then," Daphne said settling the issue at hand.

Ced and Cici blushed slightly for being put in the limelight, but they quickly settled down at the foot of the tree and started calling out names on gifts. Slowly the pile of gifts dwindled down as all of their cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents received their gifts. Of course, the smaller the child the more gifts they received. Kitten, sat there ever so quietly, patiently waiting for her gift. She knew what it was of course. All of her other relatives had wisely chosen to just give her money. There was little that she wanted and even less that she needed. Mum and dad always gave her clothes, but this year was different, this year she wanted a very specific gift. She had even selected exactly what it was she wanted to receive. Then she saw the box. She was patient, she didn't summon the box to her, she waited for them to call her to receive her gift. Her younger brother and sister were tearing through the wrapping paper at a furious pace. Then Cici called her.

"Kitten!" and she was right there to receive her gift. Cici could feel that this gift was different. She could feel the magical power inside of the box, as she handled the box, she then gave the wrapped box to Kitten.

Kitten holding the box, with her most prized gift inside returned slowly to her spot and started unwrapping the box slowly and carefully. Harry was watching her cautiously unwrap the only gift she wanted. He knew the power that was inside the box. He had also been warned that Kitten had to be the very first person to handle her gift. Then he saw one of her cousins try and snatch the box out of her hands.

"NO!" Harry said just short of a roar as he pushed himself out of his chair. It became deathly silent inside of the house as everyone turned suddenly to look at him. "Kitten needs to be the first person to handle her gift. Please do not try to snatch it out of her hands." As all of the other adults glared and frowned at him, he told them. "This is the only gift she has asked for in years. It is a very special gift, that is not replaceable," he told them in a gentle but firm voice.

Kitten reached in and pulled out her brand-new wand. At first contact with her, the wand lit up, casting a spectacular shower of sparks in a rainbow of colours, as she let the box hit the floor. The living room was enveloped in the display of power and acceptance of the two working together.

"Hello, Synthia. I have been waiting for you." Kitten cooed at her new wand. Standing up, she walked to Angelica and stood directly in front of her. "I don't know why everyone says that Cici is muggle born. When you're not a muggle." Pointing her wand at Angelica's chest, she said it again. "You're not a muggle."

"But, I have no magical abilities," Angelica said as she frowned at the little girl, with her wand pressed firmly against her chest.

"You're not a muggle. Your family was cursed seven generations ago. It was passed down from mother to daughter until it got to you."

Everyone was staring at this twelve-year-old girl holding a wand to Angelica's chest in amazement. Some of the people looked on in confusion and others looked on in awe of the situation happening in front of their eyes. None of them had ever seen anything like this. Amazingly enough, none of the adults got jumpy and tried to grab the girl or the wand. If they hadn't been there from the beginning, they would have said that Kitten was threatening her, but that was not the case. Kitten was offering to set her free to become what she was meant to be.

"Do you want me to remove the curse from you?" Kitten asked her.

"Is it going to hurt?"

"I don't know. I've never done this before. Probably because I've never had a wand before," Kitten told her.

Shrugging her shoulders, almost in disbelief, Angelica said "Sure, what can it hurt?"

Harry and Hermione thought, _"If you only knew."_ And looked at each other.

Kitten cocked her head to the side and then she conjured a jar in her outstretched hand. Angelica's eyes went wide as Kitten pulled a black mist from her chest. Angelica's mouth fell open in a silent scream as her eyes squeezed shut in agony. Slowly Kitten pulled the black curse from her body and then she quickly transferred it to the jar which she sealed. The mist swirled around inside of the jar, looking ugly and menacing. Angelica's eyes opened and her mouth closed. "Happy Christmas!" Kitten said chipperly and turned to go sit in her spot. "Somebody should take you to go buy a wand tomorrow. I think Mr Ollivander is closed for Christmas."

"Kitten, that is probably the best Christmas present that you could have given someone," said Uncle Os, softly.

"Where is Emmeline?" Kitten asked looking around.

"Don't call her here!" Said Harry quickly. "Let her spend Christmas with Arthur." He finished.

"Oh", she said dejectedly, "I was going to give her the curse to study." She finished merrily.

"My Lord," Charles said as he stood next to Harry, "your other guests have arrived."

"Happy Christmas Charles. Please, show them in." Harry told the ancient house elf.

As Charles walked around the tree, Harry could see Director Ragnarok with his wife Acidelphia next to him. Ragnarok was carrying two long boxes in his arms.

"Happy Christmas!" Everyone shouted at them. All of the heads of houses stood up to greet the couple as they joined the group, mindful to watch the goblin's claws when they shook hands.

"I have brought the gifts that we agreed upon," Ragnarok told Harry. "The ancients and the craftsmen worked diligently and enjoyed making the gifts so much that they chose to not charge for the gifts. I was told that only the hands of the recipients are to touch the gifts first, no others. Mr Ollivander's instructions."

"Ced, Cici, these are for you," Harry told the teens, a smile on his face.

The two teens stood up and thanked Ragnarok in his native tongue.

"The top one is for Cecilia," Ragnarok told her politely.

"This one is for you," He said handing the gift to Cedric.

Again, the teens gave a short bow and took the ornate wooden boxes to where they were sitting before they opened their gifts. Being careful not to touch the gift, inside of the box, just in case there was a mix up of boxes. Cecilia's box was hers. She reached in to pull the gift out and as soon as her hand touched the red and gold hilt of the sword it began to glow. As she pulled the sword out of its garnet and yellow topaz encrusted scabbard, it started to emit a rainbow of sparks that filled the living room of the mansion, just as Daphne's wand had done.

"Your sword was a pleasant challenge to our craftsmen," Ragnarok told her. "It has all of the same spells and charms as the Sword of Gryffindor, plus it has been charmed to never need sharpening, it will never develop nicks or dings on the cutting edge. It has the magical core installed by Mr Ollivander," Ragnarok told her.

As she put her sword away, Ced reached in, and as he touched the red and gold hilt of his sword, it began to glow brightly. Pulling the sword out of its garnet and yellow topaz encrusted scabbard, it too emitted a rainbow of sparks that filled the living room.

"The craftsmen enjoyed the challenge of making your sword Cedric. You will have to put a cutting spell on the edges of your sword, just like your father's sword. Your sword also has all of the same spells and charms as the Sword of Gryffindor. Mr Ollivander also installed the magical core in your sword." Ragnarok finished.

"Now, watch what happens when we put all three of them together." Kitten said cheerfully as she walked over with her wand. The two teens held their swords up above their heads, and then they lowered them a little. "We need to have all three of them touch," she told them. The teens touched their sword blades together then Kitten touched her wand to the blades of the swords. A magical wave pulsed through the house nocking those who were standing, down, as soon as the three touched.

Ragnarok got back to his feet and turned to help his wife up. "Magnificent!" He exclaimed. "How did that happen? Why did that happen?"

"I don't know, how or why, I just knew that something would happen if we put them together," Kitten told him as she got back on her feet.

"Well, we would like to stay, but we have another engagement to attend," Ragnarok told the group, as they were starting to buzz about what had just happened.

Harry stood up again to see his guests to the doors. "Thank you, Ragnarok for coming through with the swords so quickly. I think that they will become as legendary as the Sword of Gryffindor, and as a gift from the Director of the Goblin Nation, it will solidify your place in history. Acidelphia, Ragnarok, thank you again and have a Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas to you too." They replied in parting.

"Now, for the last present of the night. This one goes to Cici." Harry announced as he returned to the group. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a miniature broom and handed it to Cici.

Puzzled she looked at it.

Ced told her while snickering. "You have to tap it twice with your wand."

As the others watched, she ejected her wand from its invisible holster and tapped on the miniature broom. Poof! It expanded to full size. With her eyes, as big as saucers she covered her mouth and squealed with joy. "It's a Nimbus Quidditch broom!" Looking up at Harry and then at Ced she cried out, "It's my own broom!" Looking down at her new broom again she turned and threw herself on a sitting Ced, knocking him over onto the floor, smothering him with kisses of joy.

"Looks like somebody's getting lucky tonight!" Sirius commented jovially, earning him a hit on the arm from Amelia.

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight! We will see all of you later this afternoon!" Os called out. The rest of the group started to get up and gather their gifts also. Most of the smaller children were tired and needed to be carried, the slightly older ones were all crabby, and the ones that were teens were just tired. The guests that were not spending the night made their way to the door and the apparition point or the floo, wishing everyone a Happy Christmas as they went. With a flick of her wrist, Hermione cleaned up the trash to see a dumbstruck Angelica still sitting in the same spot.

"Is everything okay Angelica?" Hermione asked her with concern in her voice.

"I'm a witch." She responded with unbelief in her voice. "I guess all those years that Raymundo called me a witch, he was right."

With mirth in her voice, Hermione said, "Yes he was. Are you okay with being a witch?"

"Again, I don't really have a choice." Angelica retorted

"In a way, you do. You can choose to not develop your talents. Or you can choose to develop your magical abilities. I looked at you a couple of times when I was healing those girls in Haiti. What were you thinking, when I was healing them using magic instead of a scalpel?" Hermione asked her tenderly and in all seriousness.

"It was amazing, watching you heal those girls. It took you a fraction of the time, and their recovery time was nothing. You were able to do multiple healings, I can't call them surgeries because you didn't cut and sew them back together. But you were able to do many different things that would have needed to be broken up over weeks if not months, sometimes years. Like those girls faces. Those alone would have been multiple operations, and you just worked each part without having to cut them open, putting the bones back in place. Wait until the bones heal, then take an x-ray, then cut on them again. Many patients choose not to have an operation because they don't want to go under the knife again and again. Yet you did work that could have taken years to do in maybe an hour. You know what? I think I am going to enjoy being a witch if I can learn to do what you can do!" Angelica finished on a positive, upbeat note.

"That's good motivation to learn!" Hermione had made up her mind that she would help the new witch anyway she could. Mr Ollivander, here we come!

The teens had sheathed their swords and shrunken all of their gifts down, so they fit in Ced's pockets. Cici jumped up on Ced and wrapped her legs around his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he laced his fingers under her bum. With another fire-starting kiss, he carried her easily up to their room.

.

"You know, the other day when I went to wake Cecilia up?" Angelica started, cautiously.

"Yes."

"The kids, they were sleeping together," she continued.

Hermione just waited for her to continue at her own pace.

"When I first looked in on them." She paused briefly. "It looked like Cecilia didn't have any clothes on. She was covered by the blanket to her waist, and she didn't have a top on. When I saw them, I was shocked. I was shocked because I assumed the worst." Angelica blushed a little at the memory. "She has changed so much in just a week. It's been only a week!" She paused again in her thoughts. "It was last Friday that we first met." Angelica looked up at Hermione's face. "Her body has changed so much." Angelica looked back down, and she looked around at the empty room that she and Hermione were standing in. "She's not that little girl that we sent off to school." She looked back at Hermione's face. "She has a figure now, and she has matured so much that she doesn't act like a regular fourteen-year-old girl. She, she got a sword for a Christmas present! Who gives a sword for a Christmas present?" She asked in a whine of confusion of what happened to her little girl.

At this point, Hermione interrupted her, "Maybe, a better question is, who receives a sword as a Christmas gift?"

"Why do they have to sleep together almost naked!" Angelica blurted out finally.

"That, I can explain," Hermione answered her. "Is that the thing that is bothering you the most? Seeing your daughter lying in bed with Cedric, with no top on? Or is it, seeing your fourteen-year-old daughter lying in bed with her lover?"

"I don't know!" She started weeping, "I just want my little baby girl back that I sent off to school!"

"That little baby girl that you sent off to school is growing up. She's becoming a strong, confident woman, that has a mate that will never leave her or hurt her, and someday will run this house." Hermione told her with some steel in her voice. Not harshly but firmly. "The reason that they choose to sleep without night clothes is not so they can have sex more easily. They may not have sex for two or three years. The soul-bond kind of discourages sexual intercourse until they become of age. So, you can get that out of your head. It's because their soul-bonding almost demands as much physical, skin to skin contact as possible, to strengthen their magical core. Have you noticed how much they hold hands? Skin to skin contact. The kissing? That comes because of the intense emotional bonding that is growing inside of them. It's a way for them to show the other their growing love. After that, the next best thing is just physical contact. Have you seen how often I sit on Harry's lap? That came about because of the soul-bonding that Harry and I have. It took a while for all of our family and friends to get used to. My dad was the one that took the longest, I guess that he just gave up and accepted that I was going to sit on Harry's lap."

"Just so much is happening to me! Last Friday, Ray was calling me a witch as we drove to the train station and now I am one! Do you have a sedative? I'm going to need one. I'll be fine in the morning when I wake up." Angelica was just overwhelmed with the sudden changes in her life, the exhaustion wasn't helping either.

"Do you really want a sedative? I have a vial of Dreamless Sleep potion if you really want it." Hermione told her sympathetically.

.

.

As Cedric watched his naked wife exit the restroom. He stood up and finished drying her off with a simple drying spell. He dried her hair as she came over and gave him a kiss for being so sweet. She reached around him, brushing her breasts against his arm, and grabbed the panties lying on the bed and pulled them on. He watched as she moved to her makeup table and sat down. He followed her to the table. Reaching in front of her to get the hairbrush, he brushed his lips across her neck sending a shiver down her spine, he could see the goosebumps forming on the tops of her breasts. He pulled her long hair over the back of the chair and began brushing it for her. He brushed the outside of her hair and then he started to brush the inside of her hair. He finished by brushing all the way through to her scalp. Again, he reached in front of her to set the brush back on the table, and as he did so, again, he brushed his lips across the nape of her neck, sending another shiver down her spine. She turned as she stood up facing him, naked to the waist. He looked down at her, admiring the view that she was giving him. Together they walked to the bed and laid down. Cici straddled his waist she bent down to give Ced one last kiss before lying in her usual sleeping position. They could smell the familiar odour of their mate, she could hear the familiar sound of his heart, together they fell asleep in the contentment and security of their love.

.

.

Late the next morning, as the family was eating in the small dining room, Angelica watched as Ced held a chair for Cici, then helped her fill her plate. For his efforts, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Also at the table, talking with Hermione was a redheaded gentleman, various scars on his hands and face. When Cedric saw him, he said excitedly, "Hey Charlie! Happy Christmas! How've you been doing? Have you met Cici yet?" Charlie shook his head. "No? Charlie, this is Cici. Cici, this is Charlie, he's Fred and George's older brother and Bill's younger brother. Are you here to check up on Uasal and Car-baun? Oh, sorry for interrupting mum." Ced said blushing. Hermione nodded her acceptance of his apology.

"Happy Christmas to you too. It's a pleasure to meet you Cici. And yes, I am here to check up on the dragons." He said with rippling mirth in his voice. "Thank you for breakfast, Hermione. I need to go check on the dragons and get back to the Burrow." Charlie told her.

"Sure, anytime. Angelica, would you like to join us? And be properly introduced to Uasal and Car-baun?" Hermione said looking at the new witch intently. Seeing his wife rising to get up, Harry stood up and pulled the seat out for her. For this simple action, Hermione gave him a kiss on the cheek.

.

"Uasal, this is Angelica. She's Cici's mother." Hermione started. "Angelica, this is Uasal, she is one of our familiars. We met several years ago while Harry and I were at Hogwarts. She appreciated that Harry treated her with the respect that she is due." Over here is Uasal's son, Car-baun. He just recently became Susy's familiar. Car-baun, this is Angelica, Angelica I would like you to meet Car-baun."

With a very nervous hello, Angelica walked forward to touch Uasal. "You are very pretty Uasal. May I touch you?"

A very impressed Charlie stood back and watch as the young woman moved forward to touch one of the most ferocious beasts in the magical world.

" _Yes, you may touch me,"_ Uasal said, not that Angelica could understand her.

"She said that you could touch her mom. I understood Uasal!" A very excited Cici said. "Hello, Uasal, I am Cici." She started and then looked at Hermione quickly.

"It's okay, Charlie has taken an oath of loyalty to the Potter family," Hermione reassured the young lady.

" _I know, you are the young one's mate. I can tell."_ Uasal solved part of the problem for her. _"I do not normally do this. Would you and your mother like to go for a ride?"_

"Mom, Uasal is offering to take us for a ride! Do you want to go?" A very excited Cici squealed, bouncing up and down, clapping her hands.

Looking at the spike-covered dragon, Angelica was hesitant. "Where are we going to sit?"

"Here, let me take care of that for you," Charlie said as he conjured two saddles for the girls.

Uasal laid down on the ground so that they could climb on her more easily. When Cici told her that they were ready Uasal stood up and turned away from the house and took flight. The two women screamed and squealed at the adventure they had just begun.

"Are you okay with what just happened, Car-baun?" Hermione asked the young male dragon.

" _It seems so demeaning what she is doing. We are not beasts of burden. I have seen her burn others that did not give her the respect that she is due. Now she is giving a ride to two female humans."_ Hermione could hear the confusion in his thoughts.

"Car-baun, would you be willing to give my oldest son a ride?" Hermione asked pleasantly.

" _I think, maybe, yes."_

"May we put a saddle on you? This is to protect him and make it more comfortable for you." She pushed a little.

" _I think, that would be fine."_

"If you are not comfortable with the saddle, then we'll remove it," she spoke slowly, not wanting to rush or force the young dragon into something he didn't want to do. "Is that fine with you?" She asked the young dragon reassuringly.

" _I think that would be fine. I will try it."_

"Charlie, would you please place a saddle on Car-baun," Hemione asked.

Charlie conjured a saddle and placed in on Car-baun's back. Car-baun squirmed some and Charlie backed away.

"Car-baun, are you doing okay? Is the saddle bothering you or is it just a new sensation?" Hermione asked pleasantly.

" _I don't know, it is different. It does not seem to irritate me. So, I must be fine."_ Car-baun said thoughtfully.

"Can Charlie tighten the saddle down?" Hermione asked for permission from the dragon.

" _Yes, that will be fine."_

Charlie stepped forward and started to tighten the saddle straps. When he was finished, he stepped away from the dragon.

"Is that comfortable for you, Car-baun?"

" _Yes, it is not uncomfortable. I will give your son a ride."_

Hermione motioned for Cedric to step forward and introduce himself to Car-baun. "Hello, Car-baun. I am Cedric. I am Cici's mate. May I please touch you?"

" _Yes, you may touch me."_

Cedric stepped forward and gently rubbed the young dragon's snout. The young dragon responded by letting out little tufts of smoke.

" _Would you like to go for a ride?"_ Car-baun offered.

"Yes, please!" Cedric replied enthusiastically.

Car-baun laid down so he could climb into the saddle. Standing up and turning around the young dragon took to the air rapidly. They climbed higher in altitude when Car-baun asked Cedric, _"Would you mind if I did some hunting. I am getting hungry."_

"I would enjoy being with you when you hunt." Cedric was excited to be able to experience something like this. He was amazed how the dragon used everything it could to its advantage as it spotted its prey. Then he folded his wings and dove straight at the animal. The speed was incredible. Then it was all over as he snapped the animal's neck. They took off again and headed back to the house. "That was fantastic, the way that you did all of that! Thank you for sharing that experience with me, Car-baun."

" _That was fine Cedric. Thank you for letting me hunt."_ He landed with a thud and then walked to where Hermione and his mother were waiting. Before Car-baun could lie down, Cedric slid out of the saddle and went to rub his snout in appreciation for the adventure.

"Thank you again, Car-baun. I really enjoyed that." Cedric expressed his gratitude again.

"Yes, Car-baun. Thank you for taking my son for a ride. Uasal, when are you going to go back to Romania?" Asked Hermione.

" _I think that we will leave the same day the young ones return to school. We have appreciated the shelter that you built for us. Thank Harry for me, for the constant source of heat."_ Uasal told her.

"Charlie, Uasal says that they're going to return to Romania the same day that the kids return to Hogwarts. Will that work for you?" Hermione asked Charlie.

Charlie had stepped forward to remove the saddles from the two dragons. He noticed that Angelica was still caressing Uasal's snout. "Yes, that'll work out just fine."

"Angelica, we're going to go back inside. Do you want to stay out here with Charlie? Is that okay with you Charlie if she stays with you?" Hermione asked, playing matchmaker.

"Yes, that's fine with me. I'll keep an eye on her if she wants to stay!" Charlie responded hopefully. She wasn't a bad looking woman after all. A little younger than what he had dated before.

"Yes, I'll stay with the dragons. They're fascinating creatures!" Angelica told her with amazement.

Turning to leave, Hermione told Charlie, "Don't forget to say goodbye before you leave! Have fun you two."

"You said that you're Cici's mum?" Charlie started hopefully.

"Yes. How do you know Hermione?" Angelica replied, starting the dance.

"I met Hermione through my youngest brother and sister. She came to visit them at the Burrow one summer."

"Oh, what's the burrow?" She asked confused. Was this some kind of Mexican restaurant or an animal?

"That's the name given to my parent's house. It's where I grew up. They just kept adding to it. It's not much to look at, but it's home." He replied thinking of the house fondly.

"Oh, sorry, I hear people talk about it, but I never knew what it was. How long have you been working with dragons? Can you talk to them also?" She asked him while still rubbing Uasal's snout in a different pattern.

"That's ok. Most wizarding houses have muggle repelling charms on them. Yes, I can talk to the dragons because Harry made me this bracelet," he held his arm up to her so she could see. "It's really quite nice to be able to hear their thoughts. Uasal and Car-baun are amazing creatures." Recalling the adventures, he's had with them fondly.

With the saddles off the dragons. He made sure that they had plenty of water and asked if they wanted or needed anything else. He kissed each of them goodbye and told them that he would be back to see how they're doing. He knew that they would be just fine at the Potter Mansion and want for nothing.

"Why don't we head inside. It's getting towards lunch, and I'm going to need to go." Charlie told her.

She went over to the two dragons and gave them both a hug and a kiss also, telling them thank you, again. What's getting into her? She's acting like a silly teenager, not a grown woman with her PhD in medicine! As they walked to the door, he held it for her. She's never had a man hold a door for her! She could get used to this wizarding stuff, chivalry was not dead in this world! They chatted lightly as they walked to the small dining room where they could hear others talking also.

"Charlie! Angelica! Please have a seat!" Harry greeted them warmly, gesturing to a seat. "Please tell us, how'd it go!"

As Angelica went to sit, Charlie held the chair for her. Before sitting himself. Lunch magically appeared on their plates. The house elves had chosen lunch for them knowing their preferences in food. With a glow on her face, Angelica retold the adventure of her first flight.

As she was telling the story.

Whack! "Ow! What was that for!" Charlie said loudly to the ancient house elf.

"Chew your food with your mouth closed! And don't speak with food in your mouth!" Charles scolded the Weasley.

"If you ever…"

"I wouldn't go there, Charlie. Remember, Charles has back down an angry dragon before." Harry said chuckling. Looking at Angelica "Charles is a real stickler for manners. Most everybody here has had their knuckles whacked at least once. He's part of the reason that the children have impeccable table manners." Harry smiled at her.

Charlie looked at Harry chuckling at him, then looking at Charles, "I apologise for my poor manners. Please forgive me for getting upset. But please, don't hit me again. Find another way to get my attention. Again Charles, thank you for caring enough to help me fix my table manners." Charlie said giving the old house elf a curt bow.

"Wow! That little being backed down a dragon? He could have been eaten!" Angelica said in shock.

"Yes, Charles backed down Uasal at Harry's and my formal wedding." Hermione started, "The dragon reserve wasn't going to let her come to the wedding so she crashed it. That dragon can carry a grudge! She also did a lot of damage to the church when she stuck her head through the window! Made Charles mad!" Looking at Harry, she said, "Upset Hedwig and Callan too!" Harry smiled at the memory and gave Mione a quick kiss.

"It's so hard to believe that she has such a temper! She seems so sweet!" Angelica said still thinking about the ride she was given.

Looking at the woman next to him with admiration, Charlie said, "You know, most muggles won't go near a dragon! You're very different, in a good way." He added quickly. Some pinking hitting his cheeks.

"I keep telling everybody, she's not a muggle! Doesn't anybody listen to me?" Kitten said exasperatedly.

As Charlie looked at her in shock. Cici told him, "Yes, I was a muggle-born witch until last night. That's when we found out that my mom's side of the family was placed under a curse." Looking at Kitten, "Seven generations ago." Kitten nodded in affirmation.

"Soo, your family has been living under a curse for seven generations? And you didn't know it?" Charlie was in complete shock. Here he was thinking that this attractive woman next to him was a muggle. Nothing against muggles, especially when they're this good-looking, and now it turns out that she's a witch! Could this day get any better? "What are you going to do now?"

"Well, I guess that I need to go to Mr Ollivander's tomorrow and buy my first wand!" She said almost giggling with joy, the pitch of her voice rising with each word. "Then, I guess, I need to learn how to do magic. I'm an emergency room doctor in the muggle world and having watched Hermione heal people. I think that I want to learn to do magical healing also. The two types of medicine work well together."

"You should do some research on your family," Ced told her with a frown creasing his forehead.

"Just remember, magic and technology don't mix," Harry told her with a smile. "If you do any magic around any kind of technology it'll make the technology stop working, permanently. I would know. We have replaced a lot of electronics in the entertainment wing of the mansion."

Charlie made it through lunch with only one more minor indiscretion that Charles corrected him gently for. As the women went to stand up, the men pulled the chairs for them. Hermione hung back as they left, placing her hand on Angelica's arm. "You are going to love it here!" She whispered to her brightly.

"I think so! He's so handsome! He's also the first guy to hold a door open for me!" Angelica told her excitedly.

As they joined the men in the sitting room. Harry and Hermione took their usual chair with Hermione sitting across his lap. Cedric and Cici took the chair next to them with Cici sitting across Cedric's lap facing Hermione. Angelica and Charlie took the couch across from the couples. They started talking about nothing and everything in a light-hearted conversation. When suddenly Charlie jumped up.

"I'm late! I completely lost track of time! I need to go! Harry, Hermione, Angelica I have to go. I'm meeting my dad and step mum." Charlie told them as he was moving quickly to the front doors of the manor.

.

"Mom, one of the things that you're going to find out about this magic stuff. Is if you want to be good at it. Not just good. But really, really, good." Cici said stressing the last part. "You're going to have to do a lot of reading. And I mean a lot." She stressed the last with a nod of her head.

"I think that everybody here." Hermione gestured to the teens and Harry, would be willing to teach you. Another thing is, not just knowing how to cast a spell, but understanding the theory behind the spell. At school," looking at the teens for confirmation, "they have the kids write a brief essay on the spells they learn. This helps you with casting and using the spell." The group moved to the library where Hermione explained the different sections of the extensive library. She took Angelica around to the kid's section of the library and selected a tome on basic magic spells, she also selected two other books for Angelica to read. She told her that a lot of the kids' books while being very simply written, would introduce her to the basic spells and how they're used. While the other books would teach her how to cast the spell.

"Another thing, healing magic, takes a lot of energy from you physically and magically. Would you like to start exercising with us in the mornings? This will help you build physical stamina which will help strengthen your magical core."

"I haven't exercised in years! I really don't have the right clothes." Angelica said, while kind of but not really cupping her more than ample breasts.

Cici and Hermione giggled lightly, and Cici said, "Mom, there's a charm for that. Works better than any sports bra!"

"Yes, it does!" Hermione added. She was so glad when Toll taught her the charm to use on her workout clothing. "We'll take it easy on you. But you'll find that it will help you in many different areas of your life."

The rest of Christmas day was spent with family and friends that dropped by. All in all, it was a good Christmas, Harry thought.

.

.

As the runes stopped their glowing, the attractive young couple stepped out of the entry area and were greeted by Ade. "Happy Christmas Cedric, Happy Christmas Cici."

"Happy Christmas Ade." They responded. "We would like to go workout with Toll and also wish everyone else a Happy Christmas."

"That will be wonderful, they will all like that," Ade replied in her ethereal voice.

They stopped by to visit with Edmund and chatted for a few minutes. He stressed again, the importance of them taking their O.W.L.s at the end of this school year. They also set the time difference to two months in the house was equal to six hours in the real world. "The extra practice time will make Toll very happy!" Edmund boomed at them with a big smile.

"Bye, Edmund, we'll see you tomorrow." The teens told him. He did make their subjects more interesting, and with just the two of them, they were learning more, faster. They had already finished their sixth-year coursework the last time they were in the house. And they also wanted to continue learning more about the healing arts.

.

Watching Cici working with her sword was exciting to Cedric. The speed and grace that she had. What she lacked in brute strength she more than made up for with her technique. Toll had given her ten opponents in an indoor setting. She had successfully taken down eight of the opponents and was working on number nine when the leader showed up also. Now it was two to one, and she needed to finish this lackey quickly, or she would be fighting the two hardest opponents at the same time. Watching she could tell that her opponent was going to swing high, for her head. Having read her opponent correctly, she dropped and spun, effectively ducking the sword and cutting his legs out from under him with one swift move. Nine down and one to go. The battle had been lasting close to an hour, and she was beginning to tire. How to take out the last one? Quickly the new opponent put her on the defensive blocking and parrying his vicious assault against her. He was fresh, and she was tiring. Think, think, she had to think. It was obvious that she was not going to beat him with strength. She watched and blocked. Watched and blocked. Then she saw his weakness. She turned offensive, going after his left shoulder. Putting him on the defence. Left, left, right, leg, left shoulder again, then she had her chance, and she went for his right torso slicing him deep. He turned, and she spun with incredible speed slicing him across his kidneys, and he buckled, dropping to his knees. Another spin and she had sliced her opponents head off. The bodies disappeared.

"Excellent!" Exclaimed Toll, "Excellent! You only took two minor hits. Both of you have improved! I think that we are done, for now, go and get your showers, and I will see you next time."

Instead of showering, the young couple had chosen to slip into the huge tub that overlooked the beach down below. With his back against the wall of the tub, Cedric laid there with his arms outstretched on either side of him, his head laid back, eyes closed, just soaking up the feeling of relaxing. He more sensed her than felt her slip into the tub next to him. He could hear her thoughts on relaxation as her long shapely legs slid into the hot water and the muscle relaxing bubbles. He could smell her. The smell of citrus blooms. They had long lost any inhibitions of seeing each other naked. In-house time, they had been married for years, while in reality, it had only been a week. Edmund had told them that they would not age while in the house, effectively making them immortal if they so choose. He sorta-kinda left out the part that their bodies would continue to develop, maybe not at normal speeds but still, Edmund, come on!

Cici slid down into the water, and as the soothing bubbles covered her hips, there was a mental _"Ahh"_ that ran through her head. Then as she slid all the way in, past her shoulders, there was _"Ohh, this feels soo good,"_ she thought, _"Can we just sleep in here? My shoulders are so sore!"_

" _I hear you! That was the worst workout Toll has ever given us! Still watching you with that sword! It's amazing how fast you are with your new sword. You're incredible! And so hot! "_

" _I know! It's like the sword can read my thoughts, and it just moves on its own."_

" _Mine too. I thought it was just me! But the sword …"_ he didn't finish the thought.

" _They seem to be almost alive."_ She finished for him.

Turning to look at her husband, she let her body roll in that direction also. Slipping her legs around his waist, so she was sitting in his lap, with her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. She leaned back to admire the man that Cedric was becoming. His jawline had firmed up from that of a boy. His shoulders had grown broader and stronger. Looking at his chest, it had also become much broader, his pecs much more defined. She knew that his abs had become rock solid from the constant workouts. She had watched as he had been pounded in his stomach by one of the training simulations, before he broke free of the hold he was in, to come back and beat the simulation. She knew that his legs had become much more powerful than when they had first entered the house. His arm muscles had grown to the point that she couldn't wrap both of her hands around them. But he always held her so gently. Yes, her man was broad at the shoulders and narrow at the hips. Cici also knew that when they went back to school she was going to have to deal with the girls that were out to marry into status and money, and now that Ced had filled out quite nicely, well that wasn't going to make her life any easier. Staring back into his eyes, oh those beautiful green eyes. She knew that his eyes would change from a lighter green when he was playful to a darker emerald type of green when he was angry or filled with passion. But, now she could see flecks of brown in them? When had that occurred?

" _It's okay, mi Amor. Your eyes have flecks of green in them! They also change from a honey colour to an almost black colour when you are really pissed."_ Ced told her. _"And you talk about my body changing! Yours' has gotten stronger also! We've both gotten taller, and you no longer have the body of a little girl. You, malady, have curves to die for. You have all the right curves in all the right places. Thank Godric for our school robes to hide your killer physic under! If you ever go out in a t-shirt and shorts? I'll be going to Azkaban for murder!"_ He thought with a laugh.

" _You! If some groupie girl lays a hand on you, I'll slice it off!"_ She answered him back, laughing also. Turning much more serious, _"Haven't you found it interesting that we haven't had sex yet?"_ She asked looking him straight in the eyes, as she swivelled her hips. She could feel his swollen manhood. She had admired his package ever since he switched to boxer briefs. She realised that she was not a boxer kind of girl, and she did not like 'whitey tighties', but she did like the way the boxer briefs presented his package. Leaning in to kiss him, he responded by crushing her body against his, and she pulled his head in tighter against her lips.

" _I am honestly happy with our relationship as it is. I have no desire to go farther down that road. I'm content with hugging, holding, and kissing you."_ Breaking the kiss, and leaning back the little that he could. Cici loosened her grip on his neck and leaned back so they could look each other in the face.

Ced said out loud, "I love you." Placing his hand over her heart. "I love who you are, not what you are. I love the fact that you are my mate. And I thank Edmund that the soul-bond brought us together. I don't regret any part of this."

Cici responded by tightening her grip on his neck and laying her head on his chest. Ced placed his hands under her bottom and stood up, carrying her out of the huge tub and setting her down so they could dry off. After drying each other off with a towel, Ced picked Cici up again, bridal style and carried her to the large bed. With both of them lying in bed, Cici lay half across Ced's body like normal, Ced kissed her on top of her head, and they drifted off to sleep quickly, their minds opened to each other, in utter contentment.

 **A/N: Thank you for reading! I have proofread this probably 4 times! Please review!**

 **Revised again 01.05.2018**

 **And again 11.18.2018**


	6. Year Three Chapter 6

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 6

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There were only five of them stepping through the floo at the Leaky Cauldron. The younger children were left at home with the grandparents. The day after Christmas is always a busy day. The clearance sales start, and the return lines are long. Moving to the hidden entrance for the alley in the rear of the pub, the young black-haired witch, ejected her wand into her hand and tapped the correct sequence of bricks. The group was rewarded with the wall opening for them to pass through before closing behind them. She had given her mom one of her extra robes for this trip. After her mother had slipped the robe on, Cici checked her out. She decided that her mother looked good in robes and with a flick of her wand, it fit her mother well. The wand retracted and disappeared under her sleeve.

" _We will need to head to Madam Malkin's for robes for us and my mom."_ Cici thought to her mate. _"We'll also need to get new clothes for you and I. As much as I like seeing a t-shirt stretched across your chest and showing all those muscles, they fit more like a 'belly shirt' that girls wear."_ Cici thought with a smirk.

That earned her a light blush from the young black-haired wizard next to her. The group was moving fast. If they slowed too much, then the crowds would swarm them for the chance to see 'The-Couple-that-Saved-Us,' and their shopping excursion would turn into an autograph session with nothing accomplished. Swiftly they ducked into the dirty little shop with the dingy windows. The small bell hung above the door chimed brightly at their entrance. And the old man in the back of the small shop shuffled his way to the front counter, having just hit a stopping point on his current project.

"Lord and Lady Gryffindor! It is an honour to have you in my shop so soon. Is everything okay with the work that I did for you?" Mr Ollivander asked sincerely. A wand, after all, was a lifetime purchase for most in the magical world. Very few ever had a need to purchase a second wand.

"Yes, Mr Ollivander, I think that everyone concerned is very pleased with your work. Today, however, is a very special day for someone else." Motioning for Angelica to come forward, "Today, this young lady here will be purchasing her very first wand."

Hum, the ancient wizard thought. She's a little old to be buying her first wand. What he said out loud was, "Wonderful! What you need to remember is that the wand chooses the witch." The money he had made off the Potters was excellent. "I'll be right back with some different selections." He said as he turned to shuffle to the back of the shop. They could hear the ladder rolling back and forth, up and down the aisles of the small shop. The crowded shelves stretched to the ceiling. He returned to the dusty counter with nine or ten different boxes for the witch to try. He opened the first box and handed the wand to Angelica.

"Ow!" She said as she dropped the wand.

"No, not that one." He commented as he put it away. He opened another box for her.

"So, what's it supposed to do?" She asked after she had picked up the wand.

"No, not that one either." As he started going through the boxes. "Here try this one. Now just give it a flick of the wrist." Flick, boom! There went one of his display cases. "Nope, not that one either." Two, three, four trips later. Flick and all the boxes scattered across the floor. "Nope, not that one." Several trips later, "This is an unusual selection. Here my dear, try this one."

"Oh, I like the feel of this wand. It's warm and seems to vibrate in my hand!" Angelica responded to the wand.

"Try a simple flick of the wand, like so," he demonstrated to her the motion to make.

Mimicking the motion that he showed her, she flicked her wrist, and the desired sparks exited the wand. A huge smile came upon her face, she had her first wand! He went on to explain the attributes of the wand core and the wand wood to the new witch.

When the thought occurred to him, "Why is it that you have never purchased wand before?"

"I didn't know that I was a witch until Christmas morning," Angelica answered truthfully.

"But, how can that be? The magic always shows up before you turn eleven." He answered her, confused at this turn of events.

"Well, Kitten got her new wand Christmas morning, which was amazing by the way, and then she walked over to me and told me that I was a witch. Then with a lot of pain, don't tell her I told you that," she told Hermione, "she pulled this stuff out of my chest and told me that my family had been placed under a curse, seven generations ago. And now here I am getting my first wand!" All of this was stated matter of factually by Angelica. "And making a mess out of your shop." She said with mirth in her voice. She was exploding with happiness on the inside, even though her stomach was starting to rumble. Was it that late already? How long did this take?

With a flick of Hermione's wrist, the display case was repaired. The wands scattered all over the shop? Well, that was Mr Ollivander's problem, he was a wizard after all.

Checking the time, Hermione told them, "Let's get something to eat and finish shopping after lunch."

"Sounds good to me mum," Cedric answered. He is a growing boy after all!

"Leaky Cauldron, or someplace else?" Harry asked the group.

"Is there someplace to get lasagna around here?" Cici asked hopefully.

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During lunch, Hermione asked Angelica if she had decided to divorce Ray and if she had selected a solicitor to do the paperwork.

Angelica told her, "I miss Ray, but I'm glad that he's gone. The last few years, the anger and the drinking, was starting to give me ulcers. I'm just glad that he didn't cause me to start turning grey."

"There's a solicitor not too far from here that's very discreet. I can walk with you over there while the kids get their clothes shopping done." Hermione offered sincerely.

"Yes, that would be good," Angelica answered somberly.

" _Harry, we're going to go to the Findlay and McKenzie law office to get the divorce started for Angelica. We'll meet you at the clothing store."_ Hermione thought to Harry.

" _Okay, we'll meet you there. Do you think that we should get her a wand holster?"_ Harry asked hopefully.

" _We'll go together and let her select the one she likes,"_ Hermione answered with that 'boys and their toys' emotion.

" _Tell Daniel to put a rush on it. See if he can get it finished before the kids go back to school."_ Harry added.

" _If there's a loophole he'll know how to find it and exploit it!"_ Hermione laughed brightly.

Daniel McKenzie was the kind of solicitor that people loved or hated, or they just loved to hate. If he was working for you, chances are, that you loved him. If he was working against you, you probably hated him. That's why Hermione chose him with a recommendation from Sirius.

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A few hours later they were leaving the clothing store with new wardrobes for both teens and clothes for all three adults. Harry had shrunken down the bags of clothes so they would fit in his pocket. Walking out the door, Angelica literally ran into Charlie Wesley as she was turning to talk to Hermione.

"Ooph!" Angelica went as she hit the good-looking red headed dragon trainer and started to fall. Charlie caught her, and his arms wound up wrapped around her waist.

"Excuse me!" He said as he caught the short dark-haired woman coming out of the clothing store. Looking down he couldn't believe his luck. He had just caught the woman that he had been thinking about. "Hi! Angelica. What're you doing here? Hey Harry, Hermione, Ced, Cici." Looking back down at the woman in his arms. Making sure that she was stable, he removed his arms from around her waist.

"We were just finishing shopping for some clothes for the kids. They grew like weeds over the Christmas holidays!" Wow! What were the chances of running into the guy that she had been thinking about most of the day?

"It's getting late. Would you like to go get some Chinese with me?" He asked wholly lost in her.

"Sure! It's been a long time since I've had Chinese," she smiled back at him. Oh, those eyes!

"Great! Oh! Sorry Harry, Hermione." He said as he looked up and just realised that he had completely forgotten about Harry and the rest, blushing about the same colour as his hair.

Laughing, Harry looked at Charlie, "It's okay with me, Cici?" he said looking at his new daughter-in-law.

"It's fine with me!" Cici said, barely containing her excitement. Charlie was good-looking after all. He was also older than her mom for what that was worth.

"Great! I'll have her home by nine." Charlie said happily.

"Eleven works just fine for me," Harry told Charlie. Looking at Angelica and assuming the role of the overprotective father figure with a twinkle in his eyes, using a gruff voice, he said, "Now, young lady, I want you to behave like a proper young lady and don't you be late, or I will have to lock the doors whether you are home or not!" Then on a more serious note. "Go and have fun! We'll see you in the morning! Just don't wake the dragons."

Charlie and Angelica headed off someplace else, and the Potters headed home for the night. As they stepped out of the floo, they were greeted by Charles who informed them that James and Rose had just arrived also and were sitting in the library waiting for the teens.

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"James Black and Rose Bones are here?" Cici asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, why not? They're my cousins." Ced told her, a little confused by her disbelief.

James was two years ahead of them, and Rose was in their class. She and Cici were dorm mates. The adults headed upstairs, and the teens headed for the library to meet their cousins.

"Hey! How's it going?" Ced asked as the two of them entered the room holding hands.

Good and fine were the answers that came back to them. With Rose and James getting up to greet the newlyweds.

"Have you met Cici yet?" Ced asked, feeling upbeat.

"No, just saw her at the wedding ceremony. That's kind of why we came over," said the tall dark-haired wizard. He looked like a much younger Sirius.

"I know her from school," Rose said. She was definitely the product of Fred and Susan Bones. Flaming red hair, freckles and blue eyes.

"Mum and dad didn't say much. They just said that we were coming over here and then next thing we know, you two are up there getting married! Everybody is all hush hush. The only thing that popped into my mind," James said. "Is that Cici is …"

"Pregnant." Rose finished for him.

Eyes wide, mouths open, looking like a fish out of the water, deer in the headlights, pure shock. _"What the f.."_ Ced thought.

"How'd you come to that conclusion?" Asked a shocked Cecilia.

"Well, everybody knows that you two have liked each other for a couple of years," Rose told her flatly as she began to move around the library a little.

"But. What. But. We. But we only just kissed last Friday for the first time on the train home." _"How in the hell, what the … SHIT! What the f… are we going to do!"_ Cici was in shock and getting madder by the second.

The magic started rolling off of her. She was building to the boiling point. When Ced could feel the anger getting out of control. He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He started kissing her ear ever so gently, distracting her from her anger. Slowly she began to calm down to where she could control her temper again. Here she was, standing in front of two of Ced's cousins. No, wait, strike that, two of her cousins defending herself against rumours.

"What is everybody else saying," Ced asked flatly. Still holding on to Cici from behind, "What are we up against. And who in the hell is starting these rumours?!" He finished getting hot.

"You mean that you two weren't together before that? But you're always together." Rose asked looking for answers for herself now.

"We're on the Quidditch team. Of course, we're going to be together a lot. What are the others saying?" Ced pressed.

"They think that she let you knock her up so she could marry into money. She's a muggle born and doesn't come from money." James said what everyone was thinking. "That's why everything was all fast and hushed up."

"What do you think?" Ced asked him vehemently.

"What do I think? I don't know what to think. I don't want to believe the rumours, but nothing else adds up. It's too soon for her to be showing if she is pregnant. I haven't heard anything about a marriage contract. I don't know, that's why I came here, to ask you what's going on. Because I'm confused." James finished as he stopped his pacing and looked at the couple.

"I'm the same way. Mum and dad are tight-lipped about this. Nothing is making any sense anymore. Please tell us what's going on!" the last was added almost pleadingly by Rose.

" _What do you think? Should we tell them? Can we trust them?"_ Ced asked Cici.

" _We have to do something! I don't want everyone thinking that I'm some kind of golddigger! This just makes me so mad! I want to know who started this rumour if there is a rumour. People are so stupid. Arrhh I'm so mad!"_ Cici thought as she turned to him, turning red from all the anger. Which was quite the feat considering her natural skin tone.

"We'll tell you, but what we tell you does not leave this room. You take it to the grave with you." Ced stated with a tone that was very serious.

"The four families already have a pact in place." Started James.

"But that pact does not become binding until you turn seventeen," Ced told his fellow Gryffindor.

"Ced is right," said Rose. "My mum and I talked about this a while back. Because we're underage, the pact doesn't affect us. So those of us that aren't as bright as the rest of us could get Ced and Cici into trouble."

"We're not asking for a wizard's vow. Just your word that what we have to tell you stays here." Ced told them, with no humour in his voice.

"Fine, I agree," Rose told the couple.

"Me too," James told him.

"You might as well take a seat," Ced told his cousins as he gestured to the chairs they had vacated earlier.

He took one of the overstuffed armchairs, and Cici sat across his lap. Just like he had seen his mum do for so many years to his dad. He was beginning to understand more about them.

Cedric started telling them everything that he could, leaving out the house in the bottle. He understood why his parents were so adamant about not telling anybody about that secret. Where Ced came up short, Cici filled in from her perspective. In the end, they had answered all of the who, what, were, when, how, and whys of what had happened to them over the Christmas holidays.

"You're telling us that you're a soul-bonded couple?" Rose asked in disbelief. "But why?"

"Yes, and because you asked us to," Cici told her with some mirth filling her voice. She was in almost as much shock as Cici was when she had found out.

"Nonono, what is going on in the world that the creator has brought about a soul-bonded couple. They only show up in times of great need or evil." Rose answered her, the wheels turning in her head.

"Ced's parents took us to Haiti for a Christmas holiday getaway," Cici started to tell Rose, "and so we could do some community service type of stuff. What we found out there, was that some government officials would kidnap young girls and sell them as sex slaves to terrorists in the middle east, 'breeding stock' is what they called them. Any of the mothers that resisted the slavers were beaten and sexually abused, then left for dead as a warning to others not to resist. That seems evil enough to me," Cici told them heatedly, remembering the girls in the shipping container.

"Okay, that explains all of the secrecy and the rushed wedding. I understand why you don't want others to know. But what's your cover story going to be? How're you going to keep all of this a secret? Don't you two, like have to sleep together?" James asked becoming concerned about the importance of the secret that had been entrusted to him.

" _They still don't know about my parents."_ Ced thought to Cici. To James, he said, "We don't have a cover story yet. How're we going to keep this a secret? By not telling everyone. And yes, we have to sleep together so the bond can continue to strengthen."

" _That's one heck of a secret then. Because you know that all of the other heads of houses know about them and us."_ Cici thought back.

She had calmed way down as she sat on Ced's lap. His calming, loving thoughts soothing her through the link.

"I'm sure the headmistress will come up with an idea to help. I remember seeing Professor Vector at the wedding too. Between the two of them, they should have your backs at Hogwarts." Rose said thinking out loud to the group.

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Wednesday morning rolled around to find the two couples doing their morning routine. After the run and the cooldown, they moved to the training room for some duelling practice, always living 'Constant Vigilance.'

"Where'd you two get this 'constant vigilance' stuff from anyway?" Cici asked finally.

"It comes from the most famous Auror the Ministry ever had," started Hermione. "His name was Alastor 'Mad-eye' Moody. He put more Death Eaters into Azkaban than all of the rest of the Aurors combined. He worked with your Aunt Tonks and Aunt Amelia. He was a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at school for a year, and he tutored Harry and me, and some of our friends after classes sometimes. He is the one that taught us, 'if you don't have constant vigilance then I have nothing to teach you.' He also taught us, two spells in a cast, not just one. He taught us that the order of the spells could be the difference between success and failure. Want to practice?"

"Sure!" The teens said as they moved away from Hermione. Just as the teens started to turn around Hermione shot _expelliarmus/stupefy_ at Cedric who cast a shield and rolled to the side. With Cici still stunned, Harry shot a _diffindo/stupefy_ at her which she blocked with a conjured wall and a _protego_.

"This is an example of constant vigilance," Harry told them as the practice session began.

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At breakfast, Harry told the kids that they needed to go and talk with Professor McGonagall about them returning to school and taking their O.W.L.s at the end of this year. "Instead of going to Hogwarts, we will be going to McGonagall Castle. Grandma and Grandpa will be joining us, and I was hoping that you" looking at Angelica, "would join us also."

"I would love that! I've never seen a castle. Well, just the ones in London." Angelica was all happy. Her date with Charlie went well, and she was taking a leave of absence from the hospital. She had been working on the first year spell books and was having a lot of fun.

"Great, she has sent over a portkey and told us that we should wear heavy travelling cloaks because of the weather." Harry finished.

As everyone met in the foyer, Harry pulled out the portkey, and after they all were touching it, he gave the password. The familiar pull behind the navel and, then they were falling to the far northern coast of Scottland. They could see the McGonagall Castle off in the near distance. By this time, they all were used to this method of travel, but Harry helped his father-in-law, and Hermione helped her mum just in case. The weather was terrible, the wind was whipping around them, carrying the spray from the North Sea as the waves crashed against the cliffs, as they walked towards the castle. The blowing sleet stung their exposed skin as it flew by leaving red marks on their cheeks. They could hardly look up from the pain caused by the weather, they turned their backs to the wind and weather to protect themselves as they walked, but when they saw the grandeur of the castle they couldn't take their eyes off of it. It was an incredible work of architecture. It was a true mid-evil siege warfare, Scottish castle sitting on the northern coast of Scotland. They crossed over the drawbridge of the mote and entered through the gate of the outer wall, they could see that it was close to seven metres thick. The gate had been raised for them, and as they walked under it, they could see the iron points on the bottoms of the beams pointing down at them. Walking along the path to the castle proper, Cici noticed that the wind wasn't as bad here. Then after thinking about it for a minute, she realised that the castle and its walls were blocking the majority of the wind from the North Sea. Casting a warming spell on her shivering mom, her mom turned and gave her a thank you, the sounds of her words had been blown away as soon as they left her mouth. When they reached the front door of the castle, Harry lifted the large bronze door knocker and knocked three times, boom, boom, boom it went echoing through the castle. They could hear the heavy latch inside unlock, then the heavy wooden door swung open without a sound. They were greeted by a house elf who invited them into the warmth of the castle. Compared to outside, the warmth was almost stifling in its intensity.

"Please wait here. I will tell the Mistress that you have arrived, Lord and Lady Gryffindor." The elf instructed them with a bow. Pop. A moment later, pop. "Please, follow me to the sitting room. Mistress will join you shortly."

As Cici was about to sit in Cedric's lap, she caught Hermione's eye. Hermione just shook her head ever so little telling the young witch, no. Then the young witch noticed that Hermione was seated next to Harry on another couch, and she remembered what she had been taught in the house, about popper etiquette. When the Head Mistress entered the room, Harry and Hermione greeted her with a brief hug. The teens' eyebrows shot up to their hairlines at that action. Then they noticed that she had her hair hanging loosely past her shoulders.

" _Is that really Professor McGonagall? I've never seen her like this!"_ Cici thought to Ced.

Minerva greeted the Grangers and then Angelica. "I see that you are starting to dress like one of us now." She commented to Angelica.

"Yes! I just learned that I'm really a witch!"

"Oh?" Turning to Harry and Hermione for an explanation on this.

"Kitten asked for and received a wand for Christmas," Hermione started, "the first thing she does is tell everyone that Angelica is not a muggle, but a witch whose family has been placed under a curse, seven generations ago, passed down from mother to daughter."

"Oh?" Minerva said. Kitten has a wand now, is what she thought to herself.

"Oh, it only gets better. She then proceeds to place her wand against Angelica's chest, wordlessly she conjures an unbreakable jar, tells Angelica that this may hurt a little, … "

"It hurt a lot, but please never tell her that!" Angelica interjected.

"and pulls out this black mist from her chest and puts it in the jar. Which she wants to give to Mask. To study."

"Oh." Pause "Kitten has a wand now?" Minerva sounded a little worried about this as she faced Hermione. Then she turned and looked at Angelica, "Congratulations on being freed from the curse. Who is teaching you magic?"

"The four of them, and Charlie is offering to help me also," Angelica answered.

"Charlie? Weasley?" Minerva asked.

"Yes, I think so. Red hair?" Angelica realising that she didn't even know the last name of the man that took her to dinner the other night.

"Yes. That would-be Charlie Weasley. He's a good man. Never gave me any trouble." Looking at Harry accusingly.

Changing the subject, "What about the teens? What kind of cover story do you want to use to cover their new sleeping arrangements?" Harry asked the Head Mistress. Dodged that curse!

"For the cover story, Professor Vector and I agree that we will use the same one that I used for you and Hermione. That they are doing a special research project for me." Minerva told the group. "As for their sleeping arrangements, they will stay in the married quarters just like you two did. Are they aware of the married quarters?" Minerva answered Harry.

"Married quarters?" Cedric asked, completely overtaken by confusion.

Looking at Harry and Hermione, Minerva said, "You haven't told them anything?" Shaking their heads no. Minerva shook her head in disbelief. Looking up at the Grangers she asked them if they would like a quick tour of the castle. Everyone nodded or said yes! "After the tour, we will floo over to Hogwarts and show the kids the married quarters inside of the Gryffindor common room. Also, Poppy will want to do a physical on them. Let me floo her so she can meet us there."

After she flooed Poppy and set up a time to meet in the hospital wing, they were off on the tour of McGonagall Castle. They learned that the castle was close to a thousand years old and had been in her family the whole time. Just like Hogwarts it had an old dungeon and turrets on the corners. It was magically sealed to keep the cold and the wind out. The visitors were all impressed with how thick the walls were. In some places over a meter thick. They could see where a thousand years of wear had worn the stone steps smooth. The massive chandeliers were lit with over a hundred candles in each. It was a beautiful example of a fortified Scottish Castle.

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"Okay, you're going to tap on the nose of the Gryphon twice and set the password." The stern Scottish witch told Cici.

Tap, tap, "Sexy green-eyed chaser." She said with a grin on her face. As the stone Gryphon moved to the side, revealing a dingy staircase winding upwards. Cedric just blushed at the passphrase.

The group entered the living area of the quarters. Harry and Hermione started going down memory lane with each other. All of the good times and the one really bad period of time they had gone through. They looked and saw the room that Luna had used for the remainder of their time at school. Guess she went back to Ravenclaw tower for her final year they thought. Cedric and Cici were very impressed with their new quarters, they just wandered around checking all of the different rooms out. It even had a small kitchen and a small formal dining room. Hermione remembered that Harry had put a communication mirror on the wall in the sitting room. She went to check if the mirror was still there. It was, they had gotten so used to the mirror that it had become part of the items in the quarters. It was only useful to someone that had a communication watch connected to it. It wasn't Potter Mansion, but it was better than their dorm rooms or Cedric's bedroom the teens thought to each other.

They ate lunch in the Head Mistress' office where they talked about Cedric and Cici taking their O.W.L.s at the end of this school year. The Head Mistress looked at them and asked if they would be able to do that. The teens replied yes, they'd be able to.

"Good, then we'll set up a pretesting timetable to make sure that you're ready. Are they going to want to take their N.E.W.T.s their fifth year also?" The Head Mistress asked the parents.

Harry and Hermione looked at the teens for confirmation, and then Hermione told the witch, "Yes, they want to take their N.E.W.T.s at the end of their fifth year."

With lunch over, the table magically cleared itself. When the table was clear, Professor McGonagall conjured two porcupines and looked at the teens, "Transfigure those into a pillow for me please."

With a couple of blinks of their eyes, they ejected their wands almost in unison and with a flick of their wrists, there were two pillows lying on the table before the old Scottish witch.

"Excellent." She said with a smile on her face. Then looking at Harry, "I still have the back pillow that you made me. It's still very comfortable." Then looking at Hermione, "The strap that you placed on it still works very nicely." They were still her two favourite students.

The two adults smiled and blushed just a little at the praise from their old professor.

After a quick checkout by Madam Pomfrey, she was shocked at how large their magical cores were they were free to go. Instead of using the floo in the hospital wing Harry wanted to go to the Great Hall.

As they entered the Great Hall, Harry led the group to where he, Mione, and their friends would sit at the Gryffindor table. Standing there he became sullen and quiet, looking down at the empty table, lost in his memories.

"Mum, what's going on with dad?" Cedric asked. He hardly ever saw his father like this. The last time was when they went to the Chamber of Secrets. Then he put it together in his head and knew that his dad was remembering something bad that had happened.

" _I'm going to tell them what happened here, Harry. I'll leave out the unimportant details."_ Hermione thought to Harry.

" _Okay."_

"What your dad is remembering is the time that a jealous girl poisoned your father's pumpkin juice. The girl was jealous, that she had lost a boy, not even her boyfriend, to some other girl. She met the dark wizard, and in exchange for some very powerful love potions, she had to make your dad forget me. The dark wizard gave her a potion to erase his memories of our relationship. He was sitting here eating breakfast alone because I was too busy doing research in the library. She came up and was all friendly to him. She knocked his pumpkin juice over, and while he was busy cleaning up the mess, she offered him another pumpkin juice. He trusted her, we had known her since our second year. She poured the potion into the pumpkin juice, and your dad drank it with his breakfast. It was a slow acting potion, it took hours, until just before lunch to start working. By lunch, your dad had no clear memories of us or what he had become since the soul-bond activated in us. All of his confidence in himself was gone. We took him to the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey could find no evidence of any potions in his system or anything wrong with his mind. But from the point of the potion activating, the only person that your father trusted was the girl that gave him the potion, he didn't trust anyone else, and he was scared of me.

"We want to teach you two a couple of things. One is a simple spell to detect if your drink has been tampered with. The other is, if your soul-mate is in a life-threatening situation, if you activate the soul-bond, by kissing your mate in love, the bond will heal your soul-mate. It sounds so simple, but it is so hard to remember. We'll teach you the spell when we get home so you can test it." Hermione told them.

"The Dark Lord killed that girl that did his bidding, because she was no longer useful to him, just before he tried to kill your mum and me. A kiss between friends won't activate the soul-bond. It has to be the kiss of two people in love," Harry told them remorsefully. "Come on, let's go home," he said more cheerfully. "Enough gloomy thoughts for one day."

After dinner, the teens told their parents, "We're going to go get ready for tomorrow. This sparring session with Uncle Ragnarok is going to be good. I want to make sure that he has a lot of fun. We're going to go get rested up." Checking the time Cedric saw that they had eight hours before their usual wake-up time. He smiled at Cici, and they headed to their room. _"Eight months in the house ought to do it."_ He thought to Cici.

" _Eight months should be good. Can you believe that some girl poisoned your dad? And it was someone that he had called a friend, too."_ Cici started thinking.

" _Yeah, it makes you wonder who you can trust. I'm understanding more of why they don't tell people about their soul-bond. If that girl had known that mum and dad are soul-bonded."_ Ced said getting contemplative in his thoughts.

" _She would have traded that information for the potions."_ Cici finished for him.

The two young lovers were standing back to back. They were in a larger room in the middle of a simulation, clearing a building. Their swords were in their hands, and there were approximately ten opponents closing in on them, with their swords drawn. As the teens circled in a counter-clockwise direction, they waited for their moment. Cici saw her chance and lashed out with the sword she had received as a gift less than a week ago. Sensing her movement, Ced watched as his opponents focused on her for just that instant, then he lunged forward stabbing the distracted opponent in the heart. Slashing, blocking, stabbing, and parrying they whittled away at the number of swordsmen they were fighting. Jumping backwards and then pushing forwards again. Having driven their opponents into opposite corners of the room, Cici caused the ceiling to collapse on her remaining two opponents. The distraction helped Cedric out also.

Just as he finished the second to last opponent, he looked at the double doors and yelled, "We've got wizards!" as the new group of opponents shot hexes at his young wife.

In his desire to protect her, he cast a shield spell over her, blocking the spells cast at her. At that moment, his opponent caught him in his leg, opening a deep gash, and Ced went down in pain. He threw up his mental walls to protect Cici from the crippling pain in his leg. As he rolled away from the next blow, he pointed the sword at the swordsman and thought, _'reducto.'_ That's one strike against me he thought as he dragged his body to a wall. He looked to see Cici just holding on. It was now eight to one against her.

Sheathing his sword, he ejected his wand and started to heal himself, _"Just a little bit more, just a little bit more. And I can get back in the battle."_ It seemed to be taking forever to heal himself, it wasn't happening fast enough. _"At least I can heal myself and go help her."_ He thought, _"There! Finally!"_

In the amount of time that it took for him to heal himself, Cici had eliminated two of the opponents, reducing the odds against her to six to one. Dropping his mental shields, he could feel how tired she was. This was not good, using his wand and his ring hand he started casting with both hands. He rapidly dropped four of the remaining six opponents. Now it was down to a fair fight, one on one.

" _We need to get out of here, to someplace smaller so we can see them easier."_ Cici thought to her husband. _"Now I can see why your mom takes body armour on vacation."_ She chuckled through the link.

" _At least you still have your sense of humour."_ He laughed back at her. _"Move to the door, and I will lay down some covering fire. Maybe we can goad one into revealing their position. Go now!"_

As Cici moved to the back doors of the room, Cedric shot a couple of stunners to provide covering fire for her. Then he saw one of them stick his head up trying to get a clear shot at his wife.

" _Diffindo,"_ he thought. The hex hit the opponent square in the head. _"One down, one to go."_

" _Now you get to be bait."_ Was the tired response.

" _I'm coming to you baby."_ He thought as he started to dash to her. She shot a couple of spells. When he saw, the red hex coming at him. He had just enough time to think, _"protego,"_ as he dove for the doors. The hex caught him in his feet knocking him into the door jamb incapacitating him less than two meters from his wife. Again, he threw his mental shields up, so he didn't incapacitate his wife with his pain. The opponent sensing an easy kill stood up to take Cedric out of the equation. It was the last thing he would do.

" _Reducto!"_ Cici thought. As soon as the spell hit the opponent, the simulation was over.

"Excellent!" Toll said, "this was your hardest simulation to date. It was forty to two. You both used good techniques with your swords. You divided your opponents into manageable sizes, and you used your surroundings to create diversions. You did not overextend your magical cores. You both did an excellent job. Go have, dinner and I will see you next time!"

Tiredly they dragged themselves to the kitchen for dinner, from there to the tub to soak some sore muscles. Dropping their clothes on the floor as they walked to the tub, it was almost as if the tub couldn't fill fast enough. Using each other for balance, together they stepped down into the filling tub. Cici made sure to add the pain-relieving bubbles and the muscle relaxing bubbles. Side by side they were pressed against each other waiting patiently for the tub to finish filling. Slowly they could feel the tension in all of their muscles leaving their aching bodies. Relief was flowing back and forth through their mental link.

" _Next time we come into the house, can it be for a vacation?"_ groaned Cici.

" _That sounds good to me,"_ Cedric groaned back to her.

After soaking in the tub for close to two hours, the tired couple climbed out of the tub and dried each other off. Then as he had done so many times before, he picked up his naked bride and carried her to their bed. His efforts were rewarded with a simple kiss goodnight.

The runes quit glowing as the teens headed down the stairs to join their parents for the morning exercise routine. Angelica had continued to join them for the last couple of days. She had learned to cast the charm on her sports bra to make it work better for her. Her large bosom had always been a deterrent to her getting out and jogging, to be honest, it was painful to run before. At this point, she could run about a quarter of the course and could walk the full course. She had also started to use the weight machines in the training room. Hermione had started working with her on occlumency to help train her brain. The two teens were really excited about the event that was going to happen later that morning.

"Mom, are you going to come with us to Gringotts today?" Cici asked her hopefully.

"Why? What's happening there?" Angelica asked looking around. She didn't want to miss any of this wizarding stuff, it was exciting and interesting.

"You don't know? I thought that you knew." Cici asked her, "Cedric and I are going to spar with Ragnarok this morning! Isn't that exciting!" Cici in a million years would never have guessed that she would be a master swordsman. Today, she was going to show them just how good she is. When she was younger, she never saw her life turning out like this. Who could have? Not her mother, that's for sure!

"You're going to fight the creature that gave you that sword? Today?" Her mom squeaked.

"Yes," Harry told her, "that was the agreement that was made when the swords were ordered. It was the one condition he would not negotiate." Then more lightly, "It's not a battle to the death, the rules are simple, no magic, and the first person to yield loses."

"Okay, when is it?" She asked.

Looking at his watch, "In about an hour. We'll need to hurry, so as to not be late. We don't want an angry goblin when we get there! Both of you, take your body armour just in case." Harry finished with a little laugh.

Sirius, Amelia, Os, and the couples that were Harry and Hermione's friends met them at the Leaky Cauldron. Together they headed for Gringotts to meet with Ragnarok. As they had done for the years in Hogwarts, Harry and Hermione's friends set a perimeter around them as they moved through Diagon Alley. And up the stairs to the front doors of the bank. Inside, Ragnarok's personal assistant met them in the lobby. As they moved farther and farther into the bowels of the building, the brick and mortar gave way to bare concrete, the walkway became narrower, and the lighting was provided by torches with blue flames. Every now and then, they could make out the shape of a guard in their dull grey armour in a hole in the wall, standing perfectly still. The other younger adults kept silent and looked around in curiosity, they had never been this deep inside of the Goblin Nation. They stopped at the two massive stone doors that led to the Director's office. The personal assistant walked forward and spoke softly to the guards. As he returned to the group of wizards, the guards opened the two massive doors noiselessly. The assistant led them into Director Ragnarok's office.

"Well, this is quite the crowd you have brought today, Harry!" Ragnarok greeted them with enthusiasm. He was looking forward to today's entertainment.

Harry moved forward and greeted Ragnarok with the quick embrace of two veterans that have fought together. He also gave the formal Goblin greeting in Ragnarok's native language.

Gesturing to the Throne Room, Ragnarok told the teens, "If you would like to do some warm-up exercises you may do so over here."

The majority of the group had never been in the Throne Room before. They had never seen the walls covered with the different melee weapons or the huge circle on the ground where disputes were settled by brute force and cunning wits. Motioning to Harry and Hermione, he led them to where the teens were stretching in preparation for the battle. So that the teens could hear him also, Ragnarok motioned for them to join the conversation.

He was a little embarrassed about what he was going to say, "Harry, I must ask for forgiveness from you and your children."

Harry started thinking, _"This is not going according to plan."_

"When you ordered the swords, I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I had recently realised that I am not as young as I was when you and I had our match. Would it be acceptable for Cedric and Cici to battle with two of my subordinates, instead of myself? I mean no disrespect for my actions, if you insist, I will put up a good fight, but not one worthy of Cedric and Cecilia," Ragnarok asked them in humility.

"It will be up to the children. I don't see a problem with your request," Harry answered.

"How will or were, the two competitors chose?" Hermione asked.

Ragnarok told her, "We had a competition of our ten best warriors. Warriors that would one day compete for my position. The two champions will be the ones to battle with Cedric and Cecilia," Ragnarok answered her truthfully. "The rules will be the same, no use of magic, and the match ends when one contestant yields to the other."

Cedric looked at Cici for a moment, then he said, "That will be acceptable to us. Will it be one on one or two on two?"

"The matches are one on one. Each of the contestants is of equal skill, and have been randomly selected for each of you," Ragnarok told him. "Who would like to go first?"

Cici stepped forward and said, "Ladies first!"

Smiling, Ragnarok guided Cici to the centre of the ring. Once there, her opponent stepped forward to face her. She noticed that he was not wearing any body armour and was carrying a one-handed broadsword, similar to Ced's sword. As she faced her challenger, with her hair, pulled back into a ponytail, she shrugged off her robes to reveille that she was only wearing a white sports bra and some white skin-tight running shorts with her trainers. The spectators could see the definition of her muscles, the lack of fat in her belly, and the firmness of her legs and thighs. Ced summoned her robe to him, and she withdrew her katana from its scabbard, and let Ced summon that to himself also. Once again, Ragnarok went over the simple rules of the match, and he dropped his hand signalling the start of the fight. The powerful goblin lunged at her and started swinging hard as if he was going to beat this young girl into submission with his brute strength. She was put on the defensive by the viciousness of the attack. He backed her across the ring, and she started backing in a clockwise direction, always on the defensive. The spectators, both wizard and goblin, moved forward to the edge of their seats, drawn by the primal savageness of the fight before them. Blocking, blocking, blocking, parrying each of the powerful blows to her sword. The spectators watched as she was gracefully sidestepping this way or sidestepping that way, just staying defensive. With savage fury, the goblin was slowly wearing himself out. She watched and waited, looking for his fighting style as the swords rang out against each other, singing a song of death. Then through the constant brute force of the assault against her, she saw her chance as the goblin was raising his sword, she lashed out with a lighting quick slice against his left arm. The custom-made sword seemed to be intuitive as it slashed him deeply, rendering his arm useless, he was in shock that this little girl had cut him. Moving with speed and agility, that the spectators were not accustomed to, she quickly cut him again on his left inner thigh causing him to start bleeding profusely. Too arrogant to quit, the goblin, lunged at her again, hobbling and swinging his sword in defiance of his impending defeat. She dropped to his side and swung again cutting the backs of both knees, with the spectators gasping, the angry goblin dropped to the ground, blood flowing freely out of his deep wounds. Moving with incredible fluidity, she moved next to him, behind him, down on her knees, and with a snarl, she grabbed his hair jerking his head backwards, exposing his throat to the cutting edge of her sword. The razor-sharp edge that was magically enhanced to never go dull was slowly cutting the goblin's throat as she waited for his surrender. Defiantly he threw his sword away and yielded to the female warrior. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers for the skill of the young female warrior before them. As the goblin medics rushed over and worked to save his life before he bled to death, Hermione went down to heal the wounds on her daughter-in-law, with Angelica following close behind. When his mother was finished, Ced grabbed Cici lifting her off the ground in a huge hug and crushed his lips to hers in a surge of passion before everyone.

The crowd had grown as more goblins entered the Throne Room drawn by the excitement in the air, to watch the battles playing out this morning. Another of the goblins cleaned the arena of the spilt blood before Ced, and his opponent took the ring. As Cici donned her robes again, to keep from cooling off too quickly and having her muscles tighten up, Ced was transfiguring his robes into a karate gi, the loose-fitting uniform used by those that practice karate. The gi hid his powerful muscles the way that his wife's clothing showed hers. Pulling the sword from its scabbard, Ced quietly placed cutting spells on the edges of the sword, making the lethal beauty of the sword a reality. Receiving a kiss for luck from his wife, Ced moved to the centre of the ring to face his opponent. Ragnarok went over the simple rules again and dropped his hand signalling the start of the competition. With a piercing battle cry, intended to strike fear into the heart of his enemy, the goblin swung his sword sideways going for Ced's torso. Ced noticed that his opponent was armed with a single-handed broadsword like his wife's opponent was, as he blocked the attack against his torso. Just as his wife's opponent was intent on raining blows down on top of her, his opponent was intent on raining blows at his torso. The savageness of the assault was backing Ced towards the edge of the ring. Finally, Ced used one of those blows to help him spin in place bringing his sword down and across the calves of his enemy, slicing him to the bone. His legs, unable to support his weight, the goblin began to fall, Ced supported his weight by grabbing the goblins chin and using that to expose his throat to the edge of his sword. The match had lasted less than five minutes. The stunned goblins had never seen a match so short in duration and sat there in shocked silence. Ragnarok began clapping in the quiet room for the victory of the wizarding champion. The others in the room erupted in cheers and clapping also as they overcame the astonishment of the match being so short. Cici dashed out of her seat to reward her champion with a hug and another passionate kiss, that lasted long enough to become an embarrassment to the others in the room. Hermione waited patiently for the two to come up for air before she checked her son over. Seeing only minor cuts, she let Angelica practice healing his wounds.

Ragnarok moved to the throne at the end of the room. Seeing their leader take the throne the goblins became quiet. The wizards quieted quickly to hear what the leader of the Goblin Nation had to say.

Standing, Ragnarok looked at the teens and said, "If the two victors would please approach the throne, and bring your weapons with you." He waited for the couple to approach the throne. "I present to you! Your champions! Lord and Lady Potter!" The Throne Room erupted in cheering and applause again. Quietly to the teens, "Please unsheathe your swords. And the Swords of Potter!" At this, the couple raised their swords above their heads and turned slowly around so all could see the swords of the victors. The cheering and celebrating reached an even higher feverous pitch. This is how the Swords of Potter came to be named, and their ledge begins!

The celebrating had just begun. The goblins brought out empty tables that began filling with traditional goblin dishes. The two defeated goblins greeted Ced and Cici as worthy friends and allies. For the first time since the defeat of the Dark Lord, the Goblins and the Wizards celebrated together late into the night.

 **A/N: Please review!**

 **A/N: This is proofreading and revision number 4? I've added an additional 200 words to the story. I feel that it makes it read easier and gives more description, paints a better picture of what I see in my mind's eye. At this point, I have gone over all of the previous chapters up to 4 times each! And I have still found simple mistakes. Thank you for your patience.**

 **Revised again 01.06.2018**

 **Revised again 11.12.2018**


	7. Year Three Chapter 7

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 7

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The train ride back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was as dull as ever. Cici was sleeping on Cedric as he leaned against the outside of the compartment sleeping also, his arm wrapped possessively around her ribcage. Their cousins were talking lightly in the enlarged compartment, when Percy Weasley Jr. a fifth year Slytherin, slung the sliding door open.

"Oh look, if it isn't Potter and his girlfriend." He spat, he had learned to hate the Potters and any that associated with them from his father. Laughing he turned and gave his companions that, 'watch this guys' look, "Hey!"

He never got the chance to finish the sentence. Cici with her eyes still closed, slammed the door shut on his fingers with a flick of her wand. She had to use her wand so she would not give away a part of her secret. Only two other people on the train new that she was Mrs Cedric Oswald Potter. Soul-bonded to the one she was sleeping on. Only one other on the train knew that she was proficient with both wandless magic and wordless magic, and again, that was the one that had his arm wrapped possessively around her.

"OW!" He screamed as the door slammed shut, crushing his fingers against the doorjamb.

" _Really, Mi Amor, did you have to slam the door on his fingers?"_ Ced asked her with his eyes still closed.

" _Yes! I'm tired of this prat already!"_ She thought back to him angrily.

They both sat up correctly, opened their eyes, and turned to look at Weasley holding his injured hand, glaring back at them. He couldn't prove anything, and he knew it. He turned to leave, and his mates followed him back to their compartment.

Looking at the others in the compartment, there was a total of six other people sitting with Cedric and Cici. There was Teddy who belonged to Remus and Tonks, James who belonged to Sirius and Amelia, Rose who was Susan and Fred's, George Jr. from George and Angelina Weasley, Harry from Cedric and Daphne, and Fred Jr., Roses' twin brother.

"Oi! I heard that your little sister got a wand for Christmas." Fred started, wanting to tease Ced. "Why did she get a new wand for Christmas? I was a fourth-year before I got a new wand. Is she any good with, it?" Fred just kept on going, trying to get under Ced's skin.

"I don't know, why don't you go and make her mad and then come back and tell us if she's any good with it?" Ced answered him with as much sarcasm as Fred had used on him.

"Uh, no!" Fred and George both squirmed in their seats. "That chick is mental."

James got in on the action to pick on the boys, "What, are you afraid of a first-year?"

"No. Just that one. She hexed me before, without a wand! Who would think that a little kid could do wandless magic?" Fred asked shaking in his seat.

"Well, not only can she do wandless magic, but she can do wordless magic also," Cici told him, just to make him all the more uncomfortable. Her, having seen what Kitten could do while she stayed in the Potter Mansion. _"Oh, Fred. Why do you have to be such an easy target for all the jokes?"_ Cici thought to herself.

" _He does set himself up to be pranked too easily."_ Ced thought to her laughingly. _"And only an idiot would make Kitten mad at them on purpose."_

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As the students filed back into the Great Hall for dinner and the start of the new semester. Ced saw Kitten talking to a strawberry blonde first year. Good, she's making friends, at last, he thought, a smile creeping onto his face. Looking over at the Slytherin table he could see that Weasley was still nursing his sour look and a sore hand. He noticed another redhead over at the Slytherin table also. Hmmm, could they be related? Who cares. Turning back to pay attention to his wife, he stopped and held a chair for her when they had reached a spot closer to the head table. Others around the Gryffindor table took notice of the affectionate action that Ced had shown to the witch with the wavy black hair. When he was seated, she kissed him lightly on the cheek, earning a second look from those around them. After a short welcome back speech from the Headmistress, the tables filled with food. James and Teddy joined the couple, sitting across the table from them.

"That was some quick work you did there mate. Slamming the door on ole Weasley's hand!" Teddy complimented Cedric. The smile plastered across his face.

"He is …" James had started when he saw Cedric eject his wand.

Cedric silently cast the different charms and spells to ensure their privacy. He did it in such a way as to attract the attention of their two companions.

James's eyebrows furrowed when he saw what Cedric was doing. What was his cousin up to, James started to wonder?

"I just don't want the wrong ears to listen to our conversation." Cedric started. "No, Teddy, it wasn't me that slammed the door on that prat's hand. It was Cici. Cici this is Teddy Lupin." Cedric introduced Cici to the family friend.

Teddy reached across the table to shake Cici's hand, "Teddy Lupin." He said.

"Cici Ramos," Cecilia said taking the offered hand of friendship.

"Heard a rumour over the holidays," James started. "Mum and dad were talking one night over dinner, and they started talking about some of the dark Slytherins. Said something about some French thing, what did they call it? Something like chauve-souris noire, or something like that." James's face was all scrunched up in concentration, he really ought to pay attention more when his parents were talking. His mum was the Minister of Magic after all.

"The Black Bat? What's that?" Cici asked hoping for more information. "Do you remember the names of the families? At least?"

"Ced, what's with you and the prettiest girl in school? When did you two get so close? Some of the other guys aren't going to like this, 'cause they've had their eyes on her since before Christmas and were just waiting until the start of term to make their move." Teddy asked Ced mischievously.

But he still wanted some answers. Cici at least had the courtesy to blush, making her brown skin darker, at Teddy's complement.

"Cici and I got together at the start of the Christmas holidays. We even had her mum over for Christmas. If these other guys had, had their eye on her, then they should have gotten the courage to make their move!" This earned him a squeeze of his hand under the table.

" _How much do you want to tell him? His dad is one of my dad's and James's dad's best friends. Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus are mates."_ Cedric thought to Cici.

" _Uncle Remus is married to Tonks, right?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Tonks is an Auror, right?"_

" _Yes."_

"I didn't see you at Christmas? Where'd you go?" Ced asked.

"Oh, I got sick and had to stay with my Grandparents while my parents went to your place. What was the big deal that happened over there anyway? When I asked about it, my parents haven't said a word. They got all hush hushed about it. What did you two do? Get married?" Teddy asked with a laugh.

James spewed his pumpkin juice all over Cedric and started choking on his food. His face turning red as he wiped his mouth with the napkin. "What makes you think that they went and did that?" He croaked out.

Cici was busy cleaning Cedric of the pumpkin juice, watching the two boys through the corner of her eye.

Eyeing Teddy seriously, Ced asked him, "Do you want to know what all the hush-hush is about? Do you really want to know?"

Letting his curiosity get the better of him Teddy said, "Yeah, sure, why not?"

"If you really want to know. We want your word that you will never tell anyone anything." Cedric answered with no trace of humour in his voice.

Teddy responded by pulling out his wand and giving a wizarding vow of loyalty, "…so mote it be." Finalised by the magic swirling around his hand and wand.

"You didn't have to go that far!" Cedric said stunned. "I just wanted your word that you wouldn't tell anybody."

"Well, now you have it. So, tell me." Teddy told him.

Waiting until he had taken a bite of food and was washing it down with some juice, "Cici and I are married." What timing!

Cici quickly cast a _protego_ to protect herself from the spewed pumpkin juice, as Teddy started turning a deep red. Wiping his mouth, he croaked out, "Nice one Ced. Nice one." As Cici was giggling at him, he wiped the tears from his eyes.

Seeing Professor McGonagall standing up, Cedric quickly removed the privacy shields.

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As the students were filing out of the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall called to them, "Mr Potter, Miss Ramos, I need to speak to you." As the two teens walked to the head table, she motioned them to a room off the to the side, the anteroom. Professor Vector joined them there. "As you know, Professor Vector is aware of your situation. I have also informed her that if anyone asks about your new sleeping arrangement, it's because you are working on a special research project for me. Professor Vector was the Head of House when your parents used those quarters. If you have any questions or concerns, you can ask her or me."

"Thank you, Professor, Professor," Cedric answered looking at the two witches. Just as he was about to turn to leave, Cedric turned back to the two professors, "How much did you know about my parents?" he asked looking at Professor Vector.

"If you are asking if I knew that they were a soul-bonded couple? Not at first, I learned that, as time went on. I understand that it is a closely guarded secret, even to this day. Almost as closely guarded as your secret." The younger professor answered him. "We'll discuss the taking of your O.W.L.s at the end of the term, tomorrow in my office."

"Thank you, professor, goodnight," Cici replied to her.

Leaving the anteroom by the side door, they had never stopped holding hands, they walked to their common room across the castle. Walking and talking silently together, as they approached the Fat Lady portrait, Cedric gave the password. Just before she moved aside, she looked them over carefully. Crawling through the hole, they entered the common room. There were a few students still hanging out in the room. Some looked at them, but most seemed to ignore them. Walking to the gryphon statue, Cici gave the passphrase, and they walked up the dimly lit staircase. Cedric looked at his trunk gloomily, knowing that he had to unpack his stuff and put things away. Cici looked at her trunk, and with a simple flick of her wand it opened, and all of the contents went to the correct location in the room and put themselves away neatly.

" _You have to love this magic stuff!"_ She thought to her husband, who was still standing there looking at his trunk.

" _When did you learn that?"_ He thought to her.

" _I learned that from a book on simple household charms that your mom loaned to me. Want some help, my love?"_ She asked him with a faint smile on her face. She didn't like packing and unpacking her trunk either, but this spell was downright useful!

" _Yes, please and you'll have to teach that to me someday. That spell makes life a lot easier!"_ He told her as he moved in to give her a hug and a kiss.

Finally, their own place! Well, almost their own place. At least they didn't have to worry about people walking in on them while they were sleeping. Or their roommates playing a prank on them when they were away from their bed. Looking around, they knew that this was going to be their best year at Hogwarts yet.

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Standing there, Ced moved to start undoing the buttons on Cici's school robe as she slipped her socks and shoes off. When he had gotten down about halfway, she just shrugged them off her shoulders. Letting them fall around her bare feet. Then she returned the favour to him. Slowly she undid the buttons, letting the tension build between them. She got halfway down the row of buttons when she expected him to shrug his robe off, but he didn't. She hadn't realised how much broader his shoulders had become from just a couple of weeks ago. Getting down on her knees she finished the job of unbuttoning his robe. Slowly the robe fell to the floor after the robe had piled up at his feet, she began undoing his belt, then the button on his pants, and then she undid the zipper on his pants letting them hang open, allowing them to fall to the floor. Stepping on one heel of his shoe he pulled his foot out, then the other shoe. She hooked her thumbs in his sock so he could pull his foot out of his sock. First one then the other. As she stood back up, she removed his school tie, then she started to undo the buttons on his school shirt, working her way down his muscular chest until she reached the last button. Quickly she straightened up and jerked his shirt over his shoulders pinning his arms behind him so that he was defenceless against her. Working her way from one side of his chest to the other she started to plant kisses, and when the urge hit her, she would nip at his skin. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pulled his body hard against hers. This was her man, and she was not going to let some scrawny little witch take him away from her. She released him and reached behind him to pull his shirt the rest of the way off. When she had finished, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. His quick reflexes let him catch her and support her weight on the front of him. She leaned in and kissed him hard on the lips. With equal intensity, he returned her kiss as he supported her weight. She released her hold on his neck and removed her school tie. Tossing it away, she started to unbutton her shirt, working her way past her ample bosom, until she could peel it off of herself. Reaching up she unfastened her front closing bra freeing her breasts for her lover to see, she let the bra fall off of her to the back. Wrapping her arms around his neck again, she rewarded his strength with another passionate kiss. As they kissed, Ced carried her to the shower. With a flick of her wrist, she closed the door behind them, and another flick turned the water on. Setting Cici down they each slipped their underwear off and stepped into the oversized shower.

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The next morning, as the two teenagers were climbing back through the portrait hole, they ran into James, Teddy and Rose on their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"And where have you two been?" Teddy asked, surprised that someone was up before him. He noticed that they both seemed to glow with vitality and strength.

"Oh, we just went out for a morning run. Want to join us tomorrow morning?" Cici asked him exuberantly.

"Ahh, no," was the flat answer.

"Yeah!" was the answer from Rose.

"Okay," was the answer from James, with a what do I have to lose from this, tone in his voice.

"We'll meet you in the Great Hall for breakfast in a few minutes!" Cedric told them, excited that they were going to have someone to exercise with them tomorrow.

As Ced and Cici entered the Hall holding hands, they found the temperature in the hall to be dropping quickly. Ruling out Dementors, Ced scanned for Kitten and found her over by the Slytherin table facing down a second-year student with red hair. As Ced and Cici moved quickly towards her, they noticed that Professors McGonagall, Vector, and Slughorn, were moving towards the students also. The other professors were trying unsuccessfully to raise the temperature in the hall with warming spells. Reaching her first, Cici got Kitten's attention.

"Kitten, what are you doing!" Cici asked barely hiding her anxiety.

"I'm going to freeze his heart! He has a cold heart, and I am just going to go ahead and freeze it for him!" She just almost screamed. Tears starting to form at the corners of her eyes.

"Why? Why are you going to freeze his heart? What'd he do to you? Did he touch you?" Cici asked her with genuine concern in her voice. Over the Christmas holidays, Cici and Kitten had spent a little time together, enough to establish the foundations of a friendship.

By now, the professors had reached the scene of the argument. They also noticed that Ronald "The Weasel" Weasley, was not moving and appeared to be petrified, even though he had not fallen over as most victims of the curse do.

"He, he said mean things to me! And I'm going to freeze his heart!" She again just almost shouted. By now, despite the best efforts of the other professors, the temperature in the hall was cold enough that snow had begun falling and the glasses started to have frost growing on their sides, all of the food was cold.

"Please tell me, what it was that he said to you to make you so mad at him." Cici began to trying to coax the answer out of her.

"He called me a two-timing slut! And I told him that I was not! Then he told me that the only thing I was good for was to be used as a sperm depository! So, I petrified him so he could see and hear everything, and not run away. Then I told him that I was going to freeze his heart inside his chest." She said emotionlessly.

Cici got Kitten to turn more towards her, as a distraction, so Professor Slughorn could levitate the student away from the angry first-year and to the hospital wing.

"Those are some very mean things that he said to you, Kitten. But you can't just go around and freeze the hearts of all the mean people out there. Come, and give me a hug." As Kitten started to give Cici a hug, Cici picked her up and got her to wrap her legs around her. Kitten buried her face in Cici's shoulder and started sobbing profusely. Together Cedric and Cici walked to the Gryffindor table.

"100 points from Slytherin! For demeaning a female student." Professor McGonagall said sternly, looking at the Slytherins daring them to say a word.

Lowly, Professor Vector told the Head Mistress on the walk back to the Head table, "If Poppy heard what that student said, she probably wouldn't revive him." The revulsion that, that attitude had made its way into Hogwarts was in every word that she said.

Cedric held a chair out for Cici so she and Kitten could sit down. As Kitten began to calm down, the temperature in the Great Hall began to rise slowly.

Cici whispered in Kitten's ear, "You know Kitten, there's not much worse than a cold breakfast." She said with mirth.

With a wave of Kitten's hand from one end of the long table to the other, all of the food started steaming again. Cici looked at the other house tables to see that theirs's was still cold, and the Slytherin's food was now frozen.

"Twenty points to Gryffindor! For defusing a volatile situation and coming to the aid of a fellow student. Mr Potter, I want to speak to the three of you at the end of breakfast." Professor McGonagall said with a smirk on her face.

"Yes, professor, we'll be there," Cedric answered for the three of them.

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It had been about four weeks since the students had returned to school. Ced had sent an owl to his dad asking if Maco, the house elf that took care of him at home, could also help them in the married quarters at school. Harry, owled him back telling him yes, that was fine with him, but he would need to ask Maco if it was okay with her. Sitting in the sitting room, Cedric called Maco which appeared at once with a pop.

"Yes, Master Cedric. How may I help you?" Maco asked with a bow.

"Maco, thank you for coming. I was wondering if you would be willing to take care of Cici's and my living quarters while we are here at school.?" Cedric asked the house elf that had taken care of him since he was a baby.

"Yes, Master Cedric, I would like to take care of the quarters of you and Mistress Cecilia while you are here at school. It will give me something to do while you are away from the manor." The house elf answered devotedly.

Cici told the house elf, "Thank you very much for helping us Maco. I really appreciate what you do for us." in a very sincere tone.

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Classes were going well, with Professor Slughorn noticing a marked improvement in Ced's and Cici's potions. Cici was working with Rose on her potions, and Rose was thankful for the help. Ced had teamed up with Fred, Rose's twin brother. The only dark spot of their schedule was Defense Against the Dark Arts which they had with the Slytherins. Finnegan and Thomas kept turning around and watching Cedric and Cici as the class went on. When it came time to practice the spell that they had learned, Cedric wasn't too surprised that the two Slytherins had accidentally tried to hex him with it, when Professor Draco Greengrass had his back turned, he blocked the spell easily. When Draco had married Astoria, he chose to take her name to let the name of Malfoy die with his parents.

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In the mornings, Fred, Rose, and James joined them for their morning workouts. Teddy had chosen not to join them. They would go out and run around the Black Lake, it had taken the newcomers about a week or two before they could run all the way around the lake. After their run, they would work on occlumency for about a half an hour before they would break for their showers.

"What do you think about taking them down, into the chambers to do some muscle training and maybe some duelling?" Cedric asked Cici after they had entered the married quarters.

"I think that we should ask your dad first, then your Uncle Draco, and your Uncle Neville before we even mention it to them," Cici answered him with some steel in her voice.

The chambers were almost as big a secret as their soul-bond. Questions were going to be asked that they did not have good answers for right now.

"Okay, after our shower, I'll owl my dad and ask him what he thinks. These dark Slytherins are starting to get annoying. I think that it would be good to have some allies on our side." Ced answered her thinking about the stuff starting to happen in school.

As they stripped for their shower, they made sure that their dirty clothes made it into the laundry hamper, not just lying there on the floor. Ced had told Cici that Maco was there to help us, not for us to take advantage of. When they got out of the shower and had dried off, they came out to find their school clothes laid out on the bed for them. Maco had taken the time to press them for them as she laid them out.

As they entered the common room, their four friends met them so they could walk to the Great Hall together. Ced and Cici scanned the hall as soon as they entered, looking for potential threats and noticed that Kitten seemed to have a new friend.

" _Kitten seems to have a new friend!"_ Cici thought to Ced.

" _I see that! This is a good thing for her. Let's ask her about it later, so she doesn't think that we're spying on her."_ Cedric answered her. Finally, she's made a friend. He was genuinely happy for his sister.

As the mail came, Cedric flagged an owl and asked if it would please take his letter to his father. The owl hooted at him, and Ced rewarded the owl with some owl treats.

Ced turned to find Cici reading the Daily Prophet, over Rose's shoulder.

"This paper doesn't have much of an international section in it at all." She commented to Cedric flatly. Since living in Britain, she had lost all contact with her family back at home, and she had no clue about what was happening in the United States of America. For that matter, it didn't even cover what was happening on the Continent.

As they left the hall, Cedric was looking at Cici as he was talking to her when he was shoved roughly into her, knocking her to the ground.

"Watch where you're going, Potter!" Weasley spat at him.

As Cici was falling, she let go of Ced's hand so she could roll and land on her feet with her wand out. It was too late; the perpetrator had already turned and was leaving. Laughing as he went.

"Bloody mudblood, lover. What a disgrace to all that is wizarding." Weasley was saying to his little gang of friends.

"Are you okay?" Ced asked Cici while he was gently pushing her wand arm down.

"How did you learn to do that?" Rose asked in amazement at what she had just seen Cici do.

"Do what?" Cici asked, still miffed at being pushed to the ground.

"Do that! That thing, you just did." Rose told her motioning with her hands and wiggling her body.

"Oh, you mean 'tuck and roll?'" Cici asked her as they started moving to the first class of the day.

"Yes! How'd you learn to do that?" Her enthusiasm was still high from watching a girl do something so physical.

"If you want, I can teach you how to do it." Cici offered her, with some trepidation, she wasn't a teacher or an expert in her mind.

"Oi, mate, you'd better watch out for him and his mates. My uncle is in a right messed up state of mind," Fred was telling Cedric. "He doesn't like your dad at all. I heard him one time saying how your dad cost him a really high paying job at the ministry, a lot of years ago."

With confusion written all over Ced's face, he looked back at Fred as he asked him, "How did my dad cost your uncle some high paying job at the ministry?"

"I don't know. That's all I heard. We don't go over to visit them much. My uncle doesn't like my mum." Fred was answering him, the look on his face was like he had something foul tasting in his mouth, as he said the words.

"What about the Weasel? Why would he be picking on Daphne? And saying those disgusting things to her?" Cici asked with confusion in her mind at how families could be so mean to each other.

"Ron's dad? He's really jealous of Ced's dad. Says that he and Ced's dad used to be best mates and all, and then he stole a girl from him back when they were going to Hogwarts. And he sullied Aunt Ginny's name somehow. And Uncle Percy says that Ced's dad is just a glory-seeking braggart that stole Uncle Ron's girlfriend and broke his wand. That the only reason Hermione married Ced's dad is for the money and the fame."

As Fred finished, Ced was seeing red. Walking through the door of their first class of the day, Cici could almost swear that she could see smoke coming out of Ced's ears. Moving next to him, she snuggled up against him, holding his hand, and thinking calming thoughts to him. As she moved in front of him, he could smell her scent and started to calm down, knowing that she was close.

They took their seats as he thought back to her, _"Thank you, what he was saying about my parents, was just getting me so mad! Because it's not true! My dad didn't steal my mum from some guy."_

" _I know, babe. We'll just have to watch them and see what happens."_ Cici thought to him with the sadness of her feelings coming through the link.

Transfiguration was an easy class for them, they helped Fred and Rose with finishing the task of turning a hedgehog into a teacup. Cici helped George also.

The rest of the classes were a blur. When they got down to Herbology Ced saw that Uncle Neville was working that day. After class, he went up to him, pulled him off to the side while Cici cast some privacy charms, and asked him about using the chambers to start teaching some of his cousins about duelling. Neville thought that would be great, he even offered to help teach them some things. He also asked if he had talked to Draco and his dad yet.

"No, I haven't talked to Uncle Draco, but I did send my dad an owl at breakfast," Ced told him, hope filling his voice.

Nodding slightly, "The other thing is. How are you going to get into the chambers? We all use portkeys that your dad gave us for Christmas one year." Neville was probing the boy to see how far he had thought this through.

As a cloud came over Ced's face about how to overcome the portkey problem. He told Uncle Neville, "Thanks, Uncle Neville. I'll talk to Uncle Draco and see if it's okay with him." Waving goodbye, the teens headed up to the castle to eat dinner.

Neville, the Auror, watched the two teens leave. Making assessments of them as they went. Opening his watch and turning his back, "Hey Harry! I think that you should let the kids use the chambers. But let them overcome the obstacles to get in there."

The voice on the watch said, "Thanks, Nev, I agree, let them figure out the puzzle to get back into the chambers. How's Luna and Solaria doing?"

"They're doing good. I need to clean up so I can get home in time for dinner." Neville told the voice on the watch.

"Thanks, Nev. Mione sends her love." The voice said.

After he closed the watch. Neville turned around and started walking through the greenhouse straightening things as he went. Wondering why we needed two soul-bonded couples at this time. He finished with greenhouse 3 and moved into greenhouse 4 to straighten it up also. He looked around with approval on his face, he reached down and pressed the correct button on his watch, feeling the pull behind his navel he portkeyed home for the night.

That evening at dinner, Kitten sat next to Cedric and Cici. Across from her was a small strawberry blonde first-year girl. As the pudding was served, Kitten looked over at Cici and said, "I would like to introduce you to Willow. Willow, this is my brother's girlfriend, Cici." Her voice was all solemnity in tone.

"Hello, Willow. It's a pleasure to meet you." Cici told her lightly. It was nice that Kitten had a friend. It seemed to have taken her longer than it should have.

"I want to thank you for not letting Daphne take her anger out on my cousin. He can be a prat sometimes. His mother and father both drink a lot. You know, they're not really happy people come to think of it." Not only was the frown of sadness in her voice, but it was also on her face.

"He's your cousin?" Cici asked her to confirm the information she had just gained. Also, she wanted to gather more information about this family and how this little girl fit into that family.

"Yes, his dad is my mum's brother." The little strawberry blonde bubbled over.

"Who are your parents? Willow." Cici probed ever so gently.

"My mum is Ginny Weasley. I don't have a dad. Mum and dad had a big fight before I was born and they didn't get married. Grandpa was upset at first, but he said that it was for the best. He said that my dad was a deadbeat good for nothing. And that my mum was better off without him." Willow told her firmly.

"I'm sorry to hear that about your dad. I'm glad that your mum seems to be doing okay without him. She is okay, right?" Cici pressed for more information.

"Yes, she works a lot, but she tries to spend as much time with me as she can in the summers and at Christmas. Sometimes though, she has nightmares about something, and it really scares me, but we lay in her bed and hug until we can go back to sleep." Willow told her sadly.

"I'm glad that your mum has you to hug when the nightmares come," Cici told her honestly. "My dad left my mum and me just before Christmas. He didn't tell anybody where he was going. The good thing about it is that now he can't yell at my mum for no reason, and I don't have to worry if he is going to hit her." Cici started laying the foundation to build a friendship with the first-year girl. "Do you stay at home alone when your mum's at work?"

"Most of the time. My mum doesn't like my Uncle Ron or my Uncle Percy. Sometimes she lets me go and stay with my cousin George at their house." Willow offered up freely.

"Do you have any other cousins?" Again, Cici was probing for answers.

"Yes, there are my cousins, Rose and Fred." She said pointing to Fred and Rose. "But mum doesn't let me go over there very often. I guess it's because they have a big old house." She said kind of sadly.

"Where does your mum work?" Changing the subject but still probing. Is this little girl a threat or an ally? Allies we need, threats we don't need.

"She works at the Ministry with my grandpa. She says that by working with grandpa that she's not just some office assistant, but she gets to get out and do stuff." Willow seemed to cheer up at this thought.

"That's good! At least she's not stuck inside an office all of the time." Cici told her encouragingly.

"Yeah, that's what she says. What's your mum do?" Willow asked innocently.

"My mum is a doctor in a hospital." Cici offered her.

Ced turned to the girls, and asked lightly, "Who's your new friend?"

Cici answer, "Ced, this is Willow Weasley. Willow, this is my boyfriend, Ced."

Sticking his hand out to shake the small girl's hand, he said, "Pleased to meet you Willow."

"Pleased to meet you too, Ced," Willow replied formally, shaking his offered hand.

"Willow is Fred and Rose's cousin," Cici informed him.

" _And this is why my dad gets a wizarding oath of loyalty from everybody."_ Ced thought.

Standing up, Ced leaned forward a bit and said, "Willow, Daphne, Cici and I have a lot of school work that we need to get done tonight. Please excuse us." At that, he moved behind Cici's chair to slide it out of her way when she was ready to leave.

" _Well, at least her mum doesn't like the two Weasleys in Slytherin House. But she doesn't seem to let her spend too much time with Fred and Rose for some reason. I'll ask her about that another time."_ Turning after she stood, she gave Ced a sweet kiss on the cheek for his efforts.

" _I think that we should ask Fred and Rose about this in the morning. Are you keeping an eye on Weasley?_

" _Yeah, I see him. He's getting ready to make his move on us again."_ She told him silently, looking as if she was whispering in his ear.

" _I feel him. If he tries anything, I'm going to bust a rib on him when he makes his move."_ Ced told her as he tensed up for the conflict.

At just about the same point as in that morning, Percy Jr. tried to make his move to shove Ced into Cici again. Just as he was getting ready to make the shove, Ced sidestepped behind him so that Percy overbalanced and lost his footing. At that instant, Ced punched him hard as he went down. Just as Percy was saying, "Watch where you're going, Potter!"

Ced felt the rib break under the blow he gave him. What he said was, "Oh! Are you okay! I tried to catch you as you fell! Are you okay! He must have tripped over something!" Then he acted like he was trying to help and they faded into the background as Percy's mates rushed to help him up.

" _Nicely done love. Nicely done."_ Cici complimented her mate.

" _Thank you, Mi Amor."_ Cedric graciously accepted.

" _If he doesn't go see Madam Pomfrey, that rib should take about a month to heal,"_ Cici stated matter of factually.

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True to form, the coward went to see Madam Pomfrey about "The pain in his side from falling into one of the staircase bannisters." When he got into the hospital wing and was waiting to be seen, he noticed a younger boy with red hair lying on another hospital bed unmoving. Getting up to go see who it was, he was shocked to see that it was his younger cousin, just lying there not moving like he was petrified.

"What're you doing over there! You're supposed to be on your bed, not snooping around other patients! Now get back on your bed!" Madam Pomfrey scolded him.

She startled him pretty badly, so he turned quickly and let out a small yelp of pain, as he tried to move quickly back to his bed. When he tried to get on the bed, he winced with the pain.

"What's wrong with my cousin Ron?" He asked still startled by what he had seen.

"Let's worry about you first. Now, what's wrong with you again?" She scolded him. Knowing that the two of them where related did nothing for her mood. Especially since she knew what the other boy had told Kitten.

"I fell into one of the bannisters as I was walking to the common room, and now my ribs hurt." He lied to her.

"Okay, take your shirt off and show me where it hurts." She told him crossly. She knew that he was lying to her. More than likely someone had stood up for themselves against one of the biggest bullies in the school.

Weasley winced some more as he worked to take his robe and shirt off for the Matron. With a lot of drama, he managed to get his shirt off and show her the bruise that was growing on his side.

"Okay, lay down for me so I can run some diagnostics to see how bad it really is." She admonished him.

With more wincing and more whimpering, Weasley managed to lay on the bed so she could run her diagnostics on him.

"Hum, uh-hu, yep, hmm, yep, okay, you managed to break a rib when you hurt yourself. There are two ways that we can heal this, both of them are painful, but one is more painful than the other." She lied to him, just like he lied to her. She knew that with a few flicks of her wand, he would be just like brand-new. Her sadistic side said to let him suffer, and he could choose how long he wanted to suffer.

"I, I, I want to take the least painful healing please." He whimpered to her.

Yup, just a coward and a bully, "Okay, let me get a tape wrap for you and teach you how to wear it properly." She told him dryly.

She turned and walked across the room to a cabinet along the wall. Dug through a couple of doors, hadn't used one of these in years she thought to herself when she finally found what she was looking for. Peeling the wrapper off of it, she returned to the boy and taught him how to wrap his ribs correctly.

"Now, you're going to have to wear this every day for the next month if you want your rib to heal properly. Please, next time watch where you're going." She dismissed the boy with a smirk on her face as he left.

He had forgotten all about his cousin, she noticed. Coward. Now, what was she going to do with the Weasel? She had tried to remove the curse from him but to no avail. Kitten had done a good job on this kid. Maybe it would teach him and others to leave her alone. She'd decided, with a nod of her head, we'll just let the curse wear off on its own, and if it hadn't worn off in a week, then she'd ask Kitten to remove it for her. She turned and walked back across the wing to her office. She sipped on a little tea and got back to filling out reports and shuffling parchment around.

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 **A/N: Chapters 1-7 have been reworked for readability. Please review!**

 **Revised again 01.06.2018**

 **And again 12.26.2018**


	8. Year Three Chapter 8

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 8

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Valentine's day was a double treat weekend. First this was a Hogsmeade weekend, and second, it was Valentine's day on Saturday. Cedric was almost as excited as Cici about the upcoming weekend. What could they do? What should they do? What can they do? Too many questions! He felt as if his brain was going to explode! He thought about spending Saturday and Sunday in the house, but then that would leave Daphne and her friends alone to deal with The Weasel and his older cousin. He thought about cooking her a fantastic meal, but then he realised that he didn't know how to cook. Cooking lessons, they - need - to - take - cooking - lessons. He hadn't even gotten her anything for Valentine's day! Of course, he had never had a girlfriend to buy something for on Valentine's day either. He could ask somebody but who should he ask? Robby? No Robby has never had a girlfriend either. Jimmy! No Jimmy doesn't even know what a girl is. Rose! Rose is a girl, she would know what girls like. Now, how to ask Rose so that Cici doesn't get suspicious. How, to, ask, Rose, so, Cici, doesn't - get suspicious. How do I do that? He wondered. I've never kept anything from her, we have always shared everything. Okay, we will approach this from a tactical standpoint. Step one, when is Cici not around? Step two, how do I ask Rose what to do? Back to step one, answer, Cici is always around. How do I fix that? When can I fix that? When can I separate Cici from Rose and not look suspicious? We have classes together,, and we always eat together, now, how do I keep Cici from eating with Rose? Rose always sits with us. Rose always, sits with us. Rose, always sits, with us. Rose does not always sit with Cici. All I have to do is sit between Rose and Cici! Yes, I have conquered the situation! Now on to step two. Step two ask Rose what girls like. How do I ask Rose, what girls like, without looking like a complete idiot? I'm a guy, I'm doomed to look like an idiot.

" _My love, what are you thinking about? You're making it really hard to concentrate on studying."_ Cici thought to him from the living room.

" _Just trying to figure something out. But I think I've got it now."_ Ced answered her.

" _Can we just spend Valentine's night in the house on the beach for a few days? I just want to lay on the beach and do nothing for a while. I just want to turn my brain off and do nothing, but lay there with you by my side and no worries. I don't want a card. I don't want chocolates, I don't want jewellery, I don't want clothes, I just want to lay on the beach with you for a few days. Do you think that we can do that?"_ She asked with earnestness in her thoughts.

" _I would like that,"_ Ced told her. _"Would it be okay if we went into Hogsmeade, wandered around for a few hours, and then we escape into the house?"_

" _That sounds like fun. We can go into the Three Broomsticks, get a Butterbeer and a meal."_ Cici compromised with him. She was tired of the extra school work, she knew that she could pass the practical side of the O.W.L.s in her sleep. She was just tired of writing all of these essays!

The days crept by. The Weasleys kept to themselves. Kitten made another new friend from Ravenclaw, named Solaria. She turned out to be Uncle Neville and Aunt Luna's daughter, a little different but not too bad, Ced thought to himself. Finally, Oh My Godric, Saturday got here! As they finished their morning run around the Black Lake, Cici asked James, Fred and Rose if they were going to go into Hogsmeade.

"Of course!" Fred replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I need to stock up on some things for some pranks that George and I have planned!"

"I was going to go to the bookstore, then I wanted to go to Scrivenshaft's for some refills on ink and parchment," Rose told her. "After that, do you want to go to Madam Puddifoot's with some of the other girls?" She finished, getting excited and optimistic about the girls getting together.

Ced threw his two knuts in, "I want to go to the bookstore also."

They chatted more as they walked back to Gryffindor Tower. As they entered the common room, it was still empty, after all, who wanted to get up early on a Saturday? As they split up, going to their own showers, they agreed to meet down at breakfast.

Ced noticed that Maco had already made their bed and laid out clothes for the trip into Hogsmeade.

"We need to find a way to reward her for all of the hard work that she does around here," Cici told him, expecting him to know how to reward the house elf.

"I agree, we need to give her something as a way to show our appreciation for all that she does," Ced answered her, not having a clue as to how to reward their house elf.

Before Cici could start shedding her clothes, "Maco." Ced called out to the air. He was rewarded with a pop as the house elf appeared.

With a bow, she said, "Yes, Master Cedric? How may I be of service?" looking up at him hopefully.

"Maco, we're going into Hogsmeade today. We were wondering, if there is anything that we could get you, as a way of saying thank you, for all of your services." Cedric addressed the elf, tenderly.

"Master wants to buy Maco a gift?" She sounded shocked that someone would want to do that for her. Yes at Christmas, the Potters always gave the elves a bonus and an extra day off, but to want to buy something special? That was borderline out of line, it was something that was just not done! She was going to have to correct the young Lord and Lady. Ooo, this was scary, having to correct them. As she stood there thinking all of this, she started to fidget badly.

"Is this something that is not proper etiquette Maco?" Ced asked her hurriedly, wanting to put the elf back at ease.

"No sir, this is not proper at all sir. Your father's house elves are compensated very well, sir." She told them feeling much better now.

"Thank you, Maco for everything that you do," Cici told her graciously. "We're going to take our shower now, and then we will head down for breakfast in about an hour or so." She told the elf, not wanting her to pop back in at an embarrassing moment.

"Thank you, sir, mam." Pop, she was gone.

" _That was uncomfortable."_ Cici thought to Ced.

" _Yeah, well, at least we know now!"_ Ced thought back.

Leaning over, he kissed her on the neck, and he could taste the salt from her perspiration. He kissed her again and again. When she figured out what he was doing, it was exciting in a kinky sort of way. Moving away from him, she started to remove her workout clothes, slipping off her trainers and socks, she undid her braided ponytail and shook out her hair. Watching her, he began to follow suit, pulling his heavy shirt off over his head, she could see the definition of his muscles in his broad chest. He had begun to grow a few chest hairs she noticed, as his shirt was covering his face and his well-defined arms were stretched out over his head. She removed her workout pants and her knickers as one item. When she stood back up, he noticed that her oversized heavy workout shirt hung down about mid-thigh on her, covering her private parts. Then pulling from the bottom of the shirt she removed her shirt and sports bra as one. Standing naked before her husband, she watched as he removed his pants and underwear, admiring his strong, well-defined legs, joining her in nakedness. Jumping up on him he caught her and carried her to the shower.

.

Walking into the Great Hall, hand in hand, Ced and Cici had become used to scanning the hall for signs of trouble or potential trouble. Looking as they walked to their group of friends about halfway down the Gryffindor table. As usual, Ced held the chair for Cici and was rewarded with a simple kiss on the lips. When Cici turned to talk with Kitten, Ced started adding Cici's favourite foods to her plate. He wasn't trying to rush her, he was just doing a little more to show his love for his bond-mate. When she turned around to him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek for his efforts in making her feel special.

.

As they entered Hogsmeade, the group split up to go to the shops that they needed. James headed for Gladrags to pick up a new robe, Fred and George made a beeline to Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, Rose and the two lovebirds headed for Tomes and Scrolls.

"What do you need from the bookstore, Ced?" Rose asked as a conversation starter.

"Oh, I just want to see if they have a couple of books I might be interested in, nothing too exciting!" Not answering her question fully.

"What about you Cici, thought of any books you might want to read?" Rose asked the dark-haired witch, holding on to Ced's hand.

"No, not really. I guess I'm just not a big reader." She answered thoughtfully. She really never just sat and read a book. She had always had a television to watch. But she did notice that a lot of witches and wizards did read a lot. Guess that's because they don't have televisions to waste their time on. "I think that I might try and find a book, I would like reading. What kind of book are you looking for?"

"I enjoy a lot of easy reading stuff. Sometimes, I might find a book that is, like a spy novel or an action novel. But most of the time, and I'm embarrassed to admit this," she leaned into her, "but, I like to read some of the muggle romance novels. The magical ones are good too." She said grabbing her heart and scrunching up her face and then giggling.

Ced looked at Cici as they entered the bookstore, and told her, "I'm going to go over in that direction. Do you want to come with me, or go with Rose?"

"Oh, I think that I'll go with Rose and see what she finds to read. Meet you back here in a few minutes?" Cici answered him watching where Rose was headed.

"Okay, see you here in a little while." And with a quick kiss, they went their own ways.

Ced went looking for a couple of cookbooks. He was standing there, looking at the shelves of cookbooks, he didn't know what he needed, but he figured they should have something like 'Cooking for Beginners' or something like it. As he was scanning the shelves, a young salesgirl walked up to him admiring the view and asked him in a very sultry voice if he needed anything, anything at all.

"Is there 'anything' I can do for you?" She asked in a sensual tone, moving closer to him, moving into his personal space.

"Um, I'm looking for a beginners' cookbook. I want to learn how to cook." He answered, not paying attention to her. Oblivious to the looks that she was giving him.

Ooo! A guy that wants to learn to cook! I can teach him how to cook!

"Oh, well," reaching across him so that her breasts brushed up against him. "we have this one here, and the one next to it also," she told him making her voice a little more erotic in tone.

"Oh, sorry, excuse me." He said when her breasts brushed up against his arm, he started backing up, he felt his back hit the bookshelf behind him.

"Oh, sorry, my fault." She said as she turned into him, closing the distance.

She was going to close the deal on this strong, good-looking guy, and maybe take her beak and lunch together to have enough time to enjoy this piece of beefcake.

Cici sensing Ced's bewilderment, told Rose, "I'll be back." and headed straight for Ced. What could be causing this confusion in her mate, that he was feeling?

As she approached Ced, she saw the brown-haired salesgirl closing the distance on her mate. She watched as Ced backed up, wanting to keep his personal space, bumped into the shelves behind him.

Walking up to Ced, she cut in front of the brown-haired witch, smoothly and said, "There you are baby, did you find what you were looking for?" as she slipped her arms around his neck and smiled a prizewinning smile at him.

"If there's anything else I can help you with, just call me!" The brown-haired salesgirl said as she moved out of the danger zone.

"Um, yeah," _what the hell just happened?_ "I want to get these two books over here," he told her, his confusion still on his face.

" _Somebody was hoping to have you for lunch,"_ Cici told him. _"I could feel your confusion and came to see what was confusing you so badly. I found that salesgirl trying to back you into a corner, and she was going to have you for her lunch!"_

" _Oh, wow! All I knew is that I wanted to get away from her, and she just kept closing in on me. I didn't want to hit her or anything, but she just kept coming after me. Thanks for rescuing me."_ He told her, giving her a short kiss on the lips.

Taking his books, he and Cici went back to where Rose was looking. She had settled on four books, two romance novels, one suspense, and the last was an action adventure book. After paying, Ced shrank the packages so he could put them in his pocket. They spent a few minutes at Scrivenshaft's getting ink and parchment before Ced joined them at Madam Puddifoot's, at Cici's insistence. She didn't want her poor innocent lamb to be led to the slaughter by another wicked witch. After a few hours of girl talk, Cici and Ced begged off and headed for the Three Broomsticks for a late afternoon meal and a couple of butterbeers.

"Did you pay attention to what the girls were saying? Or did you just tune them out?" Cici asked after they had been seated in a booth. She liked the booths because they had high backs which gave them more privacy from prying ears.

"Not much, I tuned them out after a few minutes." He admitted to her.

"Well, since the start of term, you have moved up into the top five hottest guys in Hogwarts." She informed him. "You have Randy Randolph in Hufflepuff, your cousin James, Jeffrey Johnson in Ravenclaw, and Sven Johannsen in Slytherin. This means my love that the girls are going to start throwing themselves at you, and you had best be watching out for love potions in your pumpkin juice. We both need to make sure we use that spell your mom taught us, every time we get a drink. Look what happened to you today in the bookstore!"

After they ordered their meal, the waitress brought them their butterbeers to sip while they waited for the appetisers. After their meal, late afternoon, early evening, they started the walk back up to the castle. Just as they were passing the last street out of town.

" _Do you feel that?"_ Ced asked soundlessly.

" _Yeah, about six of them I would guess,"_ Cici answered.

" _Do you want to go back to back? Or separate?"_ Ced thought to her.

" _Let's see what we're up against and adjust as needed."_ Cici thought back.

" _They all seemed to have come out of the same ally."_ He thought to her again.

" _Let's just keep walking like we don't know what's going on."_ She thought back to him.

"Hey Cici, hey Ced! Wait up! We'll walk with you." George called out to them.

" _They all most got their asses hexed!"_ Cici thought to Ced, humorously.

" _They still might if they try to prank me!"_ He thought back to her jokingly.

The eight of them walked back up the hill to Hogwarts. A new girl had joined them, walking with James. They chatted about how long until the next Quidditch match. How long until spring break, and what they thought the O.W.L.s would be like. James and the girl walking with him were not looking forward to the tests. The girl admitted that she was having problems with transfiguration and potions. Since Cici and Ced were only third-years, they really couldn't offer to tutor her, for fear of blowing their cover. When they had reached the main entrance to the castle, James, the girl, and the others turned to enter the Great Hall for dinner. Ced reached into his pocket and gave Rose her books.

"We had a late lunch and really aren't that hungry. We're going to head up to our room and just relax for the rest of the night." Ced told the group of friends.

As the group of friends entered the hall, Percy Jr. and his group of friends were leaving. Ced and Cici's group of friends turned just in time to watch Cedric take out four fifth-years without breaking a sweat.

" _You go right, I'll go left. If they try anything."_ Ced thought to Cici, seeing the risk approach.

"Hey, Potter! You better get a leash on this dog of a girlfriend of yours!" Percy said just as he started to shove Cici into Cedric.

Cici dropped and rolled to the right as planned, landing on her feet. Cedric did the same to the left, putting about five metres between the two of them. Now, the enemy had two separate targets instead of just one big one. Percy's friends, jerked out their wands, wondering where their targets had gone. Ced and Cici knew that they could not throw the first hex. It didn't take long before one of the dumber of Percy's friends cast a bloating curse at Cici. She easily blocked the curse and returned a double curse in the form of a stunner and expelliarmus at her attacker, with no time to watch the victim fall to the ground, she was waiting for the next curse to come her way. Weasley seemed to be focused on Cedric as he kept throwing a wide range of curses as strong and as fast as he could. Ced kept moving and putting up decoys in his path to block Weasley's hexes. As Weasley, was getting angrier and angrier, he tired himself out trying to hex the ever-elusive Cedric. He collapsed to the floor, his magical core overextended, Cedric summoned his wand with no resistance. Just like his father, he bound the student with chains. The other two had ganged up against Cici who was putting up granite walls as fast as they could blow them up. She had moved to a point halfway between the doors to the Great Hall and the stairs. Backing the two students into view of the Great Hall, she let them burn out their magical energy and collapse to the floor. Summoning their wands, she then bound them with chains, just like Harry would have.

"Mr Potter, Miss Ramos! What is the meaning of this!" The Scottish Headmistress asked piercingly. "What is going on here! And why are these students bound with chains?"

"Professor McGonagall," Rose started. "This was an unprovoked attack against Cedric and Cecilia by Weasley and his friends." She stated matter of factually.

"Yes, Professor, we had just returned from Hogsmeade and were entering the hall for dinner when Weasley and his friends were exiting the hall. We heard a commotion and turned in time to see him try and attack Cici. Then Lockhart tried to hex Cici, and she defended herself against him. Then, Weasley started attacking Cedric, and he was just defending himself too. While he was defending himself, Thomas and Finnegan started attacking Cici. I'm guessing that they thought that she couldn't defend herself against two attackers at once. I guess they thought wrong." James told her just stating the facts.

"Weasley started it all when he tried to shove Cici," Fred told the Headmistress. "and then the others just joined in the fight."

"Here's their wands," Cici said to Professor McGonagall as she handed the three wands to her.

"Here's Weasley's wand also, Professor," Cedric told her as he stepped forward to hand the wand to her.

"Are either of you two hurt?" She asked with apprehension in her voice.

"I'm fine," said Cici, "These two over exerted their magical cores." She said gesturing to the two that she bound with chains.

"I'm fine also." Stated Cedric. "Weasley overexerted his magical core also."

"We'll need to get them to the hospital wing. Would you two mind helping me?" She asked them.

"I think that we would both be willing to help you, Professor," Cedric answered for Cici. "Our friends were just going to have dinner when all the excitement started. We were headed back to our room for the night."

The three of them had levitated the three students when Professor Slughorn had made it to the scene of the fight. Another Slytherin had gone to get the Head of House. The four of them levitated the four unmoving students to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey checked Cedric and Cici quickly and told them to just go and get some rest. She went to the different beds to check on the other four students. With a flick of her wand and a silent spell, she removed the chains from the three students. Casting diagnostic spells, three of the four would be in the hospital wing for a least a month and the fourth one she would keep overnight after she _rennervated_ him.

The boy should be glad that it was Cici that stunned him and not Kitten. Madam Pomfrey had waited the week like she said, before she called Kitten to her, and asked her to please _rennervate_ the student that she had petrified. The Matron explained that at his age, a week was punishment enough, if it happened again she promised her that she would leave him petrified for a month. Kitten agreed to this with a snicker. It took another week for the Weasel to get better and leave. Upon his release, Madam Pomfrey told him that next time he would be in the hospital wing for over a month, he had paled at that thought. With that thought in her head, the healer went to go get some potions for her conscious patients.

Professor McGonagall talked with Cedric and Cici briefly before she left the hospital wing. She was amazed at these Potters and their soul-mates. They learned quickly, they became more physically fit, and their magical powers ran deep. They also seemed to have a strict code of honour, that kept them from starting a fight, but their abilities let them finish the challenges that came their way. She suspected that the next few years were going to be more exciting years than the last several years had been. As long as no students ended up dead, she could handle a little excitement. Walking hand in hand, she watched the students leave for their room, young love, she thought wistfully, it's a beautiful thing. It really was hard, having had another soul-bonded couple and now this one, not to enjoy watching their love for each other.

As Ced and Cici walked across the castle to their common room, they silently did a post-operation analysis of how things went. What they did wrong and what they did right. It was a simple battle, lasting less than ten minutes from start to finish. They found no faults in how things had worked out. Toll would have been proud of them.

" _Do you think that we should tell my parents about what's happened with the Slytherin Weasleys?"_ Ced thought to his warrior princess.

" _I don't know. The older one is a bully, but he seems to have taken a real dislike to us since the start of term. He never really messed with me until you and I got together."_ She thought back to him, pensively.

" _That could be because you are muggle born, he didn't think you're worth his time. Nobody else knows that your mum is really a witch. Now that you and I are together, he's trying to use you against me. Just like what my mum said."_ Ced thought back to her earnestly.

" _True, but his hatred of your parents have made you the target. It seems that all of his hatred is focused on you, and now us."_ She thought back to him, still contemplating the events of the evening.

" _I don't think that declaring a family feud would do anything to help. From what I've learned, these two families are already despised by the wizarding world. There'd probably be those that would help them, but even those, wouldn't really be affected by the feud. They just aren't respectable enough. It wouldn't do anything more than cost them their jobs."_ Ced thought more to himself than to her. These two fathers were passing down their prejudices to their sons. All over misconceptions from years past.

As they entered the common room, it seemed as if the whole house was there waiting for them. Some were there to congratulate them on kicking Weasley's arse, and others wanted to know what was going on. Not just with Weasley but with Ced and Cici. Even in their own house, there were those that were jealous of Ced because he had Cici, and there were those that were jealous of Cici because of Cedric.

"Why'd you and the Weasleys get into a fight? I heard that you started the fight." A fifth-year girl asked.

"When we entered the Entry Hall, some of the people with us chose to have dinner. As they entered the hall to eat, Weasley and his mates came out and attacked Cecilia and me. Our friends that were going to eat watched as Weasley and his mates attacked Cecilia and me for no reason, other than they have been raised to hate." Ced answered what had ensued that night.

"But why did they attack you? What'd you say to him to make him angry enough to try and hex you two?" Another third-year boy asked.

"What we have learned about the Weasleys is, both of them have been raised to hate. They have been raised to hate my family and me." Ced started telling them. "Because they hate my family and me, and because Cecilia and I got together over the Christmas holidays, she has now become a target of the Weasleys also." He ended, looking at his lovely wife.

"When and how did you two get together? How long have you been together?" A third-year girl in the back asked.

"How come you two got special sleeping privileges?" A second-year boy asked over to the left of them.

"Cecilia and I talked on the train on the way home for the Christmas holidays. We chose to become a couple at that time. She and her family spent the holidays with my family and me. We have our own rooms because we are doing an unusual research project for the Headmistress that requires a lot of our time." Ced clarified about their privileged living conditions.

"How did you learn to transfigure and conjure so well." A sixth-year boy asked of them.

"Cedric's father and mother worked with us over the Christmas holidays on conjuring and transfiguration. They also worked with us on some basic duelling spells and techniques." Cici answered the boy frankly.

"It's getting late for us, and all of the excitement has taken a lot out of us. If you will please excuse us, we're going to turn in for the evening." Ced told the crowd of people looking at them.

Cici took his arm and piloted him to the gryphon that shielded the entry to their room. Giving the passphrase, they headed up the flight of steps to their room.

" _I'm not sure how well all of that went."_ Ced thought to her pessimistically.

" _You told the truth. If they can't accept the truth, then there's not much we can do for them."_ Cici told him forthrightly.

" _Rose, Fred, and James saw the whole thing from start to finish. I hope that they'll answer the questions that'll get asked and re-asked. I just didn't want to be there and start getting interrogated by a mob. Thanks for helping get me out of there."_ Ced said somberly.

" _That's what I'm here for, didn't you know?"_ Cici answered him playfully, as she spun into his arms, pressing her body against his solid torso.

" _Now, about that vacation you wanted."_ Ced thought to her with a little more happiness in his thoughts. _"It's eight now, if we return at five, as usual, that gives us nine real hours. So, do you want nine days, nine months, or, eighteen months?"_ his mood lightening up considerably.

" _I like eighteen months, and I don't want to take my school robes in there with me."_ She told him as she removed her robes and tossed them on the couch.

" _Agreed."_ He told her as he tossed his robes onto the couch also.

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Together they landed on the circular marble platform. Ade joined them as they started walking towards the house. The could have apparated to save time, but saving time was not what they were after.

"Good evening Cedric, good evening Cecilia." Ade greeted them, in her ethereal voice.

"Good evening Ade." They said in unison.

"Would you please set the house time to two months of house time to one hour of real time?" Cedric asked her.

"Yes, I will." She answered him.

"We're here to have a vacation, Ade. I would also like to explore my - feminine side." Cici told her. "I've never worn dresses other than my wedding dress, and a couple as a small girl. I've always worn pants or shorts. I don't wear makeup either. All of my training in here has been fixated on being a warrior. I would like training on how to dress and be the Lady of a House." She finished with sincerity.

Ade looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, "I will consult with Elissa, Althea, and Edmund. We will have a course ready for you when you wake in the morning. Will you continue any of the other training while you are here?"

"I think so, just not at the pace we've worked at in the past. For right now, I think that we just want to take it easy. It is Valentine's day after all." Cici told her wistfully.

Ade cocked her head to the side just ever so slightly, her eyebrows furrowed ever so little in thought, "Happy Valentine's day she told her." Straightening her head up she added, "I will see you after breakfast." Just before she vanished from view.

Walking, arms wrapped around the other's waist, the two teens headed for their room.

"You want to explore your femininity?" Ced asked her with some confusion.

"Yes, I want to learn more about what it means to be a woman. The Lady of the House. I see your mother, and she always looks so perfect. Some days she wears pants and others she's wearing a dress. Some of the dresses are simple, and the dress she wore to our wedding was just stunning. She was the major guiding force when it came to my wedding dress. I didn't know what to choose. My mother has a small idea of what to choose. I said that I liked this or I liked that one, but it was your mother that guided me through the process. She's the one that applied my makeup. Daphne was the one that did my nails and my hair. Susan was the one that brought over some jewellery for me to choose from with her guidance. You're going to be the Head of House someday. Your dad is guiding you in that, I, all I know is how to be a warrior, give me a sword, and I'm comfortable, put me in heels and…" She stopped and looked pleadingly up at him, tears of frustration in her eyes.

Cedric at that moment knew that she was vulnerable. Taking her in his arms, he wanted to give her all the strength he had, to make her as strong as he could. He wasn't there to hurt her, it was in his nature to protect her, at all costs, the one he loved. He wasn't there to take advantage of her vulnerability, he was there to block the curses being thrown at her, he was her shield. As much strength and love as he had he let flow through their mental link. Walking to the huge tub, they undressed silently and slipped into the comforting hot waters to soak the stresses of the days away. Soaking in the tub in silence for a long while, Cici then rolled fluidly into Ced's lap, wrapping her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck. She kissed him, a kiss of thanks for being her rock in her time of need. Leaning back, she tilted her head back, soaking her hair, she came back up, the water slicking her hair like the fur of an otter.

Hugging him tightly, pressing her body into his, her head on his shoulder, his head laying on hers, she simply said, "Thank you."

Standing up, Ced supported the weight of his wife easily with his strong arms. Stepping up out of the tub, the water sheeting off of them as he rose from the depths of the full tub. When he was fully out of the tub, Cici wandlessly and wordlessly, dried them with a spell. She shook her head and dried her hair as she did so. Her hair flew out behind her as it dried and then laid down her bare back in near perfection, almost to her waist now. She kissed him on the fullness of his lips. She knew that she could never have found someone that would have loved her as fully as the man that was carrying her now. She disentangled herself from him next to their large bed, allowing him to go to the centre of the bed and wait for her to join him. As she crawled across the mattress, she could feel the heaviness of her breasts swaying under her. When had her breasts grown so much? She thought back, at the start of Christmas she was barely an 'A' cup bra, now she was just used to altering her bras magically to fit. When she had reached her lover, she raised up and straddled his waist. Sitting on his hips, she looked down and saw a look of approval from his eyes. He liked what he saw as much as she liked what she saw. As they locked eyes she leaned forward, in that one kiss, they put all of their passion for each other, the intensity of which they had not reach previously. His strong hands caressing all that was her body. The shivers went up and down her spine. She enjoyed the tingling sensations running all over her, and she shared those sensations with her mate through their link. They continued snogging, knowing what the other wanted until they both were exhausted.

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Their morning routine was undisturbed by their late-night activities. "We need to get up now mi Amor," Ced told her.

"Just five more minutes." She answered him sleepily. Laying half on and half off of him. One arm and one leg laying across his body. The skin to skin contact seemed to help the bond the most. Most of the time they slept in their underwear, but there were the times when they just fell asleep in the raw.

As usual, he slipped out from under her as gently as he could, heading for the restroom.

They spent their mornings split between working with Toll, and Ced and Cici learning about Head of House duties. They stayed proficient in their combat training, potions, and spell work, while Cici learned about the different things a woman, and a Lady needs to know. All that fashion stuff that her mother never had time to teach her. What colours work with her skin colour, her hair colour, and her eye colour. She learned to walk in low heels, mid heels, and high heels. Wedges, platforms, and stiletto heels. Because she had started wearing heels, Toll made sure that she could also run in them. Cici learned about nylons and silk stockings. She learned to dress so she would not embarrass herself or others by choosing the wrong outfit for the occasion. She learned how to apply her makeup in different styles to achieve different goals as needed. She learned about what jewellery when. She learned to dress to flatter her figure and how to conceal her figure.

They took their Head of House classes together, but when Cici was learning all of the other stuff she needed, Ced decided that would be when he would learn to cook. She was learning about heels, he was learning how to cut produce. She was learning about stockings, he was learning about meat. She learned about undergarments, he learned about spices.

They worked it so that they had three afternoons off a week, plus the weekends. When Toll learned that they had new swords he was very enthusiastic to learn about them and how they had been made. He liked how the swords had a magical core to them. He got really excited when he learned that the core was from Cathaoir. As he watched the teens practising with their swords, he was amazed at how intuitive the swords seemed to be. The young couple told him about their duelling with the goblin warriors. Toll talked to them about weapon concealment with the different clothing that they could be wearing, not just putting their swords in their pockets.

In the afternoons, they would just lay on the beach and enjoy each other's company. Sometimes they would talk about different classmates, other afternoons they would just lay there and say nothing. They talked about what Cici remembered about where she was born.

Then early on in their 'vacation', Cici called out to Ade. "Ade, can we get a suntan in here?"

After Ade appeared to them, she said, "I would think so." She had never been asked that question.

Cici asked, "Can we get a tan without Ced getting a sunburn?"

Looking down at the ghostly white Ced, Ade said, "I hope so, for Cedric's sake!" she said it with a straight face.

"Thank you, Ade, I'm going to try!" Cici said as she unhooked her bikini top and tossed it to the side. Laying back down on her beach blanket, she looked over at Ced, she waved her hand at his Bermuda trunks turning them into skimpy swim trunks. "You're getting a tan Ced, whether you like it or not!"

Edmund told Ade, "As pale as that boy is, it's going to be hard not to overcook him!"

Little by little, each day they worked on Ced's tan. After a month, he finally had a tan line where his trunks covered him. Cici got a lot darker a lot faster, and her natural skin colour was almost white where her bikini bottoms covered her modesty. They were both amazed at how dark she had become. Ced loved how dark she had become, he also appreciated the fact that the only tan line was her bikini bottoms, she had switched from a string bikini to a thong style of bikini bottom so that her bum would also be tanned. At one point, she thought of just going naked but decided against it for some odd reason running through her head.

After two or three months, Cedric felt that his cooking was presentable to Cecilia. For each dinner, Cici would wear a different dress to dinner, some Ced liked more than others, but none of the outfits that she wore did he truly dislike. He liked for her to wear the platform heels, he also liked for her to wear the different dresses with the plunging necklines, one of the ones she wore, plunged almost to her navel. She explained to him that on that dress, the bra was built into the dress itself. They also agreed that those dresses would not be worn to the more formal functions that they would be starting to attend. With that dress, she wore an extra-long necklace, that fell between her well-tanned breasts, with matching bracelets and earrings. They took to practising their dancing after dinner. They moved and glided across the dance floor like a couple that had been dancing together for years. They learned several different styles of dance. Ced learned that some of the dresses were not conducive to some dances that had longer steps, other dresses it was not good to dip Cici because some of her lady parts wanted to come out of the dress! All in all, Cici felt that their 'working' vacation was a success. The only problem that either could see was how to explain their suntans in the middle of winter.

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 **A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed.**

 **Revised again 01.07.2018**

 **And again 12.26.2018**


	9. Year Three Chapter 9

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 9

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As the runes quit glowing, Cici walked over to the mirror stuck to the wall.

"Apparently, the tan is only visible in the house." She told her mate, with an exaggerated pouty lip and a bit gloomy, but thankful.

She had gotten very dark, the colour of dark brown sugar. While her bond-mate had turned a light honey in colour. That was one of the discussions that they had, had the night before. How were they going to explain a tan that they had taken eighteen months to get, when they had only been gone for nine hours, in the dead of winter, in Scotland, at night?

"Do you think Aunt Minerva will let us go into Hogsmeade today? I want to go to Gladrags and see about buying some shoes, dresses, bras and panties. I feel a whole lot less feminine in my school uniform than I did in some of those dresses." She said batting big brown puppy dog eyes at him.

"I don't see why not. All we can do is ask." Ced told her. "Let's get our run in and then ask her at breakfast."

They met Rose and Fred in the common room, ready for their run, James joined them as they were headed out of the portrait hole. They chatted brightly as they walked down the cold stairs and hallways of the castle, at least the long walk was serving to warm their muscles for the workout ahead of them. Once they hit the path around the Black Lake, they broke into their run and continued to discuss various things. One of the questions for James was about going into Hogsmeade on a Sunday. He told them that he thought they could. The weekend wasn't over just yet anyway. Cici talked with Rose, and they decided that they wanted to get a mani-pedi at the hairdressing salon also. Having solved all the problems at Hogwarts, the conversation came back around to how they had defeated so many fifth-year students so easily last night.

"Because, they are physically weak, mentally weak, and magically weak," Ced told the group truthfully. "They don't have the mental strength, the physical strength, or the magical strength to beat us. Hogwarts teaches only the basics to get by. It's not here to teach us advanced skills. Most of the students have a hard enough time passing the very basics let alone master any of the advanced skills. Hogwarts is not to blame. The desire to learn has to come from the student. The professors can try and instil that into a student, but if the student just wants to get by with the minimum to pass, what can the professors do? If you watch, the professors teach the students that want to learn, the students that just want to cause trouble only get babysat. The troublemakers lower the standard of education for the rest of us. Then the troublemakers cry when they can't pass their O.W.L.s or their N.E.W.T.s and get stuck in some menial job, they blame everyone else for their troubles but the person looking back at them in the mirror. Sorry for going off on you." He said animatedly.

"No, what you're saying's the truth. Those that want to learn - learn. Those that just want to get by, just get by. They do the bare minimum to pass." James told him, having seen it in his classes for the last few years. There were those that caused problems and distracted the professor from teaching, affecting the class as a whole.

"Now that we have solved all of the problems, here again, we'll meet you down at breakfast," Rose told the group as she headed up the girl's stairs. She was one of the ones that liked the extra attention from her professors when she could get it. And her grades reflected the extra effort that she put in. She may not have been top of her class, but she was close.

Ced and Cici, because of the work that they had put in, inside the house, had started moving up the academic ladder at school. The instructors in the house had forced them to improve their penmanship, which the Hogwarts professors were glad for. The occlumency training had improved their thought process for all of the different essays they needed to do. Now that they were going to be taking their O.W.L.s at the end of term with the fifth-years and their N.E.W.T.s at the end of their fifth-year, the young couple spent most of their free time focusing on their school work. Even though they had long since mastered what they were doing, the last thing they needed, was to get tripped up on one of the upcoming tests.

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Walking into the hall for breakfast, hand in hand, Cedric and Cici scanned the hall quickly. Most of the students were still asleep, making the hall quieter than normal. Cici checked the Head table to see if Professor McGonagall was present. She nudged Ced when she saw her sitting there. As they joined their group of friends, Ced, as was customary, held Cici's chair for her. When he was seated, he turned to her and was rewarded with a simple, chaste kiss, as a token of her appreciation for his respect for her. He started to add some bangers, rashers, and eggs to her plate. Towards the end of breakfast, Cedric made his move to go ask about going back into Hogsmeade.

"Good morning Professor McGonagall. How are you this morning?" He started off pleasantly.

"Fine, thank you. How may I help you this morning Mr Potter?" She answered coolly.

"I was wondering if it was permitted to go into Hogsmeade today? Cici has decided that there are things that she'd like to get today." He answered her. "Also, Rose would like to go with us."

"Yes, it's permitted for students to go into Hogsmeade today also. You need to be back on school grounds by three." She informed him in her friendly, strict tone. She cannot play favourites after all. She must keep up appearances. "I trust that there will be no more incidences?"

"No mam, we'll try and avoid any problems. We won't go looking for trouble," he told her flatly. "Thank you." He said cheerfully.

No, you don't go looking for trouble, trouble seems to be looking for you. She thought, just like your father.

The smile on his face when he returned to the table was answer enough for the girls. They squealed and clapped quietly. He told them that they needed to be back on school grounds by three. The group had finished eating, so they rushed up the stairs to get their cloaks for the cold wintery walk into Hogsmeade. As they exited out the front doors of the castle, they quickly cast warming charms on themselves and water repelling charms also. It was just Ced, Cici and Rose that were headed into town. The others had decided to stay indoors, the girls were so excited, that they had a spring in their step, almost a skip. Checking to see which shop was open first, the girls decided that they would get their mani-pedi first. Cici decided to get her hair trimmed also. She didn't want it cut too much, just a trim to even things out. When the nail technicians had finished with their nails and the hair trimming, Gladrags had opened.

As they walked to the clothing store, Cici commented that there were hardly any students at all in the small town. "Yesterday, the place was crawling with students, and today there are hardly any at all!" she said out loud.

"I wonder how many students really know we can come to Hogsmeade on Sunday also?" asked Rose.

"Well, none of us knew, not even James knew, and he's a fifth-year," Ced added to the conversation.

"Sorry, but it's kind of nice not having all of the crowds like yesterday," Cici told them.

They kept chatting as they walked to Gladrags.

Opening the door for the girls, Ced looked around the place. He didn't know what he was expecting, maybe Madam Malkin's, but it was a clothing store that sold both new and used clothing. Giving a large selection of clothes to choose from. The two girls headed over to look at bras and panties to match. Cici chose a wide variety of bras, having learned that not all bras were the same size, the sizes varied by the manufacturer, and sometimes between styles by the same manufacturer. As the salesgirl approached, Ced could feel Cici's apprehension level rise with thoughts of what happened yesterday. Thankfully this woman was a lot more professional than the other one. The salesclerk talked to the girls to learn what they were after and then they headed in the correct direction. The clerk walked along and every now and she would hand a dress or something else to them. They stopped at the shoe department where they spent the majority of their time. Each of them selected five different pairs of shoes to try with the dresses that the clerk had handed to them. She then led them to the changing rooms off to the side of the store.

Interestingly enough, the clerk had gone back to select some of the used dresses that they had. Cici had invited Rose to share her changing room with her. When Rose started to object that the room was too small, Cici just told her that she would expand the room.

"Babe, you get to sit out there while we try on these dresses," Cici told her husband.

"Just as long as you model them for me I'll be okay." He teased her back.

Giggling Cici and Rose closed the door, leaving Ced waiting in a chair. He could hear the girls talking, laughing, and giggling for a few minutes before the door opened and Rose walked out wearing a very pretty above the knee blue dress, with sparkling red heels. Ced could tell immediately that she was not used to wearing heels that high.

"That looks nice Rose, it flatters your figure." He said, ever the gentleman.

When she opened the door, Cici came out as Rose went back to change again. Cici had chosen a Red sparkly knee-length dress, with red platform heels, that she modelled for Ced expertly. Ced didn't have to say anything, she could feel his emotions start to run high.

As she returned to the dressing room, Rose had changed into her next dress to model for Cedric. The two girls kept this up for close to two hours before they were tired. Selecting some new dresses and some of the used dress, they collected about three pairs of shoes each and found the salesclerk.

"Would there be a way to have some of these fitted to us please?" Cici asked very pleasantly.

"Of course! It's slow enough now that we could probably get them done while you wait if you would like." She said as she looked at all they were buying. We'll make it happen to keep this sale today she thought to herself. "Were there any of the other shoes you ladies liked? I'll do a buy three get one free sale for you girls, today only!"

"Baby, will you go get those black strappy spike heels for me please?" Cici cooed at Ced.

"Was there a pair that you wanted to get also Rose?" Ced asked his cousin.

"Yes, but I think that I had best get those red wedges that I tried on, just to be safe." She answered him shyly.

"Your wish is my command!" He told the girls with an exaggerated bow and wave of his hand across his torso. He headed off to the dressing rooms to get the requested shoes. As he was over getting the shoes, the clerk started making conversation with the girls.

"We hardly ever get students on a Sunday. I wonder why that is?" The clerk asked.

"I believe, that it's because most students don't know that we can come here for a few hours today." Rose started to explain.

"I think that they just want to sleep in until noon!" Cici added exuberantly.

"I think that you just might be right on that!" The clerk told her cheerfully.

She had both girls on stands so she could work on both of them at the same time. She would pin one in one area and then go to the other and pin that same area. Back and forth she went for about an hour before she had finished all of the dresses. A second clerk had started with the sewing to help get the order done for the two young ladies. As the second clerk was finishing the sewing, the original clerk ushered them to the cash register to start ringing up their large purchases. Ced noticed that Cici had chosen five new bras of various types and colours with knickers to match. When the clerk started to ring up Rose's bras, Ced just watched casually, when Rose saw Ced looking, she blushed a deep red. She had never had a boy see her unmentionables before. Just as the clerk finished tallying the order, the other clerk delivered the last of the dresses. Cedric paid for the clothes and collected the bags. Quickly he shrunk the bags to make the purchases easier to carry back up the hill to school. The weather had cleared up nicely, it was cool and sunny for the walk, leading up to some pleasant conversation for the return trip.

"Can you teach us to do what you did last night?" Rose just blurted out, as they were walking.

"Teach who?" Cici asked surprised by the outburst. "You know, you should be walking in your new heels so you can get used to them."

"I'm not walking in those heels! For one it will hurt and two, I'm not ruining my new shoes! Teach Fred and me how to do what you two did last night with Weasley." Rose countered her suggestion to wear her new heels out here in this weather.

"Ced and I have already been talking about this kind of stuff. He just needs to talk to his Uncle Draco to get his permission too." Cici replied, she could see not wanting to ruin the new heels, they were so pretty after all. "Well, you just need to wear them in the common room to get used to walking in them before you twist an ankle or something."

"Yeah, I know, there's just no place to wear our new clothes! But we can model them for the other girls! Make them all jealous!" Rose started all depressed but ended all brightly.

"That's the last thing Cici needs is to make more of the girls jealous," Ced added, acting all serious until they saw the corners of his lips twitching.

"Well, talk to Uncle Draco tomorrow so we can start learning soon! And Cici already has plenty of jealous girls wanting to hex her," Rose informed them, "from all the houses!"

As Rose was getting ready to head up the stairs to the girl's dorm, she turned and stuck her hand out.

Ced, just stood there looking at her hand, "Oh! Sorry, I got lost in thought." He apologised as he dug the shrunken packages out of his pockets. He started handing packages to the two girls.

When Cici just looked at Rose and asked, "Would you just like to come into our room? We can sort through the clothes in there." Cici stepped into the silencing charm and gave the passphrase. The gryphon slid to the side allowing passage for all three. Once into the sitting area, they re-enlarged the packages to sort through the clothes. Rose was looking around the quarters as she sorted through the clothes.

"I never knew this was here." She said in amazement.

"Neither did we. The other adults had told us that we're not the first to use these quarters. There have been married couples before us, and there will be married couples after us, is what we were told. They also said that we are not the youngest." Ced informed her in his best professor voice.

"Hey!" Cici almost shouted, "You can practice wearing your wedges to class! I don't think that shoes are a part of the dress code of the uniform and all." She said, smiling like a little devil. "If you carry a spare set of shoes in your backpack, just in case your feet start to hurt, you can just change shoes!"

"I like it!" Rose said smiling, as she set down on the couch. "In fact, I'm going to start wearing them now!" As she started taking her trainers off and stuffing the socks into the toes.

"I like how you think!" Cici told her as she started looking for her yellow wedges.

Rose was a little wobbly as she tottered around the sitting room. Cici encouraged her to walk normally, heel-toe, heel toe. "Just take shorter steps, and if you place one foot directly in front of the other, it's a little sexier. Not crossing over like the models do, just heel-toe, directly in front of the other, short steps. There you go!" She shouted reassuringly.

After the two girls had decided to change into their new dresses and their new heels, "Ced, be a gentleman and escort us down to dinner." She said to him calmly.

Ced held Cici's hand and offered his elbow to Rose for her to hold on to as they had several flights of stairs to descend to get to the hall for dinner. Rose teetered and tottered, she held on to Ced and the bannister until she started to get her balance. As they approached the hall she let go of Ced and walked to the Gryffindor table by herself. Cici had a big smile as she watched her walk away from them.

Dinner was a lively affair, as many of the boys had checked Rose out as she walked to the table. She was a changed girl. Several of the boys worked up the courage to come sit next to her to talk.

" _If looks could kill. Vicky Vane over there is throwing daggers this direction."_ Cici thought to Ced.

" _Thompson over this way is staring hard. I think he's going to be trouble. He is actually drooling!"_ Ced thought to her just before, "Hey! Thompson, wipe your mouth! You're drooling!" he said loudly to the fifth-year.

"Shut it, Potter. What gives you the right to have two girls? Huh?" Thompson replied sourly.

"What are you talking about Thompson? Rose is basically my cousin." Ced answered with repulsion.

"Yeah, well I seen you walk in here with both of them, Ramos on one side of you and Bones on the other. Them walking all sexy like, like you all just had a good shagging in your private room or something." Thompson sneered at him.

" _This is getting out of hand, Ced,"_ Cici warned him.

" _Yeah, it is. We need to leave before he gets hotter."_ Ced thought to her.

"Rose, we're going to leave, now," Cici told Rose as she went to get up.

"Why what's wrong?" She asked, having been totally absorbed in the attention that she was getting from some of the boys.

"Thompson's getting very jealous of all of us down here," Cici told her, as Ced held her chair for her.

"Do you think it'll be okay if I stay?" Rose asked worriedly.

"You'll probably be okay, but we're leaving to remove ourselves from a volatile situation," Cici told her quietly.

As Ced and Cici turned, Cici saw Thompson standup quickly and draw his wand. Just as he cast his curse she pushed Ced to the side, and the curse hit her across her back and shoulder, cutting her deeply. As he was falling Ced ejected his wand into his hand. He rolled to have a clear shot and cast _stupefy/expelliarmus_ , at the fifth-year student. Ced caught the wand as he lay on the floor regaining his senses. Slowly he heard the other students screaming. He went to get up when he felt that he could not hear Cici. Looking he saw her lying face down on the floor with blood pouring out of her back staining her new dress, the gash went three-quarters of the way across her back and shoulder. Getting to his knees, he moved to her and started healing her with some of the basic first aid they had learned. As he was healing his wife, he heard.

"Give him his wand back Potter or else."

Still healing his wife, he said, "My wand, it has switched allegiances because I won it through a rite of combat."

"Give it back to him anyway, Potter."

"No. Make me." He said threateningly, slowly looking up at some sixth-year he guessed.

It was then that Professor Vector showed up to assess the situation. "Are you alright Mr Potter? Is Miss Ramos alright?"

"No, I have healed her wounds, but she has lost a lot of blood," Ced answered gravely. "She needs to get to the Hospital Wing so Madam Pomfrey can see her." Looking down at his wife stirring, he asked her in a very loving tone, "Are you okay, can you walk or do you want me to carry you?" Looking around, he indicated the sixth-year that had threatened him, he told Professor Vector, "That prat there wants me to give Thompson his wand back or else he is going to do something to us. I explained to him that I had won the wand through a rite of combat and that the wand would not work for Thompson anymore."

"That is correct, Johnson, Potter won the wand through a rite of combat, and the wand has switched allegiances. It will no longer be a suitable wand for Thompson to use." Professor Vector told him. "Now about this threat against Mr Potter." Looking at Ced, "Take her to see Madam Pomfrey, please. I will handle Mr Johnson."

Helping Cici to her feet, he could see that she was still very wobbly. He scooped her into his arms bridal style and started leaving when she saw Rose following them.

"This is all my fault." Rose started crying. "This is all my fault! If I hadn't worn these shoes, none of this would have happened."

"No, Rose it isn't. Thompson is big enough to make his own choices." Cici told her. "Your shoes had nothing to do with this situation. He chose to attack us like the coward he is."

Cici and Rose continued to talk all the way to the Hospital Wing.

Meanwhile, Professor Vector had levitated Thompson and was heading out of the Great Hall. "Fifty points from Gryffindor for a housemate attacking another housemate from behind like a coward. Fifty more points from Gryffindor for another housemate threatening a fellow housemate." This effectively took Gryffindor out of the running for the House Cup.

As Ced, Cici, and Rose entered the Hospital Wing, the Matron met them and had Ced place Cici on a bed. She ran some diagnostic tests on her, asked what had happened, and checked Cedrics healing work.

"You did a nice job on healing her, Mr Potter. It shouldn't scar when it's finished. If it does scar, come and see me for a scar removing potion. It looks to me as if he is correct Miss Ramos, all you seem to need is a couple of blood replenishing potions." She walked across the room and got her two vials of blood replenishing potions from a cabinet and returned. "Here, take one now and the other in the morning. Return to your quarters and get some rest. If you have any other problems, please come and see me."

As she finished up with Cici, Professor Vector had arrived with a still stunned Thompson she had chosen not to _rennervate_ him.

"What do we have here?" Madam Pomfrey asked sourly.

"Mr Potter stunned this one. He's the one that attacked them from behind and cut Miss Ramos' back and shoulder when she shoved Mr Potter out of the way." The professor told her.

"Another bloody coward." She said under her breath. What was this school coming to? She hadn't seen this much trouble since the final days of Riddle. "Just put him on that bed over there." Pointing at a bed across the room from Cici.

Looking around as she walked over to her students, she asked Cici, "How're you feeling?" trying to start an uncomfortable conversation.

"I feel fine, just rundown from the loss of blood," Cici answered her. _"I wonder where this conversation is going?"_

" _She's probably going to want to know how you want to handle this. Do you want to get the authorities involved or what?"_ Ced told her.

"Cedric did a good job of healing me, Madam Pomfrey says that it shouldn't scar. What's going to happen to Thompson? He shouldn't be allowed to get away with this scot-free." Cici told her Head of House.

"That's what needs to be decided." The professor started, looking uncomfortably at Rose.

"Rose knows that we're bonded and married, and she's a member of an Ancient and Noble house," Cedric told his Head of House.

"Isn't Thompson seventeen?" Asked a confused Cici. "If he is, then I want to duel with him. I thought I heard that he failed a year or two and that he was seventeen."

"Yes, he is seventeen, but …" she was interrupted.

"Good, then to settle this, I want to duel with him. His parents can have the shame of buying him a new wand for the duel. This will keep the problem inside of Hogwarts, and if you want, inside of Gryffindor House. If he had caught Ced in the back of the head with that curse, he would have killed Ced, and then the breaking of the bond would have killed me," Cici offered a way out that did not involve the authorities. "Or, we can involve the Heads of the four Ancient Houses. His choice," she quipped.

Looking at her, Professor Vector asked, "Can you take him in a duel?"

"When it is over, I will have a new wand, and he will have to go crawling back to daddy for his third new wand," Cici told her coldly, a smile on her face.

"Fair enough," the professor told her.

"All he has to do is say when and where, and I like Thursday after dinner. Either in the Great Hall for all to see or in the Gryffindor common room for just the House to see," the fire rising inside of her. "May we leave now? I'm tired and looking at him is getting me angry."

"If Madam Pomfrey said you could leave, you can go," the professor told her.

She didn't like the idea of an in-house feud, but she liked the idea of the Heads of the four Ancient Houses getting involved even less. She did like the idea of this girl kicking that bigots arse a lot, she could probably sell tickets. She smiled at the thought.

"Goodnight, Professor," Cedric said as he took Cici's hand and turned to walk back to their room.

"Do you really think that you can take him in a duel Cici?" Rose asked.

"If I can't beat that asshole in a duel then I'm just going to lay at home and have babies!" Cici told her wanting to yell it. "Make sure you talk to Uncle Draco after class tomorrow." She told Ced.

Rose gave the password to the Fat Lady, who looked Cici over before she swung aside. As they entered the common room, it was divided into the pro-Thompson crowd and the pro-Ced/Cici crowd.

The pro-Thompson crowd seemed to be along the jealous lines of why does Ced have two girlfriends and get special privileges, while the pro-Ced/Cici crowd was along the lines of 'He's so handsome, and she's so brave to put herself in danger to save him,' type of thinking.

Holding up his hands to get everyone's attention, when it had finally quieted down, Cedric told the crowd, "What happens next is Thompson's choice. At this time, when we had left the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey had not _rennervated_ him. And no, Rose is not my girlfriend, I have only one girlfriend, and that is Cecilia."

"Give him back his wand! Or are you too afraid?" Someone from the back yelled out.

"I could give the wand back to him. But the wand will not work for him anymore. The wand has switched allegiances and is now mine through a rite of combat! After he attacked Cici and myself, I defeated him so the wand will not work for him, and if he tried to force it to work for him, it could become dangerous to be around him. So, the wand is mine," Ced told the whole group, turning as he did so that all would hear what he had to say. "It's getting late, we're going to call it a night."

"What! So, you can go shag your girlfriend! When you get done with her, let me have some of that!" someone in the back yelled.

There was hesitant laughter from others in the back.

Breaking free from Ced, Cici started walking towards the voice, the sea of people parting for her as she moved closer to the sound of that voice. "Who said that?" she asked sexually, wanting to get a bead on the voice.

"I did honey," the voice answered her.

She turned towards the voice and came to a stop in front of another older student. "Did you say that?" she asked, sex dripping off of each word.

"Yeah, why?" the student asked.

"Because tonight's your lucky night," she told him.

The older student got a stupid grin on his face.

"A girl is finally going to touch you in your special place," she then kicked him hard in his balls. As he fell to his knees, he looked up at her, in pain and confusion, then she kicked him hard again in the mouth, his head snapped backwards.

"Don't you ever, talk about me, that way again. Do you understand me?"

He tried lunging for her from his knees. She sidestepped the lunge, she elbowed him in the back of the head, at the base of the skull, driving him face first into the cold stone floor of the common room, his nose breaking and bleeding. Dropping on him with her knee landing between his shoulder blades, she asked him again, "Do you understand me?"

Again, he tried struggling in defiance of his being beaten by a girl. She grabbed the hair on the back of his head and slammed his face into the floor again, blood splattering on the floor. "Do you understand me?" she asked him, the pitch in her voice rising just a little. Could this boy be so stubborn as to not admit his defeat?

In his defiance, he refused to answer her struggling and squirming underneath her. Again, she slammed his face into the floor of the common room as the crowd watched the gruesome beating of a fight. He just shook his head 'no.' And again his face was slammed into the stone floor; the puddle of blood growing larger under his face. His nose was smashed flat, his lips, and gums bleeding, his eyes were turning black from all of the bruising his face was taking.

"Get off of him. You're going to kill him." A voice in the back said.

"NO, all he has to do is to tell her, that he will never speak that way about her again," Ced said as he stepped forward to guard his wife's back. "This will end when he answers her."

"He's not going to do it." Another voice said gloomily.

"Then he's in for a long night," Ced answered calmly.

"He's too stubborn to admit his defeat to a girl." Another male student said.

At hearing that, Cici moved lower on his back and elbowed him in his one of his kidneys. This elicited a cry of pain from the student. He refused again. Another blow to his kidney, and another cry of pain as his kidney ruptured. Again, he refused to answer her. She shifted positions and started on his other kidney, with a fresh cry of pain. Defiantly he shook his head and was rewarded with an even harder blow to his second kidney, rupturing it also.

"Fine! I'll never talk that way about you again!" he yelled just to make the pain stop.

Cici stood up and looked at the crowd like a predator looking for its next meal. "You might want to take him to the Hospital Wing." She said to no one in particular. "We're going to our room now, does anyone else have a problem with that?" she said looking around at the crowd.

Moving towards the Gryphon that stood guard over their doorway the crowd parted to let them through.

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The next morning at breakfast, Teddy joined them, sitting across from Cici he looked at her, "You did a real number on Smythe last night. That guy has had it coming for a long time."

"I didn't like the way he was talking about me, the way he was talking was demeaning! His attitude was very demeaning in the least. How defiant he was, you would think that he didn't want a woman on top of him!" She answered him, angry at the thought of last night, the last added as a sarcastic joke.

"Miss Ramos, Mr Potter, please see me in my office after breakfast." Professor Vector told them as she walked by.

"Yes, Professor." Ced and Cici answered in unison.

"Time to pay the piper, you two," joked Fred.

Most of the other students stayed away from them for the rest of breakfast. The dark Slytherins just watched the couple from across the hall.

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"Please tell me about what happened in the common room last night." Professor Vector asked them.

Cici explained what had happened from the time they entered the common room until they entered their quarters. She quoted Smythe verbatim and left out nothing about what she had done to get him to agree not to talk about her in that manner again. "And then I said that someone should get him to the Hospital Wing before we entered our quarters."

"Wow! Well, he is injured pretty badly, and he does seem apologetic for his actions. Mr Thompson has regained consciousness, and I will present your offer to him if you are still inclined to go that route," the professor offered.

When had all of this sexism entered Hogwarts? We've never had male students harassing female students like this before. The infighting in Gryffindor had never been this bad. Some of these Gryffindor students were acting more like dark Slytherins than Gryffindors.

"Based on what you have told me, and what others have said, I see no reason to give either of you two detentions. Please, in the future, if you feel the need to injure another student, come and get me. Off you go."

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After their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Ced asked, "Professor Greengrass, may I ask you a question?" As he waited for the rest of the students to leave.

He had to let two other students go in front of him to ask their questions before they were finally alone.

"Uncle Draco, would you have a problem if some of our friends and I started using the chambers to practice in? I have already asked Uncle Neville, and he says that it's okay with him, but I needed to ask you. I wanted to ask you before I ask my dad."

"I don't have a problem with it. In fact, if you want, I'm sure that Neville and myself would both be willing to work with you and your friends." Draco answered lightly. Finally, some real D.A.D.A. stuff! Grindylows are fine and all, but geez! "What happened in the Great Hall last night? I heard that you got hurt" looking at Cici, "and you stunned some student" looking at Cedric, "that didn't regain consciousness until this morning?"

"Oh, you heard about that?" Ced said dejectedly.

"The prat threw a hex at Ced from behind! I pushed him out of the way and wasn't quick enough. It caught me across my shoulder blades and my shoulder." Cici started telling Uncle Draco.

"I ejected my wand as I was falling and when I hit the floor, I shot a _stupefy_ and an _expelliarmus_ at Thompson. I didn't think that I had hit him that hard. I wonder why Madam Pomfrey didn't _rennervate_ him?" Ced added to the story.

"A double curse, huh? That's something that Mad-Eye Moody taught us when he was still here." Draco told them as he got a faraway look in his eyes. "If you want, I'll put in a good word with your dad for you. But you'll have to make your own portkeys. Neville and I still use ours." Is it all starting over again? "You better go, or you're going to be late."

After dinner, Ced made the call to his dad from the communications mirror in the study. "Hey, dad!"

"What's this I hear about you getting into trouble at school?" Harry started.

" _Wow! That was fast."_ Cici thought.

" _Yeah, it was. I wonder how pissed he is?"_ Ced thought back.

"That should get resolved on Thursday night dad," Ced answered trying to keep things from getting out of hand.

"What's getting resolved on Thursday night?" From Hermione.

" _Shite! Now mum knows!"_ Ced thought.

"Who got in trouble for doing what?" Back to Harry.

"We didn't start anything. We were trying to remove ourselves from the situation, and Thompson threw a _diffindo_ at me. Cici pushed me out of the way, and she got cut across the back." Ced explained quickly.

"Dobby!" From Harry.

Pop, "Yes my Lord?" Dobby answered.

"Are you ready Mione?" Harry asked his gorgeous wife.

"Dobby, take us to Cedric please," Harry asked his old friend.

Pop, and they were standing in front of Cedric and Cici.

" _At least I hadn't taken my clothes off yet."_ Cici thought to Ced.

"So, tell us what happened again," Harry told Cedric.

Ced and Cici told all of what had happened last night. Including how she kicked the guy in the balls and put him in the hospital.

"Now, can I please ask you a question dad?" Ced asked almost pleadingly.

"Okay, what's your question?" Harry replied. Ask it already!

"Would it be okay with you, and I have already asked Uncle Neville and Uncle Draco if Cici and I use the chambers to do some training in?" Cedric asked his question finally.

"It would be fine with me, you Mione?" Harry said looking at Hermione sitting across his lap.

"That's fine with me. You'll need to make your own portkey. Dobby!" She said.

Pop, "Yes my Lady?"

"Please take Cedric and Cici to the Chamber of Secrets. We'll meet you in there." She told them.

As they entered the chambers, Ced and Cici watched as his parents landed gracefully. Harry and Hermione gave the teens the grand tour. The practice area for combat, the duelling platform, the weight room like the one at home, library, the sitting room and the loos. Harry even told them how he had discovered the Chamber of Secrets and about the battle with the basilisk. He told them how the life was being sucked out of Ginny Weasley and how he had destroyed the diary. He told them about how Hermione had done all of the research and figured out that it was a basilisk, and then was petrified, but still had the note in her hand that helped him defeat the monster, and save the girl.

"Kitten has a friend named Willow Weasley." Ced started telling his parents. "She says that her mum is a Ginny Weasley and works with her dad at the Ministry."

"Really? So, she finally did get married." Harry said.

"No, she and the father had a big argument, and she never married the guy," Cici told him. "Willow and I had a good conversation about this kind of stuff. I guess you could say that I was interrogating her because of her older cousins in Slytherin. They're dark Slytherins at that."

"Oh really? She's a single mom? Dark Slytherins? What are you talking about?" Harry asked her.

"Dark Slytherins are the ones that are not as nice as the light Slytherins. Like the Greengrass' are light Slytherins, but the Slytherins that are like the Weasleys and Nott are what we call dark Slytherins, the ones that cause a lot of trouble for the rest of us. In fact, Kitten was going to freeze The Weasel's heart at the start of term." Cici tried to explain to him.

"Kitten was going to freeze a boy's heart?" Hermione asked apprehensively.

"Yes, he said some very derogatory things to her and about her. So, she petrified him and kept him balanced somehow, and then she told him that because he was so cold-hearted, that she was going to freeze his heart for him. I distracted her so they could take the boy to the Hospital Wing. Then she and I talked about it, and I let her cry it out on my shoulder." Cici explained, hoping that Kitten wouldn't get into trouble. "Madam Pomfrey left him petrified for a week to teach him not to talk about girls that way."

"Ced and I want to use the chambers to teach some of our friends and cousins more advanced magic. Uncle Draco and Uncle Neville have both volunteered to help us." Cici confessed to Harry and Hermione.

"That's what we used it for. We had too many groupies wanting to watch as we tried teaching our friends." Harry told her. "Well, best of luck to you, we're going home now." As Hermione took his arm, they portkeyed away silently.

"Maco!" Cedric called to their house elf.

Pop. "Yes, my Lord, my Lady." The house elf said as she bowed to them.

"Would you please take us to our quarters?" Cedric asked the elf.

As Cici and Ced each took a hand of the elf, the elf returned them to their quarters. "Thank you very much, Maco," Ced told the elf.

"Maco is happy to serve the young Lord and Lady Potter!" The elf told them jubilantly.

.

The buzz in the school had reached an almost feverish pitch as Thursday approached. The rumours had started running rampant, and covered everything from Cici was pregnant with Thompson's baby, and Cedric was jealous of him, all the way to, they were in a ménage à trois, and Thompson was angry because they had found a new partner for their sexcapades. But maybe just maybe the one about Thompson was going to ask Cici out before the Christmas holidays and didn't get around to it, was the closest to explain Thompson's anger toward the young couple. Either way, in just a few short hours, he was going to face the girl that had beaten his mate to a bloody pulp. If nothing else he was going to make her pay for that. Right this moment, he was working himself up into a right fit of rage. He was trying to channel his hatred of the Ancient and Noble families into this duel. His mates were right there with him feeding him all of the correct lines to help him see red. They were feeding him lines like 'The Ancient families don't care about the poor families.' Or the ever popular 'The Ancient families are just getting rich off of the sweat of the poor.' Either way, after dinner, tonight in the Great Hall, he wanted to make sure everyone in the school was going to watch as he crushed this little mudblood under his heel! Nasty stinking mudblood, and to think that he wanted to go out with something so sickening! He would never let her touch him! He's a pureblood after all. The thought of something so vile even touching him was making him sick to his stomach. How could he have even thought of going out with her? She must have put a love potion in his pumpkin juice! She tried to poison him! That treacherous little WITCH! I'll kill you! You mudblood witch! For trying to make me fall in love with you. You, you, you WITCH! Let that gold-digger suck the life out of the little rich boy. It'll serve him right when he can't throw her away because she has sucked all the magic out of him. Not only is she a mudblood but she's an American mudblood. Is there anything worse than an American mudblood poisoning witch?

In a hidden room in the ancient castle sat five friends. They had just finished practising duelling and where laughing. Cici was sitting across Ced's lap, and they had just finished a brief kiss.

"Why do you two always have to be kissing? It's kind of hard on us blokes that can't seem to get a girl." Fred asked of them.

"We're just sharing our appreciation for each other," Ced told him sincerely.

"I've been doing some reading on this soul-bond stuff, Fred. It seems as if the bond is almost forcing them to do this kind of stuff." Rose told her twin brother.

"Try being nicer to the fairer sex Fred and see how your life improves! Or just reach down and grab some of that Gryffindor courage and just ask her out!" Cici teased him.

"We need to head for the showers, or we're going to go to dinner stinking," Ced told them.

Two hours to go.

They had all skipped their last two classes. The looks and the whispers had gotten to the point that the professors couldn't even teach their classes. Again, Ced and Cici had chosen to remove themselves from a situation that could only have gotten worse. The dark Slytherins had started hanging out in the halls in small groups of threes and fours. As if they were watching for a weakness in the couple. There always seemed to be someone else with them, they were never alone, walking and smiling all the time. Always holding hands. There had been no sighting of the couple after lunch. It was like they just skipped their afternoon classes. Even their informants in Gryffindor had not seen them.

As the group entered the Great Hall for dinner, Ced and Cici scanned the hall looking for potential threats. The chatter in the hall died quickly as the other students watched them walk to their usual seats. Ced held the chair for Cici as if nothing had changed. After pushing the chair in, he was rewarded with the customary kiss. He started putting food on her plate for her, and the noise in the hall rose immediately as the others started speculating. As dinner was coming to an end, the noise quieted way down. As Professor Vector stood at the Head table, the talking peaked and died just as fast.

"A challenge has been given in Gryffindor house, and a challenge has been accepted. It has been agreed upon that a public duel in front of the whole school would be used to settle the differences between the two challengers." With a wave of her wand, the four house tables were slid to the rear of the hall. With the second wave of her wand, a regulation duelling platform appeared across the front of the hall.

It was at this point that the four Heads and their spouses, of the Ancient and Noble houses, plus one, walked through the doors of the Great Hall. As they wound their way to the Head table, all whispering ceased in awe and fear of what the students were seeing. As they approached the Head table. Oswald Greengrass spoke to the Headmistress.

"Good evening Headmistress. We have come to watch tonight's events. If that is okay with you." He said to her.

Knowing that she really did not have a choice, "Please, join us." As she waved her wand and conjured several large and comfortable chairs directly in front of the Head table.

As the Heads of Houses were taking their seats.

Professor Vector continued, "Professor Greengrass, would you please officiate over this evening's events?"

Draco stood and nodded to Professor Vector. He then turned and walked down to the duelling platform. Everyone watched as he walked up the steps to the platform proper.

"Would Cecilia Ramos please join me on the platform?" he said to the crowd of people watching.

Ced stood and held the chair out for her as she stood. She turned and gave him a kiss on the lips, then breaking away, she turned and walked towards the duelling platform. With a flick of her wrist, her long wavy hair braided itself into a ponytail lying down her back. With another wave of her hand, her robes transfigured into a looser fitting set. With a quick smile at her mother, and in-laws, she walked up the steps and stood where Draco indicated.

"Would Tomas Thompson please join us on the platform," Draco called out.

The much larger student stood and walked to the platform. He chose to jump up onto the platform rather than walk past the Heads of the Ancient houses. As he moved past Cici, he deliberately bumped her shoulder in an effort to intimidate her. Draco scowled at him but said nothing.

Looking at Thompson, Draco asked him, "Who is your second?"

"Nott is my second," Thompson told him as Nott left the dark end of the Slytherin table, to join Thompson on the duelling platform.

"Who is your second?" He asked Cici.

"Rose Bones," Cici told him. And Rose joined her on the platform.

"Go to your ends of the platform," Draco told them. "Primaries step forward." Then "This is not a duel to the death. You are settling your grievances in an agreed-upon fashion. Wands at the ready, bow to each other. You may begin duelling on the count of three. Three, two, one." And he jumped off the platform.

Thompson quickly started casting curse after curse at the small female that he despised. He hadn't even let the final number happen when he threw the first spell at her. She quickly and effortlessly blocked his spells with conjured granite walls. If one wall blew up, she conjured another to replace it. It was all happening at an incredible pace. Fifteen minutes in, Cici had switched to conjuring statues of herself in different poses, she started transfiguring the stone images of herself, into images of her and Ced kissing, of them walking and holding hands, and of them hugging. At one point, she even conjured a statue of them kissing with one of her legs bent at the knee, his arms wrapped around her, and hers around him. As she was doing this Thompson redoubled his efforts with each curse getting darker and darker. As he tired, she stopped conjuring statues and just focused on using her shield charm on her robes to protect her from his spells. At first, the crowd thought that she had taken a hit and would go down. But her robes just absorbed the spells he cast at her. Then, in the end, she cast her only offensive set of spells, she hit him with _reducto/stupefy/expelliarmus._ With the triple hit of spells, he flew through the air backwards, as he was falling his heels clipped the end of the platform, landing him on his back. He lay there on the stone floor of the Great Hall for all to see. His wand landed gracefully in her hand.

Raising her hand with the captured wand in it, she raised her voice for all to hear, "This is my wand! I have won it fairly through the rite of combat!" most in the crowd erupted into cheers. And then out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nott start to cast a spell at her. Silently she used a _protego_ to protect herself as she ducked and rolled to the side. Landing on her feet, she saw Rose throw a simple spell at him. Cici focused her power and hit Nott with _reducto/stupefy/expelliarmus,_ she put so much energy into the spells that it knocked him off the platform causing him to land close to the Slytherin table. Again, she collected the wand as it flew into her hand, and again, she raised her hand and yelled, "My wand! Mine through the rite of combat!" then she pocketed the wands and walked off the platform. As she walked past the Heads of the Ancient Houses she said, "Please, join us in our quarters afterwards." Rounding the end of the duelling platform she ran into the waiting arms of her husband. As they kissed to the cheering and the screaming of the students, he swung her around and around in a circle. _"Baby, I have invited all of the Heads of the Houses to join us tonight in our quarters."_

.

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 **A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review!**

 **Revised again 01.07.2018**

 **And again 12.26.2018**


	10. Year Three Chapter 10

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 10

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" _Finally, we made it home for spring break! I was getting so tired of the shite happening at school!"_ The voice in her head told her.

" _You know, if I had told somebody before, I was hearing voices in my head. They would have stuck me in an insane asylum!"_ The voice inside his head told him with some mirth.

" _What's an insane asylum?"_ The voice asked.

" _It's a place where they put the crazy people. You know, the ones that say that the voices in their head told them to do it!"_ The voice in his head told him.

" _Well, if you don't take cover my mum is going to stun you!"_ The voice in her head almost yelled. With that pronouncement, she rolled quickly behind one of the barricades just as a hex gouged the ground where she was just an instant ago.

" _Thanks! That was close."_ She told her good-looking husband. The hairs on her arms standing on end from the just missed curse going past her.

" _No problem. I think they have us cornered."_ He told his incredibly sexy wife. _"You are so beautiful!"_

" _Focus dear, focus."_ She told him, with a little laughter in her thoughts.

" _I am focused. I'm focused on you!"_ He told her with mirth in his voice.

" _I think that we need to take this up a notch. Let's apparate to the other side of the room and see if we can't turn the tables on them."_ She said determinedly. She wasn't going to lose, even if their opponents had years more experience than they did.

Silently the young couple disappeared and reappeared across the room. Wands out ready to throw their curses at their older opponents. When they were caught in the crossfire and dropped to the ground motionless.

"They did pretty well! We've been at this for close to an hour!" The older male voice said.

" _Rennervate."_ The older female voice said as she stood over their female opponent _. "Rennervate."_ She said again to the male opponent. "They're getting stronger, and they are starting to use more advanced tactics. They want to advance to Shadow Duelling. We'll need to practice with them on that."

"How did you know where we would apparate to?" Ced asked his parents. Cici was looking at them for an answer too.

"You learn to feel it." Was what Harry said.

" _You learn to feel it?"_ Cici thought.

" _You've got something that I want to feel."_ Ced thought to her.

" _Ced, be serious!"_ She said with a blush, which was a feat considering her naturally dark skin tone.

"Would it be okay for Fred and Rose to spend some time with us this week?" Ced asked his parents. "Thank you, Dobby, for the Vitamix potion."

"I don't have a problem with it. Is it okay with you Mione?" Harry asked after taking his Vitamix potion.

"I don't have anything planned that would be interrupted by them visiting," Hermione said as she checked the schedule on her watch.

"Where'd you get that watch mum?" Ced asked, just noticing her watch after all of these years. It seemed to do a lot more than a regular watch, and Uncle Draco and Uncle Neville had watches like it.

"Your dad made these watches for all of us as Christmas presents one year," Hermione told him. "He bought watches, then he modified the watches to add all of the other functions. He also included a compartment to hold two vials of Phoenix tears. If you're wanting to start training friends in the chambers like we did, then you may want to consider doing the same thing for your friends. As you may have seen, the watches are also portkeys to different places. They're very useful, I think that everybody that your father gave a watch to, still uses it."

"Do you think that we can get a trip to Diagon Alley in this week also? Maybe Wednesday?" Ced asked her, getting excited about making watches like the ones his dad had made.

"I think that could be arranged," Hermione answered him. "But for now, let's get our showers, and have some breakfast."

Like father like son, like mother like daughter-in-law, two different shower scenes were playing out in two different showers, in two different bathrooms, in two different parts of the mansion, much to the pleasure of the performers involved. Needs were being met, desires were being filled, wants were being satisfied, lusts were being fulfilled. All the world is a stage, and we are just actors playing a small part, in a bigger play.

.

Part way around the world, evil was growing again, rearing its ugly head, crushing the week underneath its oppressive thumb, robbing hope from those in need, killing dreams before they could germinate and grow, not allowing the young to grow old before dying. Teaching death as a way of life, and hate as a form of intimacy, love as a weakness, brutality as strength, and fear as respect.

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"How can I get a message to Rose?" Cici asked out loud after breakfast. "I want her to bring the dresses that she got on our last shopping trip. Speaking of shopping, when can we go and buy some makeup?" The beautiful young witch started asking. She had forgotten to get makeup on their last trip to Hogsmeade.

"If you want to get a message to Rose, just fire-call her," Ced told her.

"I should just floo over to her house and talk to her?" Cici asked in return.

"No! you toss a little floo powder in the floo, stick your head in the flames and ask for her! Haven't you ever fire-called anyone before?" Ced asked her laughingly.

"No honey, where I'm from we just pick up the phone and call them!" She answered getting a little hot. But she was still teasing him back, just trying to not let the smile show too much on her face.

"Come on, let's go call her now," Ced told her. She slipped out of his lap, and he led her to the floo. "Okay, now, throw a pinch in the floo, tell it who you want, and stick your face in the flames. When someone on the other side answers, you tell them who you want to talk to." He explained the process.

" _You know, a telephone is a lot easier to use. And I don't have to get down on my hands and knees to make a call!"_ She thought to him. We really need to bring the Wizarding World into the twenty-first century. She thought to herself.

" _Not going to happen, babe, they run on electricity."_ Ced thought back to her.

After talking with Rose, she told the others, "Rose and Fred are planning to come over after lunch. She wanted to know if George and Angel could join us also. I told her that I would have to check with your parents. And she is going to bring the dresses and shoes that we got in Hogsmeade!" Cici was so excited, she was going to get to have some girl time!

Kitten came downstairs and heard that Cici and Cedric were going to have some friends over and she asked, "Mum, can I invite a friend over too?"

This kind of shocked Hermione because Kitten had never asked for someone to come over before.

"Who would you like to invite over honey?" Hermione asked her. "And yes Cici, George and Angel are welcome to come over also."

"Her name is Willow," Kitten told her mum.

"Willow?" Hermione asked playing dumb. Ced and Cici had already told them about Willow.

"Yes, her name is Willow, and we became friends last month. Can I invite her over please?" The last was added as almost a whine.

"Sure honey, do you know where she's at?" Hermione asked.

"She should be at home. Her mum works, and she gets left home alone a lot. Sometimes she gets to go over to her cousin's homes but not very often." Kitten told her.

"Okay, do you know her last name?" Her mum asked.

"Yes, it is Weasley, Willow Weasley, and her mum is Ginny Weasley," Kitten told her innocently.

"Okay honey, let's go to the floo and see if we can get a hold of her. We'll try calling for Ginny Weasley and see who we can get." Hermione told her. A few moments later, Willow answered the floo.

"I'm not supposed to answer the floo," Willow told Kitten. "When I saw that it was you, I thought it would be okay." She told her quietly like she might get caught doing something wrong.

"Can you ask your mum if it would be okay for you to come over after she gets home?" Kitten asked Willow. "Mum, would it be okay if Willow and her mum join us for dinner tonight?" Kitten asked her.

"Yes, honey that would be okay. Dinner will be about seven so she will have a time, to give to her mum." Daphne's mum answered her. _"Babe, Ginny Weasley may be coming to dinner tonight!"_ Hermione thought to Harry.

" _That will be fine. We haven't seen her in years."_ He thought back to her with some trepidation. They had finished out Hogwarts with no other problems from her. In some ways, she had drifted into the bad girl category, but nothing was ever confirmed. As if she had she kept things quiet, in a school known for its rumours.

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Sometime after lunch, the floo flared to life, and Rose Bones stepped through with a bag containing her new clothes. A moment later Fred Bones stepped through, then Angel, followed by her twin, George Weasley Jr. Cici, wearing the red dress and some red heels that she bought in Hogsmeade, walked across the room to great their guests. Rose and Angel both got extremely excited watching her walk across the room, she looked so incredibly sophisticated, moving just like she had been taught. Her hips rolling just so, her dress clinging in all the right places, her platform heels making her legs look longer. The boys just stood there and stared at her like she was a model from the pages of a men's magazine. When did they start making Hogwarts girls that looked like that? Ced joined them a moment later and slipped an arm around his lovely wife's waist.

"Why don't we go upstairs and Rose can put her packages in our room?" Ced offered the group. Fred and Rose understood, but George and Angel didn't know. Ced needed to get an oath of loyalty from them before he would tell them anything. His wife's safety was of the utmost concern to him. "Plus, we can talk more up there."

"Sounds great!" Fred said as he moved away from the floo.

"Cici, how did you learn all that stuff?" Angel asked her.

"What do you mean 'our room,'" George picked up on.

"We'll answer all your questions once we get upstairs to our room," Ced told them with the humour in his voice rising.

Once they had reached their bedroom, Rose put her bags in one of the chairs and moved to the side behind Ced and Cici. Almost as if she was a bodyguard. Fred assumed a similar position on the opposite side of the young bonded couple.

"Okay, so we are here," George said.

"First, I need an Oath of Loyalty from you." Ced started to explain. "Fred and Rose have already given their word. Plus, they will be bound by the pact that the four Ancient families have once they become of age." He finished.

George pulled out his wand and made the oath, "… so mote it be." Then the magic appeared, wrapped around his and Cedric's wrists, tying them together for all eternity.

"Angel, you're next if you want to get the answers to the questions running through your head," Cici told her.

"Fine." She said almost pouting, "I Angel Weasley … so mote it be." With the magic binding her to them forever. "This better be good." She told them resolutely.

"Last Christmas on the train ride home …" Cici started, "… we learn magic faster." She finished a while later.

"You're married?" was all Angel heard.

"Wicked!" was George's response.

"Do you guys want to go practice some duelling?" Ced asked them. "While the girls stay here and do whatever it is that they're going to do?"

"Yeah," George said.

"Sure," Fred said.

The guys started to leave the room, Ced walked over and gave his wife a sweet kiss. _"You girls have fun. Come visit us in the training room if you get bored."_

" _We'll see, honey."_ She thought back to him.

"Who all knows that you two are bonded at school?" George asked with interest.

"Only Professors McGonagall and Vector. And then Madam Pomfrey needs to know also in case one of us is severely injured." Ced told him truthfully.

"Well, you have Uncle Draco, and Uncle Neville too, right?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, there are those too," Ced answered. "Then also you have James and Teddy. But Teddy doesn't seem interested." He finished as they turned into the training room.

"Wicked!" the two redheads said in unison, just like their namesakes would have.

"I've never been in here," George said as he looked around.

"Me neither." Said Fred.

"This is one of the places that I grew up in." Said Ced. "My dad started teaching me from a young age. Cici and I have started practising against each other. Are you still interested?" his voice turned upbeat.

"Yeah what do we do?" George asked enthusiastically.

Ced took the time to explain the rules of duelling. He explained about the culture and the nuances of the sport. He also told them that what Nott had done at school was a breach of the rules. He told them about how their wands could change allegiances when they lost them in a real fight. Just as Thompson had lost his wands and Nott had lost his.

"So … those wands really do belong to Cici then. It's not just something that she made up." George said with a lot of contemplation wrinkling his face.

"Yes, if you lose a magic fight, you can lose your wand. If you don't win it back, the wand most likely will change allegiances and not work correctly for you. It's like a kid that gets stuck using a hand-me-down wand at school. Everything that they do will be a fight for them because the wand chooses the wizard. Just like what Mr Ollivander told you when you bought your first wand from him."

"Will our wands change allegiance today?" George asked worriedly.

"No! We're just going to practice against each other today. If we ever got into a real fight against each other, then you could lose your wand." Ced reassured him.

"Okay, so what do we do again?" George asked.

"Why don't you stand here," Ced indicated a spot to his left, "and you stand there." He told Fred. "Alright, just like you saw at school, bow to each other. Wands at the ready." Their wands arms snapped up. "On the count of three, you may begin. Three, two, one, begin." Ced finished as he got out of the way. "Remember, stinging spells only.

"Ow!" George said.

"Ow!" Fred said.

This went on for a few minutes before Cedric asked them, "Have you learned shield spells yet?"

"No." Came the reply from both of them.

"Alright, let me teach you a simple shield spell." He told them. He taught them _protego_ and the wand movement that goes with the spell. "Now, why don't both of you go to the far end of the duelling platform, and I will cast stinging jinxes at you so you can learn how to cast the spell and make it stronger. "Alright, first Fred."

Being as gentle as he could, Ced cast the first jinx at Fred. Fred's shield held for a moment then flashed as it failed. "Okay, let's try that again." Ced encouraged him. After about five tries, Ced switched to George. Five with George then five more with Fred. After about thirty minutes, the girls came sauntering down into the training room. Rose's hips were rolling as she was walking like Cici had taught her. Angel had borrowed a dress from Cici and some shoes from Rose. She wasn't used to wearing heels, so she was a little wobbly as she walked in the room. When the girls walked in, the two redheads were immediately distracted, and Ced landed two stinging hexes on them easily.

"Ow! That's not fair! The girls distracted me!" George exclaimed for all to hear. "Why do you have to go and dress up all like that!" He said looking at Rose and Cici. "What's mum going to say about you dressing like that?" he complained to Angel.

"Mum isn't going to have a problem at all." Angel retorted to him.

"What're you boys doing?" Cici cooed at them. "Can a girl join in?" she asked in a low seductive voice, intended to distract them even more.

Cedric was just smiling. Watching his wife standing there messing with the other guy's minds. "You can play with me, baby," he cooed back to her.

"Oh, really? What'd you have in mind?" she asked him in a soft, sultry voice. "You won't do anything, too bad. Will you? I'm a good girl after all." Turning her head to speak over her shoulder, as she started sashaying to the far end of the platform. The mind games beginning.

"I would never do anything to hurt you, baby," Ced replied to her, as he took his end of the platform.

As Cici reached her end of the platform, she spun, her wand out. Fred and George looked on in amazement, where had she kept her wand in that outfit? Cici roared _REDUCTO!_ Their guests watched as the spell shot out of her wand towards her bond-mate.

Ced quickly cast _protego,_ but the power of her curse pushed him backwards close to a meter. He returned her favour and cast a _stupefy_ putting everything he had in it because he knew that if he went easy on her that she would only make it harder on him for disrespecting her abilities as a witch. She cast _protego alavaris,_ deflecting his own curse back at him, which he then stepped out of the way of, to protect himself.

As quickly as she had started, she stopped, "That's enough, for now, baby, I don't want to get all sweaty and sticky, and need a bath." Like that dress could stick any more than it already is thought the two other boys in the room.

Ced walked up on the two staring boys, "You two should stop staring at my wife." He told them, "Before she starts using you for target practice." He said to them just above a whisper, laughter filling his voice.

The guys just jerked their heads away from ogling their friend's wife. Looking down kind of sheepishly.

"To build up your magical core, you have to exercise it. Just like if you want to get physically stronger you need to exercise your muscles. But what good is it, if you have no endurance? That's why Cici and I run and exercise every day. Haven't you noticed your parents exercising? Or are you still asleep until they call you down for breakfast?" He started teaching the group.

.

Willow and Ginny accepted the dinner invitation, the conversation was a little stiff, but not unpleasant. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny caught up as much as they could while Willow went to play with Kitten for a couple of hours. Harry and Hermione offered to watch Willow during the days while Ginny went to work so Willow would not be at home alone.

"Let me think about it, Hermione," Ginny told her, with concern in her voice.

"We have plenty of other kids for her to play with," Hermione said to her with kindness and sincerity in her voice.

They had flooed over but were going to apparate home. Hermione walked them to the front door of the mansion. "Have a wonderful night." Hermione bid them farewell.

"Mummy, can I come back tomorrow? It's boring at home." A tired Willow asked her mum.

"We'll see, honey. We need to get home now, it's getting late, and we're both tired." Ginny told her as Hermione started to close the huge door.

The older children caught sight of the time and started bidding their farewells also. George and Angel were the first to leave through the floo, promising to return in the early morning to run with Ced and Cici. Fred was the next to leave.

"Would it be okay with you if Abby joins us after breakfast tomorrow? I would like to invite her over, so she's not stuck at home with nothing to do." Rose asked the two of them.

Cici looked at Ced questioningly, "Abby?"

"Abby, Abigale Greengrass. She is Daphne and Cedric Greengrass' daughter. Lady and Lord Greengrass? The good-looking couple, she sits in his lap like mum sits in dad's lap." Ced tried to explain who Abby was. "You may have met her at Christmas, she could have been with her other Grandparents." He said thinking about it.

"Oh, okay! Them I remember, but I don't remember them here with a daughter." Cici told them. "Yes, it would be fine if she joins us after breakfast," Cici answered Rose.

"Great! I will invite her tonight for tomorrow after breakfast." Rose said to them gleefully.

.

Ginny brought Willow back to the mansion just after breakfast the next morning, "It's better for her to be here, then sitting at home alone." She told Hermione. "Thank you for your offer. I get off work about 5:00 and can pick her up then."

"That's fine," Hermione said, "We're going to be going to Diagon Alley tomorrow for the kids to get some things that they want." She forewarned Ginny.

"That's fine, I'll give her some Galleons to buy a little bit. Thanks for not springing it on me last minute." Ginny said thankfully, she didn't carry much on her person, but she had been able to start saving in her vault at Gringotts.

Just as Ginny was leaving, Cedric and Daphne were walking up the way with a startlingly beautiful young witch with them. Hermione greeted them, "Abby! I'm so glad that you can join us today! Go on in the others should be finished with breakfast and are probably up in Ced's room." Abby greeted Hermione in return and excused herself to join the other teens. Hermione then greeted Daphne and Cedric with a brief hug.

"Thanks for having Abby over," Daphne told her. "We both have meetings all week, and she had to have been going stir crazy at home with no one her age to spend time with."

"She's welcome to join us the rest of the week. Tomorrow we have a trip to Diagon Alley planed. The other teens have some things they want to pick up." Hermione explained. "Do you want to come in? Or do you need to leave?" she asked not wanting to keep them if they needed to go.

"We need to go, but we'll be back about five," Cedric told her.

"I'll inform the elves to have dinner ready just after five then," Hermione said in parting.

As Cedric and Daphne approached the apparition point for the mansion, Abby was approaching the door of Ced and Cici's room. The girls inside had already changed into much more flattering dresses and a variety of different heels. Angel was trying her hand at walking in stiletto heels. She was wobbling around the room when Abby knocked on the open door to announce her arrival. The others in the room greeted her warmly, and Ced introduced her to Cici.

"Abby this is Cici. Cici this is Abby Greengrass." He said just almost formally.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet Ced's infamous girlfriend. That was quite the number you did on Thompson and Nott. Not that they didn't deserve it." She said giving Cici praise.

"Thank you, I would think that any girl would have done the same thing if they had heard what had been said," Cici answered almost coldly thinking back to what had been said and done.

"Not many of us could have done what you did," Abby said to her in praise. "How is it that you're staying here, in Ced's bedroom?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, cousin, if you want answers. We need a Wizard's Oath of Loyalty from you." Ced told her.

"Our families are united by the pact," Abby answered him.

"Yes, that's true, but that doesn't come into effect until we turn of age." He countered.

Abby thought about it for a few moments, then she pulled out her wand and gave the oath. Again, Ced and Cici gave their story up to this point.

"You two are a soul-bonded couple?" the sandy blonde witch with the brown eyes asked in awe. She realised that she had no clue as to what was going on in her extended family. Her mum had taught her to school her emotions not to show on her face. After all, her mum was one of the infamous 'Ice Queens' of Hogwarts, and Abigale was following in her mum's footsteps.

"Don't feel bad about not knowing about our secret." Ced started to console her, "We, Cici and I," gesturing back and forth between Cici and himself, "are coming to the conclusion that the reason the adults aren't saying anything about it, is that it's not their secret to tell. It's our secret to share with those that we trust. Sometimes that trust requires an oath to protect that trust." He finished somberly.

"How about us guys, leave you girls alone to do what you want to do and we'll go find something to do ourselves?" Ced asked all upbeat and cheerful.

"Sounds good to me!" Fred said.

"Me too!" added George.

"Bye!" said the girls.

As the guys sat in the sitting room, Maco brought them a tray of pumpkin juice and snacks.

"Thank you, Maco," Ced told the elf as she bowed to leave.

They started talking about Quidditch and the different teams. Who they felt had the best chance of winning the World Cup. They talked about the four house teams at Hogwarts, and what was happening there.

"So, what's it like sleeping with a girl," George blurted out.

"What?" Ced asked, shaking his head. Did I just hear what I just heard?

"What's it like sleeping with a girl?" he said much slower.

"Why?" Ced asked in return. Where is this going?

"Well, what's it like sleeping with a girl?" he asked again. How much clearer could he get?

"Why do you want to know George?" Ced asked getting concerned with where this conversation could go, but where was it headed?

"I just want to know what it's like to sleep with a girl," He told Ced.

"Are you asking if Cici and I have had sex? Is that what you are asking?" Ced asked him getting a little incredulous.

"No, … and yes. I heard Finnegan saying that he had had sex with Cici before you two got together." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could take them back.

" _I have not had sex with anyone! That is a lie!"_ Cici told him through their link.

" _I know, Mi Amor. Finnegan likes to talk."_ Ced told her.

" _Yeah, if he keeps it up, I'm going to shut his mouth for him."_ She told him firmly.

"George, what goes on behind closed doors is nobody's business. If you want to find out what it's like to sleep with a girl, go get yourself a girlfriend and marry her." Ced told him kindly. "As far as Finnegan goes, he's always been full of hot air, ever since we've gone to Hogwarts. And as far as his mate, Thomas goes, they are two peas in a pod."

.

That evening, about 4:30, 5:00, Ginny arrived for Willow. As Harry was inviting her in, he saw Daphne and Cedric arrive at the apparition point. Harry called for Winkey.

Pop, "Yes, Master?"

"Please take Ginny to the dining room. I'm going to wait a minute for our other guests that have just arrived." Harry asked the diminutive house elf.

"I always thought that all of your house elves were free elves?" Ginny asked him.

"They are. Winkey is the only bonded house elf that we have. When she was dismissed several years ago from her previous master, she did not respond well to the freedom. Hermione had sent Dobby out to find her and bring her to us. Winkey refused to be paid and insisted on being a bonded house elf. She has all the same rights and freedoms that the other elves enjoy, but she just wanted to be a bonded elf." Harry explained the mystery that was Winkey. By this time, Daphne and Cedric had arrived and caught the tail end of the conversation.

"Hello, Ginny." Daphne said, "Harry, I see that you are explaining about Winkey." She teased him.

"Evening, Daph, Ced. Winkey, please escort them to the dining room for dinner." Harry said. "And yes."

"Winkey's husband, Dobby, still insists on getting socks for Christmas." He told her with a chuckle. "We are sensitive to Winkey's situation, so we don't give her any clothing for Christmas or her birthdays. Her children, Pica and Pico, they are twins, we will get them clothes or whatever we feel they can use. Come, let's head to the dining room. The elves are not going to serve dinner unless I am there. Willow and Kitten had a lot of fun together today. They have asked if another friend of theirs can join them tomorrow. Is it okay if Willow comes over again tomorrow?" Harry asked her encouragingly.

"Do I have to answer now? Or can I think it over during dinner?" Ginny teased him. It felt good to tease him again. It had been so many years since they had been anything but acquaintances, her mum had really messed her up in the head, and ruined what could have been a great friendship. As they entered the dining room, Ginny was surprised to see Fred and George Jr. sitting there. Rose and Angel were with them and a young woman that was obviously related to the good-looking couple she had met at the door a couple of times. Ced and Daph? Cedric Diggory and Daphne? Daphne Greengrass? Diggory married a Greengrass? Where had she been? It had to have been in the papers. Had she really dropped out of life that hard? Her mother's death had affected her, but not nearly as much as the mental damage that her mother had done when she brainwashed her into getting Harry at any and all costs. She had spent months in St. Mungo's mental ward. And she sometimes still went to see her therapist when life was getting too hard. Even her father didn't know that. It had been a while since she had last seen her. And now here she was talking and joking with Harry again. It wasn't like old times, but it was better than all those years ago. She had almost gotten married to Willow's father, but somehow that had gotten worse. It could have been when he started calling her a nutter, but she thought that it may have had more to her hexing him after he called her that. Maybe, just maybe she shouldn't have used _Parvus_ on his equipment, it was small already. Well, that will teach him to hit a woman.

"Excuse me? Sorry, I got lost in thought and didn't hear the question." Ginny said.

"I was asking how your father has been?" Harry told her.

"Oh, dad is good. He and Emmeline are doing great. She makes him younger. After mum was killed, dad got very depressed, but Emmeline brought him out of his shell." Ginny answered cheerfully. "I'm sorry, I haven't met this beautiful young woman sitting next to your son." She said while looking straight at Cici. Could this be another bonded couple? Two in the same family?

"This is Cecilia. Cecilia this is Ginny Weasley." Harry introduced them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms Weasley," Cici said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too. Please call me Ginny." Ginny offered.

"Thank you, please call me Cici." Cici offered back. "Willow and I had a chance to talk a little bit at school over dinner a few weeks back. Kitten introduced us. Kitten likes her a lot, and it seems as if Willow, likes Kitten a lot also."

"I'm glad, sometimes it's so hard to make good friends. The bad influences always seem to want to be your friend, and you don't learn that they're a bad influence until it's too late." Ginny told Cici, some melancholy creeping into her voice. There had been to many guys that just wanted to take what they could from her. She had drifted from one guy to the next for so long. Falling for the empty promises of love that never seemed to be fulfilled. Then, just deciding to go it alone and building walls around her to keep her and Willow safe. "What time are you going to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" She asked of no one.

"I was thinking from 10:00 until 2:00. Eating lunch there also. Would you like to join us?" Hermione asked, extending an olive branch of friendship.

"I think I would. It would do me some good to get out of the Ministry for a while and have some fresh air and sunshine." Ginny told her merrily.

Hermione looked at Cedric and Daphne, "We won't be able to join you, meetings all day." Cedric told her.

"Arh!" said a small girls voice.

"What's wrong, Kitten?" Hermione asked first.

"I'm tired of the trace being on Synthia! Why did Mr Ollivander have to put the trace on her?" She said heatedly.

"Because he has to honey. You're underage after all." Hermione tried to explain to her.

"I'm going to remove it!" Kitten said determinedly.

"You can't do that honey," cautioned Hermione.

"Yes, I can. Watch me. Winkey!" said Kitten.

Pop "Yes Mistress?" Winkey responded.

"Please bring me a bin," asked Kitten kindly.

Pop, pop. "Here you go, Mistress Kitten."

"Please hold it for me for a moment," Kitten asked her. She turned sideways in her seat and took her wand, holding it in one hand she drew it through the fingers of her other hand, as she did so a sickly green/brown mist collected in her hand. She rubbed her fingers together over the top of the bin, and the mist turned into a green/brown dust as it fell into the bin. "Thank you, Winkey for your help."

"You're welcome," Winkey said. Then pop, and she was gone with the bin.

The others at the table just stared at Kitten, like did this little girl just remove the trace from her wand? And if so, how did she do it? Ginny just stared at the little girl they called Kitten in wonder. What amazing children Harry and Hermione had. As she thought about what she had almost done, she could feel the melancholy coming on her. No, it would do no good to go back down that path. Harry was never hers', fate had destined for him to be with the one he was with. She knew that she was lucky to be alive because the punishment for breaking them up would have been the veil. She knew that she was lucky to actually just know them, she hesitated to say that they are friends, at this point, it was more like acquaintances, but there could be the beginnings of a friendship there somewhere. But this little girl she was sitting next to, she had hardly tried when she removed the trace from her own wand. Didn't it take a skilled witch or wizard with their own wand to remove the trace from an underage child's wand? She knew that somehow when you turned of age the trace just went away and a lot of kids did something stupid to find out if it really was gone, but this girl had just peeled it off of her wand like it was something dirty and defiling her wand. Now, as she was slowly waving her wand in a circle above her head it was bathing the room in a golden glow, she could feel the power coming from the little girl and her unrestricted wand.

"There, Synthia feels better," Kitten announced to the room. "Mum, may Willow and I be excused from the table?" asked Daphne politely.

"Mum? Can I take the trace off my wand too?" asked an excited Willow.

"No, dear not tonight. I think that you should wait until you are a little older," an amazed Ginny answered her daughter.

"Why don't the kids go find something to do while the adults retire to the sitting room and talk for a bit," Harry suggested.

.

Ginny watched as Daphne sat across Cedric's lap facing Hermione who was sitting across Harry's lap in one of the oversized, overstuffed ancient chairs. Butterbeers just appeared next to each occupant of the room. Ginny unconsciously reached over to enjoy the smooth sweet taste of hers'.

"So, does Cecilia, your son's wife always dress like that?" Ginny threw out there fishing for confirmation to her suspicions.

Harry looked at her, no trace of surprise or any emotion for that matter on his face, he had schooled his emotions well Ginny noticed. He used to be so transparent when he would stay with them at the Burrow over the summers.

"If you want answers, I want a Wizard's Oath of Loyalty." He told her firmly.

She could see that this was something that was not going to be negotiated. "I want something more than answers." She started, thinking hard and fast. How far could she push this?

"What're you after Ginny?" Hermione asked of the redhead that had once held a wand to her throat.

Deep in concentration, Ginny answered her slowly, "If anything should ever happen to me, I want you to raise Willow as your own daughter. You want an oath from me I want more than one from you. You raise her and take care of her until she's twenty-one. Not just seventeen but twenty-one years of age. I know that you can't force her to get her Masters level testing done but take care of her nonetheless." She finished almost sobbing. All she cared about in this world was her daughter, and all she wanted for her, was the very best that she could give her, and if something should happen to her, she wanted her to go to someone that could give her the best.

Daphne and Cedric had been discussing this telepathically, when Daphne stood up and said, "Hold on Harry, this needs to be worded very carefully. I know that you're going to do it anyway, but this needs to be worded very carefully. It needs to be worded, so you are not penalised for something happening that is out of your control." Looking at Ginny who was turning a little red, Daphne explained to her, "You're going to get what you want. I know Harry and Hermione very well, and you're going to get more out of this deal that they are. But they don't deserve to lose their magic for something that is out of their control. For example, Willow is walking down a street in London, she is nineteen-years-old and walking with her husband lets' say, and a muggle terrorist blows them up. That is something that is beyond the control of Harry and Hermione."

"But I'm going to give them a blanket Oath of Loyalty." Ginny started to protest.

She was cut off by Daphne, "And you are going to receive so much more, from them than you're going to give."

Standing slowly, Ginny removed her wand and Harry led her through the oath as he wanted it worded, and she gave her word. "… so, mote it be."

Harry and Hermione stood and gave their word to her. "… so, mote it be."

"Yes, that is my son's wife. And no, she does not always dress that way. She says that she wants to explore her feminine side." Hermione said, smiling a little.

Ginny stifled a giggle herself. "I don't know a guy alive that would deny her sexuality. I just hope that my two nephews survive being around her!"

Hermione went on to explain that Ced and Cici were a soul-bonded couple and how everyone was concerned about what was happening that we had two soul-bonded couples at the same time. "What is happening that we don't know?"

.

Upstairs in Ced and Cici's room, the teens were all sitting around talking and laughing, just being young. Fred had managed to get under Cici's skin somehow, "Ah, Cici, don't get your knickers in a twist!" he laughed at her.

"But Fred, who said I was wearing any?" She said with a straight face.

A dead silence fells across the group. Both Fred and George sat there with their mouths hanging open. The girls had their mouths clamped shut. They knew that she was wearing knickers, but the boys had let their imagination get the best of them.

Abby reached over and pushed Georges mouth shut, "You're going to let the flies in, George."

Poor Fred didn't have anyone to close his gaping mouth, he just sat there too stunned by the possibility of the most beautiful girl he knew, was not wearing any knickers, to close his own mouth.

"Fred, FRed, FRED!" Cedric called to him.

"Huh?" He responded.

"Close your mouth! You're drooling!" Ced told him, laughter filling his voice. "You're going to get it on the carpet mate!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I uh, don't know what, uh, happened." Stammered Fred.

"Mi Amor, don't do that again. You almost broke Fred!" laughed Cedric, the rest of them joined in. Even Fred joined them when he realised how silly he must have looked sitting there drooling over his friend's wife.

"Look at Rose!" Angel laughed, "she fell over from laughing so hard!"

"It's just my poor brother," Rose gasped out, "he got lost in a fantasy about Cici not wearing her knickers! He almost forgot to breathe!"

They all burst out in another round of laughing hard. And then Abby snorted. It was silence again as they all looked at the teen who tried to be all proper and serious. They couldn't contain themselves and laughed even harder. By the time they had finished, their ribs and faces hurt from smiling so much and laughing so hard. Wiping the tears from their eyes, they checked the time, only to find out that most of them needed to leave. Only Abby was going to stay over.

"Maco!" Cici called out for their elf.

Pop "Yes my Lady?" Maco answered with a bow.

"Abby is going to spend the night. Is there a room available for her?" Asked Cici, in a mansion filled with spare bedrooms.

"Yes, my Lady. Would you like for me to show her to her room?" Maco asked.

"Yes, please. And Maco?" as the elf turned to look at her again, "Thank you for your help." Cici told her sincerely.

"It is a pleasure to serve." Returned the elf.

.

Wednesday morning rolled around, Cici and Cedric were sleeping much like Harry and Hermione, dressed only in their underwear, bare chests, the women laying half on their men, legs draped over their hips and arms across their chests. Unlike each other, Hermione would wake before Harry, and Cedric would wake before Cici. As Hermione rolled off of Harry, Cedric would slide out from under his wife. Mother and son would both use their restrooms. When they would return to the bedrooms, their spouses would both be awake, ready for their turn in the loo. With kisses, they would pass each other. With everyone dressed for the morning workout, they met at the top of the stairs, this time they had another that joined them. The sandy blond witch from yesterday. As they descended the stairs, the floo flared to life, and a moment later, Fred and Rose joined them. A brief moment after that, it flared to life again to throw George and Angel out. They all gathered at the base of the stairs and moved as a group to go for their morning run. They all worked to encourage Abby who was the newcomer to the group. After they had finished the run, they moved indoors to the training room to work on strength training. After about thirty minutes of strength training, they started to work on their shield spells and some more on the basic duelling spells. With most everyone covered in sweat, they headed upstairs to get their showers, change for breakfast, and the trip to Diagon Alley.

.

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 **A/N: Reviews are appreciated!**

 **Revised again 01.08.2018**

 **And again 12.26.2018**


	11. Year Three Chapter 11

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 11

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The group used two portkeys to get to the portkey entry point for Diagon Alley. It was a grey day, with clouds hanging low in the sky, all of them had chosen to wear regular wizarding robes and cloaks to stay as low key as possible. Harry hated to get swamped by overzealous, over grateful fans. He didn't dislike the people, he just wished that they could wave at him or just say hi, but they all wanted to shake his hand, and he just wanted to get his business done in a timely fashion, but even all these years later his presence could still draw a crowd.

"Ced, Cici, why don't you come with me and we'll rejoin the rest in a bit," Harry called to the teens.

"Sure dad. Where'd you want to go?" asked Ced.

"We need to head to Gringotts to take care of some business. It won't take long, but it will require both of you to be there." Harry explained to the unasked questions.

"Harry, should we use a glamour just in case? Ced has told me how you can sometimes get mobbed by overzealous fans," Cici offered.

"That might be a good idea, Cici. Let's do it, as you said, just in case," agreed Harry.

Ced chose to have long brown hair and added a stylish beard and moustache. Harry had chosen to go old and grey with a white moustache and heavy framed glasses. Cici chose to become a blonde with her long wavy hair. She also lightened her skin colour. As they stepped out of the side street, they were glad they had done so. Diagon Alley was busier than normal, with people bustling about. The shops were thriving, and there was an energy in the air. It had taken many years for the crowds to return to this size. Looking down the main street, Harry could see two or three Aurors in uniform on patrol. Angling towards the bank, the three of them moved efficiently through the crowds. Their training paying off in the efficiency of their movements in cutting through the crowds of people. Minutes later they were walking through the heavy front doors of Gringotts Bank. Once they were safely inside, they cancelled their glamour charms and were immediately greeted and led to a private room.

"Lord Gryffindor, Lord Potter and Lady Potter, welcome to Gringotts." The goblin greeted them with a bow. "Please, follow me." He said as he turned and headed for one of the private rooms.

He hadn't given the prestigious group a chance to return the greeting, the other customers in the bank had started whispering immediately upon recognising the famous wizard.

Inside the private room, the wizards returned the traditional goblin greeting with a bow also.

"Please wait here, while I go and get Master Ragnok to help you with your business today." The underling told them with another bow.

The respect that the young goblin had received! The stories were true, the Potters did show and respect the goblins. Also, it didn't hurt that they were all personal friends of the Director of the Goblin Nation.

Master Ragnok opened the door and slipped through. The crowd outside had started to grow with the rumour that Harry Potter was in the bank. "Lord Gryffindor! How may I be of service to you today?" said the goblin as he bowed. Again, Harry returned the traditional greeting.

"Two things, Master Ragnok. First, I was checking to see if the gold that was stolen from my vaults had been returned." Asked Harry.

Upon hearing the first request of Lord Gryffindor, Ragnok had become noticeably uncomfortable. "I apologise, Lord Gryffindor, not all of the gold has been recovered. Our specialists are working on that as we speak," Ragnok answered with a traditional pass the problem on, type of answer.

"Do you even know how much gold was taken?" pressed Harry, patiently.

"Not exactly, no," squirmed Ragnok.

"Do you have an idea of how much was taken?" Harry persisted.

"It is estimated that the thief took over a million galleons, but less than a million and a half, sir," Ragnok came clean. His shirt collar was becoming uncomfortably tight around his neck.

"One and a half million galleons," Harry said coldly, emotionlessly.

There was a long pause before Ragnok spoke again. "Yes, sir."

"And of that one and a half million galleons, how much has been recovered?" an irritated Harry questioned.

"Approximately six hundred fifty thousand galleons sir," Ragnok said, looking very uncomfortable.

"That leaves eight hundred fifty thousand galleons still unaccounted for, correct?" asked an irritated Harry.

"Yes, sir," squirmed a squeamish goblin on the spot.

"Does the bank know what could have happened with the missing money?" asked a resigned Harry.

"Yes sir, it seems that the money was sent overseas to help fund terrorist activities sir," Ragnok answered finally with the corporate line.

"And of the thief that my daughter caught?" asked a curious Harry.

He could feel the magic starting to radiate from the wizard sitting in front of him. That was concern enough, but of his daughter? If the rumours were true, all she did was speak, and the thief was standing in front of the Director with his pockets full of stolen gold. The bank didn't even know they had a thief until she caught him.

"The thief has been dealt with sir. All of the gathered information was given to Director Shacklebolt sir," again, he was able to use the company line for the theft.

"I would like to open an account for my son and his mate," Harry said, getting back to the original reason for being here today.

"Yes, sir," ah! Finally, on familiar ground, sighed Ragnok.

"I would like to start their account with the recovered gold," Harry said.

"Very well sir. Please excuse me while I go and get the required forms. Would you like any refreshments while you wait?" thank the powers that be! Thought Ragnok.

"Yes please," answered Cici.

"I will send someone in with refreshments," Ragnok excused himself with a bow.

He was glad to be away from them. They were pleasant and all, but telling someone that they had just lost eight hundred fifty thousand galleons was one of the hardest things he has had to do. Opening the account for the young bonded couple, now that would be pleasant. Two bonded couples at the same time in history? What was happening in the magical world? What didn't he know?

The refreshments arrived a few moments later. A few moments after the refreshments, Ragnok entered the room with the stack of needed parchments. Working through the forms, Ragnok was quick and efficient, it helped that when he filled in the required information on one form, the other forms filled in automatically. What a time saver that was, blessed be the goblin that invented that spell, he said silently.

Lifting his head to look at Cedric and Cecilia, "All you need to do is to sign at the indicated spots, here for you and her for you Lady Potter."

Cedric started to just sign the forms without reading them over when Harry cleared his throat. Having gotten the attention of the two teens, he told them, "You need to read the contracts, so you understand what you're getting yourself into. This is the time to renegotiate the contracts, not after you sign them. What is the interest rate that your galleons will earn? What are the service fees that the bank is going to charge you to store your gold? How much is the bank liable for in the event of a robbery?" at the last, Ragnok flinched, as well he should, Harry thought.

The two teens took the time to read over the contracts. Ragnok answered their questions, and they renegotiated the interest rate on the account. At this point, Ragnok switched the piles of parchment so they could sign again.

"This last form requires a drop of blood from each of you. On the last page, there is a spot for each thumbprint. If you have no questions, then place your thumb in the indicated circle, and it will happen automatically," he explained to them.

Ced placed the parchment between himself and Cici so they could both read it at the same time. Looking at his wife, _"I'm satisfied with it. Are you?"_

" _Yes."_ She thought to him, placing her thumb in her circle.

There was a small sharp prick, and as she jerked her hand away, she could see a drop of blood being absorbed by the document, as she stuck her thumb in her mouth, and glared at the goblin.

Ced placed his thumb on his circle and felt the same sharp prick that his wife had, he flinched and then removed his hand.

Ragnok reached over and took the document. "Is there anything else that I can help you with?" he asked with a smile.

Ced and Cici both shook their heads, "No."

Harry, looking at the goblin, asked, "Would you be able to supply them with debit cards and credit cards for use in the muggle world today, please? Oh, and don't forget their vault keys, one for him and one for her," he said pleasantly with a smile.

"Yes sir, it will be just a few more moments for the cards. I will return with the vault keys temporarily," Ragnok answered Harry.

"Thank you," said Harry kindly.

"Harry, that's an awful lot of money that you're giving us. Why are you giving us so much money?" Cici asked her father-in-law.

"It's a wedding present from Hermione and myself. Besides you're not going to live with us forever! Use it wisely and keep adding to it by getting good jobs," he told her laughingly.

Awhile longer than expected, Ragnok reentered the room with the debit cards, the credit cards, and the keys to their vault. "Sorry for the delay, but everything is set up. To use the debit cards, they will need to use an ATM in the muggle world to set their pin numbers. The funds have been transferred and are available for immediate withdrawal," he said relaxing, finally finished with this task. He stood and bowed to the wizards, "Thank you for your patience and if there is nothing else I will take my leave."

The three wizards all stood, Harry gave the traditional farewell in the goblin's tongue, and they bowed. They each cast a glamour charm on themselves as they prepared to leave the room. They left the room hardly noticed by any, walking to the door, they were not stopped by anyone asking for an autograph or to shake the hand of the Boy-Who-Lived, they exited the building to rejoin their group of family and friends.

" _Mione, where are you?"_ Harry thought to her.

" _We stopped at the used bookstore for a while. I found some interesting books in the cellar,"_ Hermione thought back to him. He could feel her elation at the discovery.

" _Okay, we'll walk to the bookstore. See you in a moment, Mione,"_ Harry answered her.

"They're all at the bookstore," Harry told the teens.

"After we meet up, would it be okay if Rose, Abby, and Angel went with me to get some makeup?" asked Cici.

"Mind if I join you?" Ced asked.

"No, that would be great!" Cici told him eagerly.

Looking in the windows of Flourish and Blots, they could see their friends stacking books on the counter, they watched as a dusty Hermione added two large, dusty old tomes to the counter. The sales clerk swiftly rang up the total, which Hermione paid for easily. Just before she collected the bags of books, she shrank them to place them into her weightless bag.

"Hello, Mione," Harry said before kissing the love of his life.

"It's good to see you too," she said after the kiss. "Did you get everything we talked about taken care of at the bank?"

"Yes, they're all set up. The girls want to go buy some makeup. I told them that it was okay. Ced said he would join them. The boys will probably want to go to the Quidditch shop to look at brooms or something," Harry said summarising things as he saw them.

"I'm okay with the girls going to buy makeup. You're probably right about Fred and George, although they may want to go to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes to visit their family for a bit. I'd bet that the younger kids will want to go there also, to see the new stuff they have," Hermione offered her take on the situation.

"Fred, George, do you want to go to the Quidditch shop or head straight for your relatives?" Harry asked the two boys.

They looked at each other before they spoke, "Well I need to get a new set of gloves." George said.

"I was just there the other day with my dad. So, I think I'll go to W.W.W." said Fred

"W.W.W.?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, it's easier to say than that great big long name they came up with.

Laughing lightly, Harry said, "Yeah it is. Well, I'll take George to the Quidditch shop and then meet you at W.W.W."

"Alright, we're all going to meet at the Weasley's in an hour, we can go to lunch at that time," said Hermione taking charge.

As they started to head out, Kitten said, "Daddy, why does that man in the red robes want to blow himself up? He seems scared though."

Harry, Hermione, Ced, and Cici all looked where the small platinum blonde was pointing. A figure in red robes had just appeared and was standing motionless. Cedric and Cici moved to the left spreading out, Harry moved to the right. Hermione pushed the children back and cast a full shield to protect them. Kitten, looking intently at the strange man, stepped through the shield and started walking straight to the figure in red. Holding her hand out, her wand magically appeared in it. Harry watched in disbelief as his daughter was walking towards the danger and not away. As she approached the man, he turned to look at her, 'Who is this curious little girl?' then with a smile on his long-bearded face, he leaned his head back to look at the sky, he stuck his arms straight out from his sides as if welcoming death, 'Finally, all of his wants and desires were going to be fulfilled in this one great act!' his thumb was coming down on the button in his hand.

Daphne pointed her wand at the man in that instant and said, _"Atomize."_ The person was no more. Where a man had once stood, there was a vapour that was easily dissipated by the light breeze in the street, all that remained were his robes floating to the ground and the explosive device lying on the brick paved street.

"Step back, get back, please move back! Let us through." The lead Auror was saying loudly. Ced, Cici and Harry were all trying to vanish into the crowd. Daphne just turned and started walking to her mum. Her wand had disappeared again.

"Little girl! Are you okay? Stay where you are! I have some questions that I need to ask you! Where are your parents?" another Auror was saying loudly.

Daphne stopped and turned to face the Auror. Looking all the innocent little girl she was. "Yes, sir? I just want to get to my mummy!" tears started running down her cheeks.

"Ah geez, why do they always have to cry?" The Auror said softly.

As he looked to the heavens, he heard a soft little pop. He didn't think anything of it, and when he looked down, she was gone. Kids can't apparate he told himself, so where'd she go to?

As the Auror had approached Kitten, Hermione turned around to face the other kids, looking at Rose she asked, "Can you, portkey them home? We need to leave before to many questions start getting asked in public."

"Yes, I can get them back home with the portkey." She told her.

"Good, go now, and we'll meet you soon. If you need anything, call for Charles, and he'll help," Hermione instructed her. _"Love, where are you?"_

" _I'm about two alleys over, across the street. When I saw, Kitten leave I was headed someplace to apparate out of here,"_ Harry told his wife.

" _What about Cedric and Cici?"_ asked a worried Hermione.

" _They went the other direction. Standard escape and evade techniques we learned from Toll,"_ Harry reminded her. _"They're probably already home concerned about us."_

" _I sent the kids with Rose. They should be home by now also. Do you want me to side-along with you or just meet you at home?"_ an anxious Hermione asked.

" _If it's clear where you are then head home,"_ Harry recommended to her.

" _See you at home in a minute,"_ Hermione thought to him.

Seconds after Hermione arrived at the apparition point Harry joined her, with a simple kiss of relief, they turned and started walking to the house hand in hand.

" _What do you think that was all about?"_ Harry asked Hermione.

" _I don't know, and we won't know anything until we talk to Daphne."_ She replied in thought.

" _We need to find out what she learned when she heard his thoughts. Do we want to call King, and have him here when we talk to Kitten?"_ Harry asked his wife's opinion.

" _Him or Tonks, she likes both of them. I think Tonks because she's less intimidating feeling,"_ Hermione had decided. _"I'll call King and tell him to send her over soon."_

"Alright give him a call, and we'll wait on talking to Daphne," Harry said out loud as they arrived at the doors to the mansion. The doors to the mansion opened as if they were magic, on the inside stood Charles. "Did everyone make it home okay Charles?"

With a bow, Charles looked up, "Yes, my Lord, everyone has arrived home, and they are waiting in the sitting room for you and my Lady."

"Thank you, Charles, for handling this crisis." Harry thanked his trusted Head House Elf.

"Tonks should be here temporarily. King said he was sending her immediately," said Hermione. When she turned and looked at the apparition point, she saw the pink haired witch walking towards the house. With a smile, Hermione waved to her, and Tonks waved back.

Harry walked into the sitting room as Tonks entered the house.

"What do you need Hermione?" Tonks asked curiously.

"Didn't King tell you anything?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Naw, he just said get my arse over here and so I did," the Auror told her.

Hermione spent the next few minutes explaining what had happened in Diagon Alley.

"Oh, that's why you want me here, to question Kitten," Tonks said.

"Harry and I figured that she'd feel most comfortable with you instead of King," Said Hermione, sounding tired, as the adrenaline rush was wearing off.

"Sure, let's go talk to her and get her side of the story," said Tonks cheerfully. Walking into the sitting room, Tonks saw that everyone was there. As she looked at Daphne, she said, "Wotcher Kitten!"

"Wotcher Tonks!" responded Daphne with equal zeal.

"What'd you do this morning?" Tonks began the interrogation process.

"We went to Diagon Alley, and of course, mum took us to the bookstore first, like she always does. She likes books," answered Kitten.

"Do you like books?" asked Tonks, building a rapport with the little girl.

"Yes, I was looking at some books about a muggle girl that got to go exploring," said Kitten.

"Oh, what do you think about that girl getting to go exploring?" asked Tonks working the interrogation.

"I think that it sounds like fun. Her dad is an archaeologist or something like that," answered Kitten getting comfortable with their talk.

"Did your mum let you buy some books?" asked Tonks, building the comfort level of the conversation.

"Yes, I got to get two books," Kitten answered.

"That's good, what two books did you get?" asked Tonks. Hey, I might be able to buy her a book for her birthday.

"Well, I got the book about the explorer girl and another book about a wizard boy that had to go live with his Muggle family." Kitten answered again.

"Oh, okay, I hope that you like your books. Where were you going to go next? The candy stores? I like candy," asked Tonks, moving the interrogation forward.

"I like candy too," said Neville eagerly.

"No, mum doesn't like for us to eat too much candy. We were going to go to W.W.W. to look around," corrected Daphne.

"W.W.W.? What's that?" asked a bewildered Tonks.

"It's short for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes," Daphne explained to her.

"Oh, okay, I get it now. That is a long name huh?" asked Tonks, still building the trust level.

"Yeah, but then the guy in the red robes showed up, and he wanted to die," Kitten told her, with a flat voice.

"What guy in the red robes?" asked Tonks. This was the first that she had heard of some guy in red robes.

"The guy that just appeared in the middle of the street. I asked my dad why he wanted to die. And by the time that he saw him the guy wanted to push a button and die," Kitten answered sadly. The memory was making her morose.

"So, what was the guy thinking when he was going to push the button?" asked a curious Tonks. Her hair had changed colour with her mood.

"He was thinking that he was going to kill a lot of people and get some kind of reward, and all of his hopes and desires were going to be fulfilled when he died," Stated a confused little girl, in front of her. "Why would he believe that?"

"I don't know why he would believe that. What happened next?" urged Tonks.

"Cedric and Cici went one way, dad went another, and mum backed us as far away as she could and put a shield around us," telling just the facts as Kitten saw them.

"Alright, what happened after that?" Tonks pressed her.

"I stepped through the shield and was going to ask him why he wanted to die. As I got close to him, I knew that he was just going to blow himself up. I stuck out my hand and Synthia came to me. When I saw him starting to push the button, I _atomised_ him so he couldn't hurt anyone. Then that mean Auror showed up, and I came home," Kitten told her rushing the words in her anger at the memory.

"Do you know that mean Auror's name?" a curious Tonks asked her.

"Conklin, I think, he didn't tell me. He just started being mean and bossy, so I came home when he stopped looking at me," An almost pouty Daphne told Tonks.

"Why did he stop looking at you?" asked Tonks, knowing that the Auror should have never taken his eyes off of his suspect.

"I started to cry, and he turned his head and looked up, so I left. Mum and dad don't want people to know that I can apparate already, so I have to wait until no one can see me," Kitten explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yes, it wouldn't be good for others to know that you can do that already. Would you be willing to give me a copy of your memory if I need it Kitten?" looking at Hermione, "Would it be okay with you for her to give me that if we need it for some reason?"

Kitten nodded her affirmation as Hermione watched her. After Kitten had given her agreement, Hermione nodded slightly at the pretty Auror with the purple hair.

"Mummy, can we go back to Diagon Alley? Cici and the others never got to buy their makeup," Kitten asked innocently. The man in the red robes had ruined their special day, and that just wasn't fair.

Harry spoke up, "How about, after lunch, I take the younger kids and the ones that don't want to buy makeup, and we go to Hogsmeade?" Looking at Hermione, "If you would be willing to take the girls to go shopping for makeup back in Diagon Alley?"

"Well, whatever all of you decide, I need to get back to the Ministry because Conklin is going to be having a fit about not finding that little girl," said, Tonks, as she began to rise.

"Stay for lunch?" Harry asked her. It was the least they could do for her coming out to them, to take Daphne's statement.

" _Tonks! Stay for lunch!"_ the voice of Cathaoir boomed in their heads.

"I think I'll stay for lunch since you put it that way! Wotcher Cathaoir!"

" _Wotcher Tonks!"_ boomed the voice in their heads again.

Tonks and Cathaoir had a great conversation over lunch. After lunch, the groups split up. Tonks went back to the Ministry, Harry and the ones that didn't want to go shopping for makeup went to Hogsmeade, and Hermione, Cedric and the older girls all returned to Diagon Alley to finish the shopping that was so rudely interrupted just a few hours before.

Cedric almost regretted choosing to go with his wife shopping for makeup. There were so many choices! There was makeup to use before using makeup! There was eyeliner, lip liner, blush, and rouge. There was foundation, concealer, and mascara too. There was makeup to use on your eyelids, and makeup to draw in eyebrows, and a lot of the makeup depended on your skin tone. _"Mi Amor, what are you going to do if you ever do get as dark as you are in the house? None of this will work for you at that point."_ Ced thought to Cecilia.

" _Then I will just wear lipstick! Do you like this shade of red?"_ Cici thought back to Ced as she blew him a kiss.

" _Mi Amor, I love you whether you have makeup on or not. And yes, I like that shade of red too,"_ Ced thought back to his playful wife.

" _And how about this shade of red?"_

" _Oh! I like that shade of red!"_

After a couple of hours of shopping for makeup, they spent probably another hour of shopping for fingernail polish. That then turned into the women wanting to indulge themselves in a mani-pedi.

Ced realised too late that he should have kept his mouth shut when he said, "Well if you're doing all of this you may as well go shoe shopping also!"

The ladies quickly looked at their watches and decided that they had a couple of hours left before dinner at the mansion.

"That's a wonderful idea honey!" Hermione exclaimed to her son.

Ced hung his head and just shook it. _"What have I done?"_ he thought to himself.

" _Maybe you're developing a shoe fetish babe,"_ Cici chided him through their link.

" _Could be, because I love seeing you in heels. And with that red lipstick and nail polish to match?"_ He thought back to her, with some sexual overtones to his thoughts.

" _So, what are you saying? You want to see me trapesing around the house wearing nothing be my micro bikini, some heels, and wearing that shade of red lipstick? You want to watch me bend over like this?"_ as she bent over wearing a set of platform high heeled wedges and grabbing her ankles, her long hair falling over her head and concealing the wicked smile she was wearing, at teasing her husband.

" _Oh, babe, really here?"_ he thought back to her. Glad that she was wearing her robes and not one of her new dresses that they purchased in Hogsmeade. Godric she's a beautiful woman he thought.

" _Thank you! And I love you too. You're pretty good looking yourself. Have you noticed those girls over there that have been checking you out? That tall brunette looks as if she's about…"_ as the tall girl started walking towards their group. And then, as if on cue, she 'tripped' so Cedric would have to catch her from falling. _"Yup, I win!"_ Cici thought to Cedric as he caught the girl with one of his hands cupping one of her small breasts. He was helping the girl stand up on her own when she noticed that his large hand was holding her breast, just as she had planned. He noticed it also and casually removed his hand, without any fuss or embarrassment.

"Oh, thank you!" she said breathlessly. "I can be so clumsy sometimes!" He's so strong and good looking. I bet I can take him away from that Ramos, I let him get a feel of my tit for free after all.

" _Only when it suits you!"_ thought Cici watching the scene play out next to her, still bent over holding her ankles.

"Are you here with your sisters?" the tall brunette asked looking at the other girls in the group, as they were watching her. That's it girls, watch me take him away from her without even trying hard.

"No, I'm here with my mum, girlfriend and cousins," Ced answered her truthfully.

Holding out her hand exaggeratedly, for Cedric to take, she said, "I'm Tamara! I guess that I'll be seeing you at school then!" she turned and went to bounce away to join her group of giggling friends, to gloat over her new conquest, one of the hottest guys in school. All the girls will be jealous of her then!

Before Tamara could turn, Cici had placed her hands on the floor of the shop, she kicked off gently to swing her legs up and over her head, exposing her long toned and shapely legs with the heels that she had been trying on, landing gracefully on one foot then the other blocking Tamara's path back to her giggling girlfriends.

"Hi Treewood, I see that you've met my boyfriend. I guess that you just fell into his arms, huh?" an emotionless Cici confronted this challenger to her husband.

"Uh, sorry Ramos, I didn't know he was yours," said a shaken Treewood. She made to slip around Cici, she had seen, as had all the other girls, what Cici was capable of when she wasn't mad, at the duel with Thompson and Nott. "We were just leaving anyway." She said as she was trying to go the other direction around Cici.

"Have a nice day, Treewood," Cici said as she moved out of the girl's way. "Maybe we'll see you at school," said Cici in the dismissal of the interloper.

"Well, that went smooth," commented Cedric sarcastically, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"I see that not much has changed since I went to school there," commented Hermione. "That's why you need to use the spell we taught you, to test your drinks for foreign substances. I've seen too many boys get poisoned by some love-struck girl who bought a vial of a poorly brewed love potion off the street."

Cici looking at her mother-in-law, "I can't leave him alone for a minute! At the bookstore in Hogsmeade? The salesgirl was trying to get him alone out back!"

"One of my biggest challengers, she would not take no for an answer, turned out to be one of our biggest allies. She's now married to Rose and Angel's uncle."

"Bill and Fleur?" shot Angel. "She tried to take Uncle Harry away from you?"

"She sure did!" nodded Hermione, "She couldn't understand why her Vella charms didn't work on him. She tried for months and months! It wasn't until we went to visit them in France, and her mother explained it to her! It was because Harry really was in love with me," reminisced Hermione.

"That was a neat trick that you did Cici. Can you teach it to me?" asked Rose looking hopeful. That was so cool how she just flipped over and landed on her feet like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"It's from all the stretching and flexibility training that I've been doing, plus some gymnastics from when I was younger. But yeah, I would be willing to teach it to you. I don't know if you can do it in heels, but barefoot should be easy enough," Cici told her.

"Put that witch in her place! She probably won't look your way for a month!" Angel told her snickering.

"I'll hex her if she does!" a smiling Cici shot back.

"Come on girls, let's get our stuff and leave before we draw too much attention," said Hermione with a smile on her face.

After dinner, after those that needed to head home, and after their guests had gone to their rooms for the night. Two different couples, in two different rooms, in two different showers, played out two very similar scenes of expressing their love and appreciation for each other, and their thankfulness that they had survived through the day's excitement.

Cedric dried Cici with a towel, starting with her hair, he moved his way down her neck to her shoulders. He dried her back before focusing on her front. Gently he lifted each breast to dry the water drops from underneath, before working his way down to her hips. Again, she spread her legs allowing him access to dry her nether regions, reaching around he dried her buttocks. Focusing again between her legs he dried first one leg then the other. As he stood back up, Cici started to dry her husband from head to foot. As she was working her way across his chest, Cedric wandlessly cast a drying spell on her hair first, then on his. As Cici worked her way to drying his hips, she was gentle as she dried his equipment hanging in front of her face. Reaching around she dried his buttocks. Then she dried one muscular leg, then the other. With a toss of the towel and a flick of her hand, the towel hung itself on the towel rack correctly. They moved to the bedroom and pulled on fresh knickers before Cici sat in front of her dressing mirror. Cedric picked up her brush and began to brush her hair almost ritualistically.

"If someone had told me that I would have loved being married at fourteen, I would have called them a nutter," Cici quipped.

"If someone had told me how satisfying it could be to brush a girl's hair, I would have called them a nutter also," Quipped Cedric.

"If someone would have told me that I would be this good looking when I was fourteen, I would have laughed in their face!" Cici told him cheekily.

"If someone had told me that I would be sleeping with a gorgeous shapely woman when I was fourteen, I would have called them a liar to their face," finished Cedric.

"I love you, babe," Cici said lowly and with no sign of mirth.

"I love you too, Mi Amor," as Cedric leaned over the top of his wife's head and kissed her on the lips sweetly. He returned the hairbrush to its location in front of her makeup mirror. As she moved to stand, Ced pulled the chair for her and then when she had moved he placed the chair back in front of the dressing mirror. He scooped her up bridal style and carried her effortlessly to their large bed. Laying her down on the bed he went around and climbed in beside her. With several sweet to passionate kisses, Cici purred her contentment, she slid down his torso to lay her head in the hollow of his shoulder. With one leg across his hips and her arm across his chest, he wrapped an arm around her, kissed her on top of her head, then wandlessly covered them for the night.

.

True to her word, she started teaching the girls some basic gymnastics the next morning, after their morning workout. The girls had a blast doing cartwheels and summersaults around the training room. After about thirty minutes of practice, everyone went to get their showers. Cici took a little longer this morning getting ready for the day as she wanted to wear the makeup that they had purchased. With all the practice that she had been getting in the house, she moved quickly and competently in applying the makeup. She chose to wear a multicoloured, V-necked, knee-length dress with her brown chunky heels.

"We're going to need to start looking at jewellery babe," Cici commented while looking at herself in the mirror. She only had the little bit of kids' jewellery that she had when she started at Hogwarts. "I may only be fourteen, but…"

"We don't look fourteen." Finished Ced for her. "Let's talk to my parents about going shopping for jewellery on Saturday when all of our cousins have gone home for the weekend." He really just wanted this to be a foursome with just his parents. And maybe Angelica if she was back from Romania then. He had no clue where to go shopping for quality jewellery.

Thankfully, all the other teens needed to head home to work on some homework that they had been putting off. It was the perfect opportunity to be alone.

After breakfast, Hermione commented on the lack of fashion accessories that Cici was experiencing. "Cecilia, we need to take you out shopping for some jewellery!" Hermione started, "My day and Harry's day are both full of appointments. Would you be comfortable going with Cedric's Grandparents?" looking across the table, Hermione silently asked her parents, who had heard the whole conversation anyway.

"Dan and I would love to spend some time with them!" Jean exclaimed.

"Yes, we would. I haven't spent any time with them since Christmas, and very little then!" Dan said. "Do you know where it is that you want to go?"

"No, that's just it Grandpa, I have no idea about shopping for quality jewellery," Cedric said honestly.

"Neither do I," added Cecilia.

Looking at his watch, "Well, if we leave soon, we should be able to hit four or five different jewellery stores before it gets too late. There's a lot to look at, and even more to learn," Dan told them. "We can floo to the Leaky Cauldron and take taxis, or we can walk over to our house and try driving in. I think that we should just floo in. It'll be quicker than fighting all that traffic," Dan decided for them. "What's the use of being a wizard if you get stuck in traffic?"

They all laughed at the simple joke, Grandpa had made.

They spent the whole day in muggle London jewellery shopping. They purchased Cici a wide variety of earrings, about a dozen necklaces, she purchased a couple of choker style necklaces, some short necklaces, medium length, they selected some long necklaces, and a couple long enough to fall into her cleavage, and one long enough to fall to her navel. They also bought matching bracelets. Much of the jewellery selected were sets with matching earrings, bracelet, and necklace.

As they were buying all of this, it dawned on Jean to ask if she even had a jewellery box, "Cici, do you even have a jewellery box to put all of this in, in an orderly fashion?" a horrified Jean asked, just thinking of the mess all this fine jewellery was going to be in without one.

"No, I've never needed one before. I've never had nice jewellery," Cici told her kind of sad. She was happy about all the new jewellery, but she was starting to feel like a burden to these nice people.

"Dan, we need to buy her a jewellery box for all of this. It can be a belated Christmas present for her," Jean said to Dan with no hint of wavering in her tone.

After they left the last jewellery store, Dan told the cabbie where he wanted to go so they could buy her a nice jewellery box that would keep everything orderly and protected.

They stepped back through the floo about fifteen minutes before dinner. Ced and Cici thanked Grandma and Grandpa for taking them around London to the different shops and for the nice jewellery box. They headed upstairs to start putting the new jewellery away. She wore the jewellery home that they had purchased last so she could show off for Hermione and Harry. She was so excited to be wearing 'real' jewellery. She also knew that she would need to take care of it because she had insisted on being the person at the cash register paying. She mentally did every Pound to Galleon conversion in her head. She may not have been paying cash, but she became well aware of how much she was spending.

As they walked up the stairs, Cici said, "Babe, we need to put some anti-theft charms on the jewellery box to keep people from stealing my new jewellery."

"I agree, we spent a lot of galleons today. We should also charm the jewellery so people can't just _accio_ the jewellery off of your body," Ced agreed with her. "I think that you're going to need a larger trunk to carry all of the purchases that we've been making for you in the last month or so!"

"Better make it a weightless trunk!" she told him cheekily.

"Let's go get dinner before we make Charles mad. He really dislikes tardiness," Ced told her.

"What's with him anyway?" she asked Ced.

"Charles has served the Potter's for close to six or seven generations. Have you ever seen how scared Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus are of him?" he asked her.

"Those two may not even be aware of how close they watch him. It's like they know exactly where he is in that room at all times!" she replied to him as they started walking down the stairs.

"They do! I guess they got their knuckles whacked too many times as kids. But if you notice, they both have impeccable table manners when they eat here!" Ced laughed quietly. As a small child, he had learned his table manners quickly. Charles had always started teaching the children from a very young age. When they would play 'tea time' he would start teaching them proper etiquette. As they got older, he added more and more etiquette lessons. The knuckle whacking never really happened unless they refused to practice what they had learned. Ced had only had his knuckles whacked a few times. Now with the etiquette that he learned inside the house in the bottle, Charles would give him looks of approval when he would hold the chair for Cecilia, or he would help her with this, or with that, if she needed or wanted anything. It's not that he was treating her as if she were helpless, it was just a way to show love and respect for her. Merlin help him if him if he ever treated her as if she were a helpless female!

Cici sat next to Hermione so she could tell her all about her adventures in London that day. She told her everything from the moment that they flooed into the Leaky Cauldron and Tom the barkeep greeted them. She talked about how she was glad that Dan had suggested that they use taxis instead of them trying to find parking for Dan's car everywhere they went. She told her about how when they walked into the first store that the salesgirl seemed to turn her nose up at her and seemed to be almost rude. As they kept looking, the sales manager had come up to her and asked if they had been helped yet.

"I told him no, that we had not been helped yet. He took the time to teach me about the different quality of jewellery that they carried. He talked to me about lab created stones versus the natural stones. He explained to me how the gems are weighed in karats. He also taught me that in his store they didn't carry jewellery that was less than 14K gold. He showed us some necklaces that were way out of what I considered to be my budget. I learned what I was comfortable with spending for what I was getting. As the day went along, I seemed to loosen up with buying what I wanted and what I liked. I also noticed that the jewellery stores don't always have the most expensive items on display. Some of the items were just so expensive! Who buys that kind of stuff?" she asked the rhetorical question in shock. "The last store that Dan had a taxi take us too had used jewellery in it. That was a lot of fun! They had a lot of really nice stuff for a price that was less than half what some of the jewellery stores wanted. One of the salesclerks taught me how to use a loupe, so I used that when I was looking at the jewellery in the consignment shop, to make sure that what I was buying was real. They also taught me how to tell if a gem is real or if it is lab created. There is a special tool for that. At the consignment shop, they taught us how to measure the gold content of the different items using different acids and a stone. Ced found these matching him and hers Rolex Submariner watches! The man told us that Rolex only made them for about five years before they discontinued the women's Submariner watches. I like the green faces because they remind me of his eyes."

She had talked for so long and so fast that she realised that she was out of breath and thirsty! Ced helped her with getting a refill on her glass of water.

As Cici was catching her breath, "Why don't you show me all the different jewellery that you bought after dinner?" asked Hermione.

"Ah! You want to come up to our room and see!" Cecilia almost squealed with delight.

"Sure! I'd love to look at what you purchased today," Hermione told her gleefully.

Here was a chance for Cici and her to bond over something other than combat techniques and how to avoid getting hexed at school. Some girl time with her daughter-in-law, finally!

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 **A/N: Thank you all for taking the time to read! Please review!**

 **Revised again 01.08.2018**

 **And again 12.26.2018**


	12. Year Three Chapter 12

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 12

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The first couple of weeks after returning to Hogwarts were nice and quiet. Ced and Cici's plan of spending Friday nights in the Gryffindor common room was working out better than planned. Some of the other students had started coming up to them and having small conversations. More get-to-know-you conversations, some of the younger students had asked for help in different subjects, which Ced and Cici were more than willing to help them with. Saturday nights they spent in the house.

The first night back in the house they had a long and pleasant conversation with Edmund, he had asked them to start reading a different book a week. He told them that he would speak with their other instructors to get suggestions on books for them to read. Again, they were spending about eighteen months of house time to six hours of real time. Cici had taken to reading some books on the healing arts, with Ced reading books on combat tactics or defence against the dark arts type of books. The thing that they really enjoyed was that they could share the information through the mental link. In essence, they were reading two books a week. After reading the list of books that Edmund had put together for them, Ced had started to dig into the vast library in the house. As he dug his way through the library, he discovered books written by the four founders. Cici started reading the books written by Godric Gryffindor and Ced choose to read a book by Helga Hufflepuff. When they had finished those books, they switched it up, Ced started reading the books by Salazar Slytherin, and Cici began to read the books by Rowena Ravenclaw. Reading the books by the four founders was a very eye-opening experience for them. Learning the thought processes for each of the founders, they learned that Slytherin house was never intended to be the house for the dark wizards and witches. Salazar Slytherin was never a dark wizard himself. In fact, he had fought against dark wizards in his time. That somewhere along the line, someone had perverted what he believed! All of the founders prized intelligence, some put courage above other aspects, some prized loyalty more than ambition, while ambition was more prized than courage or loyalty, but none of the founders would tolerate a traitor in their midst's. Ced and Cici were discussing this one afternoon as they lay on the beach.

" _Salazar would be very disappointed in what his house has come to stand for,"_ Cici commented to Ced.

" _Yes, he would. How do you think that it ever got to be the way it is?"_

" _I think that we would have to look at the different leaders of the house itself. If the Head of the House is tolerant of the poor behaviour then wouldn't it turn into a breeding ground for darkness?"_

" _And if favouritism of one person has allowed them to get away with something dark, then you would have to allow the others to do the same thing without punishment."_

" _And if it's allowed year after year, Head of House after Head of House, over the centuries it's a miracle that it isn't worse than it is. I feel sorry for the light Slytherins being stuck with all those dark ones."_ Commented Cici shaking her head.

" _From what I remember reading, this is the first time in a long time, that there has been a Gryffindor turn on a housemate."_

" _This jealousy is like a poison! Who's spreading this jealousy? And why? What do they hope to accomplish by it?"_ commented Cici getting hot under the collar, well if she weren't laying on the beach topless, she'd be getting hot under the collar.

" _That's a good question. Who and why?"_ said Cedric thoughtfully. _"How're we going to find out who it is?"_

"Maybe, we should start reading books on criminal investigation, and police tactics." Cici thought out loud.

"I think that would be a good idea. We should also read those books we found that was written by Merlin. I think some of his diaries are there also. That could be very interesting to tie in with his books. We'd be able to read what he was thinking when he was writing the different books. Are you ready to go get some dinner?" Ced said to his well-tanned wife.

She had asked him to start shaving her bikini area bare when they showered together. She would spread her legs enough so he could take his finger and use the same cutting spell he used on her armpits, he could use to remove the hair from her nether regions, easier. She had also taken to wearing a micro bikini bottom. She wasn't completely nude yet, but she was getting there, Ced thought to himself.

" _Why? Do you want me to be completely nude, babe?"_ she thought back to him.

" _Whether you are fully clothed or completely naked, you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me,"_ he thought back to her.

" _I love you too babe,"_ she told him, letting her love for him flood through their mental link.

After a year and a half of another working vacation, and many, many, books read, they stepped off the glowing runes in their bedroom in time to go to breakfast on Sunday morning. Hand in hand they entered the common room from their private quarters. They glanced around to see who might be awake and interested in going to breakfast with them. With the common room empty they were walking casually to the portrait hole when behind them a female voice called out to them.

"Hey wait up, and I'll go to breakfast with you!" Angel called out to the couple.

They stopped walking and turned as a unit to face the voice. They were glad to see that it was Angel Weasley walking hurriedly to them. "Hey, Angel!" Cici greeted her with a hug, "Glad that you could make it!"

"Oh, me too. I see that you're not all dressed up today," Angel observed of Cici.

"I was drawing too much unwanted attention to myself and decided to tone it down a little. I'm still going to wear my heels though," Cici started talking as they headed down to the Great Hall. "After talking to the other students this past couple of Fridays, I realised that I was making the other girls uncomfortable and what I heard was that the guys were spending a lot of time in the loo!"

"I guess that they were all becoming real tossers!" Angel said cheekily.

"And I thought that they were just a bunch of wankers!" Cici laughed back to her. She laughed so hard it was a good thing that she had a hold of Ced's arm to keep her from falling.

Their cheeks were still flushed from laughing as they entered the Great Hall. After scanning the hall, the three of them headed for their usual sitting area. Angel moved to the other side of the table as Ced and Cici sat next to each other. As Cici was sitting down, she gave Ced her customary kiss to say thank you for respecting her enough to hold the chair for her. As Cici was talking to Angel, Ced started to load her plate with rashers, bangers, and some eggs. He poured her a cup of tea and filled her glass with pumpkin juice. This simple pleasure earned him another kiss before he started eating his own breakfast. About halfway through breakfast, Fred joined them. He sat next to Angel and joined in the conversation as he filled his plate. As Ced and Cici were finishing their breakfast the rest of their informal group joined them at the table.

"Mate, you're going to need to start sitting on this side of the table," George told Ced.

"Why's that?" asked Ced.

"Right now, you have your back to your enemy," George told him with some apprehension in his voice.

Ced turned around and saw a big Slytherin boring holes in his back. "Who's that?" asked Ced.

"That's Flint, a sixth-year and for some reason, he's angry at you," said, James.

"How can he be angry at me? I don't even know the guy for him to be angry at me," Ced told the guys.

"That might be true, but if you're sitting on this side of the table, at least your back is against the wall. And unless he can reach through the wall, you're going to be a lot safer over here." George finished telling them.

"I guess that we'll be sitting on that side of the table from now on," Ced resigned himself. "Thanks for watching our backs. I think that we're going to head back to the common room. Want to join us?"

Ced rose up, as Cici arose, Ced pulled the chair for her, she gave him her customary reward of a simple kiss. The other friends chose to join them as they went to leave the hall. The group of friends unconsciously formed a protective detail around Cedric and Cici as they left. As they climbed the stairs, Ced asked the group, "Would any of you like to spend the rest of the day in the chambers? I think that I want to get changed and then go to the chambers."

"I like the idea," Rose agreed.

"Me too," said, George.

"Me three!" said Angel. "There's more to do there than sitting in the common room waiting for lunch," Angel told Fred.

"We'll meet you there in thirty minutes!" Ced told them happily. True to his word, Ced and Cici were standing in their workout clothes looking around the chambers.

Moments later, four others joined them. Ced looked at Cici, _"It's always the same four."_

" _Guess we know who our friends are, now don't we?"_ Cici thought back.

" _I guess that I'm a little disappointed in James and Teddy,"_ Ced thought, a little glum.

" _Don't worry about them too much. When they're ready, they'll join us. Let's see what happens in the next couple of weeks. You can always deactivate their portkeys,"_ Cici thought back to him. She understood his disappointment, knowing their parents.

Looking at their four closest friends, Ced asked them, "What would you like to do?"

"I want to learn to kick some guys arse like Cici!" shot Angel.

"Yeah, I do too!" Rose said excitedly.

"So, does everyone want to learn hand-to-hand combat? I may not be the best teacher for that," Ced told them. He had always been the student, never the instructor.

"I think all of us would like to learn all that we can. Having watched you two for the last couple of months. We don't really know all that much," George spoke, for the whole group.

"Okay," Ced told them as he shook his head, "Let's go over to the training mats."

For the next couple of hours, the group practised rolling when they fell, they learned some basic fighting techniques, and they sparred against each other. It was a tired group of friends that all agreed that they wanted to make this part of their morning workout routine. They rested and chatted until lunch, when Maco brought them a light lunch of sandwiches and crisps, with more water and juice. A little after lunch, they practised duelling. George hit Rose with a cutting hex, cutting her across her upper arm. It started bleeding profusely when Fred wanted to rush her to the hospital wing.

"Move out of the way! Fred." Cici commanded him. "Yes, it's bad, but it's not that bad." Cici started to calm him down. "This is an excellent reason that all of you should start learning some basic healing spells. NOW GET OUT OF THE WAY! So, I can heal her before you let her bleed to death. Thank you!" Cici ejected her wand and started to repair the damage that had been done. In a few minutes, the wound was healed, and the pain had started to subside. "Here you go, Rose, drink this blood replenishing potion," that she had called to herself from the shelves in the medical room. "Ced, will you please levitate her to the bed in the medical room?"

"Sure, Rose, just lay still, and I will get you to the bed. You'll start to feel better in a little bit." He lowered her onto the hospital bed, "There you go. Now let me clean your clothes and repair them also." He quietly cast a _scourgify_ and then a _reparo_ on her sleeve.

"What's your problem!" Fred yelled as he shoved George. "You could have seriously hurt her!"

"It was an accident!" George shot back at him.

Ced stepped between the two cousins, "These kinds of things happen. It just goes to show why we need to learn some of the basic healing spells and have the needed supplies on hand. Want to know why you need to learn potions?" he said gesturing at Rose. "There you go, just look at Rose. If Cici didn't know the simple healing spell, then we'd have had to take her to the hospital wing." Looking at the two guys, "What would you have told Madam Pomfrey? 'Oh, she fell down some stairs?'" Shaking his head, "People don't get to find out about the Chamber of Secrets. That's why it's a very closely guarded secret!"

By this time, Rose was sitting up on the edge of the bed, colour had returned to her face. Looking at Fred, she told him, "I'm going to be just fine. I'll drink another potion before dinner. Look, there's not even going to be a scar." She said as she peeled her top off. Fred and George both turned red as their hair. "Oh, please! If Cici were to take her top off, both of you would be drooling, and Ced would have to hex you," she scolded them. "Speaking of hexing, we still have an hours' worth of practice before we need to get cleaned up for dinner. Go practice." Rose commanded them.

It was three against one as Cici sat this one out to talk with Rose. Ced did a lot of ducking, sidestepping and rolling out of the way of their hexes. He kept things easy on them not using anything stronger than a stinging jinx.

As they were duelling, he would teach them things like they had to exercise their magical cores to make them stronger. Since they had been working out, their physical endurance had increased, and they were more physically active. Unlike Thompson and Nott. Cici wore Thompson out physically and magically before she defeated him. Nott? He took a cheap shot at her, and she just blasted him. Ced didn't want any of them to exhaust themselves. He kept working on improving their aim, he also worked on getting them to cast two spells at a time, not just one. After about forty-five minutes the trainees were getting tired and ready to quit for the day. Ced agreed and told them all to go and take a shower.

Cici told them that they smelled like a bunch of wet dogs!

"We'll see you in the Great Hall for dinner! Go shower!" Cici told them with a lot of mirth, enthusiasm, and crinkling her nose at them. She gave Rose another dose of blood replenishing potion to take at bedtime before she let her portkey back to get her shower.

Dinner went well, Ced and Cici sat on the opposite side of the table from their usual spot. Their backs were to the wall, and they could observe the rest of the house tables and the amazing amount of social interaction that was happening there.

In the weeks following, Flint had taken to talking with others in his house and every now and then they would look over towards the Gryffindor table. It seemed to Ced that they were focusing on him and Cici.

The time that they were spending in the common room was paying off for them. They were no longer alienating their housemates but had started to build bridges. Most of them did not approve of what Smythe had said or done. Several of the girls would talk to Cici about different ideas for wearing makeup or different outfits, often complimenting her on her choice of earrings for the day. They thought that it was brave of her to wear heels so often.

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It was during lunch on a warm sunny Friday, several of the students had chosen to take their sandwiches and crisps to eat outside in the warm late spring weather. Kitten and her friends watched as a group of Aurors walked up the road that led to the entry steps of the school. She counted about seven of them and wondered why such a large number would be coming to the school at the same time. She hadn't heard any rumours to suggest such a need. The students sat there on the steps watching as the group came closer to them. As the group reached the steps, the leader of the group looked up and spotted the platinum blonde haired young witch.

"Are you Daphne Potter?" he demanded of her in a gruff voice. She matched the description that he had been given.

"Yes. Why? What's wrong?" she thought maybe something terrible had happened.

"You're under arrest for the murder of Abugida McBride. You're coming with us. Get up." The Auror commanded her.

Daphne rose to her feet and followed them reluctantly to the bottom of the castle stairs. At the bottom, she stopped suddenly. "No! I will not go with you!" she declared in a loud voice.

"Don't make me force you, little girl." The gruff voice said.

"Cici," she said quietly, "come."

Just as Cici was about to give Ced a sweet kiss, she was gone.

"Cedric," she said quietly, "come."

As the others at the table watched in amazement, Ced disappeared before their eyes.

Outside Cici and Cedric appeared standing next to Kitten. Seeing a large number of Aurors standing before them, they spread out to one side.

"Mum, dad," the little girl said again quietly, "come."

Harry was in his office, Hermione was in an operating room using her wand to heal a battered woman's face when they both disappeared.

Harry and Hermione both appeared on the opposite side of Kitten from Ced and Cici. Hermione still had her wand in her hand, dressed in her operating room scrubs.

"SHE'S GOT A WAND!" yelled the lead Auror, causing the rest to brandish theirs. "DROP THE WAND NOW!" he commanded loudly and harshly.

Harry and Hermione's training kicked in, and they moved slowly to the side spreading apart. Hermione still holding her wand tightly now.

The Aurors were all watching her closely. She had yet to drop her wand.

"Uasal, come." She said in her little girl's firm voice. "Car-baun, come."

What's a Uasal? What's a Car-baun? Thought the lead Auror. How is she doing this?

Uasal and Car-baun appeared behind the line of Aurors, one on each flanking side. The Hungarian Horntail dragons roared in their displeasure at being summoned. Seeing the group of hostiles holding wands on their bonded, the dragons roared in rage, preparing to incinerate their enemies.

"No." was all the little girl said to keep the Aurors alive.

The dragons stood there in an attack posture, teeth bared, smoke emanating from their nostrils.

The roar of the two dragons was all it took to empty out the Great Hall and fill the stairs with spectators. Professor McGonagall pushed and walked her way swiftly to the bottom of the stairs.

The Aurors on either side of the lead Auror turned to face the death that was standing behind them, wands held firmly.

"I am the Headmistress of this school! What is the meaning of this!" she spoke harshly.

Again, the little blonde girl spoke softly, "Uncle King, Aunt Tonks, come," and they were there standing next to her.

Assessing the situation, they quickly had their wands in their hands too.

"Cathaoir, come," and the last of the Golden Gryphons was standing beside her.

Seeing the threat against "His Kitten," he roared his anger for all to hear.

Standing squarely in front of the Auror that had tried to take her, Kitten held out her hand, and her wand appeared in it.

"SHE'S GOT A WAND!" he yelled as he raised his wand and cast the killing curse, _Avada-kedavra_. The sickly green spell shot out of his wand and closed in on the small girl.

From some distance away, Harry watched helplessly as the spell closed the distance on his daughter, preparing to end her life. It was all happening in super slow motion, right before his eyes.

The spell closed the distance between them, aiming true for her heart, for all that cared to see. She raised her free hand to the sickly green light approaching her chest. Then it made contact with her hand and formed a ball of death in her palm. Stunned, the Auror just stood there looking at what had just happened. The deadliest spell he knew was just sitting in this little girl's hand, glowing and pulsing with the energy of hate. She looked at him with indifference in her eyes. Holding the spell out in front of her for all to see her power, she pointed her wand at the spell and then used it to fling the spell out behind the dragons so no one would be hurt. It hit the ground with a loud explosion throwing grass and dirt into the air. In that instant of distraction, she appeared directly in front of the Auror with her wand pressed firmly against his chest. His hands hanging out to his sides, he dropped his useless wand, his face contorted in massive pain. She didn't care about his discomfort, he had just tried to kill her.

Quietly she spoke, "To fos élampse sto skotádi kai to skotádi to katálave."

As the Auror stood there screaming in agony, Kitten spoke again, "Mask, come," and the director of the Department of Mysteries was standing next to her. As Mask reoriented herself to where she was, she watched in amazement, Kitten stuck out her free hand, palm up, and a large unbreakable jar appeared in it silently. Slowly Kitten pulled her wand away from the man's chest with a greasy looking mist attached to the tip. Slowly, sadistically, and painfully she ripped the curse out of him, drawing out the misery that was his punishment for trying to kill her in front of her friends. Quietly the crowd watched in awe. All thoughts of conflict forgotten as the small child pulled the curse from the screaming man. Longer and longer the greasy tendrils stretched. Careful not to let it touch her, Kitten stepped back as the man's voice faded away to nothing. Hoarse he called out for death, as she removed the last of the curse from him. Carefully, she placed the living curse in the unbreakable jar and sealed it. The lead Auror collapsed to the ground in a heap of living flesh. Covered in his sweat-drenched clothes, at some point he had soiled himself, and the stench was beginning to reach their noses.

Turning to Mask, Kitten handed her the jar, "Here, I thought you might want to study this."

"What is it, Kitten?" Mask asked her.

"It is a physical manifestation of the _imperious_ curse." Kitten explained to her.

"Thank you," Mask started, "hey, next time. A little heads up before you summon me?"

"Sorry about that, I don't know how yet," a sheepish looking Kitten apologised.

Kingsley stepped forward, looking at the Aurors, "All of you! Put your wands away!" he commanded them gruffly. "Get Winkelman to his feet! And take him away! He stinks!"

Cici came up to Kitten and gave her a big reassuring hug. "You did a good thing today. And I am so proud of you!" she told her like the big sister she was.

Hermione and Harry were the next to scoop her up and let her know just how much she is loved.

"Wotcher Kitten!"

"Wotcher Tonks!"

Kitten turned to Cathaoir and gave him a big hug of thank you before she went to the dragons and gave each of them the biggest hug a little girl could give to a dragon. She kissed each of them on their snout as she thanked them for their support. "I knew with you here that they wouldn't do anything to me, so thank you again. Do you want to fly home or do you want me to summon Charlie?"

" _Let us talk about it. Could you please tell Cici her mum is still with Charlie in Romania? And if we did ask you to summon him, could you please bring Angelica with him?"_ Uasal asked Kitten.

As the adults gathered around Kitten, they all wanted to know how this came about. Kitten explained that she and her friends were sitting on the steps eating lunch when the lead Auror asked her in a mean voice if she was Daphne Potter. She said that she was and he told her that she was under arrest for the murder of some guy that she didn't know. He was taking her away when she realised that he was part of an organisation called United Anarchist Army. That was when she started calling for help.

"And I called you Uncle King and you Aunt Tonks because you're both Aurors," Kitten told them.

"If I'm not needed here anymore, I have a patient on the operating room table that I was in the middle of healing," said a tired-looking Hermione.

"I'll stay with her until all of this is over," Harry reassured his wife. He gave her a kiss, and she headed for the apparition point of the school.

"All of you! Back inside! Classes are about to start. Go! Inside now!" Professor McGonagall told the students hanging out on the stairs.

"Tonks, do you want to stay with Kitten for a while? I'll take these others back to the Ministry and start debriefing them," Kingsley said looking at Tonks.

"Sure chief, I can do that for you," Tonks said agreeably.

"Minerva, would you mind if we kept Daphne out of class for a bit? There're still some unanswered questions that need to be answered," Tonks asked her old professor.

"That'll be fine." The Headmistress answered.

"Ced, can we move to your quarters for some more privacy?" Tonks asked of the young bonded couple.

Daphne looked at Cici, "Uasal says that your mum is still with Charlie in Romania."

"Okay, thank you," Cici said back to her, thinking of something else.

As they crossed the Gryffindor common room, Ced let go of Cici's hand so she could give the passphrase to enter their quarters. As they filed into their living room, Cici sat across Ced's lap in one of the oversized, overstuffed chairs. Before the last of them had taken a seat, Maco appeared with a tray of refreshments for them.

"Kitten, have you ever heard of the UAA?" Tonks asked her softly.

"No, and I read the Daily Prophet most days." She replied to her sadly.

"The UAA is a terrorist organisation. The person that you vaporised in Diagon Alley was one of their suicide bombers. They seem to have no set agenda other than to just scare people. They're responsible for crime on a worldwide scale. They buy and sell both young boys and girls to use as sex slaves for their followers. We don't know who their leader is. We aren't even sure where they're headquarters is located. We know so little about them." Tonks spelt it all out of her.

This burden was more than she wanted, knowing that one of her own had almost been taken. Learning that an Auror was one of the enemies. That they'd been infiltrated, compromised by their unknown enemy. An enemy they knew so little about. Now with Winkelman in custody, they should be able to get more answers.

"What do you know about La chauve-souris noire?" Cici asked the blue-haired Auror sitting next to her.

Looking surprised that the young witch knew that term, "Where'd you hear about that?" Tonks asked her quickly.

"I read it a few months ago. When we had returned to Hogwarts one morning," Cici answered her looking perplexed. "There is so little reporting done on what is happening in the rest of the world here. It's like we live in an information vacuum," she finished shaking her head sadly.

"We do live in an information vacuum. Magical Britain doesn't want to know what's happening anywhere else in the world. They don't even want to know what's happening in nonmagical Britain. The attitude seems to be that everything else is beneath them," Tonks explained as her hair shifted to red, releasing some control over her emotions.

"We've tried to hire reporters to do international reporting," started Harry, "we actually had to hire someone from out of the country to fill the position," he told them as he remembered the incident as if it caused a bad taste in his mouth. "The people responded to the new International Section of the paper by cancelling their subscriptions. Readership actually went down until we dropped the international reporting. The writer quit and moved back to their own country," Harry finished. "They want to live their lives like an Ostrich. Whenever something bad happens, they stick their heads in the sand, hoping that it goes away."

"Well, when you stick your head in the sand, that leaves your backside exposed for a good arse kicking! My dad always used to say," Tonks said hotly. The willful ignorance of the people infuriated her. "Then when something bad did happen, that was preventable, the people get all upset, 'Why didn't you tell us?' they would say. We did, you didn't listen!"

As they finished talking Tonks excused herself to go start filling out the incident report.

"I need to leave. The paperwork is going to keep me late tonight. I think that I'll find Teddy and Tabby, and give them a hug. I'm glad that you're okay Kitten."

"Me too!" said Kitten. "Thank you for being here Aunt Tonks," she said with heartfelt thanks.

Harry said his goodbyes and gave all the kids a hug as he followed Tonks down the stairs.

"I think that I'm going to summon Charlie and Angelica so that Uasal and Car-baun can start heading home too," Daphne said thoughtfully. "Charlie, Angelica. Come," and a wet naked couple appeared in front of them.

Angelica was trying to cover her modesty with her arms, hands, and thigh. Charlie was turning red from both anger and embarrassment as he tried to cover himself also.

"MOM!" a shocked Cici said loudly, as Ced broke out in laughter.

Quickly Ced conjured some bathrobes for the surprised couple. The younger couple turned their backs to them as Ced grabbed his little sister and pulled her around in front of him. Leaning over to her ear he said, "I agree with Mask, you really need to work on giving people a heads up when you summon them."

"I'm sorry!" Daphne said over her shoulder. "I didn't know that you weren't dressed!"

"That was bloody rude to do something like that!" an angry Charlie started to shout.

"No, no, no," Cedric said as he turned to look at the angry wizard, "That's enough shouting at her. She's only twelve, and she didn't know. She's apologised, and she's still learning." Ced told him calmly but with steel in his voice. He needed to defuse the situation before it escalated out of hand.

"It's still wrong to do something like that to someone," Angelica said angrily. "Where are we and why are we here anyway?"

"Why are you naked and in a shower with him?" said an angry Cecilia. Pointing a finger at Charlie.

Looking at Angelica, "You're in our married quarters at Hogwarts. And you're here because Daphne summoned you." Ced told her.

"Uasal and Car-baun need to go back to the Dragon Reserve, and I thought that you could take them back so they won't be alone. Uasal asked for Angelica," Daphne told them, as she looked at the floor, embarrassed for what had happened.

"Uasal asked for me?" Angelica asked in wonder.

"Yes. There were some bad people that tried to take me, so I called Uasal and Car-baun to help me," Daphne blurted out.

"Somebody tried to kidnap you?" asked a surprised Charlie, his anger dissipating.

"Yes, somebody that's either a part of, or was being controlled by, a terrorist organisation tried to take Kitten during lunch today, and she summoned a lot of people to protect her," Ced explained quickly.

"I think the dragons were the turning point in the fight," Cici said giving Kitten a wink.

Kitten smiled back at her.

"Kitten, why don't you take off and we'll catch up to you at dinner?" Cici suggested.

"Okay, again I'm sorry that I didn't know that you didn't have any clothes on," Daphne said as she left in a hurry. Glad to be out of there.

"It's okay!" Angelica called out after the disappearing girl.

"So, what's going on between you two," Cici asked as she and Cedric sat back down in their usual fashion, watching her mother intently.

"Well, Charlie and I have taken our relationship…" Angelica started explaining.

"Am I going to have a little brother or sister?" asked Cecilia, putting them on the spot.

"You do know, last year was the first time in wizarding history that the wizarding population exceeded what it was thirty years ago? It has taken us thirty years to get to where we were population wise, and finally, start to grow as a people?" Cedric interjected.

"Well, we…" started Angelica again.

"Are you having sex out of wedlock?" Cecilia pressed her mother with a straight face.

As Charlie and Angelica both started to blush, "Well, you see baby, when a mummy and a daddy really love each other, a special kind of magic happens." Ced said barely containing his mirth. This earned him an elbow in the ribs, albeit playfully.

"Well your mum and I," Charlie started as he looked at Cici, "have developed feelings for each other. We've gone as far as to have used the 'L' word…" he continued as Cici leapt from Ced's lap to give her mom a huge hug.

The two couples stayed and talked well past dinner. Maco brought the two couples a fantastic dinner in the married quarters. Ced and Cici thanked her gratefully. After dinner, Charlie transfigured the clothes that had been given to them into dragon rider's uniforms for both himself and Angelica. Yes, Angelica was sharing his bed, much to the humour of Cecilia. Hand in hand the two couples walked down to where they had left the dragons a few hours earlier. As they walked down the castle steps, they noticed just one thing missing. There were no dragons.

"I wonder where they could have gone?" commented Ced. After all, it's not like someone is just going to steal a couple of Hungarian Horntails.

"Hunting maybe?" offered Angelica.

"Let's walk down to Hagrid's and see if he has them," Charlie told the group as he started walking in the correct direction.

"Why would Hagrid take the dragons?" a bewildered Cici asked.

"Well, Hagrid has this thing about dangerous pets," Charlie started. "There was this one time, several years ago, when Hagrid hatched a dragon's egg that he won in a card game. He named it Norbert. He still comes to visit him about three times a year," Charlie told the story with mirth in his voice and a shake of his head, that Hagrid was going to raise a dragon. What was the world coming to? Harry's family had two dragons that had bonded with it! Now one of them had asked for Angelica!

Walking around the corner of the castle, they could see that Hagrid had a large fire going and there were two large shapes laying on the ground next to the fire.

"Evening Hagrid!" Charlie called out.

"Evenin' Charlie!" Hagrid called back to him.

"I see that you have found two misplaced dragons!" Charlie complimented him.

"Aye, that I did. They was just layin' 'round by the stairs an' people were getting kinda scared of 'em an all. I recognised Uasal an I guess dis one is 'er son. So I brough' 'em down 'ere an' we built dis fire so 'ey could stay warm. I figure' someone would come lookin' for 'em, sooner or later. An now 'ere you are!" Hagrid told him. "Evenin' Ced, Cici."

"Good evening Hagrid," they said in unison.

"An' who's this 'ine lady that you 'ave wit cha tonight Charlie?" asked Hagrid with a smile on his face. He had noticed that they both were wearing dragon rider's uniforms.

"This is Angelica, she's Cici's mum. She'll be riding Uasal back to Romania while I ride Car-baun," Said Charlie.

Looking at Cici, Hagrid said, "'ell I can see where ya 'et your goo' looks from," putting a wink in there for fun.

Angelica stepped forward to look up at the half-giant, "Hi, my name is Angelica, since no one around here seems to remember their manners," mock glaring at the others, "I'm Cecilia's mother."

"'Ello, Angelica, I'm 'agrid. I'm the Care o' Magical Creatures Perfessor 'ere at 'ogwarts. Pleased to meet cha," he said sticking his massive hand out to her.

"Pleased to meet you too," she said as she carefully took his huge hand. Thankfully he was very gentle with his grip. The last thing she needed was to have her hand crushed so she couldn't perform surgery anymore.

"So, wha' are ya doin' wit dis miscreant?" Hagrid said, jerking his thumb at Charlie, mirth lacing his voice.

"Charlie and I are seeing each other, and he invited me to spend some time with him at the dragon reserve," she told him truthfully.

Turning to look at Charlie, "'ell she's 'ot to be a 'retty good 'irl ta like dragons and all. Most are scared of 'em, well 'xcept Hermione," Hagrid said almost sadly.

"Yes, she is," Charlie told Hagrid "How long have they been sleeping?" Charlie asked looking at the peaceful dragons. Something here about letting sleeping dragons lie?

"O' 'ey've been sleepin' e'er since 'ey 'ot back 'rom 'unting. Maybe 'bout three 'ours or so," Hagrid said as he tried to remember. He had been sitting there tending the fire and reminiscing so he wasn't really sure. It's not like he wears a watch. They don't make them that big!

"Okay, we'll just let them sleep and come back down here in the morning. Thank you, Hagrid, for watching over them. If you wake up before we do, and the dragons have awoken, could you please tell them that we will be back in the morning?" Charlie asked of his big friend.

"'Ure, I can a do that for ya," said Hagrid. "'ave a goo' night!"

"Thank you, Hagrid. You too," Charlie bid him good night.

The others bid Hagrid a good night also, and they turned to walk back up to the castle.

"Think we can get a room in this place for the night?" Charlie thought out loud.

"You can stay in the extra room in our quarters," Cedric volunteered.

"Let's run it past your Head of House, so we don't make any trouble for you," Charlie said.

"Okay, do you want Cici and her mum to head to our quarters while I show you to Professor Vectors office?" Cedric asked him.

"It's up to the girls if they want to come with us or just head to the room," Charlie told him.

"Why don't we head to the room Cici. That way no one will start getting suspicious about things. Then we can leave just after breakfast. Do you and Ced still run every morning?" Angelica asked hopefully. She had been keeping up with her exercise routine and had lost some weight. The dragon rider's uniform wouldn't show it, but she had lost a good amount of weight.

"Yes, we still run every morning and still stick to our morning routine. Did you leave any clothes at Cedric's parent's house?" asked Cici.

"Yes, I left a few clothes there. Why?" she asked.

"I can ask Maco to take you to your room at their house, and you can get some of your things, and bring them back here," Cici explained to her.

"Oh, that would be wonderful!" she exclaimed.

The group stopped where it was not well lit.

"Maco," Cici called out.

Pop! "Yes, my Lady," Maco said with a bow.

"Maco, would you please take my mom to her room in the Potter Mansion so she can get some of her things? And then when she is ready could you please bring her back to our married quarters here at Hogwarts?" Cici asked the small elf.

"Yes, my Lady. I can do that for her," Maco held out her small hand and waited for Angelica to take hold. Pop! They were gone.

Ced and Cici intertwined their fingers together as they led Charlie to Professor Vector's office.

After clearing the sleepover with Professor Vector, they made their way back to their quarters. In the common room, Charlie ran into Rose. They exchanged a big hug and pleasantries.

As they broke apart, Rose looked at Cici, "Kitten is mad at you for some reason." She told them.

Cici's eyebrows scrunched up in thought, "Oh, my! We told Kitten that we would join her for dinner tonight!" Cici said wide-eyed. "Ced, let me go up and apologise to her. I'll meet you in our room," a distressed Cici told them.

As Cici ran up the stairs to apologise to Daphne, Ced and Charlie went up the stairs into their room. As they cleared the top of the stairs, they met Angelica. With an arm full of clothes.

"I was just going to dump these on the bed when you showed up," she said as she batted her eyelashes at Charlie.

"Let's go see our bed first," Charlie told her. "Yup, just what I thought." With a wave of his wand, Charlie enlarged the single bed into a queen-sized bed. He looked around the room and spotted what had to be the loo with the door ajar. He also noticed a small walk-in closet. "There you go, babe. You can sort through your clothes there. I will just borrow some more from Ced and transfigure them as needed," he told her giving her a peck on the lips. He turned and headed back out of the room to get some clothes from Cedric.

"Hey, Ced! Do you think that you could loan me some more clothes? Cici's mum made it back, and I realised that I only have the clothes on my back," Charly asked him optimistically.

"Sure, come on in," pointing at the closet he told him, "pick what you want, and I have some underwear still in the packaging if you need it. I have socks that are still in the packaging also," Ced told him eagerly.

"Thanks, you're a real lifesaver!" Charlie told him as he sorted through the clothes. He opened the underwear and took out two pairs, he did the same with the socks.

As Charlie was walking back across the common room of the quarters he met Cici at the top of the stairs. "I see that Ced helped you out."

"Yes, he did, and thank you again," Charlie told her with heartfelt gratitude.

"Did my mom make it back yet?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, she's in the extra room. She should be finished sorting through her clothes by now, I would think. She brought back an armload of clothes," Charlie answered her.

She followed Charlie into the room, and her mother had her clothes sorted on the bed. Bras were in one small pile, her knickers in another, she had a couple of changes of workout clothes, and she had remembered to grab a set of trainers for the run in the morning. She had already changed into a form-hugging nightie, that positively emphasised her feminine assets.

"Mom! You've lost weight!" squealed Cici bouncing up and down waving her hands excitedly.

"I know! And I've gotten stronger! I'll be able to keep up with you and Ced tomorrow on your run!" she said as she bounced up and down and waved her hands excitedly as well.

Cici gave her mom a congratulatory hug and as she clasped her, "I love you mom, and I'm very happy for you also. I've never seen you this happy before," she whispered softly in her ear.

"Thank you, mija. I am happy. This is one of the best things to have ever happened to me, other than having you," her mom whispered back to her.

Cici released her mom and as she headed for the door, "Good night you two! Don't do anything that we wouldn't do!" she said just before closing their bedroom door. She walked across the room and into her bedroom, eyeing her husband lying on the bed, "Want to take a shower with me?"

"Want to take a bath instead?" he offered back.

"Sure, I could do with a nice long soak in the tub," she agreed to his proposal.

Ced got up and moved to his wife. With a flick of his hand, the bedroom door closed softly and locked. Slowly he started undressing the brown-skinned black-haired witch in front of him. She returned the favour, undoing the buttons on his school uniform. With her uniform shirt fully unbuttoned, it hung there exposing her front closing bra. She peeled his shirt off of him, letting it fall to the floor. He reached across the small distance separating them and unclasped the bra holding her magnificent breasts. With a practised touch, he had the bra undone swiftly, freeing her breasts from the imprisonment of the brazier. He moved his hands to slide her shirt off her shoulders letting it fall to the carpeted floor below. She reached over to undo the belt holding his pants, as it fell open she undid the clasp holding his pants, followed by unzipping his fly. As his pants hit the floor, Cedric slipped his feet out of his shoes and stepped out of the pile of clothes around his ankles. He returned the favour by undoing the clasp on her school skirt, then unzipping it allowing it to join the rest of her clothes at her ankles. She too, slipped her feet out of her heels, stepping down to be much shorter than her bond-mate. Kneeling before her man, she helped him slip his socks off of his feet, then she hooked her thumbs into his underwear and pulled the waistband open far enough to clear his heavy equipment. He, in turn, hooked his thumbs inside of her waistband and slid her skimpy panties off of her hips and down to her ankles. Holding her knickers, he allowed her to step out of them one foot at a time. As he rose from kneeling before his wife, he lifted her easily, she wrapped her arms around his neck and then her legs around his waist. With a passionate kiss, she told him how much she loved him. It was in this way that he carried her to the filling tub. Stepping down into the warm water, they never broke their love-filled kiss. Stepping to the bottom of the tub, Ced was able to sit down and lean back while Cici sat in his lap facing him with her legs still wrapped around his waist. Moving his hands, so his arms were now around her waist she broke the kiss and leaned back into to the length of her arms, holding him by his neck. She lay there admiring this good-looking man that the creator had given her to take care of. He stared back at her thinking how lucky he was that she was part of his life. Again, she hugged him tight, and he kissed her almost harshly, their tongues touching and flicking, their arms holding tight, their bodies pressed together in passion. Slowly they came up for air, Cici pushed herself away and unclasped her legs from around him, moving back she raised one leg vertically letting her spin around without ever leaving him. He spread his legs as she settled in, facing away from him, he wrapped his strong legs loosely around her. As she lay back against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her torso, her ample breasts resting on his forearms. It was this way that they stayed for a long time, their minds fully open to the other, no secrets, nothing hidden, their love and emotions travelling back and forth through the link that they were given. Contentment and satisfaction overtaking them as they just sat there and soaked in the huge tub of warm water. It was sometime later when Ced opened his eyes to realise they had fallen asleep. Unwrapping himself from around her, he carefully scooped her into his arms not wanting to wake her. He flicked a finger to get the tub to start draining as he carried her up and out of the tub. When he reached the floor level, he cast drying spells on them and then on their hair. He cast another detangling spell on her hair so that it would not be so tangled in the morning. With another flick of a finger, the bed turned down so he could lay her in bed softly, so as to not wake her. He walked around and climbed in next to her, and as if by instinct she crawled up on to him in her normal sleeping position, his arm found its way to wrap around her, holding her in place, where she was meant to be. With a kiss on the top of her head, Cedric drifted off to sleep. They slept all night with their mental link fully open, so his dreams became her dreams, and her dreams became his dreams, then there was no more his and hers it became their dream.

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 **A/N: Please review! At this point, I have gone back over chapters 1-12 and reposted them with needed corrections and additional wording. Thank you all again!**

 **Revised again 01.09.2018**

 **And again 12.31.2018**


	13. Year Three Chapter 13

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 13

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The next several weeks at school had been easy for Ced and Cici, all of the attention was focused on Daphne, the Girl-Who-Lived. She was the recipient, of all of the unwanted attention and stares. The whispers everywhere she went. People moving out of her way as she walked down the halls. The silence as she would pass them, in the hall or enter into a classroom. The Great Hall would fall silent, then burst forth in a flood of whispers, as she would find a seat. Some people would choose to sit next to her and others would get up and move away from her. Her friends, Willow and Solaria, would sit with her so she wouldn't have to face all of the scrutinies alone. Professor McGonagall watched it all play out at every meal in front of her.

It was after dinner one night when Ced and Cici caught up with her as she was returning to the Gryffindor common room. "Hey Kitten, hold up!" Ced called to his younger sister. Kitten and Willow stopped and turned at the summoning.

"Hi, Ced. Hi Cici, what do you need?" Kitten asked touchily.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if you could talk to us in our quarters?" Ced asked her chipperly.

"Oh, okay," she sighed, "but I have a lot of work to do. I have essays in three classes, including potions." She snapped back at them. All of this fame was wearing on her.

"Well, maybe we can help you with that." Cici offered her optimistically.

Willow gave the password for the portrait, which swung aside willingly. Once in the common room, all of the talking stopped.

"I'll meet you upstairs to finish our homework," Willow told her. The concern for her friend was strong. She also knew that her brother wouldn't do anything to harm her or agitate her.

Cici gave the passphrase to enter their room, and they filed up the stairs. At the top, Kitten fell into a chair, fatigued from all of the stresses of being famous.

"Are you okay Lil sys?" Cici asked her, very concerned now that she could see how tired she was.

"Maco," Kitten called.

Pop, "Yes Mistress Kitten?" Maco asked with a bow.

"May I have a Vitamix potion please?" Kitten asked the elf.

"Just one moment please," Maco said just before disappearing.

A moment later, pop! "Here's a potion for you, Miss Kitten," Maco said looking at the tired girl.

"Thank you, Maco," Kitten said before she downed the whole potion. Moments later she was looking much better.

"Kitten, how is it that the curse didn't kill you?" Cedric asked her getting to the point of the visit, and what had been eating at him for weeks.

"It's simple. The curse never touched me. If it had, then it would have killed me. It never touched Synthia either, or it would have killed her too." Kitten explained to them.

"But, we saw you catch the curse, then use your wand to throw it," Cici said, her face all creased in thought.

"Yes, I did catch the curse, but it never touched my skin. I was using a shield to protect me from it. A shield doesn't have to be out in front of you. It can be all around you at the same time. Kind of like when you turned your robes into a shield when you fought Thompson and Nott," Kitten explained using an example that she could relate to.

"Okay, I can see that. So, your shield was right next to your skin." Cici said in confirmation.

"Yes, it was maybe three millimetres from my skin," Kitten confirmed her thoughts.

"You said that it would have killed Synthia. How would it have killed your wand? A wand is an inanimate object," Ced asked her.

"Synthia's alive. Not like you and I are alive, but she's a living thing that works for me. That's why she's so powerful. It's also why she will never work for anyone but me. A couple of my roommates had found that out the hard way when they tried sneaking her off to use. Madam Pomfrey was able to help them some, but their arms were numbed for a couple of days after they tried to take her." Kitten said with a smirk.

"You're telling us that your wand is alive?" Ced asked to confirm what he had been told.

"Yes, yours is also, just not like Synthia is alive. That's why, when Cici beat the other guys in combat, that their wands switched allegiances." Kitten explained to him. Was he really this thick?

"WOW! I just never thought of my wand as being alive. But I guess that it makes sense, how can something switch sides, if there's not some sort of life in it, the magical core, the wood that it's made of, and then the magic used to make them work together." Ced thought out loud.

"I'm going to go do my homework now," Daphne said as she arose from her chair. The Vitamix potion was in full effect now. The kids all exchanged hugs and Daphne went down the stairs to exit her brother's quarters.

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That night as Ced and Cici were sleeping, they shared a dream. Together in their dream, they could walk up to see Daphne catching the curse that should have killed her. Looking at it through their dream they could slow everything down and then they could examine everything in the finest detail. Together they saw how the curse wasn't touching her like she described. They saw how it never touched her wand, and they watched again, how she was able to pull the curse out of the Auror's chest. They also saw that she had made it more painful than it needed to be by the look on her face. She was exacting revenge for what he had tried.

The dream changed and they were back in the shipping container with all of the girls that were to be sold into slavery. Cici was healing the girls as quickly as she could, but there was the one that she wasn't able to heal. She was inside, and the action was outside, she was taking care of the girls, but she knew that her mate could use her help. She felt his excitement and his nervousness, just as he felt her powerlessness at not being in the fight and not being able to heal the last girl. Then his mum arrived and helped her heal the girl.

And again, the dream changed to when Nott had tried to attack her, and her robes absorbed the hex he shot at her. Then, she was standing in front of the Auror, the two dragons flanking the group of Aurors, Harry and Hermione on one side of her, Cathaoir next to her, Ced and Kitten on the other side, she watched as the lead Auror shot the killing curse at her. She watched as the curse closed in, ever so slowly it closed the distance straight for her chest, it touched her robes and kept coming.

With a gasp! Cici bolted upright, wide awake in their bed, her hand over where the curse should have hit her. Ced was awake also having shared the dream with her. She realised that she didn't know the spell that Kitten had used. There was no known shield spell that could protect someone from the killing curse. That's what made it an unforgivable curse, there was no protection from it. But there was, she'd seen it, her sister-in-law used it, but did she even know what the spell was? Cici doubted that Daphne even knew the name of the shield spell that she'd used to protect herself from the Auror. Magic for Kitten was instinctual, not thought out, it was who she is, she didn't have to think about what spell she should use, she just did it. She wasn't at Hogwarts to learn to do magic, she was there to learn the social skills needed to survive in society. The magical teaching in class wasn't even a challenge, it was the writing that drove her around the bend. It was having to deal with the other students that made the girl mental most days. Cici guessed that growing up with Cathaoir had its advantages. As far as she could see, she had thousands of years of research she needed to do to find that shield spell. If Kitten had gotten her nickname from Cathaoir, and she had slept, from the time that she was a baby, in Cathaoirs arms as he slept. Did Kitten and Cathaoir share dreams like she and Cedric had started sharing dreams? Had Kitten absorbed the knowledge she had, from the shared consciousness with Cathaoir unknowingly as they slept?

Cici looked at the clock, and they still had three hours before they needed to get up for their morning routine. They both lay back down and closed their eyes. Sleep didn't come easy for them this time. Cici's mind was racing now. Her thoughts were keeping Ced awake.

" _Babe, I'm going to put up my mental shields now and try and get a little more sleep."_ Ced thought to her.

" _That's fine babe, I can't blame you. It's just this shield spell! Arh!"_ Cici thought.Cici knew how she was going to spend Saturday night.

With the comforting weight of Cici back on him, the quiet in his mind, Ced drifted off to sleep. Right on time, he opened his eyes to find his beautiful wife asleep on him.

"Mi Amor, time to get up," Ced told the sleeping witch.

"Just five more minutes, that's all I ask." She answered him.

He slipped out from under her to take care of his morning needs. As he exited the loo, he found his workout clothes laying on the made bed. With a passing kiss, Cici entered the loo.

" _I think that I need to look into Merlin's work."_ She thought to him. _"I think that's where I'll find the spell. He was, the most powerful wizard in history? Correct?"_ she asked in thought.

" _I think so."_ Ced thought. _"We have his books and his diaries. Plus, we can ask Edmund and the rest for help with this."_ He finished.

" _I think that I'm going to ask Ade to set the time difference to four months to the hour. That should give me enough time_ to find what I'm looking for." Cici said as she exited the loo.

Quickly she dressed for the morning workout. Neville should be waiting for them this morning.

They met up with Rose, Fred, George, and Angel in the common room. The group made their way down to the Black Lake. They made use of the brisk walk to warm their muscles, to avoid any injuries. At the lake, they were in for a double surprise, Luna had accompanied Neville for their workout. Greetings were exchanged all around, and conversations were held as they ran around the lake. Once back to the starting point at the lone tree by the lake. They all looked around before portkeying to the chambers.

The work out that Neville had for them was gruelling. Cici enjoyed sparing with Luna and found her techniques to be challenging. Neville and Ced had an exciting sparing match also. Neville wasn't a match for Ced's raw power, but he had years of experience to draw upon to drag the match out to the buzzer. They had chosen to use timed matches so they wouldn't run over into class time.

It was a happy, sweaty group that downed their Vitamix potions before heading to their individual showers.

Just before Ced and Cici left for their room, Neville asked them to stay for a moment. "So, I hear that there was some excitement the other day. Something about Daphne and some Aurors." He hinted.

"Yeah, some Aurors tried to take Daphne against her will," Ced told him. Where was Uncle Neville going with this?

"Yeah, that's what I heard. I also heard that she summoned a couple of dragons?"

"Yeah, she summoned Uasal and Car-baun."

"Somebody else told me that Daphne caught the killing curse?"

"Yes, she did."

"How'd she do that? The only person in history to have survived the killing curse is your dad and well, Cedric. But he didn't get hit directly by the curse itself, it brushed past him, just missing him.

"My dad survived the killing curse? When did that happen?"

"When he was a baby, his mum protected him with her body, her life, and her love. It was her love that saved your dad."

"Wow, I've never heard that. So that's why he was an orphan."

"Yes, but the question now is, how did Daphne survive the killing curse?"

"She told us that she used a shield spell," Cici told him.

"She used a shield spell? But, there aren't any shield spells that can protect you from the killing curse. That's why it's an unforgivable curse."

"That's what we said, then she explained to us that the spell never touched her skin. That her shield was right next to her skin, not out in front of her like most people think of a shield." Cici replied.

In awe, Luna said, "She used _protego pudicitiam,_ a shield of purity, only a person who is pure, could ever use that kind of shield, the slightest impure thought and it would never work. I doubt that there is another child that is strong enough, magic wise, that could ever use it. I know for sure that there's not an adult alive that could use that type of spell, one wrong thought and you're done."

Cici gave Luna a hug goodbye, then they portkeyed to their room.

"It was great to see Luna again," Cici said as she stripped out of her sweat-soaked clothes.

"I agree, it was great to see her again," Ced answered from in the shower.

Stepping in behind him, Cici commented, "She has a unique fighting style."

"She does, I think that she draws people in with her frail looks. They try to go for the easy kill," answered Ced. As he began to lather up his sweaty wife.

"You're right. She does try to draw you in with that frail little me thing, she has working for her. She's a lot tougher than she looks," Cici said as she raised her arms.

"She's also faster than people might think," Ced told her as she wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him avidly.

Ced returned the kiss, as she started using her whole soapy body to wash his. He raised his arms, and she washed the rest of him. They each washed their own hair and rinsed off. Checking the time, they chose to use drying spells so they wouldn't miss breakfast with their friends.

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Ced and Cici sat on the side of the table with their backs against the wall, they could look out over the Great Hall, watching the social interactions going on. Daphne sat next to Ced, with her friends Willow and Solaria on the other side of her.

"Kitten, I want to try something," Ced whispered to her.

"What's that?" she whispered back to him.

"I want to try legilimency on the Weasel," Ced told her.

"What are you going to try to do to him?" she asked quietly. This could be fun, if it works, she thought.

"Watch, I'm going to try and make him believe that there's a spider on his back," Ced told her softly. He didn't need to get caught doing this.

Carefully he focused on his target, then he felt himself slip into the chaotic thoughts that were the Weasel. It was in there that he planted the thought that a spider was crawling up his back, under his robes.

"You did it!" an ecstatic Kitten whispered to her big brother.

"Shh, stay calm, we don't want to attract the attention of the professors," Ced admonished her. "If we do, then we'll get detention!"

The Weasel started squirming in his seat, then he stood up so fast that he knocked the chair over in his crazed desire to shake the spider off of his back. The rest of the students watched, as one of the least liked students in school, started doing the dance of a nutter, as he tried to strip his robes off, to rid himself of an imaginary spider.

Kitten started to laugh at him so hard that her ribs hurt. Willow and Solaria had joined in the laughter as she watched her cousin acting like a nutter, stripping his clothes off in front of the professors. Percy Jr. looked at his cousin as if he had gone bonkers. He tried to help him, but he was moving too much to do anything to help.

All the Weasel kept saying was "Get it off! Get it off!"

"Get what off?" the older Weasley asked him.

"Get it off of me!" a frantic cousin told him.

"It's there! It's there! I can feel it crawling on me!" Ron Jr. told his older cousin as he stripped his shirt off.

"Professor Slughorn, I suggest that you see to your student before he becomes completely undressed!" scolded the Headmistress.

"Right away, Headmistress!" he said with a smirk on his lips.

With Ron Jr. unable to be calmed down, Professor Slughorn used a weak stunning spell so they could transport him to the hospital wing in his boxers. He tasked Percy Jr. to bring the rest of his clothes that were scattered around.

As Professor McGonagall scanned the student body, her eyes settled on Kitten, Solaria, and Willow. All of them had turned bright pink, from the laughing they had done. She made eye contact with Mr Potter who just smiled back at her. She returned a small quick smile.

As Ced looked across the hall, he could see Flint looking at him with a hard-cold stare. He resisted the urge to try poking around inside of that mind.

As Daphne got up to leave, she leaned over and gave Ced a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, I needed that!" she whispered in his ear. Grabbing her bookbag, she turned and left with her friends, for the doors.

" _That went well,"_ Cici thought to her mate.

" _Better than expected."_

" _I'm glad that Kitten liked it."_

" _Me too, are you ready to leave?"_

" _Yes, just keep an eye on Flint. He's been watching you all morning,"_ she warned him.

With a kiss, Ced stood up and held Cici's chair for her. She gave him a kiss on the lips, to say thank you for the love and respect he showed her. Then the rest of their friends joined them as they headed to start their day.

.

.

"They're inseparable."

"You need to figure out how to separate them then."

"But how do you separate the inseparable?"

"I don't care how you separate them. But if I don't get what I want, you're not going to get what you want."

"I know that you have been after this for a long time. It's just now that our desires have aligned."

"Don't speak to me of desire! It wasn't until you came to me, that you didn't know of waiting!"

"But I have waited!"

"You don't know what waiting is! What you have been waiting, is nothing! I have been waiting since before you were!"

"I understand that you have been patient and your patience shall payoff!"

"It had better payoff! Or you will never get what you desire! Now leave before we are seen together."

.

The group of friends had separated with the girls walking on one side and the guys walking on the other.

As they passed the loo, Cici released Ced's hand, "The girls and I need to use the restroom." Cici told Ced quietly.

Giggling the girls walked into the loo as a pack.

"So, what shoes are you wearing today?" one of the girls asked.

"Oh! They're so pretty!" said another girl's voice dreamily.

"And you're wearing nylons too?" the first girl's voice said.

The guys moved across the hall away from the entrance to the girl's loo. They leaned against the wall as they waited.

"When do you think that they're going to start having Quidditch again?" Fred asked the group.

"Cici and I have been too busy to have even thought about Quidditch," Ced answered as he shook his head.

Quidditch was how they met. He had even gotten her a new International Standard Quidditch broom for Christmas. If it weren't for the classes in the house, they wouldn't have even done any flying.

"I don't know, with the Slytherins out of the lineup because so many of their team being suspended." George thought out loud.

"Well, with the Hufflepuff's. You do know that our team captain isn't really happy with Ced and Cici right now." Fred said gloomily. He really likes Quidditch, he liked watching it, and he liked playing it.

"I don't know, I think that your legs are looking pretty good, Rose!" Angel said as the girls exited the loo.

Rose and Angel had both taken to wearing their heels at school also. With their robes cut for wearing with trainers, the robes showed their heels off nicely.

.

.

Ced and Cici kept a watch on Flint, he just stared at them emotionlessly. He just stared at them.

Friday at dinner, Candi Candlestock and Janice Johnson both tried to join Ced and Cici for dinner at the Gryffindor table. One took a seat next to Ced, and the other took a seat next to Cici.

"Hi! We just came over to see how the most romantic couple in Hogwarts was doing!" Candlestock started telling Cici, even though she was sitting next to Cedric.

"Yes, we just want to know how you two do it!" Johnson said. "I mean, we always see you two kissing and holding hands and all."

"Soo, what's your secret? Is it these big strong muscles?" Candlestock said as she grabbed Ced's arm and started squeezing.

As soon as she grabbed him, Ced's reaction was to jerk his arm back. When he did so, his pumpkin juice was spilt and running towards him. He knocked his chair over as he stood up to avoid getting the juice on himself.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Candlestock as she grabbed a napkin and started trying to dry him off. The juice just running on the floor of the hall. She was rubbing him across his belly and crotch, drawing attention to the disturbance in the hall. Ced again tried to step back, away from the annoying girl, who just kept following him like a pest.

Cici had turned in her seat to follow what was happening with Candlestock and her mate. Ced was still backing away from the scene of the incident, he was now about two chairs from where it had happened, and the girl was still trying to rub his crotch. Cici ejected her wand and turned to _scourgify_ the mess that had been made.

"Stop, just STOP!" Ced told the girl harshly that was hunched over in front of his crotch, reaching to rub him again. He jumped back to put some distance between her and himself. "Just go sit back down." He told her. He ejected his wand and cast a _scourgify_ on himself also.

With a whimper, Candlestock returned to the seat she had taken. Ced walked back to his seat and righted the chair so he could sit down again.

" _Watch your drink babe,"_ Cici thought to him _. "Mine's been poisoned."_

" _Thank you. These two blithering idiots. Let's keep them here and find out as much as we can. Then modify their memories to make them believe that they have succeeded in their task."_ Ced thought back to his wife. Ced gave Cici a thank you kiss before turning his attention and his mind on Candlestock.

Cici turned to face Johnson and focused her conversation and mind on her.

Ced focused his thoughts on Candlestock's mind, and she became silent. He started digging through her memories and learned that she had been enlisted by Johnson to help get Cici out of the way for another girl that liked Cedric, but she didn't know who that other girl was. Cedric planted the memory that all had gone as planned and that he nor Cici had any idea that it was all a rouse. He slipped out of her mind and started laughing as if she had just told him something funny. She looked bewildered but laughed along with him for no other reason than she felt she should.

Cici had dug into Johnson's memories, her mind was a little harder than Candlestock's. As she found the correct memory, she learned that Johnson had been recruited by another, to help get her out of the way, so the mystery girl could have an easier time getting to Cedric. The strange thing was, is that it was a male's voice that had recruited her to poison Cici's drink. The thing that upset her the most was that Johnson had poured Drought of Living Death into her pumpkin juice, she had poured the whole vial in, not just the couple of drops needed to do the job. If she had drunk her juice, it would have killed her from an overdose. When she had finished, she planted the false memory. _"Babe, you need to stun me after I pretend to take a drink of my juice. They used a full vial of Living Death in my juice. We need to make this look real so we can find out who's behind this."_ Cici thought to Ced.

" _Okay, Mi Amor. When I place my hand on your back, I will stun you. Don't even let a drop of juice enter your mouth!"_ Ced thought back to her.

Ced turned in his chair to face Cici as she raised her drink to her lips. She almost sat the drink down when Ced reached over and placed his hand on her back and stunned the strikingly beautiful witch. She dropped to the floor amongst the gasps of those around them. As he called out to her, he noticed Johnson and Candlestock were drifting away through the crowd of students that gathering around. Carefully he wiped her lips to make sure none of the poison would enter her system.

Loudly, he called out to her, "Cici! Cici! Answer me! What's wrong with you?" Shaking her, he asked again and again.

Then he scooped her up in his arms, holding her tightly against himself, and told no one in particular that he was going to take her to the hospital wing. With her in his arms, she flopped around like someone close to death completing the desired illusion. As he turned around, he made sure to knock the glass off the table with her feet. He rushed out of the hall as fast as he could. The Great Hall was all abuzz with chatter as they watched him carry her lifeless body away.

With Cici still stunned, he entered the Hospital Wing, calling for Madam Pomfrey. As the Matron rushed over to them, Professors Vector and McGonagall joined them. As Ced lay Cici on a bed, Madam Pomfrey started with her diagnostic spells. When the two professors were next to him, Ced cast privacy charms around all of them, to keep what he was going to tell them quiet.

" _Rennervate,"_ he said. "I'm sorry, she was only stunned."

The older witches looked at him with anger in their eyes, like he was playing a joke in bad taste.

"I needed to stun her to make the illusion believable. Johnson poured a full vial of Living Death into her pumpkin juice. Candlestock was there to create a distraction so Johnson could get the job done. Cici and I modified their memories to believe that they had succeeded in getting Cici away from me," Cedric explained quickly.

"Well Mr Potter, while I don't agree with you and Mrs Potter practising legilimency, I am glad that no one was injured or killed today," the stern Scottish witch told them.

"How, do you propose to keep the illusion going?" Professor Vector asked. "As soon as they see Mrs Potter walking around the halls they are going to know that it didn't work."

"If there isn't a body here in the Hospital Wing they're going to know that it didn't work also," Madam Pomfrey added.

"I could stay in our quarters and not be seen," Cici started, "Couldn't we transfigure something to look like me and leave it behind curtains here in the hospital?" Cici added as she looked at the adults.

"Right now, I'm just glad that the spell that my mum taught us worked. It saved Cici's life," Cedric said as he closed the distance between him and Cici. Then he gave her a hug of I almost lost you. The full effect of what had almost happened had not hit either of them yet.

Professor McGonagall looked at the other two adults, and they all nodded. "That will be acceptable. Mr Potter will need to play his part of the grieving boyfriend well. Now, all that we need to worry about is getting Mrs Potter from here to her quarters."

"We have that covered," Cici told the Headmistress.

With one arched eye, Professor McGonagall looked at her in silence.

Choosing not to let her know that they could portkey inside the school, Cici chose instead to call, "Maco," and pop!

"Yes, my Lady," the elf said with a bow.

"Maco can help me get back and forth from the hospital wing to the married quarters, as needed," Cici told them.

Looking around, Ced was getting frustrated that there was nothing to transfigure into Cici. At first, he thought of the pillow, then he discarded that thought because he would need the pillow for her head, two separate objects, then he thought of the sheet, the same problem, finally he said, "Cici, give me your school robes."

"Please?" she said looking at him, a smirk creeping on to her face, ever so slowly.

"Please?" he said matching her, smirk for a smirk, eye contact for eye contact.

She unbuttoned most of the buttons, then she peeled the robe off over her head, revealing her nylons and shapely legs. The other witches noticed that she was also wearing a set of black heels.

Ced pulled the top sheet down so he could cover the transfigured robes. After dropping the robes in a heap on the hospital bed, Cici smoothed her school uniform skirt back down to cover her legs. Ced used his wand and transfigured the robes into an exact duplicate of his loving wife sleeping peacefully. He then covered her up to complete the illusion.

"Twenty-five points to Gryffindor! For an excellent use of transfiguration," Professor McGonagall said with a smile on her face.

"Thank you, Aunt Minerva," Ced responded with a blush showing on his cheeks.

"Mrs Potter, it's time for you to go. Mr Potter, it is Professor McGonagall here at school," she told him with a small smile. "and it is time for you to walk back to your quarters," the Headmistress informed the students.

Ced pulled Cici into a hug and a kiss. "I'll see you in a few minutes, Mi Amor." He told her "I'll have to deal with the common room before I return to our quarters also. There are going to be a lot of questions."

With a wave of his wand, all of the privacy spells were cancelled, and he started walking to the common room, alone for the first time in months. He heard the slight pop and knew that she was already there waiting for him. She could still be in his head, but she wasn't by his side. He started to feel the loneliness of being single again. Funny, when he was single he never felt this way. Just as he hit the doors of the Hospital Wing, their group of friends were entering.

"Is she okay?"

"Can we see her?"

"What happened?"

"What'd they do to her? If they hurt her, I'm going to hex them!"

"Are you okay?"

"What'd they want?"

"Where are you going?"

"Shouldn't you be staying here?"

"Are they going to suspend them?"

"They should get expelled for hurting Cici like that!"

"Hey! Hey! Hey, I will answer all of your questions in the common room." Ced told them. "And yes, she is okay. I got her here just in time, and Madam Pomfrey is taking care of her. She is resting peacefully. But we don't know what kind of potion that they used on her or how much."

"That witch! I swear on Godric's grave that if anything happens to her!" Rose said getting angrier by the moment. Her face, and neck turning a dark, angry red.

"What are we going to do to get back at her?" George asked almost as red as his cousin.

Looking at George, Ced told him, "I read somewhere that revenge is a dish best served cold. After we've calmed down and can think clearly. Then we'll plan something out. We don't even know who all was involved in this attack." _"Daphne is the one that we need to worry about. If she gets mad and gets it in her head, then all hell is going to pay,"_ Ced thought to Cici.

They talked more on the walk back to the common room. Ced kept the mental link open so Cici could at least listen to the conversation. It was nice not having secrets Ced thought.

" _It is nice not having secrets from you. I think that having secrets is one of the things that tore my parents apart."_ Cici thought back to him. Her love for him flowing through the link.

" _It's lonely not having you here by my side as I walk through the school. Even though all of our friends are with me, it's not the same. I know that you're here with me in my head, but I can't reach out and touch you."_ He thought to her.

He realised that his heart was starting to ache for her. There was a hollowness in his chest that was growing, and he didn't like the feel of that. The loneliness was creeping up on him, even though he was surrounded by people, he realised that he could be surrounded by all of the people in the world, and he would still be alone because the only one that mattered wasn't where she belonged.

For her part, Cici had taken to pacing in their quarters. The hollowness in her chest was borderline painful. She felt like a caged animal, denied that whom she needed. Couldn't he walk any faster? Why was he going so slowly? Couldn't he tell that she needed him? How could she need someone so desperately? How can this hurt so much? She lifted her hand she had covering her heart and looked, just to make sure that no one had cut her heart out of her, she just had to make sure it was still there.

Finally, they made it to the common room. As expected it was full of people with questions. She could hear everything that was happening. Really? You're asking the same question for the third time? After what seemed like an eternity, but was only close to an hour, Ced told them that he was going to go to sleep.

"Daphne," Ced called to his sister. "I need to speak to you in private please."

"Okay." She said calmly. "What do you want?"

"Not here. In my quarters," he told her, as he looked around.

He gathered his and Cici's bookbags and stood up to go to the entrance of his quarters.

"Wait for me, don't go up the stairs yet." He told her as he waited for the gryphon to close behind him.

When he cleared the top of the stairs, he was assaulted by a black-haired missile. She was on him and had almost knocked him back down the stairs. She grabbed him and pulled him forcefully down for a smouldering kiss.

"What took you so long! They kept asking the same questions over and over! How thick can they be?" Cici complained.

This forced separation was so hard! It was the hardest thing that they had ever had to do! The voluntary separations weren't any fun, but this was painful!

"Oh! Hi Kitten!" Cici said brightly. She bent down and drew the little witch into a huge hug.

"I wanted to alleviate any fears that she may have had, about your safety and health," Ced told her. "I don't need my little sister going out there and exacting revenge," he finished looking at Kitten. "We're trying to catch the person that wants Cici out of the way so they can get to me," he told his sister. "Promise me that you won't tell anyone that Cici is okay and staying in our quarters. We need them to believe that she is still in the Hospital Wing. Kitten, they were so stupid that they used a whole vial of Draught of Living Death in her pumpkin juice!" Ced started explaining to her. "This could take several weeks, but we're hoping that it will only take a few days."

Kitten nodded her head in agreement. She stayed and talked to them for a little more before she headed off to change clothes. Ced and Cici both thought that was a good idea and changed into more comfortable clothing themselves.

Just as they were about to lay down on the couch together, Ced asked Cici, "Do you want to go into the house for the night?"

"Is this a trick question?" she replied, getting back to her feet.

They returned to their bedroom and wished to enter the house.

.

.

Stepping out of the entry circle they were met by Ade.

"Hello Cedric and Cecilia, how are you this evening?" Ade asked in her ethereal voice.

"We're doing fine now, Ade," Cici answered her. "Ade, would it be possible to spend twenty-four months in here and return us in the morning?" asked Cici.

"You have nine hours? Correct?" Ade confirmed with her.

"Yes," Cici replied.

"Yes, I will set the time to three months to the hour and return you on time in the morning," Ade said, her head cocking to the side.

"I would like to talk with Edmund for a while also. Is he available?" Cici asked.

"Yes, he is. Please follow me." Ade answered as she started leading them to the room where Edmund's portrait hung.

As they entered the portrait room for Edmund, they were greeted with a warm and boisterous welcome. Ced easily conjured a large overstuffed chair for Cici and himself. She sat across his lap, with her arms around Ced's neck and they had a long conversation about what had been happening in their lives recently. Edmund was shocked when he heard about Kitten's ability to stop the killing curse. Then he became outraged that someone had tried to poison Cici. He jumped to his feet and started pacing rapidly.

"Why don't you two come and talk with me more tomorrow. Give me a chance to calm down," Edmund said as he dismissed them.

"Okay, Edmund. We'll talk with you more tomorrow," Ced told the portrait of the Creator.

.

It was a beautiful night in the house. It seemed as if Ade and Edmund had gone out of their way to make it more special than it normally was. They apparated to their bedroom and kicked off their shoes and socks. They walked hand in hand down to the beach and chose a direction to go. Ced pulled Cici closer to him, then he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her hips against his. They matched their steps, so the legs that were pressed against each other moved at the same time, like one leg. For more than an hour, they walked, letting the waves gently wash over their feet. Their silent conversation covered the day's events, hashed and rehashed. They talked about how painful the separation was, and why they thought that it was so painful. They returned to their room, washed their feet of the sand, stripped, and got in bed. As soon as they were together in bed, they both fell asleep. They shared their dreams, and they shared their thoughts. Their minds working to solve the puzzle that was before them. Their minds going over the memories of the two girls that they knew were involved. Who was the mystery, girl? Who was the mystery, guy? Was there a mystery girl?

.

They spent their mornings working out with Toll, three days a week, they practised their potions twice a week, and they continued the healing arts the other two mornings of the week. They kept their afternoons to themselves for reading on the beach. They read crime novels, and they studied Merlin's journals and his books. Cici had taken to going topless for the afternoons, only covering up when it was time to eat, then shedding her clothes afterwards. She was spending more time out of her clothes than in.

"There are too many variables in our problem," she stated one evening over dinner. "There are too many layers of protection for the person who is controlling this." Her tone flat. "We need to wait and see who makes their move on you."

"It's all we can do," Ced responded. "We're at the mercy of someone else for now."

"And I don't like it!" she just almost slammed her cutlery down for emphasis.

"Me neither Mi Amor, me neither." Ced sympathised with her. It was dangerous for him not to know who or what was coming for him.

They spent their evenings walking along the beach without their tops. Cici was just in her micro bikini bottoms, and Ced would wear whatever swimsuit Cici would choose for him. Hand in hand, arm in arm, or with their arms wrapped around each other, they would walk along the beach letting the waves wash up over their feet. They never tired of the perfect weather in the house. The perfect nights to spend time together as young lovers. All of this time together and they still had not consummated their marriage. They honestly had no desire to take things to that level, no desire to push the boundaries past where they were.

"I think that we need to practice some of Merlin's spells, and try some of Merlin's potions," Ced told her one night on their walk.

"I agree, and I think that we need to take our occlumency and legilimency skills to the next level also." She replied. "We need to spend time with Elissa. Let's meet with her three times a week after lunch to work with these new spells." She said calmly, then she started to get worked up, "I really want to find that spell that Kitten used against the killing curse!" she finished just short of a yell, bouncing up and down, causing her breasts to sway wildly.

"So, will you be wearing clothes to these meetings with Elissa?" Ced asked her cheekily.

Cici stopped to face him, she let his hand drop to his side. Then she did the craziest thing. She started to shimmy as she asked him, "Why, Mr Potter, do you think that you would be able to keep your mind on the task at hand if I did go like this?"

Ced had lost all eye contact with her as soon as she started to shimmy. He watched her magnificent breasts swaying side to side seductively, "Whut?" was all he got out. Before she started to laugh at him.

"That's what I thought. So yes, I will be wearing clothes to work with Elissa." She told him, "That way you don't do anything too stupid and get hurt." She chided him with a smile on her face. "Come on babe, time for a quick bath and then bed." She told him as she grabbed his hand to lead him back to their room.

True to her word, it was a quick bath, well for them at least. Then they crawled into bed, with Cici laying across Ced. Within moments they were both asleep.

.

.

.

 **A/N: Please review! Thank you all for reading!**

 **Revised again 01.08.2018**

 **And again 12.31.2018**


	14. Year Three Chapter 14

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 14

.

.

After 24 months in the house, it almost seemed odd to be back in their room. The runes stopped glowing as they stepped away. It was still very early in the morning, the time that they would normally awaken to go for a run. Ced looked at Cici, and she looked at him.

"Let's get changed and workout in the chambers!" Cici suggested enthusiastically.

"Okay, we can practice against each other," he replied with a shrug of indifference.

After changing, they felt the familiar tug and then they were in the Chamber of Secrets. They walked over to the combat training area, selected their side and began casting spells at each other. Going easy on each other at first, just little flicks of their wands. Running, rolling, sidestepping, conjuring walls, and anything else they could think of. They tried causing the ceiling to cave in on the other. They used whatever they could, to try and distract the other to gain the upper hand. The rumblings, the explosions, the shaking of the walls, they all grew in intensity as they used more magical power to defeat the other. Time lost it's meaning as they worked out against each other, their mental shields firmly in place. The beads of sweat would fall into their eyes, to be wiped away with the back of a hand. The noise shook the walls and the other obstacles in the chambers. Neither of them heard or saw the others arrive. The two combatants were focused on winning. They would cast a mixture of hexes, and keep moving. Never in the same place for more than a second. They would zig and hope to catch the other in a zag. Their opponent would try to guess where the other would be and cast a spell hoping to catch them unawares. The ferocity of the battle climbed, the intensity, was beyond what any of the spectators had ever seen in their short little lives. Then they watched as first one would disappear and reappear, the other would do the same. The clothes on the combatants clung to their bodies as if they had been painted on. The definition of their powerful blood-filled muscles stretching the clinging cloth. The mass of the conjured walls had been increasing steadily through the fight, the power of the spell hitting them had increased also to overcome the defences of their opponent. The walls, as quick as they could be conjured, turned to dust, revealing no one behind them. The combatants were to equally matched. Time that had lost its meaning? Soon became all too real.

"HEY! ARE YOU TWO Having fun?" Fred yelled trying to get his friends attention over the noise they were creating.

Faster than they had started, Cedric and Cici quit. Their illusion of Cici being in the hospital had turned to vapour just like so many walls had.

"What are you doing here?" Cici asked through heavy breaths. Fred and George were both focused on her heaving sweaty breasts.

"Fred, my eyes are up here," Cici told him bluntly.

Blushing, Fred told her, "I'm sorry, it's just that you are just so incredibly pretty!"

"Thank you. Now, why are you here so early in the morning?" she asked him again, bent over hands on her thighs, trying to catch her breath.

"We could feel the floors shaking slightly. So, we decided to come and check this place out." Rose told her. "We've been watching you for close to two hours!"

"What time is it!" Ced asked apprehensively.

"It's after 8," Rose told him. A look of confusion on her face. "Why?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital wing?" Angel asked her.

"Yes, and that's the problem," Cici told them. "I need to be there when Ced comes to check up on me and play the boyfriend in despair, so we can catch whoever it is that wants me dead." She said anxiously.

"We'll talk more in the hospital wing," Ced told their friends just before portkeying out of the chambers. "see you there."

With a tug behind their navels, they were gone. To reappear in their room. Quickly they shed their sweat-soaked clothing and rushed into the shower. With each of them washing themselves, they were in and out in less than 10 minutes. Drying spells on their bodies and hair helped cut the time it took to get to the hospital wing. Maco had their clothes on the bed ready to go. Breakfast was sitting on the table for them as if she knew what they needed before they knew what they needed. The two teens inhaled their breakfast. With a kiss goodbye, Cici portkeyed to the hospital ward.

With a look of despair, Cedric exited the married quarters to start the long slow trudge to visit his poisoned, near death, girlfriend in the hospital. His friends watched as he dragged his feet towards the portrait hole to leave the common room. The girls hurried over to him, to give him hugs of support as they joined him for his long walk, tears in their eyes at the possible loss of their friend. The others in the common room watched as the group left, looking like they were part of a funeral procession, grief written all over their faces. The portraits in the halls watched in sorrow as the group trudged their way through the halls on the way to the hospital ward. The occupants of the portraits gossiping amongst themselves at the state of the teens. The other students in the hallways moved aside so they could go and see the girl that was dying. The grief and the despair emanating from the group seemed to radiate outwards making those they passed in the halls sick with depression. Inside the hospital ward, they went to the bed that was surrounded by the ridged curtains. Slipping inside the curtains Ced quietly cast the charms to ensure their privacy.

The girls exchanged hugs with Cecilia. "Did he do a good job of playing the grief-stricken boyfriend?" Cici asked her friends, mirth filling her eyes.

"Yes, all of us played the grief-stricken part on our walk here." Angel told her, "I just hope that we didn't over do it!" she said chipperly.

"Well, I was watching the other students that we passed in the halls, and they seemed to get almost as depressed as we looked!" Fred told her, with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, you should have seen the portraits gossiping!" George added. "They were rushing from one portrait to the next, trying to get a good look at Ced."

"You guys should head on down to the hall, so you don't miss breakfast, it's getting late. I need to stay here with Cici, I'll meet you for lunch." Ced told the group of good friends.

With hugs, all around the group of friends left for breakfast.

"It's so sad to see them like that." Wailed Rose, "They were so happy together!" she sobbed out as they left the hospital ward.

As they entered the Great Hall, the two brothers were comforting their sisters.

Sitting down, Angel wept as she said, "He'll probably die of a broken heart!"

Back in the hospital wing, Ced and Cici waited another 30 minutes before transfiguring another Cecilia, this time in a hospital gown, and an I.V. drip, at the coaching of Madam Pomfrey. With a kiss goodbye, Cici portkeyed back to their room. Ced cancelled the privacy charms, put on his face of despair and moped his way back to the Gryffindor common room.

Keeping a watch out of the corners of his eyes, he noticed that he was drawing more attention from the female students than he had earlier. Was it because he was alone now?

" _I don't know babe. It could be because you're alone. Maybe the group of girls that you scared off earlier was because you were in a pack."_ Cici thought to him.

" _I think it's still too early in the game for the culprit to make their move. After all, they only poisoned you last night."_ Ced thought back to her.

" _I know, but that was a great two years in the house. Who knows, in another two years, you might actually be able to cook!"_ Cici told him cheekily.

" _Oh! You just wait! I'll be home in a minute, and then you'll get what's coming to you!"_ he thought back to her, sarcasm lacing his thoughts.

" _Ooo, I'm so afraid! What are you going to do? Spank me?"_ she thought back with her mirth laced thoughts.

" _You could only be so lucky!"_ he returned her thoughts to her.

" _Oh, you jus…"_ she started when he cut her off.

" _Quiet, can you feel that? Someone is following me!"_ he thought to her, seriousness drowned out their fun.

He had taken a longer path back to the common room. He had to put the bait out there for all to see. And he was the bait. Had they attracted the predator so soon? He moped along, deliberately ignoring who was following him. He seemed to be wandering the halls lost. Just as he turned the corner into an empty hall of classrooms, he heard the footsteps rush towards him. Before he could turn, he was shoved roughly, knocking him to the ground. He rolled just as he had been taught. He came up, wand in his hand to face his attackers. The group of four, formed a crescent moon shape from wall to wall, hoping to block any chance of escape.

"Weasley, haven't you learned?" Ced told him almost in a whine.

"What's wrong Potter?" he sneered at him. "Don't have that witch girlfriend of yours to fight your fights?" the leer on his face almost comical.

The group of them all had their wands out, but not all of them had their wands pointed at him. Some of the wands were pointed towards the floor. Weasley had his wand pointed at him, and so did another that Ced didn't know.

Wiping his left hand on his robes, like he was wiping the sweat off of his hand, Ced transformed his robes into a shield.

" _Who's the Hufflepuff?"_ Cici thought to him.

" _I don't know. A new recruit?"_ he thought to her.

" _A new recruit for what?"_ she thought back. _"He needs to be interrogated so we can learn more."_

" _I agree. We'll have to inform Professors McGonagall and Vector when this is over."_ Ced thought to her as Weasley droned on with his threats.

"What? Are you scared, Potter?" Weasley said.

What had he been talking about? He had been talking to Cici about the new guy in the gang. "Whatever Weasley. I'm not scared of you or your friends." Ced told him.

Weasley had a confused look on his face. Looking at the others, Ced noticed that they looked confused also. Had he answered wrong? Did he miss something?

"What's wrong Weasley? Did I miss something here?" Ced almost spat.

"I was saying that, even though I hate you and your family for what they did to my dad, and I can't stand that filthy mudblood girlfriend of yours. Her dying like that is wrong, and we're willing to help you find out who did this." Weasley repeated himself.

What! Weasley has a sense of honour? "What are you talking about Weasley?" Ced probed for more information.

"We want to help find out who poisoned your girlfriend. If they'll poison her, then they'll poison anyone." Weasley explained.

"It's okay. The profess…" then he heard the sizzling sound coming down the hallway behind him.

Dropping and rolling, the red coloured curse past over him. Keeping his eyes on the curse as he rolled forward, he watched as the curse caught Weasley and the Hufflepuff in their arms. Both of them dropping to the floor. Ced cast a counter curse as the red-cloaked figure retreated back around the corner. The two curses, one red the other blue, looked purple as they traversed the distance, they were so close together, blasting a chunk out of the corner of the walls. Weasley's two remaining mates fled the scene.

A small crowd had gathered at the scene of the commotion.

Pointing at one of the students, Ced told him, "Go get the professors!"

The student turned and ran.

Looking at another student, "Go get Madam Pomfrey!" he told her.

Ced took off down the hall to see if the culprit had hung around to see their work. Nope, they were long gone. He walked slowly back down the hall.

" _They got away."_ Ced groused at Cici.

" _What'd you expect?"_ she almost scolded him.

" _What I expected was to fight Weasley, not for him to offer to help because of you."_ Ced thought to her. That was the craziest thing he could ever think of happening. Weasley wanting to help him.

" _Think it was a setup?"_ Cici asked, suspicious of the circumstances.

" _It almost feels that way, but I don't know. He was almost sincere in his offer of help. It almost seemed to offend him that someone had tried to poison you."_ Ced thought to her.

" _Do you think he has a crush on me?"_ she thought back to him, yuck! Ced could almost see her eyes getting wide at the thought of Percy Weasley having a crush on her.

His brow furrowed in concentration, _"Maybe. He could have a crush on you. If he did, would he ever admit to it?"_ Ced thought back to her.

"Mr Potter! What has happened here!" Professor Vector demanded.

"I was walking back to the common room from the hospital ward, after visiting my girlfriend. I turned down this hallway by mistake when Weasley and his friends wanted to have a talk with me. While we were talking, someone in a red cloak tried to hex me. I ducked, and Weasley didn't." Ced told her the modified truth.

"Why is Mr Jefferson here with Weasley?" the angry Head of House asked.

"I don't know. I didn't even know his name until you mentioned it to me." Ced told her truthfully.

"Who hexed him?" she asked as the Matron arrived.

"When I ducked, the hex went over me, and it went between the two of them hitting both of them in their arms," Ced responded to the question.

"That's supported by the evidence that I can see." Madam Pomfrey told the angry professor.

"And the damage down the hallway?" she asked sternly.

"When I got back to my feet. The person wearing the cloak had turned and ducked down that hall. I missed them but hit the wall." Ced replied to her. "When I went to check, the hallway was empty."

"Come with me." She directed him. He followed her down the hall to the corner. With a flick of her wand, she repaired the damages that had been done. "Any idea who's behind this." She asked him lowly.

"No, but Weasley was offering his help to find out who poisoned Cici." He replied just as quietly. "Him and three of his mates. Two of them ran off just after Weasley and Jefferson were stunned." He reported the facts to her

"That's odd. It's completely out of character for him to behave this way." Professor Vector thought out loud.

"Kind of like a Hufflepuff and a dark Slytherin to be working together to find out who poisoned what they called a 'filthy mudblood.'" Ced told her, letting the confusion in his thoughts come out to her.

"Professor Slughorn, would you please help me get your student up to the Hospital Wing?" Madam Pomfrey asked the heavyset older Head of House.

"Yes, yes!" the old potions professor said. "Mr Potter, are you okay? Do you need someone to talk to about all of this excitement?"

"No, no, thank you for the offer. I'm just, just going to go to my room and take it easy for a while." Ced answered the old wizard.

"Okay, okay, well if you need someone to talk to, my door is always open to you!" the professor told him as he levitated Weasley.

"Thank you again, professor. I'm just going to go to my room for now." Ced reiterated his plans.

"Let me walk with you, Mr Potter. I want to check on the common room anyway." Professor Vector told him.

"Thank you, professor," Ced replied to her offer/demand. He really didn't have much of a choice in it anyway.

As they walked through the halls. Ced noticed students staring at them. Was it because he was walking with the professor? Or was it because he wasn't walking with Cici?

" _Good question babe."_ Cici thought to him. _"You need to let me know if she is coming in here. I've taken off all of my clothes, and have been laying on the couch reading a book, in front of the fire. I miss my tan."_ She thought to him sadly. He could tell that her lower lip was out in a pout.

" _We're almost to the common room."_ Ced thought to her.

As they entered the common room, they were swamped with questions about what had happened? Who would do such a thing? Was Cedric going to need to hire bodyguards? Why did Potter stun Weasley? They spent about half an hour answering questions before Professor Vector wanted to talk to him in his room.

" _We're coming up mi amour."_ Ced thought to her. She had about thirty seconds to get some clothes on.

" _It's okay, I pulled my school robes on."_ She thought back to him.

Ced waited until the gryphon had slid back in place before escorting the professor into his quarters.

"Lady Potter." The professor greeted her.

"Professor." She replied cordially.

Cici moved over to kiss Cedric, and then she took his hand in hers. It had been a couple of hours since they had been together. It was getting to their limit on being separated.

"Do you know why Mr Weasley would be concerned with your health?" the Transfiguration professor inquired.

"No, no I don't," Cici answered her. Her arm sliding around Ced's waist. "He has always ignored me. Then after Ced and I bonded he has become unfriendly towards me. Like he's taking his hatred of Ced and his family out on me also." Cici told her.

"Please professor, have a seat." Ced gestured to a chair.

As the professor sat, Ced and Cici sat also. She chose to sit across his lap, her long, toned, shapely, brown legs hanging over the arm of the chair.

"Maco!" Ced called.

Pop! "Yes, my Lord." The elf said with a bow.

"Refreshments for our guest please," Ced asked the elf.

Professor Vector quietly noted to herself the level of respect shown to the house elf.

With a pop, the elf was gone. In a moments time, pop, and the elf had returned with drinks and snacks.

"Thank you, Maco," Cici told the elf.

Hum, the professor thought. They both show an abnormally high level of respect for a house elf. These could be genuinely good people.

"Other than what has just happened, has anything else out of the ordinary happened today?" the professor asked of them.

"No, this is the only thing that's out of the ordinary, so far," Ced answered.

"I've just been laying around reading a book, staying out of sight. I did go to the hospital wing earlier. Before Ced was attacked." Cici told her. "I portkeyed into the area that is concealed by the curtains, and I portkeyed out," Cici added quickly.

"I left and took my time walking back to the common room. That's when I was attacked. I was taking a longer than normal route." Ced added.

"Will you be coming down for lunch Lord Potter?" she asked.

"Yes, I was planning on playing this charade to the fullest. I want to find out who wants to hurt us." He replied to her. "The only thing out of the norm has been Professor Slughorn asking me to talk to him if I needed to," Ced told her with his brows furrowed.

"Professor Slughorn has never spoken to you before?" she asked him.

"Not outside of class no. He did ask me to come to his Christmas party. But I refused his invitation, saying that I wasn't interested." Ced told her. "I wasn't interested in going to a Christmas party held by a professor at that time."

"Okay, thank you for the refreshments. I'll see you at lunch." Professor Vector told Ced. "Lady Potter, thank you for your time."

Ced and Cici both rose and walked their Head of House to the stairs where Cici could stay out of sight from prying eyes below.

When they heard the gryphon, slide closed at the bottom of the stairs. Cici turned to Ced, "Take your clothes off and let's lay down on the couch and cuddle. I'm about to go around the bend!"

"I understand what you're saying!" said Ced as they headed for the couch.

Cici was naked except for her skimpy knickers before they got there. She had dropped her school robes on the walk to the couch, and she was only in her knickers, underneath just like she had told Ced she would be. Ced removed his shirt and his pants keeping his underwear on. He laid down on the couch first, with Cici laying down facing away from him. They lay there and spooned. She summoned her book and started to read again, her head laying on his one arm and Ced's free arm wrapped around her chest cupping one of her breasts in his large hand. Cici was very contented with the physical contact from spooning with Ced. If she had been a cat, she would have started purring. Her soul-mate closed his eyes and listened to her thoughts as she read the book.

"Babe, babe, babe, you need to wake up and go down for lunch." Cici woke him.

When did I fall asleep? He thought to himself. I slept good! I feel better and more rested.

"You fell asleep about an hour or so ago," Cici told him.

"When did you put clothes on?" he said as he blinked the sleep out of his eyes.

"About twenty minutes ago. I want you to invite the girls up after lunch. No, let's get everybody to meet in the chambers after lunch. I want to practice dancing, I feel like dancing. The guys need to learn to dance if they don't know how." She decided forcefully. "While you're eating in the Great Hall, I think I'll have lunch with your parents. I don't want to eat alone, and you need to be seen so we can lure the perpetrator out of hiding." She told him. "Well! Get your clothes on!"

"Yes, mi amour. Give mum and dad a hug for me. And by the way, you look great." He told her.

"Maco!" she called out to the elf.

Pop! "Yes, my Lady." She said with a bow.

"Can you take me to Potter Mansion please?" Cici asked the elf pleasantly.

Maco held out her hand. Cici gave Ced a quick kiss goodbye and then she took the elf's hand. Pop! And they were gone.

Ced finished dressing, and now he didn't have to fake being depressed, he was depressed because his wife went to have lunch with his parents. On the way, down to the Great Hall, he met up with Angel and Fred.

"How you doing mate?" Fred asked him.

"Fine, I'm doing fine," Ced replied.

"You look bad mate. Are you sure you're doing okay?" Fred asked him again.

"I'm just worried about Cici, you know," Ced replied, sounding morose.

Again, the portraits watched him moping his way through the halls on the way to the hall to eat.

At the dining table, Ced sat with his back against the wall so he could watch what was happening at the other tables. He noticed that Weasley was back at the Slytherin table and that Jefferson was at the Hufflepuff table. Flint was missing, but it was a little later than normal for lunch.

Ced cast the privacy spells, "Cici wants everyone to meet in the chambers after lunch. She wants us to start practising our dancing." He told them, "So wear your dancing shoes!"

"Does this mean that we can wear our dresses?" Angel asked getting all animated.

"Yes! Can we?" Rose was getting animated also at the thought of finally being able to wear one of her dresses and her heels.

"I think that Cici would love for you to wear your dresses." Ced encouraged them.

He looked at Fred and George who were busy studying their plates. "Well, mates? Are you going to join us for some dancing?" he asked them.

Then he saw her coming in his direction. Ced quickly dropped the privacy charms.

"Well, Cedric," she said in her husky voice. "I haven't seen Ramos in a couple of days. Did you two break up?" she asked almost hopefully. Without asking she joined their group.

Ced opened his mind fully to Cici letting her hear everything that was happening at this moment in time. The two girls looked uncomfortable with her being so close.

"No, Cici is in the Hospital Wing under, Madam Pomfrey's care," Ced answered vaguely. He could feel his skin starting to crawl.

"I hope that everything is okay with her." She said almost believable, but not quite as she leaned onto the table, closing the distance between her and him.

"We don't know. She hasn't regained consciousness yet. Madam Pomfrey is worried about her." Ced added for dramatic effect as he leaned in towards her. His skin maybe crawling but he wasn't going to let her intimidate him.

"Well, I hope she gets better soon." She said. Standing, she picked a piece of fruit, a banana, and she began to peel it as she left. Ced noticed several of the other guys in the hall watching her eat the piece of fruit as she left. She dropped the peel on an empty plate just before leaving the hall.

" _That was strange."_ Cici thought to him.

" _That, my dear is an understatement."_ He answered her.

" _Who was she anyway?"_ she asked him.

" _Lestrange, Luda Lestrange."_ He answered her.

Ced looked up at the head table, Professor Vector was missing, so was Professor McGonagall.

He cast the privacy charms again. "Shall we meet in the chambers at two?" he asked looking at each of them. Especially the guys.

With smiles on their faces, Angel and Rose said yes almost in unison.

The guys took a little more motivation, "I'll let you dance with Cici if you meet us there." He coaxed them.

.

In the small dining room, Cici was having a pleasant conversation with Hermione when she went quiet suddenly.

"What's wrong?" her mother-in-law asked her uneasily.

"Ced just got real nervous., there's someone approaching that is making him nervous," she told her.

"Do you know who it is?"

"No, I don't, but Cedric does. She's making him really uncomfortable." She relayed the information that she was getting.

Hermione was studying her daughter-in-law closely.

"She just sat down with them, without asking. She's asking about me and where I am." Cici told her in an almost trance-like state. She was getting all of the information that Ced was getting. He had opened his end of the mental link fully.

Hermione just sat there quietly watching and listening.

"Ced told her that I was in the hospital wing under Madam Pomfrey's care. Now she's trying to intimidate him by leaning across the table. She's getting a banana, and now she's leaving. I – I could feel my skin crawling just like he could feel his crawling."

"Has he said who it was?" Hermione asked concerned.

"He told, just told me. Her name is Luda Lestrange. Whoever that is."

"Her aunt is the one who tortured Neville's parents until they went crazy. They have been in St. Mungo's mental ward for most of Neville's life." Hermione informed her.

"Professors Vector and McGonagall were both gone for this exchange, Ced just told me," Cici informed her with a frown on her face.

"He still wants to go dancing with me in the chamber's this afternoon. He's even bribed the guys to dance with us," she told her smiling "saying that they can dance with me if they meet us there." She was smiling at the thought. "The girls are all excited, they get to wear their dresses and heels." She told her grinning.

"You should put a ward on your hospital bed to let you know if someone tries to visit you without Ced's knowledge," Hermione suggested.

"Ced's going to go do that now. He says good suggestion and thanks, mum!" Cici told her. "I think that I should get back to our room, so I will be there when he arrives," Cici said as she stood up to leave.

"Thank you for coming to visit. Harry will be sad that he missed you, but he had business that he needed to take care of personally." With a hug, Hermione let Cici summon Maco.

"Maco," Cici said politely. She was rewarded with a pop!

The small elf, dressed in her uniform with the Potter family crest on the chest appeared. "Yes, my Lady." She said with a bow.

"Will you please take me back to my quarters at Hogwarts?" Cici asked the elf.

Holding out her hand, the elf said, "Yes, my Lady."

Cici took hold of the elf's hand, mouthed "Thank you." To her mother-in-law and was gone with a pop.

In the blink of an eye, she was back in her quarters. Ced had not made it there yet. "Thank you, Maco. I appreciate your help." She told the elf that took care of her and her bonded.

"It is a pleasure to serve the Lord and Lady Potter." With a bow and a pop, she was gone.

Looking at herself in the communications mirror, it was a nice full-length mirror, after all, Cici decided to change into a freer flowing dress, something with a little more leg room for the dancing she was expecting to do. She also looked at her shoes and decided on another pair of platform heels, hoping they would protect her feet from getting stepped on. She didn't know how proficient of dancers George and Fred where. At Christmas, before she got married, she didn't know how to dance, now it was one of the things that she enjoyed immensely. She could spend hours twirling around the dance floor with Ced. She selected a new dress and another set of heels, these where a little taller than what she had on to visit Hermione. Turning around and walking to their bed, Cici laid the dress and set the shoes on the bed. She pulled the dress up over her head and let it fall back to its natural state. She slipped the hanger out of the new dress and hung this one on the hanger. With a flick of her wrist, the dress flew to the closet and hung itself.

"My Lady," his voice said, "you seem to have troubles keeping your clothes on whenever I'm around."

Spinning around she threw herself into his waiting arms. He leaned down to kiss her full lips passionately.

As they separated, he told her, "The wards are in place to alert us to any unauthorised visitors to your hospital bed."

"Good, I was going to wear this." She said as she held the dress up to her body. She wiggled this way, and she wiggled that way.

"I like it, are you going to wear it with a bra? Or without a bra?" was his reply.

"I am going to wear it with a bra. If I go without a bra, Fred won't be able to tear his eyes off my chest. As it is I'm going to have to worry about him getting drool on it." She giggled. "I guess I could use a water repelling charm on myself!"

"Now you're just being mean!" he chided her. "George drools almost as much as Fred!" he laughed.

"I'm going to wear these heels because they have a platform built into them so it should make it harder to step on my feet." She showed him the heels as she sat down and slipped them on her feet. When she stood back up, she was nearly as tall as Ced.

"Oo, I think I like these heels." He told her as he wrapped his arms around her derriere, pressing her hips against his, and pulled her in for another hug and kiss.

"Are you ready?" she asked when they had separated.

"Yes, anytime you are." He replied.

They each took hold of her portkey, and they were gone. Falling they landed in the chambers.

Looking around they spotted Uncle Neville. They started walking toward him when he stood up to greet them.

"Uncle Neville!" Ced said with some excitement.

"Ced, Cici, how have you been doing?" Neville asked them.

"Uncle Neville." Cici returned.

"Well, other than a couple of idiots trying to kill Cici, things have been going good," Cedric told him.

"Well, it's good that you remembered to use the spell your mum taught you, that you were aware of your surroundings, and things that are out of place." Neville praised them. "I heard that Luda Lestrange came to visit you at lunch today." He addressed Cedric.

"Yes, she did. You heard that from my mum?" answered Cedric.

"Yes, I did. You need to watch yourself around her. She's definitely a dark Slytherin. She may not be as bad as her aunt. But me? I still keep my eyes on her." Neville warned him.

"At lunch today, when she joined us, her presence made my skin crawl," Ced told him as he shook at the memory.

"That's the good in you trying to get away from whatever is in her," Neville told him. "Enough of this gloom and doom. I also heard that you were coming here to practice dancing! It just so happens that I wore my dancing shoes!" he said as he stuck his foot out so they could see his shiny shoe.

"May I have this dance my Lady?" he bowed exaggeratedly to her as he said it. He held out his hand to Cecilia.

She took his offered hand, with a pearly little laugh, they turned to walk to the dance floor. She slipped her hand into his as she looked over her should at Ced standing there with a smile on his face. With a wave of her hand, the old phonograph started to play a nice melodic waltz. Something easy to dance to.

Ced walked over to the dance floor, watching his not real uncle, Uncle Neville leading and guiding his beautiful young wife around the floor effortlessly. He took a seat in one of the overstuffed chairs and watched the radiant smile on her face. At the end of the waltz, Neville guided Cici to her soul-mate.

"Thank you for a lovely dance." He said to her. Turning to Ced, "I need to be returning home, keep an eye on Lestrange, constant vigilance!" he told them as he activated his portkey to go home.

After watching him leave, Ced turned to Cici, "My Lady, would you do me the honour of having this dance with me?"

"Why yes, my Lord, I would love to dance with you." She told him taking his offered arm.

Ced looked at the phonograph, he thought for a moment, then he ejected his wand and waved it at the old phonograph. The albums changed places, the phonograph started to spin, and the needle set down in the first groove. Another beautiful waltz started to play. Skillfully Ced led Cici around the dance floor, he led her through dips, twirls, and spins. So, engrossed in each other, they didn't notice when the others arrived. It was at the end of the song when they started clapping that Ced and Cici realised that they had an audience.

" _This is twice today, that we've not been aware of our friend's presence."_ Cici thought to Ced.

" _Why do you think that this has happened?"_ he thought back to her.

" _Are we too comfortable in the chambers, believing that we are safe in here?"_ she thought back to him.

" _Could be."_ He answered.

"So, when do we get to start dancing?" asked an excited Rose. She too had chosen a dress with more leg room and a set of platform heels.

"Now if you want," Ced told her, holding out his hand to her.

She took his offered hand and let herself be led out on to the dance floor. This time Cici did the honours of changing the album to another simple waltz. With Rose's hand clasped in his, and his free hand on her waist, they started dancing to the music. Ced noticed that she was a capable dancer and led her through more complicated moves. Her face glowed with radiance as she glided across the floor.

Cici asked Fred and George who had any dance experience. Fred replied that his parents made him and Rose take dance lessons every summer. Cici let Fred lead her out onto the dance floor. Fred showed himself to be a competent partner, and Cici followed him easily around the floor. He was so proud of himself for not stepping on her feet. At the end of the song, the two couples stepped off the dance floor.

Ced and Cici worked with George and Angel for about 30 minutes before turning them over to Fred and Rose for more practice.

The teens would practice for a song, and then they would sit and talk for a bit. Practice for a song and then sit and talk for a while. Ced and Cici would trade out with Fred and Rose as practice partners for George and Angel. They did this all the way until it was dinner time. At that point, they returned to their rooms to change for dinner.

The days drug by with Ced playing the part of the grieving boyfriend. The other girls had started to whisper more. Some of the braver students had come up to him to express their sorrows for his loss. None believed that Cici would ever wake from her sleep. Later in the week, the bravest of the female students had dared to touch him in an effort to console him in his time of need.

At the Gryffindor table, Ced sat with his back facing the wall again. He watched the stage set before him, of the students acting out their parts in this play called life. He noticed Lestrange and Flint talking to each other, and wondered what that could be about. He also noticed that Professors Vector and McGonagall were at the head table tonight. He wondered if this would cause the culprit to stay away.

Then she was on him! She was all over him. Her hands were everywhere! Who is she? Where'd she come from? How did he miss her? He fell out of his seat trying to get away from her, but she was relentless! He scooted and pushed himself away, but she was right there on him. He couldn't move fast enough!

"Oh, you poor baby! Look at you! You're falling apart! Here let me help you!" the girl with the mousey brown mess of hair said to him.

She was relentless, she wouldn't stop!

"Stop! Get away, leave me alone! Please!" he told her almost pleading.

She was on top of him now. Her weight pressing him into the floor.

"Get off of me!" he cried out.

The rest of the Gryffindors were spectators watching him crawl backwards trying to escape the fanatical girl that had gotten on top of him.

Then he stopped. His wand in his hand and pressed against the girl's chest. "Get off of me, or I'm going to stun you." He said coldly, laying there on his back.

Fear was in the girl's eyes. Slowly she got off of him. She stood up slowly, her eyes focused on the tip of his wand. How could he reject her? He needed her!

Ced stood up and put a little distance between them. He retracted his wand. "Please, just leave me alone. I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine." He told her calmly.

"But that's not what I was told." She told him, her lips quivering with fear.

"Who told you what?" he asked her. "Here sit down over there, next to where I was sitting and talk to me."

After they sat down again. Ced offered her a pumpkin juice. Wordlessly he checked her juice and his, both were safe.

"Now, can you tell me who told you what about me?" he asked her politely. His mental link was fully open.

She looked around, scared of somebody or something.

Ced cast the privacy charms around his small group. "These are mine and Cici's friends." He told her. "We trust them explicitly." He reaffirmed to her. "Can you tell me if it's more than one person?" he asked her.

"Th-th-they t-t-told m-me that you were falling apart since Ramos had left you and that you needed me to take care of you and your needs." She managed to get out.

"Okay, so we're getting somewhere. There was more than one of them. Was there more than two of them?" he asked the girl.

"Y-y-yes, there was a group of them. Maybe four or five could be six." She answered.

"Were they all boys?"

"No, there were boys and girls."

"Were they all students?" the thought just popped in his head.

"No, there was a couple of adults."

"How do you know they were adults?" he asked her, his curiosity piqued.

"Their size and their voices. They were all wearing cloaks so I couldn't see their faces. But just guessing, I would say that there were at least two adults or seventh-year students." She said more coherently.

Now, this was interesting because not a lot of magicals go all the way to their seventh-year, they just don't see the need to get their Masters certificate. Many of them don't want to even take their N.E.W.T.s.

"What colour were their cloaks?" he asked just to keep the conversation going.

"Red."

If she said anything after that Ced didn't hear. He was lost. How could a terrorist organisation get into Hogwarts? Who were they targeting? His thoughts and questions raced through his head.

Then, _"She's your only connection to them."_ Came into his head.

" _What?"_ he thought. Did he really just think that?

" _She's your only connection to them."_ The thought returned to his head.

He blinked like an owl. _"She is my only connection to them."_ He blinked owlishly.

" _That means, that she's your new girlfriend, my love."_ The thought said in his brain.

" _NO! I don't want a new girlfriend!"_ he yelled in his thoughts. _"I don't want a new girlfriend!"_

Then he felt someone take his hand. Instinctively he jerked it back. It wasn't the right person taking his hand in hers'.

" _You need to let her hold your hand."_ The voice in his head told him.

" _No. I don't want her to hold my hand. I want you to hold my hand."_ He protested.

" _I want to be the one that is holding your hand. But to find out who did this. You need to let her be the one to hold your hand. We also need to find out if we can trust her. Right now, we don't even know her name."_ she told him.

" _How far do we take this lie?"_ he thought to her, coming back to his senses.

" _As far as we need to."_ Cici thought to him. _"All the way, if it comes to that."_

" _But what if I don't want to go that far?"_ he couldn't bear the thought of being with someone else. His heart began to ache for his bond-mate at the thought of not being with her. The pain. The pain was growing in his chest. The pain that was growing in his chest would never be vanquished by this girl sitting in front of him, no matter how hard she tried she would never be able to make the pain go away.

He put his hand back out so she could hold his hand. The others in the group watched as she took his proffered hand. He cancelled the privacy charms, and he stood up. Instinctively he held her chair for her.

"Let's go for a walk." He told her. "Let's go someplace where there aren't as many people."

He looked up at the head table to catch the two professors look away at that moment.

As they left, hand in hand, the Great Hall exploded in whispers.

" _Let the rumour mill begin."_ He thought.

He led the girl out of the hall and then out of the castle, out on to the grounds. He led the group on a familiar path to the Black Lake.

"I don't even know your name," he told her.

"My name?" she looked up at him, admiringly. "My name is Vicky. Vicky Vane." She told him.

"Hi, Vicky. I'm Cedric Potter." He told her in his best polite voice, sarcastically.

"I know that silly!" she chided him, filled with mirth. This was nice she thought.

Pointing to the others, he introduced her to Fred, George, Angel, and Rose. All of whom had masks of stone on their faces.

As they approached the lone tree by the lake. Ced noticed that Vicky was getting winded. "Here, let's stop here and talk." He suggested. He knew that the others could easily run around the whole lake. He looked around and found a spot to sit.

"So, tell us about yourself." Ced encouraged her with a smile.

"Well, I'm 13 and a second-year student. Although I feel that I'm more mature than my age. I'm in Ravenclaw, so that could be why we've never met, although I have seen you all over the school!" she threw in there. "And I've watched you play Quidditch several times!" now I sound like I have a crush on him she scolded herself. "I keep to myself, and I like to read books." She finished.

"What's your favourite subject?" Ced asked her trying to keep the conversation going.

"I like Astronomy, Arithmancy, and Transfiguration." She told him counting off the three classes she liked the most.

"I like Transfiguration also." He told her encouragingly.

They sat there chatting on the grass until just before curfew. When an awe-struck Vicky said fearfully, "I-I really need to be going. It's getting late, and I don't want to be caught out after curfew."

"Okay," Ced replied looking at how dark it had become.

The group stood up and started the walk back to the castle. They walked her to the bottom of the stairs at Ravenclaw tower. They all wished her well and headed for their own common room.

Ced knew that there would be several questions about what had happened in the hall and then where they had gone after that.

Angel gave the password to the Fat Lady, and she swung aside with a glaring look at Ced. Then, as if he had orchestrated it, the verbal assault began. He answered questions for a half hour before he motioned for his friends to join him in his quarters.

" _We're coming up."_ He warned his wife.

" _I'm dressed."_ Was all she said.

After they had all entered the sitting area of the married quarters, Cici hugged him and kissed him eagerly.

Once they all were seated, Maco had brought them drinks and snacks. Cici led what was basically a mission debriefing. Who saw what, who heard what, and what did each of them think. What were their gut feelings about what was happening?

None of them liked that Ced had held her hand. They felt that it was a betrayal of Cici's trust.

Cici scolded them gently, telling them, "If it comes down to it, Ced has my permission to kiss her! He better not like it!" she threw him a humour-filled look. "But he better makes it believable." She finished in a hard tone.

The other question they all had, was, how much did Vicky know about what was going on. Was she playing us as we're playing her?

With their friends gone, Ced and Cici entered the house. On the walk to their room, Cici looked at Ced, "GEEZ! These people in your world move fast!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked her.

"It was just last week that they poisoned me!" she told him.

With a smirk, he told her, "It's only been a week, hasn't it?"

"Yes," she said, "You should be in the hospital wing grieving over my still body. Not out holding some girls hand at the lake! Why're they moving things so fast?"

"It's been a week, and nobody believes that you will ever recover from the poison." He told her seriously.

"Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse, I guess."

He gave her a questioning look, "Well, you do have a good-looking body." He told her.

"It was something said by an old American actor, a heartthrob, I think. I think that he died in a violent car crash." She told him thinking about the irony of the words and the cause of death.

"Well, if I told you that you had a good-looking body would you hold it against me? Comes to mind for me." He recited an old song to her.

She spun around, pressing her body against his, he leaned forward and kissed her with all of his love. He encouraged her to jump, and then he lifted her up so she could wrap her strong legs around his waist, her muscular arms around his neck. As they entered their room, Cici released a hand and waved it at the huge tub, it began filling rapidly, he carried her the remaining distance to the huge tub. Carefully he stood her up so they could strip down. Hand in hand they entered the tub, they sat there talking and cuddling, sweet kisses helped fill the gaps. At some point, Ced was leaning against the wall of the tub, and Cici sat between his legs, her back leaned against his strong muscular chest. His arms and legs wrapped instinctively around her, holding her to him. They lay that way, still talking, their O.W.L.s were coming up in a few weeks. They talked about how so many of the students were going into panic mode with their studies. Some of the students even looked like they were going to have panic attacks! Then sometime later, Cici wiggled free, Ced knew what she had planned. He leaned forward so she could wrap her legs around him, her pelvis pressed into his, her breasts pressed into his, then her lips were pressed into his.

" _Why don't you think that we've made love yet?"_ she thought to him as they kissed.

" _Because I don't think that we need to. It's not time for us to make love to each other."_ He thought back to her. _"Do you think that we need to make love to each other?"_ he asked her back, breaking their kiss.

" _No, I was just wondering why you've never tried to take it that far."_ She replied thoughtfully.

" _Why do we need to make love to each other when we share everything else?"_

" _Normal couples would have been having sex a long time ago."_ She said cheekily.

" _We're_ _not_ _a normal couple."_ Shaking his head, _"Besides, didn't the book say that, the bond would discourage us from having sex until we were both of age?"_

" _Yeah, your right. I just didn't want to think that you don't want me that way."_ She told him, almost sounding insecure

" _What way?"_

" _You know, that way. Physically."_ She said sheepishly.

" _My love."_ He paused for effect. _"You are the most beautiful woman in the whole world. And yes, I would love to make love to you, when the bond lets us,"_ he told her, his love flowing through their link.

Blushing, she hugged him tight again. "I love you too." She told him.

"I love you." He said. "When the time is right, I'm pretty sure that the bond will encourage us to consummate our marriage, but until that time, I'm very content to do what we're doing."

With their lips locked together, Ced laced his hands together under her bum and stood up. Supporting her weight easily, he turned and climbed out of the tub, the water sheeting off of them, to carry his wife to their large bed. With ease, Cici dried them both off. Tonight, she chose to put her hair into a braided ponytail. Ced sat her down on the bed, he then crawled into bed, laying on his back with his arms open to his wife. She rolled over and into his waiting arms. With a flick of his free hand, the lights went out, the only light in the room coming from the stars and the moon in the clear night sky. It was well past midnight when they had gotten in bed. Both of them tired, he kissed the top of her head, joined her in thought, letting sleep overtake them.

 **A/N: At this point, chapters 1-14 have been reproof read and updated. Please review!**

 **And again 12.31.2018**


	15. Year Three Chapter 15

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 15

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Morning came to find Ced and Cici sleeping in their usual positions. Carefully he slipped out from under the beautiful woman that had made it a habit of sleeping partially on top of him. He headed for the loo, to take care of his morning routine. When he opened the door, she was standing there dressed in her workout clothes.

"Good morning gorgeous," he said to her as they exchanged places and kisses.

"Good morning handsome," she told him, as they exchanged kisses.

He looked, and his clothes were laid out for him. He was just finishing tying his trainers when she exited the restroom.

"Ready?" she said as he stood up.

"Yup, I'm ready," he told her as she led the way for their morning run.

After their run, they went to work with Toll for a couple of hours. They discussed what was happening in the real world. They all agreed that they needed to talk with Edmund, Althea, and Elissa after their shower.

"You're in a sticky situation," Edmund told them as he sat down in his chair.

"We agree," Cici told the old portrait of the creator.

"I really think that we need to inform Professor McGonagall for sure of what is going on," Ced told them both.

"It would only be right to inform the Headmistress of the school," Edmund agreed.

"Only as long as it is her only," Cici insisted she wasn't backing off on this.

"I agree with both of you," Ced told them. "But another question is, how did a terrorist organisation get into Hogwarts?" he asked perplexed.

"I agree with Cici, Ced, legilimency will probably be the only way to uncover the terrorists," the Sator told him.

"I'll inform Professor McGonagall when we return in the morning," Ced submitted. "Will it be better for Cici to perform it on Vicky, or would it be best that I, did it?" he asked of them.

"Can a person that is having their mind probed tell if it is a man or a woman doing the probing?" Cici asked.

"On someone that is as young as Miss Vane, it may be better that a woman does the probing. On an older person that has some training, they would be able to tell the difference in who is probing their mind," Edmund told them. "This way, she may mistake your thoughts for her thoughts," he told Cici. "Either way, you two need to double down on your training. And keep your mental shields strong to protect you from some else trying to probe your mind."

"Ade?" Cici called.

She answered without appearing. "Yes, Cici?"

"Is the house time still at four months to the hour?" she asked the house.

"Yes, it is as you left it the last time," Ade informed them.

"Thank you, Ade," Cici replied to her.

They continued their morning routine for the duration of their stay in paradise. They worked out with Toll three times a week, potions were twice a week, and legilimency and occlumency the rest of the times. They focused on legilimency and occlumency after lunch all the way until dinner time. After dinner, they focused on themselves. They kept up the gruelling pace of training until Edmund, and the others encouraged them to slow down a little. The last week in the house everyone urged them to use it as downtime to relax before returning to the real world.

Their excuse for pushing so hard was that they wanted to be ready for the battles to come.

"Godric! I hate wearing clothes!" Cici exclaimed loudly as they stepped off the glowing runes. "I'm so sick of clothes!" she told Ced for the umpteenth time.

"Mi Amor," Ced started trying to placate his beautiful wife. "If all of the other witches in this world were as pretty as you, no one would complain about you not wearing clothes. But until that time, you're going to have to wear clothes everywhere but the house. Is that okay with you?" he asked her.

"NO!" she exclaimed loudly. Looking around she summoned a workout bra and nickers to her. Then she summoned a set of workout clothes. Finally, she summoned a pair of socks and some trainers. Fully dressed she looked at her husband, "Well?" she asked him harshly.

"Well what?" he asked her.

"I can't go running with you around the lake. Someone might see me," Cci told him, her head bobbing side to side. She had just lost all of her freedom in the blink of an eye.

"Would you like to duel against each other? Would you like to spar with me?" he asked her. He had never seen her this bent out of shape before.

"Let's go duel, I want to wake up the whole castle! ARH!" she screamed again.

Ced pulled out his portkey, and as soon as she gripped it, they felt the familiar tug behind their navels.

They chose their sides and began to duel. The bigger the walls that Ced conjured, the louder the explosions became. Cici was venting all of her pent-up frustrations on blowing things up. Soon Ced was conjuring granite walls five meters thick, and Cici was spending energy blasting them to dust. By the time that he was up to seven meters, she had slowed down. The dust hung in the air as she tired herself out.

She walked towards him and took him in a hug. The tears clung to her eyelashes, then she broke out crying against his chest. She sobbed, angry at herself for crying. She pushed him away and hit him in the chest. The frustration taking over, she started hitting him with both balled up fists. Then she gasped at what she was doing, she covered her mouth, and then hugged him again, sobbing. She was angry at herself now for striking her lover. The one that would shield her from any and all evil. His shirt soaking in all of her tears.

Slowly the others came over and gave her a hug, one by one, then a group hug of support.

Turning she faced them, trying to wipe her tears away with a knuckle, ashamed at her weakness.

"What're you all doing here," she asked sheepishly.

"It seems that Hogwarts was experiencing earthquakes again," Rose told her with a smirk.

"Don't be embarrassed to cry," Angel told her. "It takes real strength to be able to cry and face your fears."

Cici's cheeks had taken on a rosy colour at all of the love and support she was receiving. "Thank you all for being here for me," she told them.

"Do you think that we could practice dancing again this afternoon?" Fred asked hopefully.

"It's all going to depend on Vicky," Ced brought up the name that was the problem.

"Ced and I are going to try legilimency on her," Cici told the group.

Cici eyed the group through her puffy eyes, they all seemed shocked that they would even try something like that.

"Cici and I have also decided to fake sending her to Saint Mungo's so we can be free of the hospital wing here. We're going to speak to Madam Pomfrey in a bit," he informed them. "We'll say that Saint Mungo's' transported her early this morning. That should take care of any problems there."

"Well, let's get our showers, and then Ced can meet you in the common room in a bit. Everybody should still be asleep, it is Sunday morning after all," Cici said.

"That would have been a great plan if sooommmeeebbbooody hadn't woken everybody up by shaking the whole castle!" Rose said poking fun at Cici.

"Sorry I just needed to blow off some steam," she said sheepishly, looking at the floor and blushing some.

"I'm just glad that you were blowing off steam at Ced and not me!" Fred teased her.

"Either way, we need to be seen leaving the Hospital Wing," Ced told the group.

"Let's just meet in the common room in an hour and who cares who is there," Angel settled the discussion for them.

A little more than an hour later the group of friends minus one was headed for the Hospital Wing to see Cici off. On their way to the Hospital Wing, they were intercepted by Vicky.

"Hey! Where are all of you going?" she asked the group openly.

"Saint Mungo's is supposed to come for Cici this morning. Madam Pomfrey is moving her there because she's not responding to treatment here," Ced lied to her.

" _Mi Amor, did you get all that? Vicky met us on the way to see you."_ Ced thought to Cici.

"Oh, that's so sad," she said gloomily. "Somebody told me that she may never wake up. That's why it's called Living Death," She sounded so gloomy.

The others just looked at her. Ced could see concern racing across their faces. He just shook his head slightly.

"Hey, would you guys walk her to the hall for breakfast while I go and say goodbye to Cici please?" Ced asked the group trying to get rid of Vicky.

"But I want to see her and say goodbye too," Vicky said, looking at Ced in the face.

"This is really a kind of private time for me to say goodbye to her," he reiterated to her.

"I just want to be there for you if you need me," she said to him, wrapping her hands around his arm, wanting to stand her ground.

" _LOOK Witch! Let him say goodbye to his wife will you!"_ Cici thought loudly.

" _Have you finished Mi Amor?"_ Ced thought to her.

" _Yes, I'm finished. I talked to Madam Pomfrey quickly, and she knows what's going on, so it's safe to bring that little trollop with you,"_ Cici thought back to him.

"Well, okay, if you really want to, you can come with me," Ced told her.

A few moments later they walked through the doors, and where Cici had been, it was all cleaned up, and she was gone.

"Excuse me, Madam Pomfrey?" Ced called out to the Matron.

"Yes, Mr Potter?" she answered.

"What happened with my girlfriend, Cici?" he asked her.

"Saint Mungo's just left with her a few minutes ago," the elderly Matron replied.

Getting a sad look on his face, his shoulders slumped forward, "Oh, okay, thank you," he said dejectedly as he turned to walk back out.

Grabbing his arm, Vicky was quick to start the comforting discourse.

" _Can I try probing her brain now? Maybe she'll shut up!"_ Cici thought to Ced.

" _Sure, if something happens then I'll be here to support her. Just don't go too deep to fast. Like we talked about, this could take three or four gentle tries,"_ Ced thought back to her.

Cici focused on the girl that was holding her bond-mates arm. Ced could tell when she had gotten inside of Vicky's head because she got quiet suddenly. Ced quickly started to guide her slowly through the halls towards breakfast. The others noticed it also and kept a watch on what was going on around them.

As they were entering the hall for breakfast, Vicky asked, "What was I saying? I forgot all of a sudden."

"It's okay, would you like to join us for breakfast or would you like to sit at your house table," asked Ced giving her a choice.

"Would it be okay if I sat with you?" she asked.

"That'll be fine," Ced responded. He led her to the side of the table that let him look out over the hall. Out of habit, he held the chair out for her.

She looked shocked when he did that, "Thank you," she said, "no one has ever done that for me."

"Well, you should expect that from whomever you date in the future," Ced told her. As he started to help Vicky with her food.

Cici started talking to him, _"Her brain is a mess! Was the Weasel's brain, a mess too? Anyway, she is under the influence of a potion. There is evidence of the Imperious curse, the Cruciatus curse, and memory tampering. This girl is a pawn in this game,"_ Cici told him flatly.

" _Are there enough memories to figure out which potion she is under?"_ Ced asked her.

" _Do you want me to ask your mom, or Althea, for help with this? It would be faster to ask for help than to try and read a bunch of books,"_ Cici asked him.

" _This is a tough choice! Althea is here so you would be close. If you go to my mum, then we can stay in contact with each other if we need to. Go to my mum,"_ Ced decided if they needed more information he had the source right next to him. Plus, the bad guys would see that she was stuck to his arm.

" _That's probably the best choice for what you're thinking,"_ Cici told him.

Then Ced heard her call for Maco and she was gone to his parents' home.

As Cici narrowed the link between them, Ced started to eat his breakfast more hungrily. After they finished, Ced sat there with Vicky hanging on his arm, watching to see who was looking in his direction, not listening to her patter on.

Ced snapped out of his daze when he realised that someone was shoving him hard.

"I'm talking to you!" the little girl said harshly. "Wake up! I'm talking to you!" she said again.

"Leave him alone!" snapped Vicky, "Go away and leave him alone!" she threatened the little girl.

Every head in earshot stopped talking and snapped around to see who was threatening Daphne Potter.

Ced felt the temperature in the hall starting to drop quickly, "Don't you ever speak to my little sister that way again," He rebuked Vicky harshly.

"Sh-sh-she's your little sister?" she asked with trepidation. She had heard about her, but she had never seen the girl that had caught and held the killing curse. And she had been dumb enough to try and threaten her. "I-I-I'm sorry," She said, "I didn't know who you were."

As Daphne calmed down, the temperature in the hall began to rise again. "Where's Cici?" Daphne asked.

"They moved her to Saint Mungo's early this morning," Ced told her. "If you want, we can talk about it later, but that's all I know at this moment," he added to his thought.

As he watched Kitten, he saw that she had taken an interest in Vicky. She was just staring at her, her eyes had started to narrow as she focused on her. Ced could feel Vicky beginning to shake with fear.

"Kitten," he said trying to get her attention, "Let's take this someplace else, okay?"

"Yes," was all she said.

Ced stood up quickly and held Vicky's chair for her as a clear sign that they were leaving.

She took his arm as they left.

"Where are we going?" Vicky asked.

"My quarters," he told her.

"Is she coming with us?" she asked.

"Yes," was all he said back to her.

With Daphne in front, they made excellent time getting to the common room. Once there, she silenced everyone with a look as Ced gave the passphrase to enter his quarters.

Inside the sitting area of the quarters, Daphne turned her focus back to Vicky.

"Do we need to go to mum and dad?" he asked her.

"It would probably be for the best if we did," she answered him.

"Maco, Dobby," Ced called.

With a double pop, the elves were there.

 _Mi Amor, we are coming to you now!"_ Ced thought to her.

"All of us are going to my parent's house," Ced told the elves.

Ced took Maco's hand, Daphne took Dobby's hand, and Dobby grabbed Vicky's hand. Then they were in the Potter Mansion Foyer.

" _We're here,"_ Ced told Cici.

Cici came rushing to Ced and grabbed him in a crushing hug, kissing him fully and passionately on his lips.

Daphne had her hand out, and her wand appeared in her hand.

Harry and Hermione came rushing into the foyer of the house in time to watch Kitten plant her wand tip firmly on Vicky's chest. Cathaoir came flying down to the foyer for support.

"She has multiple things that have happened to her," Kitten said. "She has a very strong potion in her that wants to fight coming out of her," She informed them. Then looking Vicky in the eye, she told her, "This is going to hurt a lot. Do you want to be awake or asleep when I remove the poison inside of you?"

"I-I-I don't know!" she started sobbing. "I've never had anything like this happen to me before," she said between sobs.

"I'm going to stun you so that you won't feel the pain. Is that okay with you?" Kitten asked her.

"I-I-I guess," Vicky said.

" _Stupefy,"_ Kitten said before Vicky finished stuttering.

Ced caught her as she fell and laid her on the ground gently.

Kneeling over her, Kitten began to pull the poison from the girl's system. When she was almost finished, she conjured an unbreakable jar in her free hand. She continued to draw the poison out of her, as she pulled, Vicky's body was lifted off the floor and would sink back down, up it would come, then down it would settle. It did this about four or five times as Kitten remove all of the poison. As the last of the poison was withdrawn from her, it formed a ball at the end of her wand. She carefully moved the ball of poison over the jar and released it, sealing the jar rapidly. She labelled the jar for Mask on Monday.

Then she started looking inside of Vicky's head, "She's been emotionally abused. Somebody's been in here other than Cici, and they've done a bunch of damage. They've used the Imperious curse on her and the Cruciatus Curse. They have also modified her memories," Kitten told them from an almost trance-like state.

"Is there enough there to fix her memories?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I can piece them back together so she will remember, but it might be better to just leave them alone," Kitten said.

"No, it will be hard on her, but she'll want to remember so that she'll know," Harry told her. "It won't be just a blank spot in her mind."

"She did some bad things dad," Kitten told him.

"Did she do them because she was forced to do them? Or because she wanted to do them?" he asked her.

"She got into what she did because she was misled. After that, she was forced to do the things that she did," Kitten told them, "they controlled her. Under their control she was the one that wanted Cici out of the way, to get to Ced," Kitten said.

"Kitten, fix her memories," Cici told her. "We need to know who did this to her," she finished. "We need her working for us."

"Okay, this will take a while," Kitten told the group.

Slowly Kitten moved her wand around Vicky's head and face. Her lips moving silently as she restored the girl's memories. The bad guys had made a mess out of her thoughts. Kitten realised that they didn't care, to them, Vicky was disposable. If she didn't get the job done, they would dispose of her, then they would get another girl to pick up where she had failed. If that one couldn't finish the job, then they would get another and then another, until they got what they wanted.

Cathaoir chose this moment to leave. Fewer questions to be answered was his reasoning.

A long while later, they watched as Vicky's eyes fluttered open. She looked around her, lost but knowing where she was. She looked up at Ced and smiled, then she looked down towards her feet and saw Cici. Fear screamed across her face when she remembered what she had done to her. She wanted to get away from her, she scrambled backwards and hit Ced's legs. Then she looked around and saw the small blonde-haired girl that she had threatened. Looking more she saw two adults. Bending over, Ced helped her to her feet. She spun in his arms and clung to him in fear.

"It's okay, no one here is going to hurt you," He told Vicky in a reassuring tone. He rubbed her back and made comforting noises to her, calming her down.

It took a few moments, then she looked around again and saw no animosity on anyone's face.

"There is, however, something that we are going to need from you," Harry said stepping towards her.

"W-What's that," she stammered out.

"We," gesturing to the family group," are going to need an Oath of Loyalty from you," he told her with no humour in his voice.

Looking around again, then she looked up at Ced's face, he just nodded to her.

"O-Okay," she said.

"Do you understand, that if you ever in your life violate this oath, that you will lose your magic?" Harry asked her pointedly.

She looked up again at Cedric and nodded her assent.

"Take out your wand. Then repeat after me," Harry started leading her through the oath as he wanted it worded.

She pulled out her wand nervously, then she repeated word for word what Harry was saying, she ended with, "so mote it be." And she watched as her magic bound her to the Potter family for the rest of her life.

"Do you know who I am?" Harry asked the second-year student.

She shook her head. Still scared of what was happening to her.

"I'm Cedric's father, Harry, this is his mother, Hermione. This beautiful young girl is…" Harry was giving introductions.

"Daphne," Vicky said. Then a look of understanding came on her face. Looking at Harry, she said, "You're Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived."

"Yes, that is correct. I see that you've already met my daughter then," Harry said chuckling.

"Yes, the last thing I remember is the Great Hall growing so cold so fast. And then I woke up here," she said looking around.

Cedric told her, "That is correct. You were threatening Daphne, and she was going to protect herself. Daphne is the one that has freed you from what those other people have done to you. She's also the one that has repaired your memories," he explained to her.

She turned again and buried her face in his shirt, crying softly.

"Bring her to the sitting room son," Harry said to the group.

Ced led her to the sitting room and helped her into a chair. He then took another chair, and Cici assumed her usual position, just like her mother-in-law, sitting across her husband's lap. The two wives faced each other looking at the girl.

Vicky was coming to terms with the fact that she had been mentally and emotionally raped repeatedly, by those she thought that she could trust. They had done things to her and made her do things to others. In her mind, she could see the horrible memories. Hermione started helping her through the abuse that she had experienced. For her part Vicky felt nothing but love in that room, the love from those beside her helped her emotions heal more rapidly than years of therapy would have done.

"Why is Ramos here?" she finally asked the question that had been bothering her for a couple of hours.

"Cici is my wife," Ced told her.

"But you're both too young to be married," she countered.

"That's true," he said, "This next part is one of the many reasons that we had you take an Oath of Loyalty. Cici and I are a Soul-Bonded couple, we are literally soul-mates," Ced explained to her as gently as possible.

"That's just mythological stuff. Something that some parents tell their kids at bedtime," she said to them.

"Is part of the myth, that the couple will always be touching the other?" he asked her.

"Well, yeah, that's part of it that I remember," She replied as her eyes started to be opened.

"And another that they are deeply and passionately in love with one another?" he asked her.

"Well of course, then it wouldn't be a soul-bonded couple," she said. Then they watched as her eyes opened real, real, wide. "Oh, Merlin! You're a soul-bonded couple!"

She stood up, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock, then she looked at Harry and Hermione. "Oh, Godric! There are two of you? Why do we need two soul-bonded couples? This has never happened in history!"

"But, what we need from you, is your help," Cedric told her.

She looked back and forth between the two couples a few more times before she sat back down. She nodded first, then she said, "Yes, okay, I'll help. What do you need me to do?" she looked at them.

"We need you to be Cedric's girlfriend until this is over," Cici bluntly told her. _Oh Godric, I'm not going to like this. She thought to herself. Oh, Merlin, give me the strength not to kill this girl!_

"That's how the people that sent you to me had planned to get me under their control. They wanted to use you to get to me. But we don't know why they want to do that," Cedric told her.

"They never told me anything. They just said that you needed me since Ramos was no longer your girlfriend," Vicky told the group again.

"The group of people that did these things to you, you said that they wore red robes, is that correct?" Cici asked her, for Harry and Hermione's sake. She wanted them to get the DMLE involved for the extra support they would receive.

"Yes, all of them wore red robes," she answered her, getting confused.

"We had an experience a while back of a person that was wearing a red robe wanting to blowup Diagon Alley. The DMLE has officially labelled it a terrorist incident," Harry told her.

"There're terrorists in Hogwarts?" she almost panicked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Ced told her gently.

"Vicky, may I call you Vicky?" Cici asked her.

"Yes," she said.

"Please call me Cici. The people that controlled you almost killed me. If Ced and I hadn't detected the poison, I would be laying in a hospital bed rotting away. With your help, we're going to put them in Azkaban for the rest of their lives. And if I have any say in it, they'll lose their magic!" Cici was angry about what was happening.

"Well, I've already agreed to help you. But how far is this going to go?" Vicky asked them.

"Are you referring to what is going to happen between us?" Ced asked her, getting the feeling that, that was her primary concern.

"Well, yes! I'm not going to have to have sex with you or anything like that, am I?" she blurted out.

"We're going to be two actors playing parts. The more believable we play the parts then, the safer we'll be. And no, we're not going to have sex," Looking at his wife, "We will have to kiss in public though, and that will make you the centre of attention of a very nasty rumour mill," Ced told her.

"It's a very mean rumour mill. Do you remember all the things that were said about me at the start of this term?" Cici asked the girl.

Vicky nodded her head slowly.

"Did you say any of those nasty things about me? And I will know if you are lying to me," Cici bluffed.

Again, she nodded her head slowly, lower and lower her head went until her chin was resting on her chest. "I'm sorry," she said just above a whisper.

"I accept your apology, but know, that you're now going to be at the centre of a much worse attack on your character. When you and Ced walk into dinner tonight holding hands," Cici flinched at the thought, "all of those people are going to attack you."

"That's going to be a good thing," Ced told her. "Because it's going to tell the side of Darkness, that you've been successful in your mission so far," he tried to encourage her.

"It's getting late, and you four need to get back to school before you're missed for too long," Hermione said. Saying it out loud for Vicky's sake, "Cathaoir! Is Kitten with you?"

" _Yes, she is! We will be right down,"_ Cathaoir's thoughts boomed in their heads.

Just as Vicky was going to ask who Cathaoir was, there was the squeal of a small girl coming from the other room. She heard something land outside of her view, and in walked the last of the Golden Gryphons with Daphne Potter on his back. Her eyes grew wide, and her mouth hung open in amazement. Here was another legend that wasn't supposed to exist anymore.

"Hey, Vane!" Cici said loudly, mirth filling her voice, "Close your mouth before you let the flies in!"

"Huh? Whu?" she said before she shook herself back to reality.

"We need to go," Cici told the young dirty brown-haired witch as she rose to her feet. "Oh, and don't forget to tell Kitten thank you for healing you from all the damages that those people did to you. Also, if you want to live a long time, don't threaten her. Just a word to the wise," Cici winked at the girl.

"Thank you for healing me," she told Daphne sincerely.

Cici bent over and gave Kitten a hug. "Thanks, Lil' sis."

"Maco, Dobby," Cedric called.

He was rewarded with two pops.

Almost in unison, the two elves said, "Yes Lord Potter?" playing their part in this.

"Would you please take us back to our quarters in Hogwarts?" Ced asked politely.

"It is a pleasure to serve," the elves said together.

They each took a hand, said their goodbyes and with twin pops.

They were in the married quarters of the Gryffindor tower.

"Thank you, Maco and Dobby," Cici said. Pop, pop, and they were gone.

Daphne told them, "I'm going to go play with my friends. See you at dinner," and she left them.

Now it was just the three of them. Sitting in a very uncomfortable silence. Cici had staked out her territory on Ced's lap, letting the other female know that she was the queen bee.

"Mi Amor, why don't you see if you can help Vicky with her hair," Ced asked her trying to get the ice broken.

"Would you please? My mother never taught me any grooming habits. I've just kind of watched what others were doing and tried to imitate them as best as I could. You always look so pretty whenever I see you," Vicky almost begged for her help.

Cici rose to her feet, if she didn't love Ced so much, she would have given him a death glare. "Why didn't your mom teach you anything?"

"She was always too busy with her boyfriends and getting drunk," Vicky told her honestly.

Another drunk parent trying to raise a child. "You're lucky that you've turned out as good as you have," Cici complimented the girl. "What're we going to do with your hair?" Cici said out loud.

She walked over to Vicky and reached out to feel her hair, Vicky flinched. Cici withdrew her hand slowly.

"Sorry," Vicky told her.

"I'm not here to hurt you," Cici told her.

Again, she reached out for her hair slowly, and Vicky did her best not to shy away. Cici felt her hair between her fingers, it felt like dead, dry grass.

With a sigh, Cici told her, "Little One, the first thing we need to do with you is to run you through a shower and get some conditioner in that hair of yours."

Vicky just blinked at her.

"Come on, get up and let's get you in the shower. Use ours," Cici pointed to their bedroom. Ced got up also and followed them to the bedroom, he sat on the bed as Cici pointed at their restroom. "Go, get in the shower," She told her again.

"I'm just not real comfortable doing this," Vicky complained.

"Little One, your hair feels like straw. Your hair should be soft and tempting for a boy to touch it," she told her.

Cici herded her into the restroom and closed the door behind them. At the sound of the closing, Vicky got really nervous.

"It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you," Cici told her again.

"It's just that I've never gotten undressed in front of someone else before," Vicky explained to her.

"You don't have anything that I don't have," Cici told her.

Slowly Vicky started to get undressed in front of Cici. She removed her shoes first, and Cici noticed that they were too large for her feet and worn-out. Cici kept her mouth shut and her mental link open to Ced. The next thing she removed was her school shirt. She was wearing her school uniform on the weekend. Her bra was all wrong for her. Cici kept her mouth shut. Vicky then removed her uniform skirt, and her knickers were worse than her bra.

Seeing how embarrassed she was, Cici pulled her into a huge hug, "It's okay, I'm not here to make fun of you. I'm here to help you," Cici told her, the sincerity was flooding out of her. Seeing this girl that everyone has taken advantage of was breaking her heart.

Cici waved her hand to turn the shower on and start warming up.

"Go ahead and finish getting undressed," Cici told her.

Vicky turned around and removed her bra and nickers. She was too embarrassed to face her.

That was when Cici saw the scars on her back. The level of magic in the restroom magnified to the point of being almost dangerous. It frightened Vicky close to tears, and she assumed an afraid, defensive position of trying to make herself as small as possible.

"I'm sorry," Cici told her, "I just almost lost control when I saw what has been done to you. I'm better now," she told her.

"I-It's okay," Vicky said lowly.

"No, it's not okay for someone to do something like that to you," Cici told her. "Come on let's get in the shower," she encouraged her.

Vicky got in the shower, and it looked like she didn't know what to do, she just kind of stood there letting the water run over her body but not doing anything.

Seeing her confusion, Cici stripped down and got in the shower with her. "Okay see, we both have the same equipment," Cici told her in a joking manner.

Vicky kind of just nodded at her and wanted to look away in embarrassment.

Cici saw that she had not shaved her armpits or her legs.

"Are you one to not shave your armpits or your legs?" she asked her.

"I-I don't know how," she confessed.

"Okay, well what you want to do is to use a low powered cutting spell on your finger like this." And she showed her. "What we use is _diffindo_ ," Cici told her.

Cici had never seen such a confused look in her life.

"What part is confusing you?" she asked the younger girl.

"How do you do that?" Vicky asked her.

"Do what?" Cici asked not understanding the question.

"Put the cutting spell on your finger without a wand? And without cutting yourself?" Vicky asked the well-developed witch.

" _CED! Get in here now! I need your help in grooming Vicky. This is something that I'm not comfortable doing to another girl!"_ Cici called out.

Ced opened the door and called out into the steam filled room, "Is everything okay in here?"

Vicky jumped like a scared little rabbit.

"No, take your clothes off and come help her please," Cici told him sternly.

Vicky, wide-eyed, just looked at Cici like she had grown another head.

Ced stuck his head around the shower curtain, apparently, still wearing his clothes. Cici took one look at Ced in his clothes, and she waved her hand at him. Vicky watched as Ced's clothes flew off of his body almost to shreds.

"Well, I guess that takes care of that," he said as he stepped into the shower with the two girls. "Now, what's all the fuss about?"

Vicky turned to face away from him, "I don't know how to do a _diffindo_ spell on my finger to shave with," She said turning to look him in the eyes. She took her eyes off of his and started to look at his well-defined muscular body. As her eyes moved down his body, they came to rest on his manhood. She stood there staring at his equipment, and her eyes just grew in size.

"If you keep staring like that, I'm going to get embarrassed," Ced chided her gently, with lots of humour.

"Oh, sorry!" she almost shouted as she tried to rip her eyes away. "I-I, it's just that I've never seen a boy naked before."

"A beautiful girl like yourself has never seen a boy naked before?" he asked her, building her self-worth.

"You think that I'm pretty?" she asked in amazement. She had never been called pretty, let alone beautiful before.

"Yes," he told her, "we just need to find her inside of you and bring her out," he told her earnestly.

"Now, here, turn around and face me," he said to her. "I help Cici with this all of the time. What I like to do is to use a lot of soap, and I will start washing her feet like this," as he got down on his knees. He lifted one foot first and then the other. "After I wash her feet then I soap up my hands and activate a week _diffindo_ to shave the hair off of her legs. Do you see any hair on her legs?" he asked her, distracting her from what he was doing.

What he was doing was sending the most incredible shivers up and down her spine. She had never felt anything so good in her life. What she said was, "N-N-N-No, I-I-I-I don't see any hairs on her at all," she got it out with a stammer.

"Now as I work my way up one leg. I need you to spread your legs some, so your thighs aren't touching. There you go, now I can wash this leg here, and at the same time, I'm removing all of the hair from your leg. See?" he asked her. He explained the whole thing to her.

With her body shaking almost uncontrollably, she stuttered out, "Yes."

"Now that that leg is clean, I soap up my hands again, and do the same thing to the other leg, just like this," her shaking had increased to the point that Cici was ready to catch her if she lost all control. "Now that both of your legs are clean and free of hair, I generally move onto Cici's nether region," he explained to her.

"But in your case, I think that I will help you with your arms and armpits. Is that okay with you?" Ced asked Vicky kindly.

Stuttering even harder this time she managed to say, "Yes."

He took one of her arms and noticed how thin they were. They lacked in muscle and muscle definition. Her shaking had settled down a little as he worked on her arm. He switched to the other arm and cleaned it and her armpit also.

"Now I like to wash her neck, like this," he gently washed her neck and shoulders.

"Next, I wash her torso. Would you like for me to wash your torso?" Ced asked her.

She managed to nod yes to him.

He lathered up his hands, and began to rub her torso, he noticed that she was acutely malnourished, he washed her bum then he moved around to her belly. Slowly he moved up, and washed her small budding breasts, as he massaged her breasts she began to shake almost uncontrollably again, then he washed her back.

"Now I need to do your nether region," he told her.

She just nodded again. She felt as if she had lost the power of speech.

After soaping his hands, he reactivated the _diffindo_ spell to shave her clean, just like his wife. Cici had taken a position behind her, in case she went over the edge into ecstasy.

"Now, I'm going to slip my hand between your thighs and wash your privates," he told her.

As he slipped his large hand between her legs, she started shaking again. At his touch, she began to moan out loud and was getting louder by the second. In the few seconds that it took for him to wash and shave her clean, she had reached her peak of ecstasy, and her legs gave out. Cici caught her and supported her weight easily. She held the girl there until she stopped shaking so badly. As Vicky returned to this planet, her legs grew stronger, and she was able to support herself once again.

"What happened to me?" Vicky asked confused as to what had occurred.

Cici leaned forward, and without any malice, at all, she whispered in her ear, "I think that you just had your first orgasm."

Stuttering again, and starting to get embarrassed, her cheeks were turning a bright shade of red, "I did?"

"Yes, you did. And oh, by the way, you're a screamer. So, there are some spells and charms that you are going to want to learn," she teased her gently.

"How did I do that?" she asked innocently.

"I will get you some books to read, but you need to find your own lover. Mine is taken," Cici again teased the girl.

Ced told them, "We need to get her hair washed also."

"Nah, you go away. I'll wash Vicky's hair for her," Cici told him, the mirth in her voice loud and clear. "Mister Wonderful! You need to leave now!" she told him.

Vicky just giggled at the exchange between them.

"Do you know what the interesting thing is, Vicky?" asked Ced.

"No, what?" she answered him.

"The interesting thing is, is that I didn't do anything sexual to you. All I did was to give you a shower. I never did anything sexual to you. All I did was to show you love and respect," he told her in a kind voice.

.

The suds on Vicky's hair had turned grey. So Cici rinsed her head and started washing her hair for her a second time. Cici still wasn't happy, so she rinsed her hair for the second time. And started shampooing her hair a third time, this time the shampoo lathered up big and foamy. Vicky's hair finally felt soft. She rinsed her hair for the final time. Then she called the conditioner to her and applied a very generous amount to the abused hair of the witch in the shower with her.

"Vicky, why don't you stand over there for a moment while I take a quick shower?" Cici suggested to her.

"Okay," was the response.

"You know that when Ced and I first got together, I didn't have this figure," Cici started telling her.

"You didn't?" was the shocked response.

"No, in fact, I had your figure. This figure is a side benefit of being bonded," Cici explained to the younger witch. Younger witch, she's just a year younger than me, Cici thought.

"Oh," came the wantonness response.

"Do you know what the downside of this being bonded stuff is?" she asked her.

"No," was the one syllable response.

"The downside of this bonded stuff is," she paused for effect, "the downside is, what could be a very short life. Ced and I read a story about a young bonded couple. They had been bonded for less than a week when the girl was beheaded by The Side of Darkness. She was thirteen. The boy died less than a day later of a broken heart," Cici told her solemnly.

"Oh," was the sad reply that Vicky gave.

"Now, I have learned about a potion that can help you get a figure like mine. Would you be interested in that?" Cici offered the carrot at the end of a stick.

"Yes!" was the enthusiastic response.

"Okay, let's rinse all of that conditioner out of your hair," Cici said to the witch. Cici got her back under the stream of water and started to rinse her hair thoroughly.

With a wave of her hand, she shut the shower off. She reached up and pulled the shower curtain open so they could both get out of the shower. As they stepped out of the shower, Vicky was looking for a towel to dry herself.

"Drying off with a towel can be a lot of fun with the right partner," Cici said giving her a suggestive look. "But when you're in a hurry," she waved her hand at Vicky," a drying spell is the way to go." She waved her hand over herself next. "Now for drying your hair, you could also use a towel. And again, that is a lot of fun with the right person. I, however, am not that person. You will need to find that person. Then after they help you dry your hair, you can teach them how to brush your hair, because you, will, have, to, teach, them, how, to, brush your hair. Just like I had to teach Ced how to brush mine," she told Vicky in a matter of fact voice. With another wave of her hand, Vicky's hair flew up, and then it laid back down flawlessly. She did the same to her hair. Vicky's eyes were wide in awe when she watched Cici's hair lay back down to perfection.

"You have to love magic!" Cici told her, with a smirk.

"Yeah huh," Vicky said still in shock.

"Come on, let's go see what my husband has pulled out for us," Cici led the way out of the restroom.

Ced was dressed and waiting for the girls. All he had pulled out were a couple of bras and some knickers.

Cici walked up to him and pulled him in tight against her naked body, kissing him passionately. She became lost in her lovers embrace.

"Umm," came the sheepish sound from behind them.

They broke free. "Sorry about that," Cici told her. "But if you're going to be living with us."

"I guess that I will have to get used to it?" she said. "Wait, you said that I was going to have to live with you?" turning red at this point.

"Yes, we have a spare bedroom with its own loo," Cici told her.

"At some point, you're going to have to console the grieving boyfriend from the horrible nightmares that this incident has caused him," Ced started telling her in an overacting exaggerated way that caused her to laugh at the situation. "he wakes up every night calling for his long-lost girlfriend!"

Holding up one of her old bras, Cici modelled it against her. "See, I told you that when Ced and I got together that I had your figure!" they laughed at her silliness. Then Cici tossed her the bra.

"Now comes what some consider to be the icky part. My old knickers. Now, I can tell you that they are clean, and I have not worn them in weeks. But if you want, I can use a _scourgify_ spell on them to show you that they are clean. I have a lot of clothes that no longer fit me and that I'm tired of transfiguring to fit me," Cici showed her the pair of knickers that were in like new condition.

"A lot better than what I had before," Vicky said. "Thank you, both for helping me."

"I still need to go bra shopping!" Cici said in frustration. As she tried to clasp a too small bra. "ARH! I hate clothes!" she said as she transfigured the bra to fit correctly.

Vicky backed off quickly like a child that had been abused by its parents.

"Calm down babe. You're scaring her," Ced scolded his irate wife.

"Are you still interested in that potion? So, you can have all of these problems?" Cici asked her, still frustrated at her bra.

"Is this a trick question?" Vicky asked her teasingly.

"Well, at least she's found her sense of humour!" Cici shot back to her, with a smile.

Cici looked at the knickers that Ced had selected for her. She smiled and pulled them on, running her fingers around the waistband to help them up over her bum.

"And what potion are you offering our guest?" Ced asked her.

"The same one that was suggested to us. I mean look at the poor thing! Between exercising, eating right, and the potion, she'll be a knockout by the end of the summer holidays! I can brew it up while you two go to class tomorrow," Cici gave him the puppy dog look. She even batted her eyelashes for added effect.

"If it's okay with her then it's okay with me. I didn't choose any clothes because I didn't know what to pick for either of you," Ced told them.

Cici looked first at Ced, then she turned her gaze on Vicky. She stood there silently for a moment, thinking, looking at the girl in the matching blue underwear. She twisted in place and look at her closet. Then a pretty blue dress came flying towards them. No hand movement, no muttered spell, just a thought.

Catching the dress, Cici held it out to their guest, "Here try this on," she told her. "You can wear this down to dinner tonight."

Vicky's eyes went wide, Cici's hand me downs were better than anything she had ever owned in her life. She quickly slipped the dress up and over her head. "Would you zip me up please?" she asked as she turned her back to Cici.

"Now, a pair of nylons, and some heels," and as if by magic a pair of nylons came flying to her. Then a pair of blue strappy wedges landed on the bed. "Be careful pulling the nylons on. You can put a run in them very easily. And it's a lot easier to put the run in them than it is to fix them!"

She got the nylons on and only put two runs in them. One in each leg. Cici was kind enough not to tell her, 'I told you so.' As she fixed the runs.

Vicky put on the heels, which were a little too large for her. Cici transfigured them to fit her. It was a wobbly Vicky that finally stood up.

"Go stand in front of the mirror in the study and check yourself out while I finish getting dressed," Cici told her.

Vicky almost fell twice just getting out of the bedroom.

"Go help her! Before she falls and breaks an ankle!" Cici told Ced jokingly.

Ced caught up to Vicky quickly, she hadn't even reached the door yet. "Here, take my arm until you get used to the height difference. Also, you need to walk normally. Heel to toe, take shorter steps, and for a more sensual walking style, place one foot directly in front of the other. No, not across, you don't want to make an 'X' when you walk. Just one foot directly in front of the other. There you go! Heel-toe, heel-toe. There you go! Now you're getting the hang of it!" he encouraged her.

Vicky was a quick, willing, learner. She let go of his arm and finished the last few steps on her own. She looked at her transformation in the full-length mirror. She had never appeared so beautiful in her life!

"Are you ready for dinner, you two?" Cici asked.

"But won't I get cold in this?" Vicky asked.

"Honey, if you get cold standing next to my husband. I'm going to check you for a pulse!" Cici told her as she kissed Ced goodbye for now. Looking at Vicky one last time, she said, "Awe! Screw it!" and called her sapphire jewellery to her. "Here," she said as she walked the short distance to her and placed the fabulous jewels around her neck. She whispered in her ear, "If you lose my jewellery, I will transfigure you into a rat until you find it all."

Vicky paled suddenly.

"What's wrong?" a worried Ced asked.

Cici turned to face him, "I told her not to lose my jewellery!"

Cici finished putting the matching bracelet on her, thankfully she had pierced ears that weren't closed up. "There, now look at yourself. See the difference the icing makes? Now go, before I get pissed off and join you!"

With a quick kiss, Ced bid his wife goodbye.

Vicky let go of his arm and hurried back to give Cici a hug, "Thank you," she told her.

Together they entered the Gryffindor common room. The common room grew quiet as they walked to the portrait hole to leave.

"Hey! Wait up, and we'll join you," a familiar voice called to them.

Ced turned around, and it was George and Fred.

"Come on then!" Ced told them. Even though they were just cousins, it was hard to tell them apart.

When George caught a glimpse of Vicky, his mouth just fell open.

Ced got him out into the hall and away from the portrait hole before he spoke to him.

"Close your mouth George, you look like an idiot!" Ced scolded him.

"She's beautiful!" an infatuated George said.

Vicky blushed at his compliment.

"Yes, she is. But for now, she's my girlfriend as far as anyone else is concerned," Ced whispered harshly to him.

Fred and Cedric talked as they walked to the Great Hall for dinner. George and Vicky added to the conversation as they wanted.

Just as Ced and Cici told her would happen, the hall fell quiet as Vicky entered holding Ced's arm. As Ced led her to the side of the table so his back would be to the wall, the hall started in whispers. They all watched to see if she would kiss him when he held her chair. The silence hung in the air like a guillotine from ancient France.

"It's all on you now," Ced whispered in her ear. "They all want to know if you're going to kiss me or not."

As he stood there holding her chair, she turned to him and kissed him on the cheek, just like Cici would have.

The hall erupted in noise.

"Good job on playing the scandalous girlfriend," Ced told her as he leaned in. "What would you like to eat? I don't know any of your favourites. In fact, I know very little about you at all!" he told her.

George was hanging on his every word from across the table. He wanted to learn all he could about this magnificent girl sitting across the table from him.

As they went through dinner, Ced pointed out the different players that he knew in the hall and some that he suspected. The one that he didn't understand was Flint. As an afterthought, Ced cast the privacy charms over the group of friends so they could talk more freely.

"They all wore masks and disguised their voices," Vicky told him apologetically.

"Would you be willing to give us a copy of those memories?" Ced asked. "We could give them to the DMLE and see what they could learn from them."

"Sure, I could do that, but I don't know how."

"We'll help you. It's not painful at all."

"Would you like to go for a walk after dinner?" Ced offered.

"Won't it be dangerous?" she asked.

"It could be, but with the six of us, I don't think anyone would dare approach us," Ced explained as Rose and Angel joined them.

"Hey!" the girls said in unison.

"Wow! You look fabulous!" Angel told Vicky, getting a blush in response.

"You do look fabulous!" Rose complimented her. "What shoes are you wearing?" Rose asked as she looked under the table. Vicky lifted her leg to show her. "Oh, that's one of my favourite pairs!" she gushed at the newest member of their group.

"I assume that she has taken an oath," Fred said, being a wet blanket on the party.

"Yes, I have," Vicky told him straight to his face.

They chatted while the two girls ate their dinner. Rose and Angel seemed very accepting of Vicky at this point. George was crushing on her, and Fred. Fred seemed cautious. After eating, they headed out to walk around the Black Lake. Ced explained to Vicky that they would run around the lake early every morning. Then after their run, they would find a place and continue with their regular morning routines.

"We're going to have to start helping you with occlumency, duelling, weight training, and everyone is going to start hand to hand combat this week," Ced explained to her on the long walk. Seeing that she was out of breath, he told her, "Soon enough you'll be able to run the full distance at speed."

"Just not tonight," she told him, visibly winded.

Before they had finished the path around the lake, Ced encouraged the others to go on ahead.

"George, why don't you hang back and talk to me for a moment?" Ced asked one of his mates.

As the others got out of earshot, Ced asked him, "Are you going to have trouble with Vicky and I acting out our parts?"

"What do you mean?" He feigned innocence.

"I'm addressing this up front, so there won't be any troubles later on. I can see that you like Vicky, a lot." He told his friend.

He turned away, embarrassed and blushing.

"It's okay to like her. She's an attractive, likeable girl. And when we're not in public, you two can be together and talk and stuff. But the hard part is going to be when we are in public. She and I have to play the part that she is my girlfriend," Ced tried to explain to his friend kindly.

"But does she have to kiss you?" he almost whined.

"That's what boyfriends and girlfriends are supposed to do," Vicky said as she walked over to him and hugged him. "I like you too," she told him softly.

"You do?" George brightened up.

"Yes, but we have to play our parts until we catch the people that want to hurt Ced and Cici," Vicky said to him. "You need to play your part of the supportive mate. Okay?"

As the sun set, Ced's senses moved up in awareness. Once back in the castle they took the shortest route to the common room.

"Are you ready?" Ced asked Vicky.

"No, but let's do this anyway," she answered, straightening her back.

"You ready George? Because here it comes," Ced gave the password and entered into an interrogation chamber.

It was all of the expected accusations; Cici hasn't been gone a day, who does this girl think she is, what's wrong with you, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Half an hour later, Vicky was hiding behind Ced's back. Almost in tears, she followed him to the gryphon and entered his room. She was met at the top by a comforting Cici. Cici took her into a huge hug, and at that point, Vicky broke out into tears. Cici led her to the couch and let her cry it all out.

With red puffy eyes, she asked, "How can they be so mean?"

"They expect for him to be in mourning for a year! He's only supposed to wear black and cover himself in ashes!" Cici teased her.

That earned her a little snort of laughter.

"Would you like a butterbeer?" Ced asked Vicky.

"I've never had one before," she answered him truthfully.

"Maco?" he called out.

Pop! "Yes, my Lord?" she answered with a bow.

"May we have three butter beers please?"

"Yes, my Lord," she said just before a quiet pop.

Pop, and she was back with a tray of butter beers. She placed the tray on the end table and pop. She was gone.

Cici joined Ced in the overstuffed armchair. Letting her long legs hang over the arm of the chair, leaning against his chest.

"How're you going to do it?" Vicky asked her.

"Do what?" she asked. "Deal with you and Ced being a couple? Kissing? Holding hands?"

"Yes," was the response.

"I'm going to tell you something that does not leave this room," Cici started.

Vicky was listening intently.

"I can hear Ced's thoughts, and I can feel Ced's emotions. We know what the other is thinking, feeling, and hearing," she told the younger witch. "If his thoughts get out of line. I will know about it. And so far, his thoughts have been pure towards you."

"Oh, WOW!" she started.

"Yup, I have known what has been happening between you two since the beginning," Cici smiled at her.

Vicky blushed.

"Yup, if Kitten hadn't healed you and told us what had happened to you, I probably would have hexed you by now," Cici confirmed what the younger girl had been thinking.

"But I took a liking to you, and that's why you're wearing all of my stuff," said Cici kindly.

"Thank you again for helping me," said Vicky sincerely.

"Thank you for helping us," Cici told her sincerely. "Now, how do you sleep? Do you wear a nightgown? In bra and knickers? Just in knickers? Or do you sleep in the raw?" Cici asked her, changing the subject.

"I-I just sleep in whatever," she told her.

This caused Cici to cock an eyebrow at her. "Well, would you like to sleep in one of Ced's old t-shirts?" asked Cici. "It should be large enough to be a nightgown for you."

"What do you sleep in?" Vicky asked her.

"We sleep in either our knickers or in the raw. The soul-bond almost demands that we have as much skin to skin contact as possible. Notice that I am sitting on his lap every chance that I get?" Cici answered her truthfully.

"Yes," responded Vicky.

"That's because, until we're fully bonded we need as much physical contact as possible. Plus, I like it, a side benefit," Cici told her with a wink and a smirk.

"What do you think of George," Vicky asked shocking them.

"George?" Cici asked.

"Yes, George. He seems nice. Plus, he's kind of cute," Vicky said.

"He is, and you're right. He is kind of cute," Cici told her with a big sister smile.

"Better look out babe, you've got competition for your girlfriend already!" teased Cici.

Vicky turned away bashfully, Cici could see her blushing.

"Like Ced said, in public, you're his girlfriend. Where no one else has a chance of seeing you, you can be with him," she explained to her.

Ced asked Vicky, "What do you want to do with your clothes in Ravenclaw tower?"

Vicky told him, "I don't have a lot of clothes. Everything that I own is castoffs that don't fit."

He asked her, "What about a set of trainers? Do you have a good set of trainers?"

"No." she replied bluntly. "Nothing I have is... did you see my clothes in the shower? That's what all of my stuff looks like," she finished bluntly.

"Okay, that's fine," Cici stopped the argument before it could start. "I'll give you some of my stuff to get started with. Maybe tomorrow we can sneak into town and get you some clothes," she told both of them. "As far as your stuff in Ravenclaw Tower, is it okay if I have Maco get your stuff?" she asked Vicky.

"Yes, please. And that will complete the illusion of me having Ced under my control."

"Come on, let's get you one of Ced's old t-shirts to sleep in," Cici had taken on the role of big sister.

All three of them headed for Ced and Cici's bedroom.

"Here, why don't you give me back the jewellery first," Cici asked her.

"Thank you for loaning it to me. Rose and Angel really liked it."

"I'm glad. Now the dress."

"I got lots of nice compliments on the dress too," Vicky said.

"You know what? Why don't you keep the dress, the shoes, and the nylons? My gift to you" said Cici. "I want you to have them."

Cici walked over to Ced's chest of drawers and started digging in his shirt drawer. After a few moments, she came across a shirt that she looked at for a second. She dropped the shirt so that it unfolded in her hands. She held it up against herself, and looked down at the shirt, measuring it to see how it would fit on Vicky. It was large on Cici, so she figured that it should be huge on Vicky.

"Do you want to strip in front of us? Or use our restroom?" she asked her.

She looked over and saw that Ced had taken his shirt and shoes off already, and was laying on the bed not paying attention to what was happening. Vicky turned around and sat on the edge of the bed. She removed her shoes, then the dress. She pulled the t-shirt on over her head, and it fit close to how Cici had thought that it would.

"I'm not going to tell you how to sleep, but if I were you after you get to your room, I would strip off all of your clothes, then just sleep in the t-shirt. I think that you will sleep better if your body can breathe," Cici coached her.

"Thank you again," Vicky said as she gathered up the dress and the shoes.

Cici waited until she heard the other bedroom door close before she closed her bedroom door.

" _She needs a lot of help,"_ Cici thought to Ced as she stripped down to her knickers.

" _Yes, she does,"_ He replied to her. _"How are we going to protect her if they try to contact her?"_

" _While you were at dinner, Hedwig delivered a package to us. It has emergency listening devices in it. The note says that all she will have to do is to press the front of the device for a couple of seconds and it will transmit her location and let us listen to the conversation to see if she's in danger. The note says that it has been tested and works great if it is hidden in a pocket."_

" _Where are they?"_ he asked her looking around the room for a box.

" _They're over there. There's three of them. One for her, one for you, and one for me. This way, one of us can get to her in case of an emergency."_

He got up, and finished stripping down, then got back in bed. Cici shut off the lights as she crawled up on top of him.

" _Thank you for being nice to her,"_ he thought to her.

" _She's a good kid. Just don't get too attached to her. We have to give her back,"_ Cici talked as if Vicky was a puppy.

Ced could feel the humour in her thoughts. They kissed and snogged for a while. Both of them secure in their love for each other. Eventually, Cici laid her head down and drifted off to sleep. He kissed her on the top of her head and closed his eyes, breathing in the scent that was Cici, he opened his mind to her so they could share their dreams. It had been a busy day.

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 **A/N: Revised again 01.15.2018**


	16. Year Three Chapter 16

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 16

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Cici woke in the middle of the night. She just opened her eyes and lay still. Her ears working overtime, trying to listen to what had awoken her. It was dark, only the moonlight that was coming in from around the curtains lit the room. She lay there listening. Ced's heartbeat was almost louder than what she thought she heard. Then she heard it again. But from where? She lay there perfectly still. Was it in her room? Silence filled her ears as she listened. Was that her blood rushing through her body that she heard in her ears? It was almost deafening. She lay still, waiting. Then she decided, the threat was not in her room. She moved silently, but even the sheets made noise in the quiet. She rolled off of Ced and listened with both ears. Where was the sound coming from? Then she heard a faint cry, a muted scream. She got out of bed, and moved barefoot to the door and waited. She heard it again. She flexed her wrist, and her wand was in her hand. She opened the door as silently as possible. The sitting room was lit by the fire that burned day and night. There was no one, nothing moved. She _disillusioned_ herself and slipped through the crack in the door. She moved stealthily around the perimeter of the room, watching and listening. She heard it again, it was coming from Vicky's room! Rapidly she ran to the door and listened. Silence, then it sounded like a struggle, with another muted cry out for help. She opened the door carefully, listening. The door opened soundlessly. She slipped into the dark room and closed the door. Only the moonlight from around the curtains lit the room. She waited for her eyes to adjust. Vicky was tossing and turning on the bed, whimpering and crying in her sleep. Cici cancelled the spell and sat on the bed, pulling the girl to her bare chest and hugging her. She made soothing sounds as she began to rock her, holding her tight.

Vicky awoke with a start, "No!" she shrieked as she opened her eyes. She clasped on to Cici holding her tight, drawing comfort from her new-found friend.

Cici felt the tears running down her bare breasts as she held her there. Letting her pull strength and comfort from her hug. "Are you better?"

She nodded her head yes.

Cici sat there rubbing her back, calming her down, soothing her. "Are you going to be okay alone? Or do you want to come back to bed with me?" she offered.

"Go with you." Was the slight reply.

Together they walked back to Ced and Cici's room. Cici had her get into the bed on the other side of Ced. Cici lay down on Ced in her usual position and Ced wrapped his arm around her. Vicky mimicked the position and Ced wrapped his other arm around her too. Safe in his arms both girls were soon sound asleep.

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Ced woke up at his regular time. There was something wrong! He lay there analysing what was wrong. It took all of a half second to realise that there was too much weight on his body. He opened his eyes, and his vision was obscured by a brown hairy mess. Carefully he moved his head, and the mess moved with it, covering his sight. He moved his arm and found a body lying on his arm, that was not his wife's, it moaned and wiggled some. Cici's leg was across his hips where it should be. He used his hand and moved the foreign head that was blocking his vision. The head turned and pulled the hair out of his face, thank you! He thought.

" _Just five more minutes."_ Cici's tired thoughts came through.

" _Mi Amor, there's someone in bed with us."_ Ced thought to her.

" _Vicky had nightmares. I told her she could get in bed with us."_ the tired thoughts came through.

" _I need to use the loo."_

" _Wake her up gently. Rub her back or something,"_ the tired thoughts said.

Ced started to rub Vicky's back trying to wake her as gentle as possible. "Vicky, we need to get up," Ced whispered to her.

"Just give me five more minutes," came the response.

Ced just shook his head. Now I've got two of them! He thought.

"Most guys would be jealous of you, two beautiful girls in your bed," Cici said out loud. She rolled out of bed so her husband could use the restroom. They needed to get ready for their morning routine.

As the bathroom door closed, Vicky said, "Why am I in your bed?"

"You had a bad dream, and I asked you if you wanted to sleep with us. You said yes and followed me in here," Cici told her.

"I'm sorry, I've had bad dreams since they did those things to me. Sometimes I can see myself doing things to other people, and I can't stop myself."

"Why don't you take these and go get ready for your morning workout."

Vicky rolled out of bed and admired the self-confidence that Cici had to stand there just in her knickers as if she was dressed in the finest of clothing. She took the sports bra and the change of knickers, socks, and trainers.

"Whatever doesn't fit right, I'll transfigure so that it does fit right. I'll also teach you a spell that you are going to come to love. Just ask Rose and Angel," she told the young witch.

Ced came out of the restroom and kissed Cici as she went into the toilet. He was just tying his trainers as Cici came out. "I'll see you in the chambers in a bit."

"You need to wait on Vicky. I'll have to transfigure most of her clothes to fit correctly," Cici told him.

"Vicky! Are you ready? The others will be waiting for us," Ced called to their guest.

"I'll be there in a moment!"

When she came out of her room, she looked a mess.

Cici walked out of her room just in time. "Oh, that's not that bad. Here, let me do this, and this, and, how are the shoes?"

"They're too large," Vicky said.

With another wave of her hand, she resized the shoes to fit. "Now where's your wand?"

"It's in my room," she said as if that was the most normal thing in the world.

"You always keep your wand on you. You keep it on you at all times," Cici scolded her.

She ran and got her wand. "Okay?"

"Now, what this spell does, is it transforms your sports bra into a super sports bra that protects your breasts from bouncing and jiggling everywhere and causing you pain. If you don't believe me, ask Rose and Angel, they'll tell you!"

Vicky repeated after Cici and saw a small light shoot out of her wand at her breasts.

"Can we go now?" a frustrated Ced asked. They only had so much time, and they had a lot that they needed to get done. Vicky was going to have to start occlumency today, and that was going to take time. They had to teach her how to protect her mind because that is where they attacked her.

Holding hands, they entered the common room.

"What took you so long?" Fred asked irritably.

"We just had to do a little fitting of her clothes, that's all," Ced replied to the accusation.

They rushed down the stairs and out to the grounds. The air was still fresh and moist. The sun had just started to peek above the horizon as they began to a fast walk to the lake. Ced encouraged the others to run while he and Vicky walked as fast as she could. He encouraged her as they went, telling her that she had walked the whole lake last night. She soldiered on pushing herself to the ending point. The others had sat down and started practising their occlumency while they waited.

As they approached the tree, Ced called out to the group, "Are you ready to keep going?"

"Just waiting on little miss out of breath here to show up," Fred sneered at them.

"Bugger off! Wanker!" Vicky shot back.

"Let's just go," Rose said.

"After you," Ced told them.

Individually they all activated their portkeys and vanished.

Vicky looked at Ced with a questioning look.

"Touch the portkey," he told her. "Ready?" and he activated the portkey.

He steadied her as they fell to the floor in the chambers.

"RAhhh!", Vicky heard, then BOOM! Boom! And dust filled the air.

"Is that the best you've got, little girl?" a man's voice taunted her.

Then Vicky saw the man with white blonde hair conjure a wall made of granite, eight meters thick, five meters tall and she didn't know how extensive it was, because almost as soon as it was conjured it turned to dust in front of her eyes. She saw another man with brown hair trying to sneak up behind her and hit her with a spell. Before Vicky could yell out a warning, Cici rolled to her left and spun around casting a complicated triple spell at the man. While she was distracted the blonde-haired man shot a hex at her. Vicky watched as the curse hit her friend.

Vicky gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, "No!" she squeaked out.

Cici's workout clothes absorbed the spell as if it had never touched her. With one opponent on each side of her, she dropped to one knee, both hands shot out to her sides, and a golden bubble surrounded her. Her opponents were too slow, and their hexes were absorbed by the bubble. The shield glowed brighter for a moment. The two men threw themselves to the side seeking cover as a magical shock wave shot through the room. The spectators had enough time to cast their own shield spells to defend themselves, Ced's shield was large enough to protect both Vicky and himself.

"Uncle Neville! Uncle Draco! Are you okay?" Ced called out.

Cici stood up and started walking toward her mate. Ced dropped Vicky's hand and rushed to meet her. With a big hug and an eager kiss, they came together.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Me too," the two professors answered him.

Still holding onto Cici, Ced turned and introduced Vicky, "Uncle Draco, Uncle Neville, this is Vicky Vane. She was being used by the UAA to get to me."

"Yeah, we know. Your mum got hold of us last night. King has assigned the case to us. We're supposed to support you in whatever way that is needed," Neville told him.

"What's the UAA?" a confused Vicky asked.

Neville started to explain it to her, "The UAA is a terrorist organisation, whose calling card is that they wear red robes. That is about all that we know."

Draco finished, "What we want to learn is why they want Cedric. Would you be willing to give us a copy of all of your memories about them? We'll send them down to the DMLE to have them analysed and see who we can pick out of them, here at Hogwarts. Lord Gryffindor, had you swear an Oath of Loyalty?"

"Yes, he had me do it just after Daphne healed me," she told her D.A.D.A. professor.

"Just so you know, that oath is worded so that no other oath can ever supersede that oath. Just remember that" Draco told her.

"Aunt Luna!" Cici squealed as she rushed over to hug her.

"Hi, Cici!" Luna hugged her back.

"Oh! Sorry that I'm all sweaty," she said sheepishly.

"That's okay. Now, who am I here to help?" Luna asked.

Neville walked over to his wife and greeted her with a chaste kiss.

"Luna this is Vicky Vane. Vicky this is my wife, Luna. She's here to help you with occlumency. That will help you protect your mind from your enemies. It will also help you focus in class, and because of that, your grades will improve because you stay focused, and retain more information," Neville encouraged her.

Luna put her arm around Vicky's shoulders and started to guide her to the library. She dropped her arm after they had begun to walk. Once they entered the library, Luna cast silencing charms to keep the noise out. Vicky watched as she did that.

"It's to help keep the noise out, so we can focus better. The people that are after Cedric are willing to hurt you again, to get what they want," Said Luna in her almost dreamy voice.

"Daphne said that they did a lot of damage to my mind. I didn't even know that they had done all of those things to me," whimpered Vicky.

"Go ahead and sit here, good, now you need to sit in this position, like this. Okay. Now, this is going to be the hard part. You need to calm your mind, you need to slow things down, so you can clear your mind, get your thoughts under control," Luna's dreamy voice was penetrating her thoughts.

"You're inside my head," Vicky stated. "I can feel you in there."

"Is it okay if I'm in here?" Luna's thoughts said to her.

"Yes, I can feel you calming my mind," she said almost asleep.

For the next hour, Luna and Vicky worked together on her occlumency. It was a much more relaxed and confident Vicky that emerged from the library in the chambers.

"That was amazing!" Vicky told Luna with a hug.

George rushed over to talk to Vicky before they had to leave for their showers. They chatted lightly for the few minutes before they headed to their showers.

"We'll work more tomorrow," Luna told her just before portkeying out.

"Are you ready George?" Ced called to his mate.

"Yeah, I guess," was the reply from the love-struck teen.

"Vicky? Do you want to go with Cici or me?" Ced asked the girl, giving her a choice. A semblance of control in her life.

"I'll go with Cici," she said as she walked over to her friend.

Vicky touched the portkey and Cici activated it.

"When do you want to collect the memories from Vicky?" Ced asked the two professors.

"As soon as possible," Neville said.

"I'll call both of you off to the anteroom next to the head table during breakfast. It should only take a few minutes to get them," Draco told him.

"Good, then I'll get them down to the DMLE so they can start analysing them," Neville told Draco.

"Alright, I'll see you at breakfast, Uncle Draco. Thanks for the training today Uncle Neville," Ced told the two men just before he pressed on the portkey.

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It was a naked Ced that joined two naked witches in his shower, unexpectedly.

Seeing his confusion, "She still doesn't have any shower products," Cici told her mate.

Cici finished rinsing off, and the two girls stepped out of the shower, leaving Ced all alone.

"Now how do I do that drying spell?" Ced heard Vicky ask.

Cici told her the spell and showed her the hand movement that went with it. Then she demonstrated it on herself.

"Here, try it on your leg first," she suggested to her.

"Okay," and she managed to get her leg to dry. "I did it!" she yelled.

"Good job!" Ced cheered for her from the shower.

"Now try the other leg," Cici coached her.

"Yes!" she said excitedly.

Ced could almost see the fist pump in the shower.

She dried each part of her body individually, but she got it done.

"Now my hair?" she asked.

Cici taught her the spell and showed her the hand movement that went with it.

It took her a couple of tries, but she got it dried.

"How do I get it to braid like you do?"

"What you have to do, is to envision what you want it to look like when you're finished. For example, I want it to be French braided, so I envision what my hair will look like in a French braid," Cici waved her hand, and her hair flew up and braided itself as it laid back down. "Here's the spell, and this is the hand movement that goes with it. Try doing a perky ponytail first.

Vicky closed her eyes and thought about it, then she said the spell and copied the hand movement, her hair flew up and when it came back down it was in a perfect ponytail where she wanted it, complete with a hair tie.

"Good job!" Ced said as he stood in the shower watching them practice. Big sister teaching her little sister some life skills.

"You know, 99% of the other girls in this school can't do what you've just done. Including the seventh years," Ced encouraged her. "Good job my love," Ced said as he kissed his wife and pushed through the two naked witches.

"Did Maco get her things while we were exercising?"

"Not yet. There are still too many students in her dorms. She can just wear some more of my things, and we have her school uniform and robes. Maco has already cleaned and pressed them."

"She's an amazing elf. I wish that there was more we could do to show our appreciation for her," Ced told her as he left the restroom to the two girls.

As Cici was selecting underwear for Vicky, Ced went over to the package that was brought last night. He looked at the three listening devices and noticed that one of them was different than the other two. He also saw that there was nothing to draw attention to them. He grabbed all three of them and turned back to the two girls in his room.

"Here, this is a listening device," he told Vicky. "If something, anything unusual happens to you, just press on it for a couple of seconds, and it will activate, letting Cici or myself listen in to the conversation. You can just leave it in your pocket, and it'll work just fine. If you need to, grip the listening device in your fist for two seconds and it will portkey you back to our quarters. If we need to, we can portkey and help you."

"Okay, thank you." She said humbly.

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Hand in hand, Ced and Vicky walked with their four friends to breakfast. As they walked into the hall, Ced scanned the room looking for unusual activity. He guided Vicky to the Gryffindor table so he could sit with his back against the wall looking out over the rest of the students. Ced held her chair for her, and as was customary she gave him a kiss on the cheek. The Great Hall erupted again in whispers.

This time it was Rose that used her wand to cast the privacy charms on the group of friends. They ate and chatted without interruption when Ced saw Professor Greengrass motion to him.

"It's time, are you ready?" he said to Vicky.

"Yes," he could hear the trepidation in her voice.

"Nothing to worry about. It's painless and will help find the creeps that did this to you," Ced reassured her.

"Nice job on the silencing charms, Rose," Ced praised the witch.

With a slight blush at the compliment, "Thanks, good luck you two. See you in class Ced."

"See you in class," he replied. He held Vicky's chair for her and was kissed on the cheek.

Hand in hand they walked across the front of the hall to the anteroom, to meet Professor Greengrass. They exchanged pleasantries, and he explained what she needed to do so he could get the right memories. Ced told him that some of her memories, and he didn't know which ones, had been tampered with, but Daphne had restored them the best that she could. He told him that Kitten had called the people that had done this 'butchers.' In the end, Draco filled six vials of her memories for the DMLE to analyse.

"Because you do have so many recent memories, and they are so strong, it will be a big help in catching these people," he reassured her.

"I hope so, I don't like being afraid," she told him weakly.

"And you shouldn't have to live in fear," he reassured her. "You can go out that way unless you want to walk back through the hall, and all that negative attention."

"No, I think that we'll go out this door here," Ced told his professor. "See you in class, professor."

As they exited the room, the door was slammed shut behind them forcefully. Ced shoved Vicky behind him shielding her with his body, his wand was in his hand as he faced six figures in red robes. He got a shield up in time to avoid being hexed. He returned fire, casting another triple hex, catching the one in front. He pressed forward, handy capped by protecting Vicky. He used another shield spell, _protego-alavaris_ to defend them and reflect the curse back on the castor. His mind was moving fast now, thinking and analysing the situation. He was two for two as he watched the others break and run for it. He pushed Vicky back and gave chase to the ones that had run to the right, down the hall, he cast a broad stunner and was rewarded with another fallen body. He summoned the wand and bound the body in chains. He returned in time to see Uncle Draco blast the door open to help. He put up a shield to protect Vicky from the debris of the destroyed door. Draco looked around and saw the two bodies, as Ced collected the other two wands, and bound the bodies with chains.

"We're making somebody nervous," Draco told them. "How many of them were there?"

"Six, I got three of them. Two went to the left, and two went to the right." Ced was explaining, as more of the professors showed up.

"They used a good locking charm on the door," Draco commented.

"There's another down the hall to the right," Ced told him. He looked at Vicky and found her to be shaking like a scared little rabbit. He pulled her into an embrace and held her.

"Professor Vector, I'm going to walk her to class. I'll be late to transfiguration, is that okay with you?" Ced asked his Transfiguration professor.

"Yes, that'll be fine," the stern witch told him.

Ced pulled on a frightened Vicky and got her to start walking. Slowly they made their way past the bodies of the people that had attacked them. She turned and kicked one of them. Then she kicked the body again and again, and as she kicked the body, she started to just scream in anger, and fear, and frustration at her helplessness, Vicky kicked and kicked and kicked until she wore herself out and broke down into tears of frustration. Ced pulled the young girl into a hug and wished that he could let her feel that she was loved like he could let his wife know that he loved her.

With her head facing away from the professors, Ced heard her say, "I hate being a victim, I want to learn to protect myself from people like these."

Ced bent over and kissed her on the top of her head. "We'll teach you," he promised.

" _Three down, three to go?"_ Cici thought.

" _Hope so. Maybe the DMLE can learn something from them."_

" _I hope they let Aunt Tonks interrogate them."_

" _I hope they use veritaserum on them!"_

" _Get her to class."_

"Come on Vicky, let's get you to class now," Ced told the girl in his arms. He explained to her that he was not going to walk her to all of her classes. He wanted the people to make contact with her. "I'm sorry Vicky, but you're going to get used as bait, to see if we can catch the rest of them," he told her in a hushed and sympathetic tone.

Slowly they made their way to her first class, Arithmancy. When they got there, she kissed him on the cheek, and her class broke into hushed whispers. As she looked around and took her seat, the class quieted down.

They don't know what had just happened in the hallway, she thought to herself. They're just living in their own little bubble, and haven't gotten a clue as to what's happening out there in the school.

.

Draco called Neville on his watch. He let him know that he had gotten the memories and that there had been another attack in the school. Ced had stunned three of the people in the red robes. Neville told him that he'd contact King to send over some Aurors to collect the people for interrogation. Draco stood guard over the scene of the crime until the Aurors showed up to process the evidence.

"Bloody hell! This is one of Arthur's grandkids!" an older Auror said too loudly.

Draco couldn't help himself he had to look. It was the younger Weasley. What was his name? Oh, yea, the idiot father named him after himself, the stupid prat, Ron Jr. a second year. Wasn't he the one that threatened Kitten? An idiot, like father like son. Both of them were idiots.

"Who's this?" the Auror asked out loud.

Draco moved over to look at the face. He shook his head, "Never seen him before. Ask Neville when he gets here, he might know."

The Auror stood up and joined his colleague down the hall. This student was a female, guessing, they thought she might be a fifth-year.

Draco bent over and looked at the face. He knew this girl, she was a cousin of his, Lestrange, Luda Lestrange. "This one is Luda Lestrange," he told the younger Auror.

"Lestrange? I thought they had all died out like the Malfoys," he shot off his mouth.

Draco just clinched his jaw shut. In this case, what the young Auror didn't know wasn't going to hurt him.

.

As Vicky's class ended in time for lunch, she was chatting with a couple of different girls as she left the classroom. As she exited the room, she saw a figure standing off to the side. When it saw her, it motioned for her to join it. The cloak covered the persons face. She casually slipped her hand into her pocket and activated the listening device, hoping that it would work like they said it would. Apprehensively she approached the figure. She tried to put up her feeble mental barricades to try and protect her mind. She could feel the person trying to probe her mind. It seemed to be working!

"You've done well getting to Potter," the distorted voice said. "You need to get him to trust you more. Sleep with him if you have to, get him to trust you!"

"B-but I don't want to get pregnant!" she said in shock and fear. Just how far do these people want me to go? What do they want with me? Just go away and leave me alone! "What do you want with him anyway?" she asked. "Why can't you just leave us alone?" she begged.

The cloaked figure stuck a vial out for her to take, "Take it! This will keep you from getting pregnant. And what we want, you don't need to know!" the figure spun around, and the cloak billowed out behind it as the person left.

Fearfully Vicky looked at the vial in her hands. Could what's inside, eat its way through? Instead of going down to lunch, she chose to head to Cici's room and talk to her. Carefully she put the vial in her other pocket.

As she gave the password to the Fat Lady, the Fat Lady looked at her and swung aside so she could enter. She walked straight to the gryphon and gave the passphrase, it slid to the side to allow her entry. Cici met her at the top of the stairs.

"What'd he give you?" she asked.

"He gave me this," she handed the vial to her.

"I'll send this to the DMLE so they can analyse it," she told the scared girl. Cici pulled the girl in for a hug.

"We'll teach you how to defend yourself. Did the person try probing your mind?" Cici asked.

"Yes."

"And how'd that go this time?" Cici asked her.

"What Luna taught me worked! I could feel him, I could feel that it was a him! And I could feel him getting frustrated that he couldn't move around in my head like he had before. He wants me to sleep with Ced," she told her. "That's supposed to keep me from getting pregnant when I sleep with Ced."

"What are you worried about? You've already slept with Ced! You woke up in his arms this morning! I saw you!" Cici teased the blushing girl, trying to lighten the mood. "I've started brewing the potion that I told you about. It should be ready for you to take at dinner. Do you want some lunch? Maco!"

Pop, "Yes, my Lady? I have already brought lunch to you and Miss Vane." The elf told her gesturing to the dining room table.

"Please, Maco, call me Vicky," Vicky asked the house elf.

"As you wish Miss Vicky," she replied. Pop! She was gone.

The two girls sat and ate lunch. They talked about what had happened this morning, and what had happened just after her class. They talked about girl stuff and stuff that was nothing at all. It was a more relaxed Vicky that exited the room for her next subject.

" _I'm glad that she could confide in you."_ Ced thought to his loving wife.

" _The occlumency lesson really helped her confidence a lot,"_ Cici told him. _"You should have seen her face when she told me about it!"_

" _That will make Luna happy,"_ Hh thought to her. _"She needs to learn a basic shield spell. I think that'll help her also. You should have seen her watching you this morning. It was almost hero worship!"_

" _I'm going to call your parents and see if someone can take this vial of stuff to the DMLE to see what's in it."_

" _Okay, I'm headed to D.A.D.A. Keep an eye on her. I love you, Mi Amor,"_ Ced told her.

" _Love you too. Constant Vigilance!"_ Cici reminded him.

Ced and Vicky met up on the walk to the Gryffindor common room. They latched hands and walked that way. Fred grumbled, George drooled, Rose and Angel started talking to Vicky on the short walk. Once in the common room, Ced told the others that he and Vicky were going to go for a walk around the Black Lake to help build her endurance quicker. The girls offered to accompany them on the walk. Ced looked at Vicky, and she nodded her consent.

"We'll meet you here in half an hour?" he told them.

"Okay, see you here in half an hour," Angel said.

It was an almost desperate Cici that greeted Ced at the top of the stairs. He dropped his book bag and lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around him to kiss him.

"You need to eat lunch in our quarters with Vicky!" she told him, desperate for his touch. "This being gone all day isn't going to work!"

"I've missed you so much!" he told her, hugging her tight.

"You two are going to have to take your public display of affection up a notch also," Cici told him. "The bad guy wants her to sleep with you. He even gave her a potion that is supposed to keep her from getting pregnant. I had Maco take it to your mom so she could get it to the DMLE for analysis."

"Okay, I told Angel and Rose that we'd meet in the common room in half an hour," Ced started to tell her. Her response was to begin stripping his clothes off of him to get more skin on skin contact. He carried her to the sitting room and stood her up gently. She had already undone half the buttons on his school robes, so it was easy enough for him to slip them off. There was no eroticism in their undressing, it was not a sexual need, as much as it was a physical need to be touching as wholly as possible.

A shocked and embarrassed Vicky took her book bag and put it on her bed. She noticed that her school trunk had been brought to her room, here with the Potters. She looked in the drawers, and her things had been neatly folded and put away for her. She checked the closet and the same, her clothes had been pressed and hung neatly. She took off her school robes and laid them on her bed. Then she went back to the sitting room to find a nearly naked Cici cuddling with a shirtless Ced. She could see that Cici was breathing more relaxed, she really did need Ced.

Ced saw Vicky standing there watching them. He kissed Cici on the forehead and told her that he needed to go for a walk with Vicky. "I'll be back in about an hour and a half. We can cuddle more then."

It was with a soul-searing kiss that she let him go. "Here, here is the potion that I promised you earlier," she said to Vicky, "take it now, and then you can take one after breakfast tomorrow morning, and don't forget you need to have a kiss in public! Stop! Kiss her now in front of me," Cici commanded them.

It was a nervous Ced and a terrified Vicky that tried kissing for the first time.

"Oh. That was bad. Do it again! And put some feeling into it! You're going to have to make it a convincing kiss or they're going to be onto us," she told the acting couple.

The second kiss was much better than the first kiss. And the third kiss was the best yet.

"Okay, get out of my sight before I hex the two of you for cheating on me!" Cecilia told them. "I'll see you in an hour and a half. Don't make me come looking for you two!" she teased them as they walked down the stairs.

.

They made it a brisk walk around the lake and headed in for dinner. Vicky wasn't nearly as tired after this time around the lake. Ced surveyed the hall as they entered, seeing nothing abnormal he guided Vicky to their spot at the table. Rose and Angel followed, Fred and George were already there.

Ced held Vicky's chair for her and was rewarded with a chaste kiss on the lips as he sat down.

The hall burst into whispers that threatened to deafen them.

Even before Ced could help Vicky get seated, Fred said, "Mate! You didn't tell us that you were attacked this morning!"

Angel cast the privacy charms after hearing Fred start.

"Oh! they have you pegged as the scandalous woman now!" George teased Vicky.

"Is it always going to be like this?" Vicky asked tiredly.

"Welcome to being friends with a Potter," Angel told her. "My dad told me some stories about when he went to school here, with Ced's dad. Nothing's changed, always going to have the gossip mongers. At one point, the whole school believed that Ced's dad was Oldman Slytherin reincarnated!"

"Well, do you remember when that guy cut Cici's back? It was because he thought that I was Ced's other girlfriend!" Rose told her like it was a scandal.

"Little One, you need to eat. Cici's starting to pace the floor, and you need help with your homework." Ced scolded Vicky. Cici's bare skin felt so good on his skin. He was almost tempted to just leave Vicky here and go to Cici.

"Sorry, for being short with you. I'll be better tomorrow," Ced promised her.

Fred spoke up, "Hey! They just announced that this weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend!"

"Good! Because I need a lot of stuff!" Vicky said to the group. She started to make a mental list of all the things that she needed. Wow! Did she need a lot of stuff! I need to see how much money that I have to spend.

They stayed and chatted a few more minutes before they got up to leave.

"HEY POTTER! DID YOU WEAR RAMOS OUT AND HAVE TO GET ANOTHER GIRL?" a loud voice said behind him.

Ced moved Vicky behind him. George pushed her behind him.

"Smythe, are you too thick to learn?" Ced asked the older student.

"What's that supposed to mean? Potter."

Ced saw Professor Vector trying to move quickly to stop the fight before it became violent.

"Just what I said, Smythe. Are you too stupid to learn?"

The seats behind Ced had started to clear out. They didn't want to be in the line of fire. Two other students stood up behind Smythe, in support of their mate. Ced noticed that the area that they were in was too confined for a good physical fight. He watched as the other students behind Smythe moved out of the line of fire. He also observed as Professor Vector closed in to stop this from happening.

One of Smythe's mates saw her coming and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey, let's get out of here before we get into trouble."

It was too late. The professor was already behind them.

"What's going on here Mr Smythe?" she scolded him.

"Nothing professor. Potter here made a comment, and I was asking him about it."

"It takes three of you, to ask a third year a question?" she started to rip into him.

"Is that right Mr Potter? He was asking about a comment you made to him?"

"Yes professor, he made a disparaging remark about my new girlfriend Vicky, and I asked him if he was too thick to learn. I guess that he didn't understand my question and was becoming upset with me," Ced told her with the most innocent look on his face possible.

Professor Vector pursed her lips together and scowled at him. "Please leave in this direction, Mr Smythe. You and your friends."

"What about Potter! What are you going to do to him! He started it!"

"I'll deal with Mr Potter in a just a moment." She told him.

The three older students made their way out of the hall. Once they cleared the door.

"Miss Vane, Mr Potter, follow me please," the scowling professor told them.

She led them into the anteroom. Once there she cast the privacy spells and locked both doors. "Two of the attackers this morning were students of Hogwarts. The third was a former student that was expelled a few years ago. The Aurors are still questioning them but it is looking like all three of them will lose their magic and serve time in Azkaban," the professor updated them.

"Thank you, professor," Ced replied, "Vicky was approached this afternoon just before lunch. They're after me, but wouldn't say why."

"He tried to do a mind probe on me, but they have been helping me with occlumency, so he didn't get anything that I could tell. But I learned that it was a man behind the mask and the distorted voice," Vicky told her proudly. She had stood up for herself! Even if it was just this little bit.

"That's good!" I am proud of you Miss Vane.

"He also wants me to sleep with Ced," she told the professor.

"That's one of the oldest methods in history to try and capture a man," the professor reassured her. "I trust that you three have this under control?" she said making reference to Ced's wife.

"Yes, Cici is aware of what's happening, and she's very supportive of Vicky playing her part to the fullest," Ced informed her.

"Very well, you may leave through that door," she said as she waved her wand at the door, cancelling the privacy charms at the same time.

Apprehensively they exited through the door that they had been attacked near that very morning. Vicky stayed behind Ced slightly, holding his free hand, letting him shield her with his body. As they moved into the more populated portions of the school, she walked next to him as if she belonged there. She tried to project an attitude of 'this is her man! And she's his woman!' she wasn't too sure how well she pulled it off, but she tried.

.

After their walk, they entered the common room and were making their way to the gryphon they both heard. "Ravenclaw slut! Living in our dorms. What a pisser that is."

Ced let go of her hand and turned around to see Smythe moving towards him. Smythe was easily a head taller than him Ced noticed.

"What's wrong, Potter? Not so chatty now that the professor's not here to protect you," Smythe taunted him.

"You have got to be the thickest person on the planet. You know that Smythe?" Ced talked trash back to him.

Ced glanced at the movement he saw out of the corner of his eye. It was George and Fred coming downstairs to see what all the commotion was about. He more felt, than saw Vicky head up the girl's dormitory stairs.

"Even the little 'Claw doesn't want to see you get your arse beaten, Potter. She's abandoning you already! Too bad the other one had to poison herself to get away from you!" Smythe taunted some more, hitting below the belt.

"You know what's amazing to me? Is how a guy as big and strong as you, can have such a small dick!" Ced pushed all the right buttons.

Smythe went, "Huh?" and then he stepped forward to throw the first punch.

His mates stood up to get in on the action, but Fred and George whipped out their wands and stopped them from joining in. Rose and Angel came down the stairs and pulled their wands also.

Ced sidestepped the big, slow, powerful punch. As Smythe followed through with his whole body, Ced punched him in his kidney. Smythe roared like a hurt bull. As he turned around to go after Ced again, Ced kicked one of his knees, he heard it crack above all the commotion in the common room. When Smythe landed on the dislocated knee, he bellowed in pain. Ced stood there, waiting to see what the bully was going to try next. Clumsily the bigger student pulled out his wand. Ced ejected his and cast _expelliarmus_ , the wand flew to his hand like an obedient puppy.

Ced held the wand up like it was a trophy, "My wand!" he started as he saw the larger student try and lunge for him. Ced jumped back out of his reach, he stepped forward and kicked the student square in the mouth. Blood went everywhere, and Smythe fell to the side, beaten, bloodied, defeated, and missing some teeth.

Vicky ran to him, and kissed him full on the lips, passionately in front of the whole common room, and all the spectators.

As they broke the kiss, Ced looked at Smythe's mates, "You might want to take him to the Hospital Wing, again."

Looking at his mates, "Thanks for the support. We're going to go and study now."

Once they got into the sitting room, Cici greeted Ced warmly. His first clue that something was wrong. "My, that was some fight."

Then she looked at Vicky, Vicky cowered under the look, "My, that was some kiss. I will let it go this time, due to the heat of the battle adrenaline rush and all." She told them.

"I've never had anybody stand up for me before," Vicky told her. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you for your apology. We'll just say that if there were any doubters in the room, that all doubts have been erased about you two."

"You did have us practice earlier." Ced teased her. It earned him a withering look.

"Come on, let's help her with her homework," then looking at Vicky, "I also got you those two books that we talked about."

"Okay, thank you."

Between the three of them, they got her homework done quickly and correctly. Cici told her that it was an easy "O" for a grade.

Cici looked at Ced, "I would like to take a bath tonight. It's early, and I just want to relax and do nothing for a while," she looked at Vicky, "You're free to join us. I just want to soak in a nice large tub."

"Okay, I'd like that," she said blushing. Why is it that I am always getting naked with these two? "Oh! This weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend. Fred said that they just announced it tonight. There's a lot of stuff that I need, would you please help me make a list? I don't know how much money I have tho."

"Sure, I'll help you make a list. And don't worry about paying for it, one of the benefits of having a rich boyfriend is that he's going to pay for it all! Besides they're things that I need also. You'll probably need to go on both days, and you'll need to take Rose and Angel with you when you go clothes shopping. They both have good fashion sense," Cici told her, sticking her tongue out at Ced for the kiss that he gave Vicky.

A few bits later, a very naked and nervous Vicky stepped into the huge tub with Ced and Cici. Ced was laid back on the edge of the tub, Cici was lying on his chest between his legs. Vicky could see his legs crossed in front of Cici's waist, hiding her shaved privates. She saw his arms wrapped around her torso, just under her ample breasts. Is this potion really going to give me a body like Cici's she thought to herself? Cici's hands were resting on top of Ced's. To Vicky, they looked the perfect picture of tranquillity, laying there, eyes closed, and a slight smile on their lips. I wonder what they're talking about, she thought to herself. The warm/hot water felt great. It was causing her to relax also. She laid back and closed her eyes, letting the water soak away all of her concerns.

She awoke with a start, she gasped out a small scream. The water next to her exploded with movement, Ced and Cici were both standing upright in the tub, their wands in their hands looking for the threat. Cici looked down at the frightened girl, her eyes wide, and her face pale from the nightmare that she had just had. Cici moved to her, pulling her up, and drawing her into another hug. Comforting her, reassuring her, calming her, letting her know that everything would be okay.

As the three of them stepped out of the tub, Ced used the drying spells to dry himself and his wife off. They both watched as Vicky practised utilising the drying spells on herself again.

"She's getting better!" Cici complemented her.

"Yes, she is," agreed Ced.

As the three of them walked back into the master bedroom, Cici suggested that Vicky go pull on her nightshirt and join them for the night. As she left, Ced and Cici both pulled on underwear to sleep in, they were both in bed, lying there waiting on Vicky before drifting off to sleep.

As Vicky joined them in bed, on the opposite side of Cedric, she told them, "I'm sorry that I'm having bad dreams."

"That's okay Little One, the occlumency will help with your dreams. Soon you'll learn that you can control your dreams and stop the bad dreams before they become nightmares," Cici reassured her.

"Ladies, I'm going to sleep," Ced informed them.

Cici turned her face to him, and Ced kissed her ardently. He hugged Vicky in a one arm hug and kissed her on top of her head. He lay there, his mind open to the love of his life.

Vicky lay there, listening to Ced's strong, rhythmic, heartbeat, wrapped in his strong arm. She worked to calm her mind like Luna had taught her that morning. The love that Ced and Cici had flowed over her, it reassured her and gave her strength. It was their love that gave them the strength that they had. She closed her eyes and slipped into never-never-land.

Ced waited until Vicky had drifted off to sleep. Then he and Cici drifted off to sleep in a shared dream, their minds working out the events of the day. As they lay there sleeping their love radiated outward covering the guest in their bed, healing her wounded soul. _"She needs to kiss George."_

.

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 **A/N: Thank you for your kind reviews!**

 **Revised again 01.19.2018**

 **And again 12.31.2018**


	17. Year Three Chapter 17

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 17

.

.

" _She needs to kiss George."_

That was the thought running through their shared consciousness when they both awoke in the morning. Cici rolled off of Ced and headed to the restroom.

"Vicky, you need to get up," Ced told the younger witch sleeping on him.

"Just five more minutes," she mumbled in her sleep.

Ced slipped out from under her and pulled out clothes for all three of them. Cici would head down to the chambers and use a treadmill to run on, while the rest of them got some fresh morning air. As Cici came out of the restroom, she and Ced exchanged kisses and places. Cici walked over to find Vicky still asleep. This was not going to work at all.

She shook her gently, "Vicky, you need to get up now."

"Just five more minutes!" she mumbled irritably.

"You had your five minutes. Now you need to get up and get ready to go," Cici said a little more forcefully.

"Fine! Whatever!" she said harshly as she scooted out of bed.

" _I don't think she's a morning person,"_ Cici thought to Ced.

" _That may be true, but I can tell you that she is disrupting our morning routine,"_ he replied.

Ced came out to find Cici dressed and tying her trainers. He kissed her again and got dressed.

Vicky joined them a few moments later, "I'm sorry that I gave you a hard time for trying to wake me up. It's just that I haven't slept that good in months. Since forever! Really," her apology was sincere and heartfelt.

Cici told her, "Apology accepted. I'll admit to you that it does take time to get used to, but once you're used to it, you realise just how much of a day you waste sleeping in. I'll see you both in a bit."

Ced and Cici kissed and then Cici activated her portkey and was gone. Ced and Vicky entered the common room holding hands, playing their parts.

"That was some number that you did on Smythe last night. I heard that Madam Pomfrey was going to keep him for the rest of the week to check for brain damage," Fred greeted them.

"Hi Vicky," George croaked out to her. Has she gotten prettier since yesterday?

"As well she should! That bloke is THICK!" Ced told him.

Rose and Angel led the way out the portrait hole and down the stairs. This early in the morning, hardly anybody had awoken. Still, after four attacks on the same day, the group was cautious.

Once out on the grounds, Fred asked, "When can we start learning to fight like that?

"Like what, Fred?" asked Ced.

"Like you did last night! With your hands and your feet!"

"The plan was to start teaching all of you hand to hand combat this week. But with the stepped-up attacks on myself and Vicky, it kind of got pushed back a little," responded Ced reasonably.

"Can we start today?" he asked expectantly.

"With Luna working with Vicky, I don't see why not," a sincere Ced answered him.

The other four took off at a rapid pace while Ced and Vicky stepped up to a fast walk. They talked about what had happened yesterday and moved to what had happened last night.

"I'm going to ask Luna if she can help me with my bad dreams. Cici told me that I would eventually learn to control my dreams," an apologetic Vicky told him, and her, she was reasonably sure that Cici was listening to their conversation. Ced and Cici didn't seem the type to keep secrets from each other.

A grateful Ced told her, "We don't mind you sleeping with us, for a little bit. It just can't become a long-term thing. I think that if anyone can help you, it'll be Luna. My mum says that she's amazing. My dad has told me that the Department of Mysteries, and DMLE, have gotten her to help them on somethings."

"Well, thank you. And I'm sorry about that kiss last night."

"Don't worry too much about the kiss. If Cici were really angry, we'd have known it," he worked to reassure her.

With their increased pace, they had managed to walk around the lake quicker. Ced and Vicky met up with the others and checked the area to make sure it was clear, then they all portkeyed into the chambers.

Cici ran over to greet Ced with a hug and a kiss. Ced nuzzled her sweaty neck, sucking some of the salt off of her.

"Where is this place?" Vicky finally lets her curiosity get the better of her.

"Hi Vicky," a shy George said to her again.

"Hi there George," she replied.

"You know, if you like George," Ced whispered in her ear. "then you should go over there and kiss him on the cheek. If you give him a kiss on the cheek he will be yours," he encouraged her. He needed her to transfer her feeling for him, to someone that could reciprocate those feelings.

Vicky blushed when she looked up at Ced. "You think so?"

"George likes you a lot. But he's scared of you. He's scared of how pretty you are. If you go over there and talk to him, he will be on cloud nine! If you give him a kiss, he will be in heaven! But you need to do it now before we break up and start our training," Ced nudged her to her to go.

Cautiously she walked to George and started talking to him. Sheepishly at first, but they warmed up to each other quickly.

It was a few minutes later when Neville and Luna showed up. Everyone greeted each other, then Luna had Vicky join her back in the library.

Draco joined them just after Neville and Luna. Ced explained that the group wanted to start working on hand to hand combat techniques. Neville eyed them curiously, Draco looked them over, were they ready for that? Did they have the needed strength and dexterity? Why did they want to learn hand to hand combat?

"Why do you want to do that?" Draco asked what was on Neville's mind.

"What happened?" Neville cut-to-the-chase.

"Smythe tried attacking Ced last night, twice!" Fred told the two professors.

Ced would have sworn that he heard both of his uncle's eyes hit the stops as hard as they rolled to the backs of their sockets. Both uncles looked Ced over, not seeing any damage they turned their attention back to the group.

"Okay, the first thing that you need to learn to do is to fall correctly. When you fall, you don't want to get hurt," Neville started teaching them. He turned and conjured some training mats for them to practice on.

"Cici I want you to work with the girls. Ced I want you to work with the guys," Neville instructed. "Draco, Ced, I want you two to demonstrate how to fall correctly."

Ced and Draco squared off against each other. Draco moved towards Ced, grabbed him and then threw Ced. Ced rolled when he hit the mat, he used his momentum to help him come back up on to his feet.

"Okay, did you see how he rolled when he was thrown? By rolling, he is able to reduce the amount of injury that he sustains. He also used his opponent's energy to land on his feet," Neville sounded just like a coach teaching.

"Professor Greengrass is going to show you how to grab your opponent," Neville continued to teach them.

"Now I want you to pair off. It would be best at this time if it were a girl on girl and boy on boy. I want you to practice rolling ten times in each direction because you're not always going to be thrown in the same direction. Okay get started!" commanded Neville.

For the next half hour or so they practised tucking and rolling in both directions. They switched up partners and kept sparring. After practice, they incorporated what they had learned into their duelling practice. Draco didn't let them use shield spells while they duelled forcing them to dodge the spells physically.

It was a tired, sweaty group that thanked their coaches for the workout. A few minutes later it was a joyous Vicky that joined Ced and Cici.

Vicky greeted Cici with a hug and whispered: "Thank you for being so wonderful."

"You're welcome Little One," she hugged her back.

They all split up and went their own ways agreeing to meet at breakfast. Ced stayed behind to talk with his uncles.

He started to brief them on what had happened yesterday.

"So, they made contact with her just before lunch?" Draco asked.

"Yes, and they gave her a vial of potion that Cici got to my mum who got it to the DMLE for analysis," Ced confirmed.

Neville told them, "They're still analysing the potion. There's something else in there that they're not familiar with."

"So, it was poisoned!" a shocked Ced replied.

"What happened with Smythe? Does Professor Vector know about this yet?" Draco asked.

Ced went over the full incident from the hall to the common room. "I haven't told Professor Vector yet."

"Tell her before she asks you!" Draco told him sternly.

"Yes sir," replied Ced.

"Alright, hit the showers, so you're not late to class," Neville told him.

.

The girls had already gotten their showers when Ced arrived in the sitting room. He walked in on Cici teaching Vicky how to transfigure a bra to fit correctly. He gave Cici a chaste kiss and headed for the shower. When he returned to the room, he found his clothes laid out on the bed for him. I need to remember to tell Vicky to clean up some after herself, to show some respect for Maco.

" _Already did that,"_ Cici told him.

" _Thank you, Mi Amor."_

With their bookbags hanging on their shoulders, Ced kissed Cici goodbye, for now, promising to eat lunch with her. Vicky gave her a hug, and down the stairs they went, holding hands as they entered the common room to the whispers.

"Already?" Vicky whined quietly.

"Yup. Gets old, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does."

.

As they stepped off the bottom step of the last set of stairs, Ced said, "Let the show begin!" the young couple pasted smiles on their faces as they moved to join their friends. The hall got quiet as they entered to have breakfast. It seemed that every eye in the place was staring at them.

"I guess the kiss from last night got around," Ced told Vicky lowly.

She just smiled and nodded, holding his hand in hers.

"I'm going to have to speak to Professor Vector about last night. Professor Greengrass told me to get it done before she speaks to me."

He held Vicky's chair for her, and she rewarded him with another kiss on the lips.

The volume in the hall became almost deafening and quieted down again when Ced didn't take a seat but started to walk to the front of the Great Hall. He could feel the eyes boring holes into his skin.

He stopped in front of Professor Vector. "Professor, I need to speak with you about an incident that happened in the common room last night."

"I've already heard about it from a half dozen different people. My only question is, did you throw the first punch?" she asked him.

"No mam," he told her.

"Fine, go eat your breakfast," she told him as she returned to her eggs.

Once back with his friends, George recast the privacy charms as Ced took his seat. Vicky gave him a chaste kiss on the lips when he turned to her. It was good to see her talking to George. He spoke to Fred, Angel, and Rose.

Just before they finished breakfast, Ced told them, "Cici and I thought about this last night. We both don't expect for the side of Darkness to make contact with Vicky until the middle of the week. So, sometime on Wednesday or Thursday they should try and contact her again."

"We were talking while you were up talking to Professor Vector. We agree with you and Cici," Rose told him. "Constant Vigilance," she said just above a whisper.

All of them nodded their head in agreement. Ced stood to hold the chair for Vicky. George did a decent job of ignoring them, as Vicky gave Ced another kiss on the lips. The group headed out to classes.

On the walk to Vicky's first class, he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "The potion that the guy gave you, had an unknown substance in it. It was poisoned like we thought."

"The part that scares me is that I would have just taken it before. Luna showed me today where they had gone through my mind and changed my thinking so that I would trust them and do whatever they told me to do. I don't want to be that person anymore, I like who I am now. I like who I am, with you and Cici."

At the door of her classroom, she turned in his arms and gave him a kiss of thank you. "I'll see you at lunch," she told him in his ear.

" _Wow!"_ he heard in his head.

" _Yeah, wow. They had really messed with that girl's head,"_ Ced told his soul-mate.

" _Almost makes me feel guilty for waking her up to go exercise this morning."_

" _No, it doesn't!"_

" _You're right, it doesn't, did you happen to see if she has kissed George yet?"_ Cici asked him.

" _No, I've been too distracted by everything else that has been going on. I do know that Vicky and George talked over breakfast and that George has calmed down some."_

" _What I would give to be a fly on a wall some days,"_ Cici commented in thought.

" _Yeah, that would be really useful right about now,"_ agreed Ced.

" _Too bad, we're not animagus, like that poor reporter at our wedding."_

" _I wonder if my parents know somebody that could help us?"_ he thought, almost out loud.

" _What me to ask?"_ she offered expectantly.

" _Yeah, talk to them and see what you find out. I'm here at class, I'll see you at lunch,"_ Ced told her as he walked into his potions class.

"Ah! Mr Potter! Good of you to join us today," Professor Slughorn chided him sarcastically.

" _That's unusual,"_ Cici said in his head.

.

As Ced and Vicky walked up the stairs to the sitting room, they let go of each other's hands. It was an amazed Cedric that saw Cici fully clothed.

With his brows furrowed in thought, Ced was just about to ask his wife what was wrong when he heard, "Cedric!" it was his dad. Turning to greet his dad, Harry continued, "I'd like you to meet Rita Skeeter."

Ever the gentleman Ced stuck out his hand to greet her, "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said as he looked over the heavy-jawed, blonde witch with glasses.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the young Lord Potter!" she said as she eyed him like a piece of beefcake.

"I would also like to introduce you to the young woman that is the victim of the terrorists. This is Vicky Vane," Harry said.

It was a cautious Vicky that shook the offered hand and said nothing.

Seeing the questioning looks, Harry gestured for them to take a seat. Cici, getting needy for the touch of her mate sat in Ced's lap as if they were among friends.

"When we heard the comment being a fly on the wall, I immediately thought of an associate, Ms Skeeter," Harry commented as he looked at Rita. Turning to look at the kids again, he saw their confusion. "Rita is animagus," He said, "Her animagus form is a flying beetle."

"She could be the fly on the wall!" Cici almost screamed in excitement.

"Yes," Rita drawled. She apparently wasn't too happy with this arrangement.

"How does this arrangement work?" Ced asked eyeing his dad. There had to be a catch here somewhere.

"I keep his secrets, and he keeps my secrets," She just almost sneered at Harry.

"The way I see it, Rita. You get a chance to break a story about international terrorism here in magical Britain, and we get to keep our names out of the paper while we catch the bad guys," Harry expanded her explanation.

"Sssso, when does this arrangement start?" sneered Rita.

"How does from eight in the morning to just before dinner, you keep an eye on Vicky so you can follow the bad guys after they make contact with her again," Ced offered.

"These bad guys as you call them, are real? They're not just the imagination of attention seeking little girl?" Rita questioned as if she was interested, maybe.

"Yes, they're real. We caught three of them yesterday. One of them is a Hogwarts dropout. He was expelled several years ago for violence towards other students and cruelty to animals," Harry told the witch.

He continued to look at the reporter sternly. He needed her help more than she needed his at this point, he was hoping that the story would draw her in.

"Fine, I'll do it," she said, "But I want to interview these two lovebirds here also."

"Not going to happen," Cici said coldly.

"But why not my dear? What do you have to be afraid of?" the reporter in her pushed.

"You want to interview my girlfriend?" asked Ced, mirth filling his voice. "Then I want an Oath of Loyalty from you. And I'll have my dad word it so that nothing is left out," he smiled at her.

"Fine! When do you want me to start babysitting?" asked an irritated Rita.

Harry looking at his watch, "In about 20 minutes. We used up most of their lunch break, Maco!"

Pop! "Yes, my Lord," the elf bowed at Harry.

"Lunch for Ced and his guests?" Harry asked.

"It is on the table for them," she answered.

"Thank you, Maco you did a splendid job," Ced told her.

"It is a pleasure to serve," she replied before going. Pop!

After lunch, Ced kissed Cici longingly, he longed to hold her against him and not be disturbed. He held out his hand for Vicky who took it willingly. Then they all looked at Rita to watch her change.

"Oh, whatever!" she blurted out. One moment an adult witch was standing in front of them, and then there was a small beetle flying towards Vicky's hair. Ced and Cici watched as Rita burrowed into her hair to not be noticed.

" _What an incredibly useful form to take!"_ Cici told him.

" _I can see how useful it would be. But it wouldn't take much to kill someone in that form."_

" _I wonder how your dad met this woman?"_

" _I don't know. He's never mentioned her before. The only animagus person that I know is my Uncle Sirius."_

Ced and Vicky entered the common room to the usual whispers. After giving a quick look around, they decided that their friends weren't there, so they headed to Vicky's next class. At the door to the classroom, Ced stopped while Vicky turned into his embrace, with what would have passed as a passionate kiss he let her go.

"I'll meet you in your quarters so we can go and exercise," she whispered in his ear.

"See you then," he whispered in her ear. He turned and left for his next class.

.

Vicky was glad that her day was over, all she wanted to do was to go upstairs, change, and talk to Cici for a while. She liked Cici, she was the big sister that she never had. Then she could go for a walk with Ced. Maybe tonight she would try running a portion of the path around the lake. She could almost feel the potion that Cici was giving her, tingling in her body. She felt stronger, she knew that. Slinging her book bag over her shoulder, she waited in line to get out the door and go change.

"Vane, come over here," a harsh whisper said.

She glanced around before she saw a cloaked figure hiding behind a pillar. Slowly she moved to the form trying to stay hidden. Her hand slipped into her pocket and activated the listening device.

"What do you want now?" she whined at the figure. She could feel him trying to probe her mind again. He wasn't nearly as good as Luna, and Luna had taught her well.

"Have you had sex with him yet?"

"No! the potion takes twenty-four hours to become effective!" she scolded the figure.

"You've wasted a day! I am not a patient person! Do it tonight, or you will suffer for your failures!" the distorted voice told her.

"I'm not getting pregnant for you!" she hissed back.

"You will do as I say or you will wish that you had!" the cloak told her harshly. "You've already wasted one day, don't waste another," the voice had turned icy.

"Okay," she whined, "I'll do it." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small beetle fly towards the back of the cloaked figure.

"Tonight!" the cloak said, then it turned and rushed away, the small beetle holding on to the back of the cloak.

.

Ced found Vicky sobbing into Cici's shoulder. "The cloaked figure contacted her again, just after her last class."

"So soon? They must be getting desperate!" Ced commented.

"The figure also said that I had to have sex with you tonight. Or he was going to punish me," Vicky said as she sobbed. "I don't want to hurt you!" she wailed.

"Have you talked to my mum? We need to know what is in that potion!" Ced asked Cici. He already knew the answer. "I'll go talk to her and see what they've found."

He went into the study and activated the communications mirror, "Hey dad, the terrorists contacted Vicky this afternoon. They've given her an ultimatum to have sex with me tonight or be punished for failing. Have they figured out what that potion has in it?"

"Not yet. Have her tell them that she had sex with you, but you wore protection because you didn't want to get her pregnant. Or she just stays in the room with Cici to protect her."

"Have you heard from Rita yet?"

"No, it could be a couple of days before we hear from her. I'm surprised at how fast they've contacted Vicky," the apprehension on his face was growing.

"Alright, call us back if you have anything. We need to go put in an appearance at dinner. We have to keep the rumour mill fed," he told his dad irately.

Vicky's eyes were all puffy from crying, Cici looked at her and thought, she had to have learned a spell to take care of puffy eyes. "Oh! Let me try this!" she took both of her hands, one on each side of her face, then she ran her thumbs across and under her eyes. "There, that's much better," she said, a satisfied look on her face. "You two, go have dinner!" she commanded them, stomping her foot and pointing to the stairs. The smile on her face was itching to take over.

"Thank you, Cici," Vicky hugged her. "Thank you for being so wonderful, and someone that I can talk to."

"Come on, we need to get our walk in before we eat," commented Ced.

"Oh! I've got to change! I want to try to run tonight! That potion that Cici is giving me seems to help with my energy levels," an excited Vicky told them.

"Potion?"

"Go change! Yes, it's the same potion that you and I were given by a friend to help us when we first started exercising," his wife explained to him.

Vicky was fast! In less than five minutes she was ready to go! At the lake? She was able to run about half the lake and walked the rest as quickly as she could. She was so proud of herself! And Ced was excited for her too. Dinner was a quiet affair; the rest of the night was uneventful.

When it came time for bed, Cici talked with Vicky. "You can try sleeping on your own, or you can sleep with us again, just in case," she offered the witch they had taken under their arm.

"Thank you, may I sleep with you two again, please?" a very hopeful Vicky asked.

"It's fine with me."

"It's okay with me too," Ced told her.

She hurried off to change into Ced's old t-shirt that Cici had given her. When she returned, Ced and Cici were already in bed, she crawled into bed with them on the other side.

With a kiss on the top of her head, and a kiss on Cici's lips. They all drifted off to sleep.

" _I would love to look around inside of her head,"_ Cici told him.

" _Yeah, just to see what she sees. To see the details that we're missing,"_ he agreed with her.

" _Let's grab this person tomorrow if we can,"_ Cici thought to him.

" _I agree with you. We can both portkey to where Vicky is, one in front and one behind the guy. I'll go in front, and that should distract him so you can stun him from behind, that way he never sees you. Then if need be, you can portkey back to our room."_

They continued to work out the more delicate details as they drifted off to sleep.

.

Ced woke up at the correct time, the room softly lit with the rising sun. He found both girls still in his arms where they had fallen asleep. He bent down and kissed the fair skinned one on the top of her head as he gently tried to wake her.

"Vicky, you need to get up so I can use the loo," he told her softly, not wanting to wake his wife just yet. Vicky was blissfully unaware of just how close she had come to getting hexed a half a dozen times yesterday morning. He really wanted to avoid that becoming a reality this morning. Gently he shook her again, this time he was rewarded with a soft moan of displeasure. Well, at least we're getting somewhere. He thought.

"Vicky, if you don't get up, …" a tired and grumpy Cici started. She was rewarded with the younger witch's eyes flying open, about the size of saucers.

"Oh, good morning!" she said as she hurriedly rolled off of Ced, and left the room.

"Thank you, Mi Amor," he told her, then gave her a quick kiss as he slipped out from under his gorgeous wife to go take care of his morning business.

He returned to another kiss and all three sets of clothes laid out for them. As Cici was finishing getting dressed, Ced could hear the communications mirror calling for attention.

He and Vicky went to the sitting room, he kept her off to the side, out of view, as he answered the mirror. "Morning Dad! How are you?"

"Fine son, are Vicky and Cici with you?" Harry asked. "This concerns all of you."

Cici walked in from behind and slipped an arm around Ced possessively. She then stuck out her hand to pull Vicky into the conversation with them.

"Good, I'm glad to see that all of you are up. The other unidentified substance in the potion is another potion that gives one person a measure of control over someone else. For example, if Vicky had taken the potion, yes it had the birth control potion in it, that was the host potion. The second potion would give her limited control over whomever she had sexual intercourse with. This power of suggestion is only active for forty-eight hours. That's why they're in such a hurry. It's not a very strong potion, in that it won't make a person do something that they have a moral objection to, but if she were to suggest that you carry her books to class, or meet her after class, then that is something that you would want to do for her. It's not a love potion, per-say," Harry finished.

"Great! That's just what we need in this world, more guys thinking with their dicks and not their heads!" an angry, sarcastic Cici said harshly.

Ced and Vicky looked at her like she had just grown another head.

"Essentially, what she is saying is correct, if a little crude," Hermione stepped into the picture.

"Sorry, mam," said Cici blushingly.

"It's okay, I can understand your frustrations. So now you know what it does and how to behave if you still want to go through with everything," Hermione told the kids.

"Yes, we've come this far, and I think that I speak for the rest of us when I say that we need to see this through," Ced looked at the others. They nodded in agreement with him, a look of determination on Vicky's face.

"Bye, we will talk to you later," Ced's parents said just before the mirror became normal again.

"I think that you two need to practice at breakfast this morning," Cici told them. "Now, go run so I can get my exercises in too!" she shushed them down the steps.

Ced and Vicky were running a little late, so they had to walk to the starting point by themselves. They held hands and talk jovially as they walked. For all appearances, they were a couple in love. They joined the others and started to run, Vicky made it about two-thirds of the way around the lake before she began to walk, the others encouraged her before they took off at a fast run to the tree. As they were still in their cooldown, Ced and Vicky caught up with them. With looks around, they started to portkey to the chambers. Inside the chambers, Vicky dropped Ced's hand and went to talk with George again. This morning their bodies were a little closer. A loving hug from Cici and then Draco showed up to get their training started.

Shortly afterwards Luna and Neville appeared. Ced left to go talk to Luna.

"Morning Luna," he said.

"Morning Ced!" the dreamy voice of Luna answered.

"Vicky needs to learn a basic shield spell," he started, "The occlumency lessons are paying off also. The guy has tried probing her mind yesterday and on Monday," he told her. "She's really a changed person. Thank you for helping her," Ced told her with sincerity.

"She's a good kid, I would know if she wasn't. I've gone in and helped her get her thoughts in order and helped her lock things away until she's ready to deal with them. She also has strong, loving, emotions towards you and Cici. She really doesn't want you and Cici to get hurt because of her," Luna told him.

"Is there a chance that you could get any details about these last two encounters? Cici and I are running blind," he asked of her.

"I'll ask her, but I'm not going to betray her trust in me," Luna's voice had become severe.

"Cici and I wouldn't want you to do that to her. She's been mentally raped enough already," Ced told the frail-looking blonde witch.

"That's a very accurate description of what has happened to her. She trusts you, a lot."

"And I have no intention of betraying her trust."

Luna could see so much of Harry in Cedric right now. It made her heart swell with pride at the man he was becoming.

Ced left, and Luna pulled Vicky off to the library to continue working with her.

After training, Ced, Cici, and Vicky all portkeyed back to their room together. Vicky headed to her shower, letting Ced and Cici have some alone time in their bath. It was the private time that was desperately needed, but now was, unfortunately, not the time for a long hot shower, letting the other know how much they were missed, how much they were wanted, how much they were needed.

Walking back into their bedroom, they weren't surprised to see Vicky getting dressed. Nothing that the girl had fit. She had been borrowing clothes and personal hygiene products from Cici since she had moved in with them. Vicky looked up just in time to see Cici's hair flowing down her back from being dried magically. Vicky had just finished putting on a pair of knickers and was just starting to put on a bra.

Cici caught the look in Vicky's eyes, it was hero worship. "Don't worry, when you go back to taking showers with the other girls in your class, you'll be able to walk out and strut your stuff too!" she told her.

"If I had your 'stuff' I'd strut it too!" Vicky laughed at Cici.

She was already feeling tingling in her breasts. Both witches burst out laughing. It was good to lighten a gloomy mood that had been trying to settle over the group.

They finished getting dressed. Exchanged hugs and kisses all around. The couple was heading down the stairs when Cici stopped them, "Ced needs to be carrying your bookbag," she told them.

Ced reached for the bag, "No, she needs to ask you to carry her bag."

"Ced, would you please carry my bag for me?" Vicky asked in a sweet voice.

"Sure, no problem," Ced answered her as he reached for her bag.

"You need to practice your lines mister!" Cici scolded him humorously.

"Yes, dear. May we go now, so we're not late?"

"Yes, love you!"

"Love you too!" they said in unison. Laughter filled the stairwell as they walked to the common room.

Whispers immediately greeted their ears. Vicky and Ced caught some of the words being used; tramp, jerk, skank, asshole, slut.

"Are they ever going to let up?" she asked.

"It will take about two weeks or so, but yes they will let up when something else comes along to get their attention," he told her, his voice lacking in conviction.

"Gee honey, I feel better now," she chided him.

"I live to serve," he joked with her.

.

Ced didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the walk to breakfast. Nothing stuck out as unusual at breakfast. The conversation over their morning meal was nothing earth-shattering. All seemed ordinary, almost dull.

" _Something's not right,"_ he heard in his head. _"I can feel it all the way up here."_

" _I agree, but I don't know what it is,"_ he said back to her.

" _Keep your eyes and ears open babe. What is happening with George and Vicky?"_

" _They're just talking."_

" _Pay attention to what they're saying."_

Ced listened to what Vicky and George were talking about. George's answers seemed off. The George he knew wouldn't answer that way. Then he heard the question.

"Have you and Cedric had sex yet?"

And before Vicky could answer the question, Ced interrupted them.

"Vicky honey," he said.

" _That's not George,"_ Cici said in his head.

" _No, it's not. It's the guy that gave Vicky the potion."_

"Yes?" she answered him.

"Don't you think that's a very personal question?" Ced asked her.

"Well, now that you mention it, I think that it is a very personal question," she started to get offended.

Ced stood up and pulled Vicky to a standing position and moved her behind him, defending her with his body.

"George, I think that question is a little too personal of a question," Ced told the person seated in front of him. "In fact," he looked up and caught Draco's eye. "I don't think that George Weasley would ever ask that question," he checked again, and Draco was moving towards him, Neville caught the hint and was walking towards him also.

Movement across the hall caught his attention for a brief moment.

" _Two more are trying to escape the hall!"_ he thought to Cici.

" _I'm shifting to you!"_ she said. And before Ced could register the thought, Cici was standing next to him ready for a fight.

She looked at the doors to the hall and took off after the two running out the doors. _"Godric I wish I could apparate in here!"_ she thought to herself.

" _Teleportus!"_ Ced thought back to her.

She was gone.

George, the imposter, was moving fast, he had stood up and drawn his wand. It seemed to happen in slow motion. Ced's wand was ejected into his hand. He was moving sideways and casting a shield to protect Vicky. The counterfeit's arm was still rising, as Ced lunged forward to knock him off balance. Fake George fell hard on the table as Fred was asking why he was attacking his cousin. Angel and Rose had jumped to their feet, wands coming out as fast as they could move. A red light was emitting from the tip of the imposter's wand, destroying everything on the table in its path, shooting between two other students. Ced's wand was up fully and pointing at the imposters head, _"Stupefy,"_ he said, and the imposter dropped to the cold stone floor.

" _They're trying to escape using brooms!"_ Cici said in his head. _"Accio Nimbus!"_

" _Accio Firebolt!"_ Ced thought hard.

"He's an imposter. This is not George Weasley!" Ced almost shouted at Draco.

Ced's broom came zooming into the Great Hall. As he jumped on his broom, he looked at Vicky, "Go to Professor McGonagall, tell her that the side of Darkness is trying to escape on brooms! GO!"

Ced flattened himself on his broom and soared out the doors and then out the front doors to the castle. _"Where are you?"_ he thought. Feel for her! Feel for her!

" _I'm above you heading for the Black Lake,"_ _s_ he told him.

" _I'm coming to you. Can you see them?"_

" _Yes, they're trying to hide in the treetops," she answered._

" _I'm going as fast as I can!"_ he told her as he willed his broom to go faster. His robes were whipping out behind him, snapping and cracking in the wind flowing over him.

He could see his wife above him, like him, she was flat on her broom, willing it to go faster. Thankfully their opponents were unskilled in flying a broom. They were sitting up blocking all of the wind. They would sit straighter as they looked behind them trying to see who was following them. Every time they did this Ced and Cici got just that much closer. They knew that they had to get closer before they could engage them in aerial combat, spells were short-range weapons.

Ced focused on a distance in front of him, " _Teleportus,_ " he said. Then he was closer. _"Teleportus,"_ he thought again, he got closer still. Almost in range. Then he saw Cici appear behind the person in the lead. A jet of flame shot from her wand and caught some of the twigs of her opponent's broom on fire. Smoke trailed behind as he swerved, climbed, and dove for the treetops, the smoke always leading her straight to him.

Ced did it one more time, and was within range, the rider of the broom turned left, and dove for the ground, Ced closed on him, then the rider pulled up sharply, and turned to the right, then he cut quickly to the left, as the person on the broom in front of him straightened up again, _"Stupefy!"_ Ced shouted. And the rider fell off the broom, falling towards the ground below. Ced dove for the falling body and he caught it in a web he conjured that he attached to his broom handle. Looking he found Cici finishing her enemy combatant with a stunner also. He watched as the body fell off the broom, the laws of gravity taking effect, tumbling to the earth below. She dove and cast a net over the falling body, then turned to join him for the flight back to the school. They met up in the sky, flying side by side, two people meant to be together for all eternity.

As they got closer to the school, they could see Aunt Tonks standing on the entryway stairs, her bright pink hair visible to all. They lowered their altitude and then they felt a strange jerking on their brooms. "Oo, ouch, uph, ow!" laughing they drug their defeated opponents up the stairs of the school hitting each step, before landing.

As they were celebrating their victory with Tonks, Professor Slughorn came out holding a small beetle in a jar. He was all in an outrage over the fact that Cici wasn't in the hospital.

"All you had to do was to join me!" he told Ced harshly. "Now she's going to pay for your insolence!" he shook the jar at Ced. "That little tramp only had one thing to do, and she couldn't even do that!" he was becoming more threatening towards Ced.

Vicky walked up behind the professor, unbeknownst to him. She pulled her wand and pointed it at the back of his head, _"Stupefy,"_ she said quietly. And the old potions professor dropped to the ground.

"Maybe I'm not the trap that you thought I was!" she said as she walked around the body of the old professor.

She bent down and picked up the jar with the beetle in it, she handed it to Cici. "Here, can you help her?" she asked in a worried tone. "She got in trouble because of us."

Cici tapped on the jar with her wand, and the beetle was able to fly away freely. "She'll make contact with us once she calms down," she told the younger witch. "Nice job on ole Professor Slughorn, by the way."

"That's ex-Professor Slughorn," the Headmistress informed her.

"I'll have the Aurors take him away also, Headmistress," Tonks told her.

Ced looked at Vicky, "Where's George? Has anybody found George yet?"

"They found him just a bit ago, he's in the hospital wing right now," Vicky told him. "Madam Pomfrey says that he should be able to be released in a couple of hours.

It was a joyous Cici that walked to class with Ced, "I'm not grounded to our room anymore!" she cheered. "Woohoo!"

"Well, I guess that I don't have to stay in your room anymore," Vicky told them tonelessly.

"Vicky, you are more than welcome to stay in our quarters, but can I have Ced to myself tonight?" she teased the girl.

"I don't know, I was getting kind of use to his strong arm wrapped around my body," she teased her back.

Laughing they dropped Vicky off at her current class before they turned hand in hand to walk to their current class.

.

The rest of the week was just a plain ole normal week for Hogwarts, well except for the fact that they had to do different interviews and give statements to the different parts of the DMLE. GEEZ, what a drag! But hey! It's a Hogsmeade weekend!

"Are you two, ready to go to Hogsmeade yet?" Vicky asked at their bedroom door.

Cici waved her hand at the door, and it opened allowing their guest in. Vicky walked into a stunningly dressed Cici, she had chosen to wear a long red dress, with red heels, and onyx jewellery. Cici checked out Vicky, she had decided to wear the blue dress and her blue heels.

"Are you ladies ready?" asked Ced. He held out his arms, and one girl took each arm. They met up with the rest of the group, Vicky migrated to George and wrapped her arm around his. Breakfast was a pleasant affair with letters being dropped off to the group of friends.

Rose read a part of her letter, "Mum's letter says that Professor Slughorn is going to go to Azkaban for at least a year, he will also undergo psychiatric care for his obsession with the Potters. Flint is going to go to Azkaban also. The Wizengamot has stripped him of his magic. Ron Weasley Jr has been removed from his home and placed in temporary foster care. Ronald Weasley had been ordered to undergo psychiatric care for his anger issues."

"Wow, that's so sad," Cici said.

"Can we go get our mani-pedis now?" asked Angel. As far as she was concerned, her uncle was an idiot, always was, always will be. "My nails are a disaster!"

It was a happy group of seven that walked down the hill to Hogsmeade, George's chest was puffed out at having two beautiful girls on his arms, Rose had one arm, and Vicky had the other. Angel was holding onto one of Ced's arms, and of course, Cici had the other. Fred seemed content to walk by himself with the rest of them. They talked about Quidditch, the latest article in the Quibbler, and Rita Skeeter's article in the Daily Prophet. All of the girls insisted that the first stop be the beauty salon for haircuts and the much sought after mani-pedi. They also needed to buy hair care products, bath products, and makeup. Cici helped Vicky select the different things she needed. She taught her to buy things that she liked the smell of, and that everything needed to work together, so it was a pleasant smell, not a confused smell, also the scent needed to be subtle, not overpowering.

"Have you smelled those girls that smell like they just took a bath in perfume?" Cici asked her.

"Yes! It gives me a headache when I walk behind them!"

"Have you heard the mean guys that say something like, 'If you have to use that much perfume, you should take a shower?'" she gave as an example.

"No, but I understand what they're saying!"

"Well, that's what I'm trying to keep from happening to you," Cici said playing the part of big sister.

The girls all complimented Vicky on her hairstyle, saying that it looked fabulous, and would be easy to take care of.

Fred headed over to visit with his dad and uncle at W.W.W. they talked about what had happened with his Uncle Ron and his cousin Ron also. They told him about what had happened several years ago. How Harry, Ced's dad, had saved Ron's life from a Dementor's kiss, but Ron's arm had gotten broken in the effort, and Ron's wand had gotten broken also. What had upset Ron about that was that it was a new wand from the previous year, to replace a hand-me-down wand that had gotten broken. Then when he had found out that Harry and Hermione were a couple, well Grandma Molly, had been telling him for years that Harry was supposed to marry his Aunt Ginny and that Ron was supposed to marry Hermione. At the end of all of this, Fred's head was spinning! The twins asked him if he wanted to earn a few Galleons and work in the shop this weekend.

"Sure! I'd love to help you guys out. What do you need me to do?" an excited Fred asked.

The twins put him right to work keeping the shelves stocked and keeping things orderly. It was promising to be a busy weekend for them.

A very proud George walked his beautiful girlfriend into the joke shop to introduce her to his dad and uncle. They talked for a bit, but as business was picking up, George quickly told them that he was going to spend the day with his girl.

"Good"

"Idea,"

"Mate." The twins said. Mum was right, it was like watching a tennis match.

"Bye!" the happy couple said together. Then they headed out to find the rest of their friends.

After lunch, they walked over to Glad Rags to do the needed shopping for Vicky. Wow was it busy! A lot different than the time they had come on a Sunday. The girls got together and decided to do a little shopping today, for the immediate needs of bras, panties, socks, and trainers. Then return tomorrow for the serious shopping of selecting dresses. Today was about catching any sales and having as much fun as possible. The three older witches were hovering around Vicky like she was a queen bee. The two guys just stayed in the background answering questions that were directed at them. Yes, I like that, no I don't like that, George put your eyes back in their sockets, type of things.

In the end, it was an overly excited Vicky that kissed George full on the lips! George's face was slowly changing to a bright red in colour as her lips were pressed against his. Eventually, he seemed to start floating above the ground. The group of friends just smiled at the public display of love between the young couple. Ced taught George how to shrink the packages so they didn't weigh anything and would fit in his pockets. They walked back to the Three Broomsticks for dinner and some butterbeers amongst friends.

It was late Saturday night when George kissed Vicky goodnight at the gryphon, she turned and walked up the stairs to find Cici and Ced spooning on the couch reading a book together, well, Cici was reading the book, and Ced was listening to her thoughts.

"Well, how did things go with George?" asked a curious Cici.

Ced let his wife go as she started to sit up. He was curious also.

"Oh, he is soo wonderful!" she gushed. She went on and on, talking about how he was becoming a better kisser, and how she liked his scent, how he holds her hand, the way he hugs her, that he's a good listener, and that he is becoming a better kisser, and how she likes his scent, and how he's a good listener, "Oh, wait, I've already talked about that," she blushed.

"I'm tired, I'm going to go to bed now. Good night you two," Vicky yawned at them. She turned and headed for her bedroom.

Cici and Ced looked at each other, _"It worked! We can have our bed to ourselves!"_

They got up, headed to their room. They closed the door but didn't lock it, just in case. They finished stripping down and climbed into bed. With a kiss goodnight, they were fast asleep.

Sunday morning came right on time, Ced was able to slip out from under Cici and use the restroom. As he exited the bathroom, he and Cici kissed as they changed places. The bed was made, clothes were laid out for their morning run, life was back to normal.

" _You know that we have to start revising for our O.W.L.s tomorrow, right?"_ Cici said in his head.

" _Yes, so what's your point? It's not like we're going to fail them,"_ he thought back to her.

Like clockwork, she exited the restroom, and he was just finishing tying his trainers. As he looked up at his bare-breasted wife, he couldn't help but be in awe of her beauty. "You are truly the most beautiful woman in the whole world."

"Thank you, I love you too," she said just before she kissed him.

"Are you two, ready?" the voice on the other side of their door asked.

Ced looked at Cici, and she nodded at him. He waved his hand at the door, and it opened for Vicky. She was dressed in her new workout clothes and her new trainers. The smile on her face stretched from ear to ear.

"I was thinking last night, I want to be as good as you two. Teach me to be as good at magic as you are!" she asked them. "I watch you two, and you both do wandless magic, you both do wordless magic, you both do wandless/wordless magic. You are both better than most of the professors that we have! The potion that you are giving me is amazing, I feel stronger, I have more energy, and I like what it's doing to my body!"

Cici was just finishing tying her trainers as Vicky finished talking, "Let us talk it over. It's going to take a huge commitment on your part though. But let's go running, I always feel better after our morning run," she said to Vicky.

The others met them in the common room, George was drawn to Vicky, like a moth to a flame. It brought smiles from the rest of the group, even Fred. George held her hand all the way until they started running. He even stayed with her as the others went off and left them in the dust. Ced and Cici pushed hard, much harder than they had in a couple of weeks. Their muscles ached, and their lungs burned from the run. It felt good. A few minutes later Vicky came running up to the group. They cheered her on because this was the first time that she had run the full distance. They checked that the area was clear of prying eyes and then they portkeyed to the chambers. It was Sunday, so they had a leisurely morning of duelling. They all helped Vicky with her shield spells and with different offensive spells. They finished it off with timed competitions.

"Are we still going to practice dancing this afternoon?" George asked.

"Dancing? All of you practice dancing?" Vicky asked.

"We used to, up until Slughorn screwed everything up," Ced told her.

"Can I join you?" she asked.

"I was hoping that you would practice with me," George told her.

"I'd love to!" Vicky cooed at him, stars in her eyes.

"We have a lot of shopping to do still, we need to get our showers, and eat breakfast," Angel told the group, trying to get them back on track.

"I'll meet you in the common room after my shower," Vicky told George.

"Okay, I'll see you there in a little bit."

Once back in their room, Vicky rushed off to get her shower. "I wish that George and I could take a shower together!" they heard her say as she rushed into her room.

Ced and Cici shared a laugh as they headed for their shower.

Two hours later they were walking back into Glad Rags for some dresses. Fred was headed to go work at W.W.W. again.

Five hours later they were at the checkout counter, the same salesclerk from before, offered them buy three get two free on the shoes, so the guys went and dutifully collected the various shoes that the girls wanted, but had put back. When they had returned to the counter, the girls were all missing.

Seeing the panicked look on their faces, the salesgirl told them, "I made them the same offer on the dresses, so they all went to get two more dresses."

"Does it just have to be dresses? Or can we trade a dress for a hat?" came the shout from across the store.

"I'll let you do that!" she shouted back to them.

Just as the guys were headed to go find the girls, all four girls came back to the register wearing similar yellow dresses. Cici was wearing a halter-top yellow dress that came down to her calves with yellow platform heels and a yellow wide brim hat. Vicky was wearing a spaghetti strap dress that just reached her knees, yellow platform heels and a similar full brim yellow hat. Rose had selected another summer dress with straps that were a little wider than Vicky's, she had chosen to push her luck on the heels going for the 6" platform heels, with another wide-brimmed hat. Angel had selected an elegant, off the shoulder maxi long dress, that hugged her developing curves. She stayed reasonable with 4" platform heels and a wide-brimmed hat.

"Wow!" said the salesclerk, "all of you look incredible! If you tell all of your friends that you bought all of that here, I'll knock an additional 20% off, plus I'll still give you the deals that we talked about."

Everybody gave some form of "That sounds great!"

Once everything was all rung up and paid for, the packages had been shrunken, they had thanked the salesgirl again for all of her help, they started the walk back up to Hogwarts.

Fred yelled for them to wait up! He ran to catch up to them. He had a little jingle in his pocket and was feeling good about himself.

As they entered the school and started up the stairs and hallways, they drew stares from those that they passed by.

"Why are they all staring?" Vicky sounded as if she was about to cry.

"They're staring because they've never seen so many beautiful girls in this school all at once!" George reassured her.

"It's just that before, they were saying all sorts of mean things to me, and about me, that's all," she told him. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

He squeezed her a little tighter.

Once they had gotten back to the married quarters, the girls sorted through all of the different clothes and rebagged them to take to their own rooms.

"Meet all of you down in the chambers, to go dancing?" Ced asked the group.

"The chambers? The Chamber of Secrets?" asked Vicky. "My mum told me about something called the Chamber of Secrets. She said that a monster lived there and tried to eat a girl!" she sounded almost fearful. But she had been going there for a while now, and she hadn't seen any monster down there. It was nice and clean and brightly lit.

"Yes, it is the infamous Chamber of Secrets. It's the only place in Hogwarts that is not accessible to the general public. The secret passageway to it is so well hidden that it had taken hundreds of years for it to be found. My father killed the monster that was in there saving a girl's life," Ced started telling the story.

"This is getting depressing! I want to go dancing, NOW!" Rose said calmly.

"Let's go dancing, we can talk about this later," Ced told Vicky.

"Hold up George! Let me put my things in my room, and I'll go with you!" Vicky called to George. She put all of her things in her room and returned to George to portkey with him. She touched the portkey, and he held her tight against him as they vanished.

Ced and Cici laid her stuff out on their bed, they removed all of the tags, and then with a flick of her hand, everything put itself away nice and neat. Cici turned in her husband's arms to face him, he pulled her hips against his tightly, then as she kissed him, she touched the portkey, and they were gone.

They whirled and twirled and had a joyous time as they danced. Vicky turned out to be a quick learner for George's sake. They danced together, becoming more and more used to the other as they danced, song after song. Soon it was time for dinner.

Vicky portkeyed with Rose, and they all met in the common room to walk to dinner together. Every head in the Great Hall turned to watch the beautiful girls walking into the hall. They were still trying to get used to Ced being back with Cici, after all, he had cheated on her with Vicky, who was now on George Weasley's arm. Rose, was on one of Ced's arms, while Angel was on Fred's arm. But all of the girls looked so pretty! All of the students watched as they moved across the hall to their usual spot. Ced held Cici's chair for her, then he held Rose's chair for her. As he sat down, both girls leaned in and kissed him on his cheeks. When Vicky saw that, she knew, that she would no longer be the centre of attention for the gossip mongers in the school. A position that she was glad to be free from.

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 **A/N: One of my longest chapters yet. When I had first started writing this, I was trying to make all of the chapters about this length. Please review. Thank you to all that have taken the time to review.**

 **Revised 01.20.2018**

 **And again 12.31.2018**


	18. Year Three Chapter 18

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 18

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"O.W.L.s, we need to study for our O.W.L.s.," Ced was trying to explain to his wife.

"I, do, not, want, to, study, for, my, O.W.L.s! I want to go dancing!" she countered. "I'm sick of studying! That's all we've done for the last week iS STUDY!"

Their group of friends were watching them. They had taken to studying in the chambers for privacy. The gossip was slowing down but had not died completely. The latest rumour was that Ced and George were in some strange four-way relationship with Cici and Vicky. Cici was ready to hex anybody that crossed her. Even most of the fifth-years were staying away from her. Even the incident in charms when she had slapped a gag charm on two girls talking about her had been exaggerated to unrealistic proportions. She and Ced hadn't spent any time in the house in weeks, and she desperately wanted the alone time. She knew that she could get all of the studying done in one night.

.

Professor Vector had called them into her office, "Do you know which O.W.L.s you want to take?"

Ced had rattled off the ten that he wanted to take. "But I think that I don't want to take Muggle Studies and Divination," he told his Head of House.

"I think that I'll take the same as Ced," Cici told her.

"That's fine," the older witch told them, "because you two are taking them early, you'll sit for your practical's last. You'll also sit in the back of the hall when the theory portion of the tests are given."

Ced told her, "That'll be fine with me."

Cici just nodded in agreement.

"Okay, the theory portion is given in the mornings, and the practical is given in the afternoon, except for Astronomy which will be given at night. Do you two see having any problems passing any of the tests? Now is the time to speak up!" she admonished them.

Cici looked at her coolly, she then held out her hand and silently conjured a glass of cold ice water. "No, I think we'll be just fine," she told her before she took a big drink of water.

Covering up the shocked look on her face quickly, Professor Vector said, "Indeed you will. Indeed you will. Now don't forget your glass when you leave," she smiled in dismissal.

.

"Fine! If we dance for one song, can we study for an hour?" Ced asked his irate wife.

"Okay, it's a deal," she told him.

Ced heard some commotion next to him, he turned and looked. All of the other girls had dropped their books and were standing up stretching.

"Hey! If she gets to go dancing, then we want to go dancing too!" Angel told him.

"I don't know about them, but I'm going to go change. These school clothes suck!" Cici said just before she portkeyed out.

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

"I need a ride!" Vicky said a little too late.

"Come on babe, I'll give you a ride back to the dorms," George told her. He pulled her in tight, kissed her, and let her activate the portkey.

Fred and Cedric were left in the chambers to wait.

"I don't know why you're stressing over your O.W.L.s, you and Cici could probably pass your N.E.W.T.s with no troubles," Fred told him, trying to comfort him.

Ced knew that they could probably pass their Masters tests with no problems. "I just don't want to screw it up on a simple question," he explained to his mate.

They sat there in silence. Thinking their own thoughts.

" _Why can't we take our N.E.W.T.s and our Masters tests?" Cici thought to him._

" _I don't know. Maybe to keep from drawing too much attention to ourselves?"_

" _I guess that we could always ask Edmund why he doesn't want us to take it all and get it over with."_

" _We still have two weeks before the testing begins. We could probably take the tests in the house for practice," he told her._

" _Well, I would rather study in the house than study here in the real world. At least there, I get to lay on the beach in the afternoon and take a walk with you at night. And then I get to follow that up with a nice, long, hot, soak in the tub, and let you wash my whole body," she started._

" _If you keep that up, we're never going to get to the dancing part," he warned her._

Moments later, the girls started showing back up in dresses that would let them dance comfortably. Fred stood up and held out his hand to Angel. Ced started the phonograph so they could start their dance. Both of them had come a long way in their dance abilities. Rose was there, and Ced held out his arm to her. She graciously took his offered arm, and he led her to the dance floor. He took her hand in his, he placed his free hand on her hip, and they stepped off to a beautiful waltz. By the end of the dance, Cici and Vicky had returned, George was there waiting on Vicky. The two couples took the dancefloor, and they whirled and twirled around. Fred offered his hand to his sister, and they joined them on the floor. The dancing had lasted much more than just the one song, all of the girls got to dance with all of the guys, it had lightened the mood of the group considerably. After several songs, all of them had smiles on their faces

.

" _Do you think that we should just try slipping into the house on Saturday night?"_

" _What're we going to tell Vicky if she has another nightmare?"_ he asked his bond-mate.

" _I was thinking that we could tell her that we're going to put a silencing charm on our room for the night. But if she has a nightmare, … Geez! Is this what being a parent feels like?"_

" _I know! I was thinking of letting her have George spend the night with her, to keep her company, but then what message would we be sending to her?"_

" _That she can have boys over in her room when we're not home? I'm starting to sound like my mom and dad!"_ even her thoughts sounded exasperated!

" _Let's just tell her that we're going to slip out of school for the night, that we're going to lock our door, and that we'll be back in time for our morning run on Sunday."_

" _Okay, it's only for six hours, and she hasn't had any nightmares that she's told us about for over a week."_

" _The last time that she got in bed with us was over two weeks ago,"_ Ced thought, wanting this to work.

" _It just might work!"_ an excited Cici thought.

.

Saturday night at dinner, Ced and Cici pulled Vicky aside to tell her that they were going to slip out of school for the night, but that they would be back in time for the morning run. Vicky nodded her head in understanding.

"If you have a nightmare, go find George and sleep with him," Ced told her.

"Just make sure that you have your knickers on!" whispered Cici, knowing that she still slept in Ced's old t-shirt without her knickers.

Vicky blushed a bright red.

This caught George's attention, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes! I'll tell you later," hissed Vicky harshly.

George looked shocked that she had spoken to him that way. "Okay."

"Do you want to go for a moonlight walk? Or head back to our room and just hang out?" Ced asked Cici.

"I don't know, I'm in the mood to cuddle," she snuggled up to him, to help him get the hint.

"To our room it is!" he said, sounding like one of the Three Musketeers.

In the common room, Cici made excuses for them to go to their room. Fred headed over to talk to his roommates, Rose and Angel headed for their dorm and just as Vicky was about to drag George somewhere, Cici motioned her head for her to follow them up their stairs.

"What'd you want?" asked George as they entered the sitting room.

"Just wanted to explain to you what was happening, in private," Ced told his mate.

Cici finished for him, "Ced and I are going to slip out of school for the night. We'll be back in time for the morning run."

"Vicky added, "Sometimes, I have bad dreams, and I'll climb into bed with Cici," she left out the fact that Ced was in the same bed. A sin of omission? "So, they suggested that if I have a bad dream, that I should go get in bed with you."

George's face was almost as red as his hair, at the thought of getting caught with a girl in his bed. It would be some significant bragging rights, that's for sure. He knew that nothing would happen.

Vicky, guessing what was going through her boyfriend's head, "They also suggested that I not be naked when I crawl into your bed."

" _She's good! She said that with a straight face!"_ Ced cheered her on.

" _Oo, if we ever play cards with her we need to be careful! She is good!"_

"Poor George, I didn't think that it was possible for him to get any redder!" Cici said.

"You might want to hold his hand and sit him down," Ced told Vicky. "Before he falls down."

"George, do you want a glass of cold water mate?" offered Ced.

George started to sit down in the chair that Vicky had led him too. Ced and Cici, sat down in another chair, Cici sitting across his lap.

"You might want to sit across his lap, it may give him some comfort and help him come back to reality," Cici suggested to her friend.

Vicky crawled into George's lap as she had seen Cici do dozens of times. She draped her legs over the arm of the chair, showing off her four-inch heels, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. She needed to get his imagination stopped and get him focused on the here and the now. Slowly he returned close to his natural colour.

"Hey! Mate, welcome back!" teased Ced.

"Sorry, my imagination went wild when she said that she might come get in my bed."

"So, you didn't hear the part about me sleeping naked?" asked Vicky. Again, with a straight face.

"Uh, yeah, I heard that too," he stammered.

"Are you fine with us taking off then?" asked Ced.

"Uh, yeah, you're going to be back in the morning, right?"

"Yes, we'll be back in the morning. We just want to get away and have some alone time."

"I'm fine with that."

"Are you going to be okay with Vicky coming to you if she has a bad dream?" Cici asked him directly. "Because if you're not, then we'll stay here."

"No, that's fine. If Vicky needs me to then I can come stay with her, here," George changed the terms.

"That won't work. If you get caught sleeping with her in our room, then we'll get punished, and Vicky will have to go back to Ravenclaw Tower. If she gets caught in your room, then the story of the bad dream will work better. She can just say that we put a silencing charm on our door. Which we're going to do anyway. But we'll be back early in the morning," Ced reiterated.

"Are you going to be okay Little One?" Cici asked her.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I haven't had a bad dream in a while."

Looking at her watch, Cici told them, "We're going to leave now. We'll see you in the morning for our run."

Cici and Vicky hugged. "Bye," said Vicky.

Ced gave her a one-armed hug and told her, "Bye, see you in the morning."

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"We're going to spend two years in here! Then we're going to go back for two weeks, take our O.W.L.s for two weeks, and then it's going to be the summer holidays!" she almost shouted.

"But first, let's go soak in the tub for a bit."

"Sounds good to me."

.

For the next twenty-four months, they worked on their O.W.L.s, their N.E.W.T.s and their Masters level testing. They walked on the beach, they lay in the sun, they worked hard, and they trained harder. By the time that they needed to return, they had far exceeded the Masters level of wizardry. Cici was bringing back more of the potion for Vicky. They were in top physical condition and in peak mental shape. They were ready to see their friends again.

As they stepped off the glowing runes, they were back home in the cold dark castle. The sun was just rising, and a faint glow was penetrating the curtains of their room. They opened their door and checked on their friend. She was sleeping alone in her bed.

"Guess she had a good night," Cici said quietly.

"Do you want to let her sleep? Or do you want to wake her up?"

"Let's get her up. I think that she's gotten to where she enjoys the morning workout. Vicky, Little One, time to get up," Cici whispered to her.

"Mmm, just five more minutes."

"Okay, but you need to be ready."

"Let's go get changed while we wait for her," Ced suggested to his wife.

When they returned to the sitting room, Vicky was standing there ready to go.

"Did you two have fun?"

"Yes, it was a wonderful time!" gushed Cici.

"Yes, we had a lot of fun."

"Where'd you go?"

"We took off to a beach house of a friend of ours," Ced told her.

.

They met the others in the common room.

"You two look positively radiant!" commented Rose.

Vicky greeted George with a good morning kiss and hug. They wrapped their arms around each other and watched the group interaction.

"How can you be this happy at five o'clock in the morning?" Fred grumbled at them.

"Fred, my man. It's because I get to wake up to the most beautiful woman in the world every single morning," Ced told him.

"Well, I guess that if I woke up to Cici every morning I'd be happy too," he mumbled in reply.

"Fred, if you want to catch yourself a girl, you need to go and talk to the girls," Cici tried to explain to him.

Fred just grumbled something unintelligible back at her.

"Fred," George started, "do you know what the definition of insanity is?" George answered his own question because it was a rhetorical question anyway. "It's doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results! If all you ever do is talk Quidditch with the guys, then you're never going to talk to the girls. If you don't talk to the girls, then you're never going to get one to go out with you!"

"Can we just run please?" he said changing the subject.

The morning run was great, the social interaction made it fun to be back with friends. In the chambers, they worked on integrating their physical combat with their magical combat. They did some two on one-timed duelling, forcing them to get used to being outnumbered in a fight. They worked out with the weight training systems, and they worked on their occlumency.

"The occlumency has helped me in class a lot!" Vicky commented to the group. "My grades started to come up as soon as I started."

Rose looked at Fred, "That's because you actually do your homework, unlike some others around here."

"Can we just get our showers, and have a late breakfast?" Fred said harshly.

"Sure, go ahead and take off," Ced told him.

After he was gone.

"Wow! What's eating at him?" asked Ced.

"There's a girl he likes," answered George.

"And?" questioned Cici.

"Well, she's with someone else."

"Well, he just needs to move on," she said.

"He can't."

"He can't, or he won't?" asked Ced.

"He's created this whole fantasy in his head about her."

"Have you tried talking to him about this?" asked Cici.

"Who is this girl that he's fantasising about?" asked Ced.

"Yes! I've tried talking to him, but he's thick or something!"

"Do we know her?" asked Angel.

Fear came over his face. No, not fear, terror. Terror came over George's face as he looked at them, as he looked at Cici.

'Oh, f-, he's got a crush on me?" Cici squeaked out.

"Oh, this isn't good. This isn't good at all. This is the same situation that my dad and mum were in when they were here," Ced told the group. "My dad's best mate always thought that he was going to be with my mum. Even when they tried to explain things to him, he just went around the bend, he became a nutter, and he hates my dad to this day," he explained to the group.

"I've tried to explain things to him, but he just doesn't want to listen. He's convinced himself that Cici is going to dump you and be with him. He's totally in love with Cici."

"A love potion maybe?"

"Maybe, it could be. But who?"

"I don't know. That's just it. I don't know who would do this," George's shoulders shrugged.

"Let's just keep our eyes and ears open and see what happens," Ced suggested.

"Let's get our showers and eat," Cici told the group.

"See you at breakfast," said Rose.

"See you there," said Angel.

"Want to ride with us? Or are you going to go with George?" Ced asked Vicky.

"I'll go with George and meet you in the room," she told him.

And then they were all gone. Gone to get their showers. Gone to get ready to eat.

Standing naked with her hands on her hips, "I can't believe that Fred has a crush on me!" Cici told her husband.

Admiring the view that she presented to him, "Well, at least he has good taste!" he argued. And no, he never got tired of looking at his wife.

"Yes! But I don't want to hurt him!" she moaned at him. "He's one of our friends!" she started to walk towards him. "He's known that we've been married since the start of term."

"I wonder how long he's had a crush on you?"

Her head came up, hope filled her eyes, "I wonder?" she said as they moved into the shower.

Ced washed her lovingly, and kissed her passionately, and scrubbed her gently, and hugged her caringly, then he shampooed her hair adoringly. He watched as the bubbles slid off of her beautiful skin and to the floor below. She for him, then he dried her off with a towel, touching every part of her body, with a gentle, loving caress of the towel.

.

Just before Cedric seated Cici, Professor McGonagall called to Vicky, "Miss Vane, Mr Potter, and Miss Ramos, I need to speak to you in my office after breakfast."

"Yes, mam," they answered almost in unison.

As Ced sat down, Cici rewarded him with a kiss of appreciation for the respect that he showed her. They looked over to see Rose casting the privacy spells.

"Well, that's why she called us before we sat down," Ced thought out loud.

"Yeah, we wouldn't have heard her otherwise," Cici agreed.

"I wonder what she wants us for," Ced asked of no one in particular.

"I don't know. I didn't tell anyone that you were leaving the school last night," Vicky told them.

"And George left the room at a decent hour?" Cici asked her.

"Yes, George left by midnight. And then I slept through the night with no bad dreams," she told her.

"Okay, just checking. Making sure that we're not guilty of anything on our side," Cici reassured her.

They talked, and ate, and kept a watch on the head table, waiting for Professor McGonagall to finish eating. Ced and Cici kept an eye on the rest of the students. Wondering if someone was keeping an eye on them. Was what Fred experiencing natural? Or was it a love potion that someone had given him? He seemed fine now, in fact, he was participating pleasantly in the conversation more than Ced.

Ced watched as Professor McGonagall set her cutlery on her plate. Then she pushed her chair back and rose to her feet. He checked the time on his watch and told the others that they needed to leave in fifteen minutes to go to the Headmistress office. Rose dropped the privacy charms, and the noise in the hall intruded upon them. They listened to the other conversations around them for a moment, then Ced and the two girls got up to leave. Both Ced and George were rewarded with kisses for holding their girl's chairs for them.

The two couples walked to the Headmistress' office together. At the gargoyle, George and Vicky separated.

"I'll meet you in the common room, babe," Vicky told George.

"Okay, I'll see you there." Then he turned and left them.

Just after he left, the gargoyle moved aside to allow them entrance to the rotating staircase that would take them to her office. As they entered her office, they were amazed by all of the different gizmos and gadgets that filled the space.

Professor McGonagall came around her desk, "Please have a seat here," she gestured to the chairs. After the teens were seated, she went on, "Miss Vane, I have asked you and your friends here because I have received some troubling news." It was not very often that she had to give this kind of news. "I have received news that your mother was killed last night in a terrorist attack."

Vicky sat there stunned. Did she just hear what she thought she heard? Slowly a puzzled look came across her face. "How was my mum killed?" she asked the Headmistress.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you, that your mother was killed in a terrorist attack."

"But my mum is a waitress in a pub. Why would terrorists attack a pub?"

"There were several terrorist attacks around London last night, and one of the terrorists drove a car bomb into the pub that your mum worked at. They also attacked The Leaky Cauldron."

"But why would someone want to kill my mum?" the tears had started to make her eyes wet, they clung to the corners of her eyes, not yet ready to travel down her attractive young face, that was all contorted in confusion.

"The things that terrorists do, do not always make sense to us. It seems as if they don't care who they hurt or whom they kill. They just want to kill people. And your mum was working when they wanted to hurt the people in that pub."

Cici silently and wandlessly transfigured their three chairs into one long couch. Vicky didn't even notice. She turned to Vicky and drew her into a hug, to hold her and let her cry on her shoulder. She held her, as the tears finally started to make their way from her eyes to the blouse that Cici was wearing. The crying progressed into sobs of anguish, her shoulders began heaving, as the sobbing grew louder and harder. Then she pushed Cici away and began to beat on her with her fists in rage at how cruel the world could be to such a young woman. First, it had raped her both mentally and emotionally, now it had taken the only parent that she had ever known, and left her an orphan of a poor single mother with too many bad habits. But she was her mum, she may not have been the best mum in the world, but she was her mum.

Cedric stood up and moved behind Vicky. Cici pulled Vicky to a standing position. Then the soul-bonded couple, sandwiched her between them, Ced's arms reaching to his bond mate, and her arms reaching to him. Then with his height and Cici in heels, they were able to share a tender kiss above her head. Professor McGonagall sat there and watched what the young couple was doing in silence. It was like she wasn't even in the room with them. Then a golden red glow enveloped the three of them, and the old Scottish witch could feel the ripples of love coming off of the couple and their hurting friend. Several minutes had passed by before the glow subsided, and the professor could see the calmness on the young witch's face.

"I am truly sorry for your loss," the Professor said to her.

"Thank you, but I'm better now. I know that I have a home with Ced and Cici."

"I can give you this week to tend to the duties that are going to fall upon you. Since you are now an orphan, the Ministry will turn your care over to me, unless," at this point, she looked between Ced and Cici, "a suitable family wishes to adopt you. If you like, and it is okay with them, Lord and Lady Potter may accompany you while you take care of the arrangements for your mum."

Looking at Cici, Cici nodded to her in silent agreement to help her however she could.

"We need to return to our quarters so we can talk to my mum and dad," Ced told the group, ready to leave. It seemed like he couldn't move fast enough! There was a lot to do, a lot to get done. He apologised to the Headmistress, "Sorry Professor, but I'll explain later." He moved beside the two girls still hugging. He wrapped his arms around them as best as he could, focused and thought _"Teleportus!"_ and they were gone silently from her office.

"Yes, you will have some explaining to do," she thought as she stood and looked at the couch in her sitting room, with a slight smile and a twitch of her wand it became three chairs again.

As he let go of the two girls in the married quarters, Ced headed for the communications mirror stuck to the wall with a sticky rune by his parents' years ago. He tried calling the mansion, no answer, tried his dad, no response, then he tried his mum, still no response.

"Hey, Mi Amor, my parents aren't answering. What do you think we should do?"

"I think that we should pack our stuff and head to the mansion. We can explain when we get there."

"That's what I was thinking also. Do you want to help her with her trunk?"

"Sure, I'll teach her the spell to pack her trunk the easy way."

"I'll get our stuff."

"Vicky, let's get you packed so we can stay with Ced's parents."

"Okay, you said that you were going to teach me a spell to pack my trunk?"

"Yes, I am!"

As they stood at the foot of Vicky's bed, Cici told her the spell, then she showed her the wand movement that went with it. She practised saying the spell a few times to get the enunciation correct then she gave it a try.

"WOW! That was great! Why don't they teach things like that here?" she asked of her friend. She knew that her friend had no idea why they didn't teach such a useful spell, but she knew it now, and that was all that counted. "Oh! I need to go say goodbye to George. Tell him what happened too," she started to get melancholy, thinking about her mum.

Cici shrank Vicky's trunk as the girl went down to the common room to say bye to her boyfriend for the next week. She wondered if Vicky would be allowed to invite him to the funeral. With the trunk shrank and made weightlessly, she carried it into her room for Ced.

"When you're ready, I'll call Maco and Dobby to come and get us."

"She's down in the common room saying goodbye to George."

"I'm glad that they're so close. It's been good for her."

"What made you think about hugging us in Professor McGonagall's office earlier?"

"I don't know. It just seemed like the right thing to do. She was hurting, and she needed to know that she's loved. By us."

"You do realise that you _teleportus'_ out of her office, right?"

"Yeah, I told her that I would explain later. I hope that she forgets! That will be a tough one to explain. One of Merlin's old spells."

About ten minutes later, Vicky came back into their quarters and told them that she was ready to go.

"Maco, Dobby," Ced called to the house elves.

A moment later, "Yes, my Lord," said Maco with the customary bow.

"Yes, master Cedric," Dobby answered with a bow.

"Would you please take the three of us home?" he asked his two longtime friends. He had known both of them his whole life.

The elves held out their hands, as soon as the teens took the offered hands, pop! They were gone, and then they were standing in the foyer of the mansion.

Vicky looked around in awe.

"You don't remember any of this from the last time you were here?" asked Ced.

"No, not really. I was pretty messed up in the head at that time."

"Dobby, where are my parents?"

"They are not here sir," the elf answered him.

"Do you know where they are?"

"No, sir, Dobby does not know where your parents are," the elf answered truthfully.

"Thank you, Dobby. Maco, could you please show Vicky to a room close to our room? She will be staying with us for the week."

"Yes, my Lord. If Miss will follow me, please. I will show you to your room," Maco directed the young guest.

" _Cedric, Cici, Vicky! Why are you here?"_ boomed the voice in their heads.

"Professor McGonagall has given Vicky a week to make arrangements for her mum, her mum was killed last night in a terrorist attack. Do you know where my parents are, Cathaoir?"

" _Yes, they are out helping the Ministry at this time. They should be back tonight,"_ Cathaoir told them. _"I am sorry to hear about your mother,"_ Cathaoir told the young witch.

About this time the Golden Gryphon came flying off the staircase with Susy on his back. "WHEEE!" she screamed as they flew down to meet them.

"Cici!" she screamed as she jumped off of Cathaoir and rushed to meet her sister-in-law. With as big a hug as the eight-year-old could give her, she hugged her. Cici hugged her back as tightly as she felt comfortable. It wouldn't do to break any bones.

"Who are you?" Susy asked of Vicky.

"Hi! My name is Vicky. I'm your brother and his wife's friend. Is it okay if I stay here with you for a while?"

"Yes, but Neville is being a butt!" she frowned at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry your brother is not behaving well," Vicky told her.

"It's not your fault. He's just being a butt."

"Let's get our stuff to our rooms and then figure out what we need to do next," Ced suggested.

"When can we start training me! I feel defenceless! Can we start before lunch?"

"Yes, we'll start before lunch. Let me teach you the spell to put all of your stuff away in the room," Cici said, wanting to calm her down. Duelling would be a great way to get her mind off things and blow off some steam. It would also help exercise her magical core.

Maco had put her in a room next to Ced and Cici's room. That was good. Cici was sure that Vicky would have a rough night tonight. She taught Vicky the spell to unpack her things, she showed her the wand movement and then she had her give it a try. Vicky gave a couple of practice pronunciations to get the spell right, then she said it aloud, waved her wand just right, and she was rewarded with all of her clothes flying to the correct locations. She had a huge smile on her face.

"Thank you!"

"Let's go check on Ced."

"Okay!"

So, the two girls walked the short distance to Cici's bedroom. There they found Ced finishing with his trunk. Cici's was already put away in the corner, their brooms were hung on the wall.

"Can we put a doorway here, for Vicky, just in case she needs it tonight?" Cici asked as she pointed to a spot on the adjoining wall.

"I don't see why not." He thought about it for a minute. His wand was ejected into his hand. Then carefully he cast the spells to make a new doorway connecting the two rooms.

"Watching you eject your wand. Reminded me that we need to get Vicky a wand holster from the duelling supply shop, soon."

"Why do I need a wand holster? You're the only ones that I see that have them. Everybody else just carries their wand around in their pocket."

"There's a lot of good reasons to have a wand holster," Ced started to explain the benefits. "Speed of access is one of the biggest reasons, another is that most of them come with anti-summoning charms on them, some will even turn invisible so you could wear it with a sleeveless dress. But the biggest reason is how fast you can get your wand in your hand an on the target."

"Let's go practice, there's got to be an old one around here somewhere. Then you'll see and feel the difference between trying to pull your wand out of your robes and get it on target as to just having your wand appear in your hand," Cici explained to her.

"Where are we going to go practice?"

"Just follow us!"

"What we'll do, is practice for about an hour until lunch. Then after lunch, we'll practice for about two or three hours. What we want to do, is to tire you out. We want to exercise your magical core but not overdo it. If we overdo it, then you can only do easy magical stuff until your core heals itself, and that can take up to a month. If you get tired, you need to tell us, so we don't overdo it. Remember Thompson?" Cici asked her.

"Yeah, he was that guy that you duelled with. You made him look like a complete idiot!"

"Right, what I did was to let him use up all of his magic, and then I disarmed him. I still have his wands. But Madam Pomfrey kept him in the hospital for over a month because he exhausted his magical core. He could have killed himself, by overdoing it. We don't want that, to happen to you."

"Can you teach me to do what you did?"

"That's what I want to do. But I don't want you to get hurt doing it. I'm sure that you don't want to spend a month laying in a hospital bed because you hurt yourself by pushing too hard!"

"Hey, babe, your right! I found an old holster in this drawer over here," Ced called to his wife.

"Good! Okay, Vicky, I want you to cast a shield spell to defend yourself," Cici told her as she headed to the duelling area. "Are you ready?" then she casts a low-level stinging jinx at her.

"Ow!"

"You didn't even get your wand out of your robes!"

"Now, let Ced teach you how to put the holster on and then how to use it correctly."

Ced walked over to Vicky, he helped her strap the holster on correctly. Then he showed her how to insert her wand for the first time.

"Wow, I can't even feel the holster! This is amazing!"

"Okay, now depending on the holster, it's either thought activated, or it's activated by the muscles in your wrist. Here, let me show you."

He made his holster visible to her. Then he thought about ejecting his wand into his hand and then his wand was in his hand ready for use.

"My holster is thought activated. What you need to do, is to think of your wand being in your hand, and it should just happen. Just remember to grab your wand before it falls on the floor. It takes a little practice, but you'll get it."

Nothing happened.

"Let me show you the wrist movement to make the holster eject the wand for you."

He flexed his wrist, and the wand was ejected into his hand, ready for use. Vicky mimicked the wrist movement, and the wand was ejected into her hand, she almost dropped it, but it didn't slip through her fingers.

"Congratulations! You didn't drop it like so many others do!" he gave her an encouraging hug, holding her tight for just the moment.

"Now, to reload it, you'll have to push the wand back into place," she used her free hand to push the wand back into place. "Great! Now, do it five times."

She practised five times like she was told. She got faster each time never dropping her wand. She wasn't going to let some wanker catch her with her wand in her pocket.

"Okay, now go practice with Cici again."

The two girls took their ends on the duelling platform. Ced played the part of the referee.

"… one, you may begin!" he called out.

Vicky was surprised that she was able to block the first jinx from Cici. Cici kept up the pace, keeping Vicky on the defensive. A couple of times Vicky got to cast a jinx at Cici. After just a few minutes, Ced could see the sweat on Vicky's forehead, and he called a pause in the duel to talk to her.

"Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine." She said through gritted teeth. "I want to keep going!"

"Remember what we said about overdoing it? This is the time not to overdo it."

"I'll be okay I said!"

Ced ejected his wand. Vicky jumped back in a defensive posture.

"Wow! A little jumpy there, Little One!" Cici said to her.

He turned his wand sideways and cast a spell to read her vitals. He was just after one vital, how depleted was her magical core.

"Right now, your magical core is below 50 per cent. That's too low to keep going."

"But we haven't done anything!"

"And this is why you have to keep practising every single day! This is why you have to get out there and run! Even when you don't want to. After lunch, your magical core will have bounced back to about seventy-five to eighty per cent. Let's work on some potions after lunch also."

"Why?" she whined at them. "What can potions do for me?"

Cici questioningly raised her eyebrows, "What can potions do for you? You're asking what potions can do for you? Have you looked at your body lately?"

Vicky at least had the sensibility to blush, yes, she did know what that potion had done for her body. She admired her changing body every morning after her shower. "Sorry," she said.

"Another potion is _Vitamix_ , it's kind of like _pepper up_ potion without the steam."

"Here, try one," Ced told her as he handed her a vial.

"Well, at least it doesn't taste too bad!"

"And in a few minutes, you will feel much better. Between the potion and the break over lunch, your magical core will return to about ninety-five per cent!" Cici informed her.

"It's not just potions," Ced told her getting all frumpy and deflating, "it's more than just potions. It's how you cut the ingredients, it's how you stir them. There's a lot of little things that go into making the best potion possible!" he explained getting enthusiastic about the subject.

"How can you get excited about a subject that is so boring! The only thing more boring than potions is history!"

"We'll duel some more this afternoon, and then we'll work on potions. And teach you how to do it right," Cici told her.

"Fine."

"Now, go get your shower. You stink girl!" Cici told her with a laugh and a smile.

The three teens walked back to their rooms together. They had a fun light-hearted conversation, they discussed a little bit about the Potter family. Vicky asked Cici what she thought about her new family, and they talked about the differences between growing up a muggle and then finding out that you really are a magical and not some freak for the doctors to poke and prod at you with sticks and needles.

"Hey, when we're out and about with Vicky, I want to go shopping for some shorts. I just realised that all I've been getting have been dresses!" Ced looked at her. "I love my dresses! They're pretty and all, but I can't wear dresses all the time. Sometimes I need pants and shorts. And Vicky needs pants and shorts too," she said, dragging Vicky into the conversation as an ally.

Ced just laughed a little, "I guess that we could go shopping this afternoon or tomorrow morning after breakfast. We could floo over to the Leaky Cauldron…"

"Didn't Professor McGonagall say that the Leaky Caldron was also attacked?" asked Cici getting worried. What was happening to their world?

"I'm worried too. We can go to Ottery St. Catchpole instead. It's not as flashy as Diagon Alley, but they have some good stores and a good selection of stuff," He tried to reassure the girls. "Right now, we need to stay out of the way of the Aurors as they work."

"Well, let's take our showers so we can eat. I'm getting hungry now!" Vicky told them. Thinking about all of the bad things that had happened was only making her more depressed. She had a goal in mind, she had a purpose in life now.

Vicky had showered and gotten dressed, and there was still no sign of Ced and Cici. She used the door connecting their rooms. She walked to the restroom and knocked on the door, no answer, she could hear the water running. She opened the door, and could make out two figures in the shower, their bodies were pressed together into a hug and a kiss. She closed the door to keep the warm, humid air in the room. Standing there for a moment, she watched them. She could feel the love filling the room.

When they separated, she called out to them. "Are you two still taking a shower?" the mirth in her voice was almost overflowing.

She watched as they jumped in start. Realising that they were not alone in their shower anymore.

"It's a little more fun when there are two people taking a shower."

"Yes, I remember!" Vicky told Cici. She did remember the different times that the three of them had bathed together. Nothing sexual had ever happened, Ced had never tried to kiss her as if she were his girlfriend. He had never touched her inappropriately or without her permission. The same with Cici. She couldn't wait to teach George to do the things that she had learned watching Ced and Cici. She still remembered the intensity of her first orgasm and hoped to repeat that one day soon, well maybe not too soon, she was still only thirteen.

"Let me give you some privacy so you can get out of the shower, and we can eat lunch. I'm hungry now."

"That's because your magical core is recharging and it needs energy to recharge," Ced told her.

.

The five kids were sitting at the dining table in the small dining room. The conversation was what one might expect with younger children at the table. Cathaoir was lying in a corner, his eyes closed and the rumbling of his purring softly filling the room.

"This might sound strange, but I find his purring is filling me with contentment," Vicky told her friends.

"I think that it is one of the ways that he kept us kids from hurting each other when he would watch us," Ced told her, smiling at the thought.

"I've always liked it too," Cici told her, a smile on her face.

"Is it okay if I touch him?" Vicky asked.

"You have to ask him!" Ced replied to her. "He's his own being."

"His name is Cathaoir?"

" _Yes, my name is Cathaoir,"_ the thought boomed in their head.

"May I touch you?"

" _Do you want to touch me? Or pet me like a pet?"_

She thought about that for a moment, "I think both. But that doesn't seem right because I know that you're not a pet. But I know that I want to say thank you for filling me with contentment. I'm not depressed anymore."

" _You may come and give me a hug as a way of saying thank you. And you are welcome by the way."_

She got up and walked over to where Cathaoir had risen. She hugged him around the neck, and he returned the hug with one of his huge paws wrapped around her back. The rumbling from him increased in intensity filling the room even more.

Cici looked at Ced, "Now I can see why you turned out the way you did. It's a combination of your parents and Cathaoir's upbringing."

"And Charles."

"And Charles."

"Who's Charles?"

They all looked at her like she was from a different planet.

"Thank you Cathaoir for the hug, I needed that."

" _You are most welcome. There are plenty more if you need them."_

"Now who is Charles?"

Ced started to explain who Charles was, "Charles is the Head House Elf. He has served several generations of Potters. He is a stickler for impeccable table manners. His favourite method of enforcement is to whack your knuckles with a stick."

"Remember the first night my father was here?" Cici asked with a laugh.

The two teens cringed at that memory.

"What happened?" Vicky asked them.

"Well, my father was less than respectful of Ced's parents," Cici told her, thinking back on the night.

"And?"

"I'm getting there! He met Charles when Charles whacked my dad's knuckles with his stick."

"What'd your dad do?" Vicky asked her.

"He got mad at Charles and was going to kick his ass!" Cici chuckled at the memory.

"But my dad stepped in to defend Charles," Ced told her.

"Well, that's just because Charles is so small, being a house elf," Vicky told them.

" _No, it was out of respect for Charles. At Harry's and Hermione's wedding I watched as Charles corrected an angry Hungarian Horntail, Uasal."_ Cathaoir told her.

"A house elf corrected a dragon?" Vicky asked in astonishment.

" _Yes, he did! And now Uasal and Charles are friends."_ Cathaoir told her.

"Wow! When can I meet Charles?" Vicky asked.

"Talk with food in your mouth!" Cici told her. That was one of the first things that Cici had learned not to do.

"Say bad words," Ced added.

"Burp without saying excuse me," Neville added.

"Try to leave the table without permission," Susy said.

"That's fun…OW!" Vicky yelled.

"That's for talking with food in your mouth," Charles told her, the stick in his hand, and a smile on his face.

Vicky tried to choke her food down. "OW! What was that for?"

"For not chewing your food properly," the ancient house-elf instructed her.

Vicky finished chewing her food. Then looking at Charles, "Hello, my name is Vicky. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello, Miss Vicky, I am Charles, I am the Head House Elf of the Potter Mansion. It is a pleasure to meet you too," the elf greeted her.

"Charles, we're going to leave in a while to go to Ottery St. Catchpole. If my parents get home before we do, could you tell them that we need to speak to them please?"

"Yes, Master. I will inform them," Charles replied.

The teens finished eating, they said their goodbyes to the younger kids and Cathaoir. They walked to the floo and flooed to Ottery St. Catchpole. When they stepped out of the floo, they were in a pub. Looking around, they quickly caught the attention of the barkeep.

"Aren't cha all a little young to be away from school?" he asked of them.

"Yes, but we have special permission because our friend's mum was killed last night in the terrorist attacks," Ced explained quickly.

"Aye, sorry to hear that. Sorry fer yer loss," he said sincerely.

"We were needing to buy clothes for the funeral. Is there a clothing shop in town that sells formal robes?"

"Aye, not 'ere, ya be needin' ta go ta Diagon Alley, er to Hogsmeade fer that.

"Thank you for your time, sir," Ced responded sincerely.

"Thank you."

"Thank you, for your time."

The teens turned and tossed the powder into the floo, "Three Broomsticks." Ced commanded.

The girls followed suit.

After the last one stepped from the floo, they waved to Madam Rosmerta and kept walking to the door.

"I was hoping to get some shopping done someplace else," complained Cici.

"It won't be that bad," Vicky told her. "We can get a little of everything we need, including the black dress robes."

"I know," she whined. "I just wanted to go someplace different, that's all."

As they entered the shop, they were greeted warmly by the salesgirl that had helped them the last couple of times.

"Because of you, some of the other schoolgirls are sneaking out of the school and coming here to buy dresses like the ones that you and your friends have bought!" the salesgirl told them.

"I'm glad to hear that!" Cici started, "But today, we are in need of a strange assortment of clothes," Gesturing between Vicky and herself, "we need, shorts, pants, tops, and dress robes for a funeral."

"Oh my gosh! I hope that everything is okay!" she said being overly dramatic.

"No, unfortunately not. My mum was one of the victims of the terrorist attacks last night," Vicky told her.

"Oh, you poor dear! I'm so sorry!" she gushed at her.

"Thank you for your concern," she told her almost mechanically.

The salesclerk showed the girls where the shorts were. They looked at several pairs but settled on a few. The same with the pants and the tops. They chose a wide variety of tops, short sleeve, long sleeve, and spaghetti strap. Then the teens headed over to look at the dress robes. They settled on classic black, and the three of them had them fitted. As a last thought, the girls bought some nylons in various colours including black.

At the register, the salesgirl was ringing them out as the seamstress was finishing their robes.

"Because all of those other girls came in here, I'm going to take an additional twenty per cent off!" Looking at Vicky, "Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

As if on cue the seamstress brought the dress robes to the counter.

"Thank you for your business!"

"Thank you for everything!" the teens chorused together.

After they left the store. Vicky commented, "Everybody keeps saying 'Sorry for your loss.' It's almost as if it's mechanical to them. And then all I say is 'Thank you.' And it feels mechanical when it comes out of my mouth. I don't like that."

"I think that it's for their benefit as much as it's for yours," Cici tried to explain.

"Do you all want to floo home or just apparate?" Ced asked the girls.

"Let's apparate," Cici said. Looking at Vicky, "Do you want to side-along with Ced or me?"

"I'll go with you."

As they approached an alley, they checked that it was clear then, poof they were gone, silently.

They appeared at the apparition point for the Potter Mansion. Looking around to get their bearings they turned and started walking up the walk to the front doors. As if by magic, the huge doors opened to allow them in.

"Master, Mistress, Miss," Charles greeted them with a bow. "Your parents have just returned and are up in their room."

"Thank you, Charles," Ced replied to the Head House Elf.

With a knock on the door of his parent's room, Ced called out, "Mum? Dad?" as he looked inside the room.

"In my study son!" Harry called to him.

"I have Cici and Vicky with me, is that okay?"

"Yes, that's fine."

As they walked around the corner, Hermione stood up. She greeted each of the kids with a hug.

As she hugged Vicky, she whispered in her ear, "I'm so sorry for your loss. If there is anything that we can do to help, just tell me."

"Thank you, and yes there are some things that you can do to help."

.

The two females separated. Looking at each other, they were judging the sincerity of the other's offer.

"I've never been to a funeral, so I don't know what to do or how to do any of it. Plus, Professor McGonagall has told me that since I'm now an orphan, that I will be falling under her care. I do not wish to be under her care. I need to find someone else that is willing to be my, I don't know! Parents, I guess!"

Sensing the tears starting to come, Cici pulled Vicky into a hug and looked at Hermione and Harry.

Looking at his parents, "Is there some way that we can help, so she doesn't become a ward of the state? Could Cici and I adopt her? We're considered adults under wizarding law, right? So why can't we adopt her?"

"I guess that legally you could. But does she want you to? Are you ready to? Or would it be better that your mum and I became her adoptive parents? What is it that she wants?"

A sniffling Vicky turned to face Harry, "I don't know what I want. But I do know what I don't want, and that is, to become a ward of the state."

"Okay, while you think on that. Have you gone down to the DMLE and identified the body yet?"

"No."

"Well, I think that will be the first step, to identify your mum's body," Harry told her.

"Okay."

Harry looked at his watch. They had about forty-five minutes left in the day to get down to the DMLE.

"Well, we'll just make it if we leave right now."

"Okay, let's go so I can get this over with," Vicky told him.

"Do you want, just you and I to go? Or all of us?"

"Well, I would like it if Ced and Cici went with me. I would feel better if they were there. And Lady Gryffindor can come too if she wants."

"Please call me Hermione, and this is Harry," Hermione quickly corrected her.

"Okay, thank you, please call me Vicky."

"Okay, everybody, grab an arm. We're going to apparate from here," Harry said.

They all grabbed an arm, and then they were in the secret apparition point of the DMLE.

"How'd you do that?" Ced asked his dad.

"Your mum and I have special permission to do that," he explained to him with a sly smile on his face. "Okay, let's go find King."

"What happened last night? Why did they kill my mum? Why are they doing this to us?" Vicky asked.

"What happened last night was a coordinated attack against Britain. There had to be a magical involved because they hit The Leaky Cauldron also. They were all suicide bombers driving cars or lorries. Why are they doing this to us? Because they want us to surrender our freedoms to them. Some of the other countries are slowly giving away their land and their freedoms to these terrorists. Why did they kill your mum? They don't care who they kill. The truth is that your mum was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's just another senseless death in a string of meaningless deaths.

"Lord Gryffindor! What are you doing here?" one of the Aurors asked.

"We're here to identify the body of Romilda Vane. This is her daughter Vicky Vane."

"Oh, please follow me," the Auror told the group.

They followed him through a maze of passageways and hallways until they came to the morgue. At this point, he turned them over to the coroner.

"Ah, yes. You're here to identify and claim the body of one Romilda Vane?"

"Yes." Came the quiet reply.

"Okay, number twenty-three," the coroner said as he walked to the refrigerated storage area for the deceased. He pulled the drawer out, and on the slab, was a locket and some body parts.

"The locket is my mums, but I don't recognise any of the rest," Vicky said confused.

"Hum, there is another possibility." He started leafing through his clipboard. "Ah, yes, number seventeen," he moved over and pulled open the drawer.

"I kind of recognise the shoe, the earrings are hers', and I recognise the belt. But why is her locket in that other drawer?"

Harry started to explain. "The locket was found at the pub where your mum works. This other person was found as the driver of the car bomb that drove into The Leaky Cauldron."

Vicky asked, "But why would my mum drive a car bomb into The Leaky Cauldron? That doesn't make sense."

"No, it doesn't, could the DMLE take a look around your mum's flat?"

"I guess, I don't see why not. But why would my mum do this? That's not like her, she works at a pub 'cause she didn't finish school," Vicky told them.

"Can we floo over to your mum's flat?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. I need to get my stuff."

"Well, they're not going to let you collect your stuff tonight. They're going to want to take a lot of pictures and collect any evidence that they might find. They're going to want to ask you a lot of questions also. Before they let you collect your stuff."

"What kind of questions?"

"Just a bunch of routine questions. Would you like it if I asked a friend of ours to do the interview? She's very nice."

"Okay, that would be good."

Vicky was tired and overwhelmed with everything that was happening to her. And she hadn't even had dinner yet!

"I'll go see if I can find Tonks. Why don't you go to her mum's flat and start checking it out? The sooner we get started on this, the sooner it will be over for Vicky." Hermione said. She stepped away from the group and called Tonks on her watch. A few moments later she joined the group. "Tonks is on her way and should be here in about ten minutes. I'll walk you back to her office and wait with you there."

Harry kissed his loving wife goodbye and used the floo in the morgue to get to Vicky's mum's flat.

Tonks was in her office when Hermione and the teens arrived.

"Are you going to be okay with just Cici and Ced?" she asked Vicky.

"Yes, that will be fine." All of the life had gone out of her voice, it was just as lifeless as the two bodies that lay in those drawers.

Tonks asked Vicky, a bunch of questions. "Did your mum see a lot of different men?"

"Yes."

"Did you know that men paid your mum for sex?"

"No."

And for two hours she asked questions that Vicky didn't understand, why.

"Did you know that your mum was leading a double life? One when you were home and one when you were at school?"

"No. Why would she do that?"

"We don't know. That's why we're asking you, and looking for clues at your mum's flat."

"So, my mum was a terrorist?" the look of confusion on her face said that she didn't even know her mum at all. She was a prostitute? She was a suicide bomber? She killed her own people? This didn't sound like her mum at all. Her mum wasn't perfect. She did see a lot of different men, but a suicide bomber? No, that wasn't her mum.

"Maybe, or she could have been under the _imperious_ curse."

"My mum may have been a lot of different things that I didn't know about. But she wasn't a suicide bomber," Vicky said with some steel in her voice.

"How can you be so sure?" asked a curious Tonks.

"Because she was too selfish to do something like that. It was all about her, all the time," Vicky told the Auror with the lavender coloured hair. "She wouldn't even go out and buy me a new pair of knickers! She'd give me her old stained ones to wear, while she bought herself a new pair!"

"Hum, that's pretty disgusting," Tonks told her.

"Yeah, and I didn't know that until I met Ced and Cici here. They're the first people that have treated me well. So, if my mum did it, it was because she was under the _imperious_ curse!" she said forcefully.

"Okay, you're free to go. Where will you be staying if I need to ask you some more questions?"

"I'm staying with Ced and Cici at his parent's place. Professor McGonagall gave us a week off to take care of the arrangements for my mum."

"Okay. I'm sorry for your loss."

"When can I get my stuff?"

"I'll let Harry know, so he can tell you. Maybe tomorrow or on Tuesday."

"Okay, thank you," her voice was dead again.

"Aunt Tonks, how can we get a death certificate for Gringotts and everywhere else that she may need one?" Ced asked.

"The coroner should be able to get you one. Would you like for me to ask him and have them owled to your house?"

"Yes, please that would be really helpful," Ced told her.

"Can we leave now?" Vicky asked tonelessly.

"Sure, let's go home."

.

.

.

 **A/N: ISO beta, maybe.**

 **Revised 01.20.2018**

 **And again 01.01.2019**


	19. Year Three Chapter 19

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 19

.

.

Romilda Vane was known as a "Good Times Girl," if you wanted a good time, then you went to Romilda, and she would help you have a good time. Even Ronald Weasley Sr. had gone to see Romilda on a few occasions. She had tired of his "Harry stole my girl," B.S. but his galleons spent as well as anybody else's. Romilda had gotten pregnant before she could take any of her N.E.W.T. level tests. In her embarrassment of getting knocked up, she'd gone to a muggle back alley doctor for an abortion, and that's where the doctor had left her when things had gone terribly wrong, in the back of an alley. She was found by muggle men collecting the trash that afternoon. She'd spent most of a month in a muggle hospital with a very nasty infection. The abortion doctor had not sterilised his tools before he started cutting on her, then she'd started bleeding badly, so he finished killing the baby, as agreed, and dumped her body in the back of the alley where she was found. When she'd regained consciousness, she claimed that she didn't remember who he was. At the end of her stay in the muggle hospital, they told her that she would probably never be able to get pregnant again. That news turned out to be a double-edged sword.

A part of the young woman that Romilda was wanted to have a baby, someday. Just not today! The part of her that wanted to go and have a good time was glad that she couldn't have a baby! She could have as many guys as she wanted and not worry about getting pregnant again! She'd started hanging around Tommy's to meet more, older men. The older men seemed to know more than the younger men, as far as what she wanted. She was a fresh young face, and the older guys were glad that she would even give them the time of day. Eventually, she started helping out on the busy nights and then that turned into a full-time job. She got herself a flat on the edge of London so she'd have someplace to take all the different men. Then it happened, one of the guys had left a lot of money on her dresser as he went out the door. She learned that she could get paid to have sex. She could get paid to do something that she enjoyed doing! And was doing for free anyway! What Romilda had learned; was that she had an endless supply of what men wanted between her legs and that they would pay her to get some of it. The Good Times Girl was seeing twenty different guys a month. There was that one week that she needed to take off.

Then, at one point, and she couldn't tell you when it happened. What should've been her regular monthly cycle, didn't happen. She wasn't always so regular, but, this must have been one of those times. So, she just kept bringing the guys home and collecting the money. Then after what seemed like a long time, she realised that she hadn't had her not so regular, regular cycle. She went down to the muggle drugstore and bought herself a home pregnancy test kit. She read the instructions, they seemed simple enough, then she waited the correct amount of time, and then the test said that she was going to have another baby. She'd never had so many conflicting emotions! She knew that she had the money saved up in Gringotts, she'd followed the advice of one of her regular 'friends.' One part of her was on the highest high, without any additional help. The other part was angrier than she had ever been in her life! 'How dare this happen to her again! It was going to wreck all of her fun!'

Eventually, her emotional rollercoaster had settled down, and she was able to enjoy her pregnancy as much as she could. The number of men that she saw decreased to just those that had a fetish for pregnant women, and for them, her swollen belly was a magnet, and they would pay even more. As soon as she realised that she was pregnant, she stopped all of her drinking and the other little helpers. For her, it was actually easier than she thought it would be. But, she still got to have at least three different men a week, sometimes up to seven, any guy that tried to abuse her or her baby, she hexed, and she had learned long ago how to clean out their bank accounts. As time went by, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

Then she learned of another fetish group of guys, those that liked lactating women. There seemed to be no end to the strangeness of men, as she learned. She found that she could collect even more if she would breastfeed her baby, and let the man feed off the other breast at the same time. As her baby grew, she came to realise that the men were taking her baby's milk and put a stop to those types of men. As time went by, she went back to regular, ordinary men. As her baby grew, she learned to stay in her room and keep quiet while mummy had her friends over.

As Vicky grew in age and size, she would have to show her mum that her clothes no longer fit her before she would be given larger clothes. She had learned to find food that she could eat on her own. Many times, this was food that she found left out on the table. She learned that certain sounds coming from her mum's room, meant that she could sneak out of her room, and look for food before she would get caught. But as far as any of her mum's friends were concerned, Romilda had no children, and an endless supply of what they wanted, if they were willing to pay.

The next best thing to happen to Romilda was when her daughter was old enough to send off to school. Now she was somebody else's responsibility, that's a big word, Vicky was now somebody else's problem to raise. All she had to do was to take her down to the train station in September and collect her in June because they wouldn't keep her during the summer, what kind of rotten school is that anyway?

Vicky loved Hogwarts! It was the most fabulous place in the whole world! She had other people her own size to talk to! And they would talk to her back! She never knew that there were so many people! Wow! It was amazing that there are so many other people that she could talk to! And they didn't get mad at her for talking! There were big people like her mum that would talk to her, and be nice to her too! And they gave her food! All the food that she wanted! She didn't have to try and hide it in her room, not that her mum came into her room very often. Hogwarts was amazing to her; how could someone not love Hogwarts! Vicky was a skinny little thing, getting three full meals a day was more food than she had ever had in her life. When it came to learning, she was a sponge for what the professors were teaching. Her downfall was, she didn't know how to read or write. She couldn't count to ten, she didn't know the letters of the alphabet, and she didn't even know her primary colours. She didn't know that she was supposed to be a blessing, to her mum. Maybe she was a blessing, but her mum put that blessing in the second bedroom of a two-bed flat and left it there.

Vicky needed a lot of remedial training, she thrived on the extra attention and quickly proved why she had been sorted into Ravenclaw. As with most large institutions, once she had come up to the minimum standards, the institution had said that that was good enough, and Vicky went back to being ignored for the most part by the grownups.

.

Harry and Hermione looked in the second bedroom of the small two-bed flat. Over in the far corner was a pile of dried chicken bones. In the opposite corner was a stained mattress lying on the floor without any sheets or blankets. They walked over and looked in the closet, there were piles of clothes lying on the carpet, but there were no hangers for any of them. Turning around and looking, they saw how and where Vicky Vane had lived and grown up for the last thirteen years.

Walking across the hall, they looked into the master bedroom of the flat. There was a large bed with crumpled sheets and blanket. The pillows were pushed up against the headboard. There were clothes thrown all around, there were knickers on every flat surface in the room. Bras hung on doorknobs and just lay on the carpet. As they moved to the closet, they could see clothes hung and clothes that were partially hung, that had not yet fallen off of their hangers on to the floor of the closet. They looked, but they touched nothing. In the loo, the trash in the bin spilt out on to the floor, and the shower curtain was torn in multiple spots. Leaving the master bedroom, they walked down the hall to the main loo, they saw barrenness, no soap, no towel, no nothing, just uncleaned barrenness.

In the kitchen, they saw a typical muggle kitchen. But this kitchen was disgusting, there was food on almost every surface, stains on the floor, the trash bin was overflowing onto the floor, and if they looked, they could see bugs running. The sink overflowed with dirty dishes, the table was covered with dirty dishes, the stove was covered with dirty dishes. The cabinets that were open were empty. Take away boxes were everywhere. Obviously, Romilda Vane didn't cook, she didn't clean, what was it that Romilda Vane did do?

"We're going to have to wait for the Aurors to tell us that part. Let's go so they can do their job," a disgusted Hermione told her husband.

Facing him, she wrapped one arm around him, and with a small, almost imperceptible pop they were gone. In Harry's study, she kissed him, then they let go of each other to search for the teens.

The first place to look, Ced's bedroom. They knocked on the door before they pushed it open, and they found the three of them sitting on the bed.

"We just returned from your mum's flat," Harry told Vicky.

"Did you find anything to help figure out who killed her?"

"No, the Auror's are collecting evidence. They'll try to piece together a picture of what happened in the hours before your mum was killed."

"Okay."

"They'll have more information tomorrow."

"That Auror with the lavender coloured hair said that I should receive the death certificate tomorrow also. What do I do after that?"

"They will probably want to do DNA testing to verify which body is your mum's. After that, you'll need to find a funeral home to take care of the burial. You'll need to go to Gringotts, and have the contents of any vault transferred into your name. I don't think that the Ministry will grant you majority status," Harry told her.

"Because I'm only thirteen." It was a statement, not a question.

"Correct. Here are some other questions to think about tonight. One, do you want Hermione and I to adopt you? And if you do, do you want to take the name of Potter? Cedric and Cecilia could legally adopt you, the problem with that, is, that it would expose their soul-bond status, and put them in more danger than they currently are."

"Yes, I'd like for you to adopt me. I didn't think that I would have a choice about taking your name."

"Harry and I would be proud for you to take our last name," Hermione told the young girl.

"Thank you, I appreciate that," she looked at Ced and Cici, smiling she said to them, "It looks like you're going to gain a sister!"

Cici started squealing with joy. Vicky joined her, and then they both started bouncing on the bed. Ced, Harry, and Hermione had huge smiles on their faces.

"Great! We'll take care of the adoption after we go to Gringotts and take care of what needs to be taken care of there. We'll see you in the morning!"

"Good night!"

"Night!"

"Night!"

Ced locked the door and cast the privacy charms. "Would anybody like to join me in enjoying a butterbeer in the tub?"

"I would."

"Me too!"

"Maco?"

Pop, "Yes, my Lord?"

"Would you please bring us three butterbeers?"

"Yes, my Lord." Pop. A moment later. Pop, she reappeared with three butterbeers on a tray. Each of them took one and thanked her graciously.

Cici started filling the huge tub. Vicky had returned to her room to change her clothes. She came back only wearing a smile. Ced and Cici had shed their clothes in the restroom. They were already in the tub when Vicky returned. Ced had Cici on one side of him, and Vicky was on the other. He looked over at the lights and waved his hand. They were plunged into total darkness. He waited a moment, then looked up at the ceiling.

"I'm going to try something, hold on a second." Then he focused his thoughts and cast a spell on the ceiling of the bathroom. The ceiling changed to show them the night sky, then the walls joined and showed them the forest surrounding the mansion. It was as if they were outside with no one else around.

"That's gorgeous!" Vicky told him.

"It is babe. You did an outstanding job."

Ced placed his arm around his wife and pulled her close. The three teens soaked in the tub, discussing all of the day's events, sipping on their beers. Soon the beers were finished, and they lay there in silence, just enjoying each other's presence. Slowly they drifted off to sleep. Ced woke up soon after. He started the tub to drain, scooped Cici up in his arms and stepped out of the tub. He dried both of them and dried her hair. He carried her to their bed and lay her in it, he went back to the tub and found Vicky had started shivering. He scooped her up and dried both of them, then he dried her hair. He carried her to his bed and lay her about where he thought she should be. He crawled between the two witches and drew them in close to himself. Cici instinctually laid her arm across his chest, her leg laid itself across his hips, and her head found its spot on his shoulder. Vicky just snuggled closer to her new adoptive sibling, enjoying the love that radiated off of the young couple. Just before Ced fell asleep, he covered them with the sheet and blanket. The three of them together slept peacefully.

.

"Vicky, you need to wake up. I need to use the restroom!" Ced worked to shake the witch awake.

She rolled off of him enough for Ced to slip out from between the two girls in his bed. He made his way to the loo just in time.

As he exited the door, he found Cici standing there waiting for him. As customary, they exchanged kisses and places. Ced looked to see the bed made and a change of clothes there for him and her. He looked up and saw the door to Vicky's room closed. After Cici had gotten dressed, they headed out to the hall where they found Vicky waiting for them, ready for their morning run. At the bottom of the stairs they met up with Harry and Hermione, Sirius and Amelia were there too.

"Good morning sleepy heads!" Sirius teased the group.

"What are you all doing here?" asked Ced.

"Ahh, your mum and dad wanted to talk to us about adopting someone."

"That someone would be me," Vicky said defensively.

"Nothing to be defensive about! It's just that your Aunt Am and I can smooth out and speed up the paperwork a bit!" he told the teens.

"She's going to be my Aunt Am? The Minister of Magic is going to be my aunt?"

"Sort of kind of in a roundabout way, yes," Amelia told her. "We're both sorry to hear about your mum."

"Thank you."

"Let's go get our run in," Harry encouraged the group.

The adults discussed what the latest news was in the terrorist attacks. They talked about how the repairs were coming, and they talked about when they should all get together next! All of the adults were very surprised that Vicky was able to keep up with the brutal pace that had been set.

They moved inside to do some strength training and then they got down to Vicky's favourite part, duelling!

With just the little bit of practice from yesterday she had gotten a little stronger and a little faster. Ced introduced her to a new spell, _reducto,_ the blasting spell.

"As with most spells, the more force you put into the spell, the more power the spell will have. Do you remember the morning that you were shaken out of your bed at school?"

"Yes, that was you and Cici practising."

"Yes, and no. That was Cici blowing off some steam at being cooped up in our room for over a week."

"Cici shook the school with a blasting spell?" asked Amelia.

"Well, it wasn't just one blasting spell, it was several that got progressively stronger until she tired herself out."

"How much stronger?"

"Uh, I think the last wall that I conjured was eight meters thick?"

"And what did Minerva say?" Sirius asked.

"She blamed it on another earthquake," Cici told him.

"Why don't you four go and have some fun. While Am and I work with your young guest."

"So, do you want to do couples or girls vs boys?" Cici asked.

Hermione was quick to answer, "Girls Rule! Boys Drool! Let's go, girl!"

"My name is Vicky by the way since introductions have been forgotten!" she turned her head to tease Ced and Cici.

"I'm Sirius, and you've already met my wife, Amelia."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"Let's watch them and then we can start working with you." Looking at the two couples, "Timer's set for fifteen minutes!" he shouted to the couples.

Cici was quick to turn her clothes into a shield, it was a good thing, as just after it happened, she got hit with a jiggly legs jinx.

Hermione conjured a granite wall. "Mental shields up!" she whispered to her.

"Cast and move! Cast and move! We've been in one place way too long!" Cici replied to her.

Hermione cast a decoy so they could run to the next barricade. Cici followed suit to distract Ced.

"Nice bikini love!" Ced shouted.

Now they knew where they were. Or so they thought. Hermione motioned for Cici to move ahead of her and to the right. Run and roll behind another barricade. Hermione ran to the left and flattened against a structure. Their goal was to catch the guys in a crossfire of spells.

Ced and Harry were setting their own trap. Harry ran for a barricade and narrowly missed getting cut. Ced combat crawled in the opposite direction. Once he got to the small structure, he sprinted for the next defensive position. Their goal was to squeeze the girls and force them into the open.

Cici cast another decoy that was promptly blasted to smithereens. Hermione cast a decoy in the same spot and watched to see where the spell came from. There it was, behind that barricade, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a miniature handgun. With a tap from her wand, it enlarged to full size, a little larger than her palm. This is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you she thought to herself. She got Cici's attention, she motioned for her to cast a decoy again. Cici's eyes went wide at the site of the handgun in Hermione's hands. Where did she get the gun from? And who was she going to shoot with it? She cast the decoy as directed, and as soon as the decoy appeared, Hermione was spinning around the structure in a combat posture, she took aim…

Ced raised up to blast the decoy when he saw his mum with a handgun. Where did she get a handgun from? Harry was quick to blast the ceiling as a distraction.

Cici saw the spell heading for the ceiling and cast a shield over Hermione. Hermione with the speed of a practised combat veteran aimed and got two rounds off. Immediately afterwards she dropped down and conjured a concrete structure on top of herself. She could hear the trash from the ceiling hitting her structure. But the problem was, she didn't know if she had hit her intended target. Was it safe for her to cut her way out? Was Cici doing okay? She felt the floor rumble, then again, and then a third time. That didn't feel like Harry, wrong vibrations. Must be Ced or Cici. She waited for another ten count, then she started cutting her way out to help her partner. Conjure a mirror, and the coast is clear. She squirmed out of the structure and got a move on towards Cici's last known position.

.

Ced saw his mum aim the gun in his direction, then he saw his dad blast the ceiling over her head, then he saw his wife cast a shield to protect his mum. And then he felt the double hit, and then, he felt no more.

Harry watched as his wife took the combat posture to shoot their son. She was laser focused. He aimed for the ceiling hoping to distract her and make her miss. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cici cast a shield over Hermione. Then he watched as Hermione got two shots off, and then she dropped and conjured a structure to protect herself from the falling debris. In the other direction, he was vaguely aware that Ced was going down. Hermione hardly ever missed her intended target.

.

Cici saw Hermione aim the gun at her husband, out of the corner of her eye she saw Harry blast the ceiling. She cast a shield over the top of Hermione to protect her, then she watched as Hermione fired twice, dropped and conjured a structure to defend herself from the falling debris. Hermione was safe, and she knew where Harry was. She started casting a triple pack spells as fast as she could think, _reducto/diffindo/stupefy_ , once, twice, third times the charm. Harry stood up to take the shot when he was hit hard. He hadn't been hit that hard in a lot of years, he could feel his shield starting to buckle under the force of the spells. Who casts a triple spell? Ninety-nine-point-nine per cent of the wizarding world can't cast a double spell. Here he was getting hit with a triple whammy! His last thought was, this is going to hurt. Then his shield went down under the punishment.

"And times up! You girls got it in just under the wire!" Sirius complimented.

"Where'd you get a gun from?" Vicky asked the witch that was about to be her new mum.

"It was a gift from some friends. It shoots spells that have been transfigured into bullets. Once a 'bullet' hits the target, it transfigures back into a spell, and it has a lot of kick to it."

Cici had rushed over to check on Harry, yup she had hit him with the _diffindo_ and was cut. She quickly stopped the bleeding, then she started to heal the cut. After the wound was healed she _rennervated_ him. Looking at the shelves above the cabinets, she summoned a blood replenishing potion to herself and gave it to Harry.

"That hurt! I haven't been hit that hard in a lot of years!" Harry told her.

"Sorry about that. I guess that I just got a little excited!"

She left him be and moved over to where her husband was. She checked on him then she cast another _rennervate_.

"Ow! That thing hurts! Why'd you shoot me, mum?"

"If you look, there's no bullet holes!" Hermione told her son.

Cici helped him to his feet, then guided him to where Harry was still sitting on the floor.

"You let them beat us?"

"You didn't tell me that your wife could cast a triple pack of spells!"

"Yeah, and it hurts too when she hits you with it!"

"Oh! Now you tell me! Well, gee thanks!" Harry said sarcastically as he looked over at the shelves and summoned a Vitamix potion.

"If you four would please clear the area, we have a young lady to work with here."

"Watch it, Sirius! Or I'll tell Cici to go after you next!" Harry told his Godfather.

"Oh, what'd she hit you with? A stinging jinx?" he heckled him.

Harry glared at his godfather, "I wish! What did you hit me with? The first spell felt like a _reducto_ because it severely weakened my shield that I had, then the second spell got through my shield, and it must have been a _diffindo_ because I felt myself getting cut, and the third must have been a _stupefy_ because I lost consciousness."

"She hit you with a triple spell? Even ole Mad-Eye Moody only used a double."

"Yes, I hit him with a tripe spell," Cici admitted. "And yes, those are the three that I hit you with."

"She's good!" said Amelia.

"Yes, she is!" replied Ced. Ced walked over to Cici to guide her off of the training floor. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "That's a very high compliment, coming from Aunt Am. She was the Director of the DMLE for several years, and Mad-Eye Moody was one of her mentors. Mad-Eye was the most highly decorated Auror ever."

Sirius had helped Harry to his feet, "You pack a heck of a punch girl!" Harry told Cici.

Harry and Hermione walked arm in arm off of the combat floor. Amelia cleaned up their mess with a few flicks of her wand. Then she turned to Vicky and started instructing her in various offensive spells. Then they worked on her shield spell to make it stronger, having just watched Harry succumb to Cici's attack.

The two couples talked amongst themselves. They did a mission review, just like Toll would have done with them.

"You two have gotten really good, really fast!"

"That's because we've spent almost every Saturday night in the house at four months to the hour," Ced told his parents quietly.

"Does Vicky know about the house in the bottle?"

"NO!" the two teens hissed at them softly. "And we can see why! It is like, the last safe refuge in a crisis! Nobody knows about the house except for you!"

"Same with us."

"Edmund told us that the house is keyed to let us in only. Us and a familiar."

"Yeah, we learned about the familiar part with Hedwig and Crookshanks," Hermione told them.

After about thirty minutes, Amelia could see that Vicky was tired, so she called it a day for the training. "She's learning fast! And she's a willing learner. She just needs to work on building her magical core."

"Thank you for working with me."

"Our pleasure!" Sirius told her.

"Let's get our showers and then get something to eat! I'm hungry!" Harry commented to the group.

Cici summoned a Vitamix for Vicky to help her recover faster. And then they all headed up the stairs to get showered and ready for breakfast.

Upstairs, Vicky entered Ced and Cici's room with them, "Could you teach me how to summon things? Like the soap in the shower?"

"Sure! The spell is _accio_ and then what it is that you want to come to you." Cici told her. "Here's an example," she kicked off a trainer about two meters from her, " _accio_ trainer." And the trainer just flew into her outstretched hand. "Get a picture of the thing in your head and then call it to you like you would call a pet dog. This is one of the easiest wandless spells you can do! I think that's because you can use it to summon your wand to you."

Vicky kicked off one of her trainers, and it landed about two meters from them, they watched as she scrunched up her face in concentration, she mouthed the spell a couple of times, then she said, "A _ccio_ trainer!" she opened her eyes to watch the shoe fly into her outstretched hand. The smile on her face spread from ear-to-ear!

"Now, the opposite of the summoning spell would be to have the item return to where you got it from. Like the bar of soap or the bottle of shampoo, returning to the soap dish, or the shampoo returning to the shower shelf. That spell is _reditus,"_ Ced told her. "Now, tell your shoe to go back to where it was summoned from."

She looked at Ced, then she looked at her shoe, she focused, _"Reditus"_ she said. Then she watched the shoe fly back to the spot on the floor where it had been.

Vicky clapped and bounced up and down in excitement. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and soon Cici was clapping and jumping with her. Ced's smile just grew and grew as he watched the two girls in their excitement.

As their excitement died down, Ced told them, "We need to get our showers quickly so we can meet everyone else for breakfast. Go practice your two new spells, and we'll meet you in a few minutes."

Vicky went through the adjoining door of their rooms. In her shower, she was practising the two new spells, as well as the _diffindo_ spell to groom the unwanted hair from her body. After she had rinsed off, she shut the water off and cast a drying spell on herself as she stepped out of the shower. She had learned so much since she became friends with Cedric and Cici. She cast the drying spell on her hair and felt it fly up and then lay back down to perfection. As she walked into her bedroom, she looked at the dresser, and then she got a picture of the bra that she wanted in her head, " _Accio_ bra," and the correct bra flew into her waiting hand. A smile spread across her face. She was going to like this! She thought of the matching knickers she wanted, "A _ccio_ nickers," they flew to her hand. She dropped the bra on her bed and pulled on her knickers. She was putting the bra on when she realised that it didn't fit anymore. When had her breasts grown so much? As she smiled at the way her body was growing, she transfigured the bra to fit correctly like Cici had taught her. She summoned a conservative dress and matching four-inch heels to her. Fully dressed she walked back through the adjoining door with a brief knock.

"Hey, my bras don't fit anymore," she commented.

Cici looked at her, then dressed only in her bra and panties, she walked over to her dresser, she opened a drawer and looked inside for a moment, she reached inside and pulled out about a half-dozen bras, "Do you want these?" she asked her friend.

"Sure!" she didn't think that she had ever seen Cici wear any of them.

Cici looked at what her friend was wearing, and selected something to match, she chose four-inch heels also. Just as Ced was finishing buttoning his shirt, he looked at Cici to see that she was ready for him to zip her up. Instead of using magic to zip his wife, he walked over to her, wrapped his arm around her waist from behind, she stood still as if waiting for the next move, then he used his free hand to pull the zipper up and hide it behind the button at the top of the dress. He leaned over her, so his body was pressed against her from behind, he used his chin to move some hair and kissed her on the nape of her neck. She rewarded him with a soft moan of pleasure.

The three teens joined the adults for breakfast, Ced held Cici's chair, and she rewarded him with a thank you kiss. Charles appeared next to Vicky and began the task of instructing her in proper table etiquette.

Sirius watched the old house elf warily. "Why is Charles so nice to you?"

"I guess that he likes me more than he likes you!" she told him cheekily.

"Lord Black."

"Charles," the two of them addressed each other coolly.

"Maybe, it's because Charles feels that you should have learned proper table manners at home," Amelia suggested to him.

The Grangers liked Charles, and he liked them. Maybe it was because Charles could sense that Vicky had raised herself, and he liked what he sensed about her.

At the end of breakfast, Gareth entered the room, "My Lord, the morning post is in the study. There is a letter addressed to Miss Vane."

"Thank you, Gareth," he responded. "It looks as if the document that you needed has arrived," he addressed Vicky.

"Aunt Am, would it be better to get the adoption taken care of first, or go to Gringotts while she is still Vicky Vane?"

"I would say that you might want to do the adoption first because she's not of age and you don't want the goblins putting any amounts of money into a trust fund until she becomes of age. If you transfer everything into her name before the adoption, it could give her peace of mind that you're not trying to take what's rightfully hers'. Then you just have to go back and change the name on the vault." Am looked at Vicky, "You're giving up your last name and taking the name of Potter?"

Vicky nodded at her.

"Good."

Looking back at Harry, "You're going to need to check with them anyway to see if her mum had a will."

Ah, you just had to love dealing with the unknown. In Harry's case, being soul-bonded bypassed all of these problems.

The group had moved to the foyer, Am and Sirius needed to go to work.

"We'll contact you either way," Harry told them.

"If need be, we can get the adoption done in about an hour, pup," Sirius said as he reached for Harry's hair.

Harry moved slowly, letting his godfather mess his hair. It gave Sirius pleasure, and it didn't hurt Harry. Hermione and Amelia hugged briefly just before they left for work. Turning, Harry led the group to the study to see what had come.

.

One by one the five of them stepped out of the public floo at Diagon Alley. There were very few people on the streets, so Harry and Hermione chose to forgo using a glamour on themselves. Instead, they set a brisk pace and made directly for the bank. Vicky was glad that she had started running with the group, Cici took her hand to help steady her on her heels.

Cici looked at Vicky's bouncing bosom, "You remember that charm I taught you to use on your bra when we run?" she whispered to her.

Vicky nodded.

"Now would be a good time for it!" she whispered to her.

Vicky looked down at her bouncing bosom, she really didn't need to look, she could feel the heaviness of her breasts bouncing and swaying, she reached up with her free hand and cast the right spell by just mouthing the words. Her breasts stopped bouncing uncontrollably. She felt better immediately.

They climbed the steps and approached the bank door just as the bank opened for business.

"Lord Gryffindor! It is an honour! Let me take you to one of our private rooms," the goblin greeted them.

Once in the room, Harry gave the customary and traditional greeting to the lowly goblin.

"I will get Master Ragrok for you, sir."

A few moments later, Ragrok entered the room, with a bow he greeted the guests with the correct greeting.

Harry stood, and with a bow in return, he gave the customary traditional greeting for the group.

"How may I assist you, sir?"

"Our friend, Miss Vane's mother, was one of the unfortunate victims of the terrorist attacks the other night," Harry started, as he explained the purpose of their visit that morning.

"Do you have a copy of the certificate of death?" the goblin asked.

Vicky handed him the piece of parchment.

"Very well, I will make a copy of this for you, check on any vaults, and also check if there is a will. Would you like some refreshments while you wait?"

"Yes, please," Cedric answered the goblin.

"I will have someone bring them to you," he said as he stood to leave.

"Hey, dad? We need to go to the duelling store. Vicky needs a better holster than the one we found for her in the training room."

"Oh, that old thing?" Hermione said as she scrunched up her face in dislike.

Harry's head snapped around, and he looked at Vicky intently. "Did your mum buy you that wand or did she give you the wand that you use?" he remembered all of the difficulties that Ron and Ginny had in school because of the hand-me-down wands.

"She gave it to me, why?"

"Okay, we need to stop by Ollivander's on the way to the duelling shop," Harry said.

"The thing about wands…" Cici started to explain to her about how wands worked and that she would notice a marked improvement with the correct wand.

Close to an hour later Ragrok came back into the room. "Well Miss Vane, it seems that your mum did not have a will. She did have a significant sum in her vault though. We can transfer that money into your name at this time, but because of your age, it would automatically become a trust fund, and you would not have full access to the money should you need it. Because you are an orphan at this point, the Headmistress would have control over your estate."

"Let me see if I understand what you are telling her. You are saying that it would be better for her to be adopted before she claims her mother's belongings," Harry reworded the conversation.

"Yes, sir it would if there is going to be an adoption. If not, she and her monies become state property," he told them in a depressing tone.

Harry looked over and found Hermione on her watch talking to Am.

"Could you please get all of the forms together for us? We'll return in a couple of hours to fill them out," Harry asked the goblin.

"Yes, sir," Looking at his pocket watch, "I will see you at 11:30?"

"That will be fine."

After all of the formalities, the group left.

"Am is working on the paperwork for us and her assistant says that it will be ready in an hour," Hermione informed the group.

"Let's go to Ollivander's now," Harry told them. It wasn't so much a request as it was a command.

The bell on the door chimed as they entered the wand maker's shop early in the morning. The old man hobbled his way up to the front counter to great his first customers of the day.

"Good morning Lord and Lady Gryffindor! Lord and Lady Potter!" he said as he looked at them. What could they want this time?

"Good morning Mr Ollivander. This young lady here is a friend of ours, I was wondering if you could take a look at her wand?"

Vicky ejected the wand and caught it quickly. She then handed her wand to the old man behind the counter.

"Hmm, this isn't your wand. Where did you get it if I may ask?"

"It was given to me by my mum."

"Oh, hmmm, I see, yes, well I remember every wand that I have ever sold. And this wand was sold to a Mr Weasley. Do you know how your mum came into a position of it?"

"No, like I said, she gave it to me when I started school," she told him getting defensive.

"Okay, well this wand is absolutely the wrong wand for you anyway," he informed her. "What would you like to do?"

"We would like to buy her, her first wand," Harry informed the ancient shopkeeper.

"Hmm, very well. Let me go and get a selection for you to try then," he addressed the young lady.

He tottered off to the back of the dusty old shop. Hermione noticed that nothing had been cleaned that she didn't clean from the last time they were in his shop. She just smiled to herself. They could hear shuffling sounds from the back, and then they heard the shuffling of footsteps coming towards them. When he returned to the counter, he set a huge stack of wand boxes on the countertop. Similar to what he had done for Daphne he made five rows of three boxes each. Then he explained about each wand that he let her try. He removed the ones that she didn't like, and he narrowed the field down. Then he would go to the back and get more wands for her to try. In the end, she had settled on an ebony wand with a phoenix core.

"A very powerful combination!" he encouraged her.

Harry paid for the wand. They checked the time and headed for the duelling shop. Harry lead her straight to the wand holsters.

"How may I help you today sir?" the sales clerk asked.

"I am looking for a wand holster for my daughter. I would like to get her one that turns invisible when it is worn," Harry told the man.

"Okay sir, we have, …" and the man rattled on about the different holsters, and then he started trying to tell Harry what it was that Harry liked. After about five minutes of the salesman telling Harry what Harry liked and didn't like.

Harry asked to speak to the owner of the shop, "May I speak to Larry please?"

"Uhm, we don't have anybody named Larry that works here," the salesman lied.

"When did Larry sell the shop?" Harry asked loudly.

From behind the counter, the door swung open, "Harry! Hermione! How have you been? Has Ralph been treating you okay?" Larry asked overjoyed to see two of his old schoolmates.

"Actually, Larry. We are in a bit of a hurry, and I want to buy a wand holster for my daughter. I have asked to see the ones that turn invisible when they are worn. Ralph was having troubles understanding my needs," Harry shook hands with the owner.

"I've got this Ralph, why don't you go in back and straighten the shelves."

'UH, I just did that thirty minutes ago," the man whined.

A second later there was a crash of boxes heard from the back.

"I guess something must have fallen," Cici smirked at the man.

"Here, try this one, it is one of our best sellers. Which daughter is this for?" he looked back and forth between Cici and Vicky.

"It's for my daughter Vicky. Here honey, try this on," Harry encouraged her to step forward.

Larry looked down at the holster that Vicky was wearing. "You will definitely like it better than that one. What is that? An old Clean Shot?"

"It could be, we found it in the training room at home," Vicky engaged the owner in conversation.

Larry looked at the fit of the holster on her forearm. "Let's try a couple of the others." He brought out about four more holsters that met the standards of what Harry had described.

Vicky had tried on all of the different holsters and settled on a Quick Draw IV Princess holster. As Harry paid for the purchase, Vicky loaded her new wand into the holster, she practised ejecting the wand a few times to get the hang of thinking about making it happen. After the last time of practising, she watched as the holster and her wand disappeared from sight.

"Thank you very much for the wand and the holster, I love them both!" she hugged Harry and Hermione in thank you.

"Larry, would you mind if we used your floo to get to the Ministry? We're running kind of late."

"Naw! Sure it's right back here. Thanks again Harry, good to see you, Hermione! Bye now!" he called out to them as they stepped through the floo.

Once inside the Ministry, Harry was leading them at a fast clip when he was stopped by a security guard.

"Um, Sir! Who are you here to see?" the young guard called out to Harry rudely exercising his little bit of authority.

A very irate Harry stopped and looked at the guard, the guard shrunk visibly under his stare. "Hermione, would you call Amelia and let her know that we're going to be late, please."

"We're here to see Amelia Black, the Minister of Magic," Harry told the young man.

"And your name please?" his voice quivered.

"I am Harry Potter, and this is my wife, Hermione Potter."

The young man was shaking, he had just disrespected one of the highest members of his society.

"Am says that if he talks to you again, she will terminate his employment. Sounds like her day has gotten a lot worse since breakfast," Hermione said out loud.

"May we go, please," Harry looked at the young man.

The young guard just nodded his assent.

While all of this was happening, Vicky and Cici were both taking in all of the splendour of their surroundings. The huge fountain in the middle of the foyer, it had been recently rebuilt to more accurately reflect magical society. Ced pulled Cici by the arm and Cici pulled Vicky as they made their way to the elevators.

The five of them got into the elevator, and just before the door slid shut, a sixth person slipped in.

"Lord Gryffindor, Lady Gryffindor," the person dressed all in black said.

"Mask."

"Mask."

Bing! Minister of Magic. The feminine mechanical voice said.

"Please give my regards to the Minister," Mask said.

"We will," Harry responded.

As they were walking down the hall to the Minister's office. They passed rows upon rows of witches and wizards shuffling parchments. There were letters and notes flying all around their heads, the carpet kept their footsteps muffled. Once they reached the Minister's office, Harry opened the door to enter.

"Lord Gryffindor! I have the adoption parchments right here. I just need your signature and Lady Gryffindor's signature here, here, and here, and then I need a thumbprint from both of you and from the young lady, on this piece here.

After they had finished signing, they all gave their thumbprint where needed.

"Is the Minister in?" Harry asked politely.

"Would you like for me to check sir?"

"Actually, we just want to use her private floo. We need to get back to Gringotts, and I don't need another security guard holding us up again."

"Just one moment and I will ask for you," she looked back over her shoulder and waved them in.

Aunt Amelia waved them to the floo, she was in a meeting, and Sirius looked jealous that they were leaving him.

Once back in Diagon Alley, Harry and Hermione cast a glamour on themselves and set out at a quick pace. It was 11:29 when they walked through the doors at Gringotts. Inside they cancelled the glamour's, and upon recognition, they were shown to a private room.

Ragrok dispensed with the formalities, "Do you have the adoption papers?"

Harry handed him the envelope with the papers in it.

"Excellent! I will need to make a copy of this, then we can finish the paperwork that we started earlier," he rose and left the room.

Less than ten minutes later, he reentered the room, "Now Miss Potter, if I could have you place your thumb in this circle, it will verify your identity. Then we can show you to your vault."

"Would you be able to give her a debit card and a credit card today please?" Harry asked.

Vicky placed her thumb on the circle and felt the unpleasant prick that would draw the blood. She lifted her thumb and stuck it in her mouth as she watched the blood being absorbed into the parchment. A moment later it had confirmed her identity and relationship with the former owner of the vault and all of its contents.

Ragrok started to move faster than Harry liked, "Slow down there for a minute, we're going to read each piece of parchment before she signs anything," he told the goblin.

Harry started to hand out the different forms, he handed Hermione the one that listed the inventory of the vault, Ced and Cici got just run of the mill percentage rates, and Harry kept the last one.

After a few minutes of silence, Ced leaned forward, "Master Ragrok, I would feel more comfortable if my sister wasn't paying such a large percentage in bank fees, would you be able to bring that down to the preferred client rate please?"

"Yes, Lord Potter, I would be happy to do that for her. That must have been an oversight on one of my subordinates," he told them. He then took the parchment and made the correction while they waited.

"This one is safe for you to sign now," Ced told his newest sister.

"Master Ragrok, this must have been an oversight on another subordinate, would you be able to pay her the interest rate that your preferred customers receive?" Cici asked with a disarming smile.

"May I see that please?" after he received the parchment from Cici, he looked it over and frowned, "I would be more than glad to adjust that to the correct rate," he made the correction to the parchment and handed it back to her. Cici looked at it, then handed it to Vicky, "Here you go, this one is safe to sign also."

Vicky looked at the parchment and then signed it also. All of this was over her head, and she was trusting her new family to help her. Harry declared his document safe to sign as is. Hermione held onto the one she was looking over until after they had examined the vault personally. She did, however, go over the document with her.

"The inventory of your vault matches what the bank is saying that your mum deposited. That amount of money is: 387,500 Galleons, in the vault there should be, several personal effects, including several diaries that belonged to your mum. I'll give this to you after we go and inspect the vault," Hermione told her.

What Vicky was thinking was, 'My mum had 387,500 Galleons, and she couldn't buy me clean underwear? How did my mum get 387,500 galleons?' What she said was, "Thank you I appreciate that."

Ragrok told the group that he would have a subordinate escort them down to the vault for a personal inspection. While that was happening, he would get the debit and credit cards ready for her. He handed her a key to her vault and then escorted them to the entrance to the vault chamber.

.

As they were leaving her vault, Hermione asked her if she wanted to take anything with her, "No, I think that I'll leave her diaries for a while. Do you think that I should take any galleons?"

"That's up to you. Ragrok should have your debit card and credit card ready for you when we get back up there." Hermione told her. "Still, it wouldn't be bad to have a little money in your pocket. Maybe twenty-five or fifty galleons at the most. That's more money than most of the kids at Hogwarts get for the entire term."

"Okay, I'll take fifty galleons, Cici's clothing habit is getting expensive!" she teased her new sister-in-law.

"That may be true, but you look good girl!" Cici teased her back.

On the railcar ride back to the top, Vicky leaned over to Cici and asked her, "Can we go bra shopping? I need new bras."

"My suggestion is, wait for another month. Use the ones that I gave you. When you outgrow those, then lets both go bra shopping. Your breasts are going to start growing real fast. Remind me to give you some anti-stretchmark potion to take with the other potion. If you don't take it, your breasts will be covered with stretch marks." Cici whispered back to her.

"Okay, I'll remind you when we get home. Home, the Potter Mansion is now my home," Vicky said wistfully.

"For you and I, fairy tales do come true."

.

.

.

 **A/N: Please review! Reviews are good!**

 **Revised 01.21.2018**

 **And again 01.01.2019**


	20. Year Three Chapter 20

C O Potter

Year Three

Chapter 20

.

.

Monday morning, the first day of testing, James was a mess. The week before he seemed as if he had it all together, but this morning? He had hardly touched his breakfast. Teddy wasn't any better. He just kind of pushed his food around on his plate, he would stab it sometimes then drag his fork across the edge of his plate to scrape it off. Neither had really touched their pumpkin juice, just a little sip, maybe.

.

 _Vicky was the exact opposite, she was alive and vibrant, she glowed! George liked this 'new' Vicky, it seemed to him as if the old moody Vicky had been buried with her mum. Truth be told, Harry had started teaching the three of them how to meditate and get in touch with 'their element.' It was a small thing, but she was the first of the three, she had just opened her eyes, and she had a small ball of water in the palm of her hand. The training with Luna was paying off! Ced was next after he had found his centre again. Vicky's enthusiasm was contagious and had gotten his and Cici's minds distracted. After he had gotten calmed back down, he was able to refocus his mind, and when he opened his eyes, he had a small tornado spinning in the palm of his hand. When Cici realised that she was the last to find her element, her mind started to race, then her temper started to flare up. Harry, Hermione, Ced, and Vicky could all feel the magic starting to radiate from Cici. Hermione had shushed the others out of the training room, then she sat down cross-legged in front of Cici._

 _Hermione reached out and took Cici's hands in her own, "Focus on my voice, relax, and focus on my voice," She started to help her meditate more calmly. Hermione worked with her for close to an hour._

 _It was a jubilant Cici that walked out of the training room holding a small fireball in the palm of her hand. The others joined her in her exuberance, enthusiastically._

.

Fred leaned over and asked, "Are you two nervous about taking your test today?"

"What's to be nervous about? You either know it, or you don't," Cici told him.

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Fred replied. He had never thought about it that way.

"What good does it do, to get all stressed out about something that you've already learned and practised dozens of times?"

"Yeah, I guess that's true too."

"Come on Fred!" Ced was saying, "The first test is on charms! How easy can you get?"

"True."

"Everybody knows what's going to be on the test! It's been the same test for the last Four-hundred years!" Ced told him.

"I guess your right!"

"Anybody that fails these tests deserves to fail! A levitation charm? Didn't we do that at Christmas with the ornaments? A colour changing charm? Didn't you do that to a sock this morning?"

"Yeah, I did!" he admitted.

"And a growth charm? What's there to be afraid of? Falling asleep while you wait for your turn?" Ced was starting to laugh a little. He knew that Vicky could do all of these and more!

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please clear the hall at this time! We need to prepare for the testing," Professor McGonagall announced using the _sonorous_ spell to broadcast her voice over the hall.

As Vicky went to stand, George, removed her chair for her. After she turned to him, she rewarded him with a passionate kiss. George's ears started to turn red at the intensity of the kiss.

Ced and Cici exchanged a sweet kiss on the lips as they turned to watch Vicky. It was a small chuckle that they shared while watching them. "Hey you two lovebirds, you've got classes to get to!" Cici teased them.

An hour later, Ced and Cici were sitting in the Great Hall again, this time in the back of the hall waiting for the proctors to hand out the testing parchments. In the front of the hall was a gigantic hourglass, waiting to be turned over. When the proctor got to the back of the hall, he gave Ced and Cici a scowling once-over, as if to say why are you here? You're too young to be here. What makes you think that you're so special.

" _Want to take this test with our mental walls down? Or up,"_ Ced thought at his love.

" _After the look that old fart gave me? Down!"_ she thought back to him. How could it be cheating if they both knew the same information?

"You may turn your tests over and begin! You have one hour to finish the test!" another, older than dirt, witch at the front of the hall informed the test-takers.

Twenty minutes into the test, Ced and Cici both stood up and walked to the front of the hall.

"I'm sorry dear, was the test too difficult for you?" one of the ancient proctors questioned Ced.

"No mam, we've finished. Do we need to stay in the hall or are we free to leave?" Ced asked her, as he and Cici held out their finished parchments.

The other students in the hall stopped writing for a moment to see who had finished so quickly.

The proctor next to the old witch reached across the table and took Cici's test from her. She started to look over the test, then she checked it again and gave it an "O" for outstanding.

The proctor that had addressed Cedric reached across the table and took his parchment from him. She looked at his test and then she chose to look at Cici's test, the wording was sufficiently different that she gave Ced's test an "O" also.

"You may leave," She smiled at them.

"Thank you," Ced answered as he reached for Cici's hand.

As they turned, Ced caught the proctor looking at his test again, then he saw the light go on inside her head, her eyes got large, and her mouth hung open. By the time that they had turned their backs to them, they didn't see her lean over to the proctor next to her, and ask if they knew who he was.

Lunch was a noisy affair, the volume in the hall was much louder than it had been in more than a month, well since Vicky had kissed Ced for the first time. Ced and Cici both were unable to make out what everyone was discussing so loudly. You would think, with how loud things were being talked about, that they could have picked up something, but it was just noise. At the end of lunch just before they were going to leave, Professor McGonagall called out to them.

"Mr Potter! Miss Ramos! Would you come and see me?" she called to them.

The couple said goodbye to their friends, Cici gave him a kiss on the lips again, and a fun smirk to Vicky who was watching. Vicky just stuck her tongue out at her in reply. Cici made to shut her mouth on her tongue, which earned her another stuck out tongue and a funny face.

When they had gotten to the Headmistress, she just said to them, "Follow me please," As she led them to the anteroom. Once in the anteroom, she informed them, "The head testing proctor wanted to know if you both would be interested in accelerating your testing schedule. They were very impressed with your first test this morning. They'd be willing to give you up to three tests per day. Is this something that you'd be interested in?"

Ced and Cici looked at each other, "Sure!" they said together.

"That will be three written tests in the morning and then three practical tests in the afternoon," She confirmed with them.

"That's fine with me," Cici told her. Finally, get this testing stuff out of the way!

Ced just nodded in agreement.

"Then I will inform them of your decision."

The two teens followed her out of the anteroom and back into the Great Hall. The testing proctors had just finished setting it up to do the practical testing. The room was divided into eight separate testing areas, four along the two long walls.

Once the head proctor saw Ced and Cici, she called them over, "Would you two like to go ahead and do the practical portion of the testing now?" she asked in that ancient shaky old voice. If they were half as good at the practical as on their essay, this was going to be quick and fun.

The teens just nodded at her.

"Right this way, please. Now if I'm guessing right, your mum and dad are Harry and Hermione Potter, is that correct?"

"Yes mam, that's correct," Ced answered.

"I remember testing them all those years ago! It's not very often that we get students that are capable of passing their O.W.L.s this early, I just remember how much fun they were."

"Yes, mam."

"Now, if I were to take a guess because I've been watching you two," she got real quiet, "I would say that you're a soul-bonded couple like your parents. That would make you Mrs Potter, correct?"

Silence from the teens.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said in that shaky old voice.

"That's something that we would rather not be passed around," Ced told her.

"I understand. Well, missy, you look like you'd rather be taking your Masters testing."

"Yes mam," Cici told her.

"Well, sorry, they haven't certified me on the Masters testing yet. However, I have been certified on N.E.W.T. level testing if you want to have a go at it!"

"We'd both really enjoy that!" Cici replied to her quietly and enthusiastically.

"All right, which one of you would like to go first? Ladies first, you can wait," She told Ced.

The testing proctor sat in the only chair in the cubicle, the one behind the table that had the needed items on it for the test. Ced looked around and decided to just conjure himself a chair, which he did to the amazement of the tester. Cici looked at it and then transfigured it into an overstuffed armchair.

"If I'm going to have to sit in something while I wait on you, I at least want it to be comfortable!" she teased Ced.

"Well, I think that takes care of the colour changing charm," she commented. I hope the rest of the test is this much fun she thought to herself.

She gave them both the practical's up through their N.E.W.T level of testing, on charms. She also informed them that she would be the one finishing off the rest of their testing in private. They both thanked her graciously and left for their room. The rest of their testing, they made as fun as possible. The proctor informed them that this would be the last year she did the testing of students, she claimed that she was just getting too old.

.

Friday, Vicky had been held back in her last class, the professor wanted to talk to her about the exceptional progress that she had been making.

She gave the credit to Cedric and Cici, "They've taken me under their wing so to speak, and have been tutoring me," she explained to the professor.

After she dropped by the room to drop off her book bag, she was late getting to dinner. As she walked into the Great Hall, she scanned it like Ced had taught her, as she focused on where George and the rest should be sitting, she saw two strange females sitting next to George. The strawberry blonde seemed to be more interested in talking to Fred, she noticed. But the brunette seemed to be too focused on George for her liking. She walked up to them, quietly, not wanting to attract too much attention to herself. As she got closer she caught snippets of their conversation, then the brunette touched him in a too friendly way for Vicky.

"Hello babe, did you miss me?" she asked. The brunette made to get up to leave. Vicky put her hand on her shoulder to hold her in place.

George started to stutter.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" she asked, with a feral smile on her face, looking at the brunette. You're dead, witch!

George just made more stuttering noises.

"I just want to know whom I'm going to hex," she said as pleasantly as if she were talking about a bouquet of flowers.

The brunette commented, "There's no need to curse anybody! This is all just a misunderstanding!" she tried to rise again. Vicky just pushed her back into her seat.

"Oh, honey, I'm not going to curse you! I'm just going to hex you, and then I'm going to curse HIM!" she finished staring George straight in the eye.

Ced and Cici were just sitting back watching the show that Vicky was putting on. Vicky was doing an excellent job of putting George back in his place. They noticed that the redhead had slid over one more seat to be that much farther from her friend when the spells started to fly.

"Uh, uh, uh, this is uh, uh, Tamara Treewood."

"OH! I've heard of you! You're the one that likes for guys to grab her TITS!" she said loud enough to start drawing attention from the other students in the hall to the girl sitting before her.

"That's not true!" she almost screeched in a whiny voice.

"That's not what I heard! I heard that you let the guys grab your tits, so you can try and take them away from their girlfriends!" Vicky said it a little louder. Trying to draw as much attention as she could. She was going to make a public spectacle of this slut.

"That's a lie!" she yelled back at the second-year student.

"Then why are you touching my boyfriend!" Vicky said, staying in control.

"I didn't touch your boyfriend! That's a lie!"

"I watched you touch him! BIMBO! If you want a boyfriend, then go find one of your own!"

"Who are you calling a bimbo?"

"You! SLUT!"

"How dare you call me a slut! I'm not a slut!"

"Then why do you put out on the first date!"

Vicky stepped back. And Tamara stood up, she was tall for her age and was easily taller than Vicky. Tamara was digging in her robes for her wand.

Vicky ejected her wand, "Bring it on! SLUT!"

Tamara unable to get her wand out, she lunged for Vicky. Vicky sidestepped the lunge and stuck her foot out so she would trip. Tamara's foot caught on Vicky's causing her to fall face first into the back of a chair of a Hufflepuff that was watching the show. When her face hit the back of the chair, Tamara's nose was shattered sending blood everywhere. Tamara collapsed on the floor in the pooling blood and started to cry from the pain.

Sobbing she said, "You broke my nose, you witch."

"I didn't break anything, you broke your own nose when you tried lunging at me," Vicky told her coolly.

Vicky turned and looked at George, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Uh, um, uh."

She interrupted him, "You've been saying that a lot lately. Do I need to take you to a speech therapist? Well, DO I?"

"Uh, no."

"Well, you had better start explaining yourself to me!"

"Well, she uh, just came and sat down here."

"Did you invite her to sit down with you?"

"Uh, no uh."

"So, you did not invite her to sit down with you?"

"No, she just did it on her own!"

"If, you're lying to me. If I can't trust you. I don't want anything to do with you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what? Yes, you're lying to me, or yes you understand?"

"Yes, I understand you, and no, I'm not lying to you. She really did just come over here and take your seat," he said pleadingly.

"I'd like to sit down now and eat my dinner," she told him coldly. Her wand retracted into its holster.

George scrambled to his feet to hold the chair for her. She did not reward him for his efforts, yet. He needed to understand that, letting just anybody touch him, in that manner was unacceptable. She understood, that half the population on the planet was female and that he would have to talk to them at some point, but letting them touch him? That was unacceptable. She needed to get it through that thick, Weasley head of his.

She looked over at Ced and Cici, how was Cici able to let her and Ced do the things that they had done? Then she realised, that she had been fully aware of everything that had gone on. Vicky knew that she couldn't have liked it happening at the time. She also guessed that Cici would've liked to use her as target practice too. She saw Ced and Cici sitting there with little smiles on their faces, Cici winked at her, Vicky smiled back.

Cici looked at the strawberry blonde, she had gotten really tense when Vicky had put on her show, guilty conscious maybe, but she appeared to be more relaxed now. She and Fred looked to be having a good conversation.

" _What's her name?"_ Ced thought to Cici.

" _I don't know, I think she's a Slytherin, and in a couple of our classes."_ Out loud she said, "Fred, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?"

"Oh, sorry. Everybody, this is Julia. Julia this is everybody!"

"Hi!" she said in an overly upbeat happy, cheerful tone.

" _Can I hex her now?"_ Cici whined through their link.

" _Sorry, but no. I kind of like her!"_

Vicky saw Cici give Ced a wicked look. She thought the term, 'If looks could kill,' definitely fits the description of that look. She chuckled to herself.

"Are you up for some additional training?" Cici asked, leaning towards Vicky, softly.

"What'd you have in mind?"

"Swords."

"I'd like that!"

All of a sudden, Vicky started to feel tired, she didn't understand that her body was over the adrenaline rush, that had happened when she had confronted Tamara. She thought that she could definitely use a Vitamix potion for the energy boost.

Looking at Ced, Cici said, "I'd like to skip common room night tonight if that's okay with you."

"Sure, what'd you have planned?"

"I'd like to take Vicky to the Room of Requirement, and start her working with a sword. Maybe do that three nights a week."

"Okay, so, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, we do weapons training?"

"Yes, then on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we continue to work with her on potions, transfiguration, charms, and runes."

"Do we still get to go dancing on Sunday afternoons?" Vicky asked them. They were planning her life out for her. Still, she enjoyed her new-found powers and skills.

"I'm not giving up dancing for anybody!" Cici whispered to her.

Through all of this, George had stayed quiet. When Vicky was ready to leave the table, he held her chair for her. This time she rewarded him with her customary kiss. His heart soared with joy. He realised that no other girl was better than the one that he had. Why risk it? The group of friends left the hall together. Julia said goodbye to Fred where she needed to turn to head down to the dungeons, and the Slytherin common room. The rest of the group started to climb the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. For tonight, at least, Ced stayed with the guys in the common room. Then Cici and Vicky went to the married quarters to change before they went to the Room of Requirement.

Common room night, for the most part, had worked out really well for Ced and Cici. The other students learned that they really weren't stuck-up and thought that they were better than them. The other students learned that Ced and Cici were just like them, going to class, doing homework, and working on the special assignment that Professor McGonagall had them working on. Often, they would help the first and second years with their homework and with their spell work. Sometimes the other third-years would ask them for help also.

Cici had chosen the Room of Requirement for this particular training time so Vicky could try a wide variety of different swords. Like Cici, Vicky liked a lighter blade. When she had tried a sword like The Sword of Gryffindor, she was amazed at how heavy it was.

"And Ced is good with a sword like this?" she asked in awe.

"Yes, he's very good," Cici replied with pride in her voice, for the skills that her husband had with a sword.

After a few more swords, she settled on a katana like the one Cici used, for the same reasons that Cici had chosen that style of sword.

"Good, now, what we're going to practice with first, are wooden replicas of these swords. This way you can't hurt yourself as easy!"

Cici showed her the different stances, and she taught her various movements, which they practised together, Vicky mimicking Cici move for move. When Vicky had tired of working with a sword, they switched it up and practised duelling. Cici was only allowed to use the stinging jinx, so Vicky wasn't put out of commission so soon. It was two tired and giggling girls that made their way back to the common room. George was almost beside himself waiting for his girl to get back.

"Where have you been? I was starting to get worried about you!" he told her. She understood that he had, had a lousy evening, she had chewed him out at dinner and then she took off with Cici for a few hours leaving him alone, and to his own thoughts.

Ced was ready for his wife to be back also. He didn't like being separated from her for so long either. But he greeted her with a hug and a kiss.

"How did it go?"

"She did good," she told him as they headed for the gryphon. "When she got tired of working with the sword, we switched to duelling, and she's starting to put into practice what she's learning," she finished as they got to the top of the stairs.

"Want to take a bath or a shower?"

"Let's soak in the tub, I want to hug and kiss for a while. Vicky's with George, so she'll be coming in late. We should have time to ourselves."

Ced could see that she was tired, but not worn-out. They undressed each other in their room, slowly, tantalisingly, taking their time, to enjoy each other's company. The last several weeks had all been so rushed, everything was rush, rush, rush. And next week was looking to be more of the same with taking their O.W.L.s and their N.E.W.T.s all in the same week. They were setting a precedent that was not seen before. When Ced had finished removing the rest of his wife's clothing, she jumped up, and he lifted her up the rest of the way, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck, her lips press against his, he supported her with his hands under her bum, slowly he walked to the filling tub. As they kissed, they talked telepathically, expressing their love for each other. Cici could feel the hot water of the tub on Ced's legs as he stepped down into the tub. The room still reflected the night scenery that Ced had charmed it to show. The night sky was a dark and stormy scene, the dark grey clouds hung low, heavy with their burden of rain. The moon struggled to show through the thinner patches of clouds. The room was dark, and seductive in its isolation, the salt on her neck tasted sweet to Cedric as he kissed her passionately. He licked her, and he nibbled on her, he kissed her intently, he could feel her heat rising as his ministrations released her inner passions, between his mental expressions of love for his wife, and his physical attention to her sensitive needs, Cici's moans crested in an explosion of her inner hunger for her bond-mate. Her voice expressing the strength of her love. The intensity of her peaking, flooding through their mental link, shaking Ced as much as her. As she descended from her climatic peak, her body lay against his chest quivering. Ced held her close to him, breathing in her scent, as she relaxed, her breathing returning to normal. She lifted one of her long toned legs, almost touching her nose, so she could turn around and lay back against him. He spread his legs, and then he wrapped them loosely across her lap, his arms wrapped around her torso, her breasts laying on his arms as her head lay on his chest, he kissed her on top of the head, and then he lay back and closed his eyes.

Sometime later, Ced awoke, he picked up his wife bridal style, an arm across her back, the other behind her knees, he dried both of them off completely as he walked to their bed, he lovingly laid her in the bed. He went around and climbed into their bed also, as he lay on his back, she rolled over into her position so they both could return to sharing their dreams as they slept.

.

On the train ride home, the eight friends shared an enlarged compartment. The talking was subdued because of Julia. Ced had not yet asked Julia to give an oath of loyalty, the conversation was not as deep or intense as it would typically be.

Cici was snuggled up against Ced. Vicky was snuggled up against George, who was leaning against the window side of the compartment mirroring Ced. Rose and Angel were on one side with Fred and Julia sitting with George and Vicky.

It was about the halfway point in the journey when Percy Jr. made his way to their compartment. He and his two lackeys slid the door open, and they all waited to see what he would say.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Potter and his group of little friends." Percy started.

Vicky's wand was in her hand, as she waited, ever so patiently to see where this was going to go. She looked over at Cici and saw that she had a finger ready. It was now going to be a race to see who would get to slam the door on Percy's fingers.

"You got my little cousin expelled from school, Potter." He almost spat as he stepped into the compartment.

Was he trying to be friendly? If so this was not the way to do it.

"I didn't get anybody expelled from school. He did it all on his own." Ced told him.

"Well, I see that your skanky little harlot has made a full recovery." He sneered at her.

"Yes, she did. And I would suggest that you not address her that way again," Ced warned him. "If you are going to address her, then may I suggest that you do it more respectfully?"

"And what're you going to do about it if I don't?"

Magically, Ced slammed the door shut behind him. He put unbreakable charms on it along with a powerful locking charm. Cici sat up quickly and cast the privacy spells on the compartment. Oh well, Julia, you're about to learn some things.

Ced was on his feet, toe to toe with Percy. Looking him right in the eye. "Do you really want to know what I'll do, if you continue to disrespect my girl?" Ced hadn't laid a hand on him yet. He had to wait for Percy to make the first threatening move with either his wand or his fists. Words were just words, and Percy was good at talking trash to make himself look big. Ced was a man of action.

Cici sat back down, giving Ced more elbow room, for whatever his play was going to be. At this point it, she knew that it all depended on Percy.

Percy was thinking that he was a fifth-year student, and Potter was just a third-year. He was older, bigger, smarter, and more advanced magically than this twerp that was standing in front of him, plus, he felt that he had done pretty well on his O.W.L.s. But he had seen Potter and that little tart of his, taking their O.W.L.s too, but they had gone up early on the very first day, and not returned after that. So maybe, they had given up on taking them. This was a pretty small space for a physical confrontation, he was thinking, there wouldn't be a lot of room for Potter to run if he punched him, besides, how hard could a little rich kid hit? He had made his choice and swung with a big ole slow, roundhouse punch.

Ced stepped into Percy's space letting the punch go wide and behind him. With his left hand, he waved and the compartment enlarged and transfigured into a mix martial arts ring, complete with fencing. If you're going to do it, do it up right. His friends all had front row seats to the fight of the train ride home. Still, need to get that oath of loyalty from Julia he thought.

" _Don't worry honey, we'll get it or obliviate her memory. One or the other,"_ his loving wife told him.

Percy was lost. The small compartment had been replaced with a much larger space. The little twerp had moved away from him, obviously afraid of getting his arse whipped by a larger opponent. So, Percy did what most bullies would do, he advanced on what he perceived to be a weaker opponent. He swung again, and just got air. Ced backed off again, circling counter clockwise. Percy swung with his other fist, and just got air. He advanced, and Ced retreated. He swung, and Ced ducked the swing, he came up and hit him in the ribs. Percy went 'Oomph!' but he swung in return. Ced hit him in the same ribs again and backed away. Another swing and a miss from Percy. Percy was pursuing his opponent, never thinking that maybe his opponent was baiting him on, urging him to burn his strength in futility. Percy closed the gap and took another swing for the head. Ced ducked, and hit him in the ribs for the third time, feeling them crack under the assault. Percy winced at the pain but kept coming, and swinging hard. Ced let him close the distance, then he hit him in the other set of ribs, bringing another wince of pain. This time Percy swung low, hoping to hit Ced in the torso, the blow landed as intended, Ced returned the favour, grabbing Percy's arm to hold him in place, hitting Percy in the same set of ribs as before. Ced's friends were wondering why he was dragging out the fight. Percy swung again for the torso landing another hit and feeling good about it. Then Ced hit him in the new set of ribs and felt them crack also. He ducked under the next swing and elbowed Percy in the kidney as he stepped behind him. Percy stumbled about, getting turned around, and started to pursue Ced some more. Ced let him keep coming, more wilder and crazier swings to dodge, and another blow to the kidney. Ced knew at this point, Percy would be pissing blood for the next couple of days. The last thing Ced wanted to do was to knock Percy out, he didn't want to levitate him back to his compartment, so he dragged the fight out longer. Percy staggered towards him, his fists up guarding his face. Ced had yet to go for his face, he didn't want to leave any visible marks on him. Ced backed off again, letting his opponent come to him, he continued to circle the ring backwards. Percy took a couple of jabs at Ced which were easily missed, but he kept pursuing Ced as if he were possessed, he just, would, not, quit. Another wild swing and Ced ducked under it and punched him in the fresh kidney. Percy staggered forwards before turning around again. Percy's friends just watched through the windows in awe, as their friend was beaten brutally and methodically. Ced was dragging out the fight, in the hopes that Percy would see that he couldn't beat him. Another wild swing, and another broken rib. Percy was tiring quickly now, his hate induced strength was fading from him. Ced wasn't even breathing hard, he had wiped the sweat off of his forehead, but he wasn't tired. Again, Percy staggered forwards towards Ced, his arms not quite as high as before, another wild swing, and a fourth broken rib. Percy staggered under the blow to his ribs again. He threw his hands up and dropped them. He turned to leave the compartment, but this time Ced wouldn't let him go.

"Tell me that you'll not disrespect Cecilia, and I will let you walk out of here," Ced challenged him.

"Fine! I won't disrespect whatever tart you're with! Now just let me leave!"

"See, Weasley, you just did it again. Do you really want me to hit you in the kidneys again?"

"Fine! I won't disrespect Cecilia again. Now let me leave."

Ced waved his hand, and the spells and the charms were all cancelled, Percy was free to leave. With another wave of his ring hand, the room returned to its previously enlarged state.

The door slid open, Percy's friends made threatening noises as they grabbed their leader and left. Ced closed the door and locked it.

Julia asked, "What was that all about?"

Cici looked at her, "Before we can tell you that, we need something from you."

"What's that?"

"Ced and I, need an Oath of Loyalty from you. Everyone in this compartment has given one, except for you."

Vicky waved her wand and cast the privacy charms again.

"Why do I have to do something like that?"

"Well, in just the short time that you've been in this compartment, you've seen things that we don't need getting out. And if you want to stay, and be our friend, then this is something that we need from you, to protect ourselves, and the others in this group."

Julia looked at Fred, he just nodded to her. Encouraging her to give the loyalty oath.

"Okay, what do I need to do?"

Cici walked her through the Oath of Loyalty.

"…so mote it be." And it was sealed with her magic swirling around her hand and her wand.

"What that was about," Ced started, "was that his father and my father stopped being friends. His father, since that time has hated, and raised his son to hate the four Ancient Families, which Cici, Fred, Rose, and I, are a part of."

"How can Ramos be a part of the Ancient Families? She's a muggle born."

"This is the part where the oath comes in, Ced and I are married," Cici thought that she would just leave that bombshell right there to see what would happen.

"But how are you married, a betrothal contract? But that doesn't make any sense, Ced wouldn't have anything to gain by that."

"You're correct, there is no betrothal contract, Ced and I are a soul-bonded couple. That's how we're able to do the magic that you've seen. We learn magic at an accelerated pace."

"Oh, but soul-bonded couples are just a myth, made up by authors to sell more romance novels."

"That's fine, but if you go blabbing what you learn in our group? You'll still lose your magic."

For the rest of the train ride home, the group discussed the different assortment of people, that had been involved in the various events, that had happened this last semester.

Flint had been expelled, Professor Slughorn was in Azkaban, The Weasel had been expelled, Lestrange had been expelled, Smythe had been permanently expelled, three other students had also been expelled, and Vicky and George were a serious couple. Fred was talking to Julia who had taken the oath of loyalty.

The rest of the ride back to platform 9 ¾ was enjoyable, they had started playing a game of Exploding Snap, Cici had never played before, and with eight players it got very competitive! But soon enough, the train came to a stop with a lurch. Ced had already shrunken the trunks that he was going to carry. Vicky took pity on George and shrunk his trunk for him, the two couples said their goodbyes and exited out of the compartment giving the rest more room to deal with their trunks. Out on the platform, it was getting crowded as the students spilt out of the train.

.

Cici nudged Ced to get his attention. _"Here comes Percy Jr. and that looks to be his father with him. The same sour look of pompousness on their faces."_

Ced, Cici, and Vicky, all greeted Harry and Hermione with hugs, George was there too, looking very nervous about talking to Harry. Harry picked up on his nervousness when Percy Sr. erupted in his face.

"Potter! What's the meaning of this!"

"What are you talking about, Weasley?"

"Your son brutalised my son while they were on the train! The Ministry will hear about this!"

With all of the yelling, a crowd of people were beginning to form a circle around the out of control wizard and the ones that he was yelling at.

"How did my son, who is fourteen years old, beat-up your son who is physically larger, and who is seventeen years old?"

He sputtered, "But he did!"

About this time, unbeknownst to Harry, all of the other heads of the Four Most Ancient and Noble Houses had started to fill in behind him, all of their children, out of some unknown compelling duty were joining in, in forming a semi-circle of protection around one of their own.

Harry turned to Ced, "Did you throw the first punch?"

"No, I did not throw the first punch, Percy Jr. threw the first punch."

"That's not true!" screeched Percy Sr, his face as red as his thinning hair.

"What was the fight about?"

"The fight was about Percy Jr. disrespecting Cecilia."

"Did you ask Percy Jr. to stop disrespecting Cecilia?"

"Yes, I did."

"And what was his response to you asking him to stop disrespecting Cecilia?"

"He took a swing at me."

"So, what you're telling me, is that Percy Weasley Jr. came to your train compartment, that you were sharing with your friends, and insulted Cecilia?"

"Yes."

"That's a lie! This is all a bunch of lies!" yelled a beat red Weasley Sr.

"Weasley, I suggest that you stop calling my son a liar," Harry told him calmly.

"Or what! You're going to beat me up too?"

"I didn't say that. What I said was, I would like it if you would stop calling my son a liar."

"Or what! What are you going to do!" Weasley was yelling.

Percy Jr. started to tug on his father's arm, trying to pull him away from this situation that was escalating beyond control. His father jerked his arm free and glared at his son. He wasn't going to let his son stop him from showing everyone, that Harry was just a bully, and that he was raising his children to be attention seeking bullies also.

Hermione had a tight two-armed hold on Daphne, she could feel Daphne getting angry at what this man was saying to her father. Hermione started working to keep her calm, and that her daddy would work this all out.

Percy Jr. finally stepped in between his father and Ced's father, he turned to his father and confessed, "Father, I did call her names! And I also threw the first swing. And he did ask me to stop disrespecting her, but I kept calling her names, and I kept trying to hit him." he blurted out.

Sr. sputtered like a deflating balloon. Amelia Black stepped forward, "Weasley, I suggest that you take some time off, and spend it with your son."

"I don't need to take any time off!" he fell short of yelling at the Minister of Magic.

"I am suggesting that you take some time off with pay, to spend with your family," she told him in clipped words.

"I don't need to take any time off!"

"I will give you one last chance, to take some time off, to spend with your family, before I suspend you for the summer, Mr Weasley," her threat was not hollow.

"Fine! I would like to take a week off to spend with my family," he told her in a defiant tone.

"You may take the rest of the summer, with pay, Mr Weasley. We will see you after school starts again," she had just graciously given him the full summer off to spend with his family. You would have thought that she had just fired him.

Harry turned around to see all of his extended family standing behind him lending their support. "I would like to thank all of you for giving me your support. I would like to invite all of you over for dinner tonight at seven!"

"Can we make it a black and white party? I want to get dressed up," Cici whispered to him.

"And I have received a request to make it a black and white party, Cici would like to get dressed up!"

She and all of the girls around her started squealing and bouncing in excitement. They finally had a reason to get all dressed up and show off their dresses and their dancing skills.

Vicky leaned into Cici, "I don't have a black dress!" she whispered to her.

"We can take care of that! There's still time to get to Madam Malkin's."

"Let's go!"

"Hermione? May we go to Madam Malkin's to buy a dress for Vicky?"

"I would like a new dress for the party too, mummy," Daphne said.

Before Hermione could even answer, Harry told her that he would meet her at home. He asked Ced if he was coming home with him, or going shopping with the girls.

Fred asked if it would be okay if Julia could join them for the party that night.

Ced looked at his father, "Would it be okay with you, if Fred Jr. brought his new girlfriend with him to the party tonight?"

Harry looked back at his oldest son, Ced looked at him and nodded ever so slightly.

"Yes, it's okay, with me if it's okay with her parents. Do you even know who her parents are Fred?"

"Fred, why don't you bring Julia's parents over to meet my parents. That way we can make sure that it will be okay for her to join us at the party tonight," Ced told his mate.

A few moments later, Fred returned with Julia's parents, the Berkshires. Julia's last name was Berkshire, Julia Berkshire. Once they saw their daughter would be going to a party hosted by Lord and Lady Gryffindor, they were very eager to let her go.

"It will be a black and white party, it's going to start at 7:00 pm. The children will be expected to floo home by midnight," Harry informed her parents.

"It is most gracious of you to let her attend, Lord Gryffindor. We will need to go shopping for a dress, please excuse us," Mr Berkshire told Harry. They walked some distance away and then apparated with a loud crack.

Susan Bones gathered up her children.

George kissed Vicky goodbye. Then he and his sister joined up with his dad.

Slowly but steadily platform 9¾ emptied out. Ced went home with his dad and waited for Cici to get home to him.

Hermione and the girls apparated to Diagon Alley to get their shopping done. Cici already knew what she was going to wear. She was there to help Vicky chose a dress, and maybe some heels, and maybe some jewellery, and maybe some new undergarments, she did remember that Vicky needed to by some new bras, and some of those strappy bras were pretty, perhaps she would get one or two for herself, Ced would like them.

Once inside Madam Malkin's shop, Hermione led Daphne over to start looking at appropriate age dresses for her. Vicky and Cici made a beeline for the dresses that were older. They quickly selected a couple of armloads of black dresses and made their way to the changing room. Once the salesgirl realised that they were with Lady Gryffindor, any concerns were answered, and they were allowed to take as many dresses as they wanted. Inside the changing room, Vicky quickly stripped to her knickers, her bra hit the floor along with her school clothes.

"You're developing a nice rack there, Little One," Cici told her quietly as she admired her body.

"Thanks, it's all because of you," she whispered to her.

"Here try this one on. Do you want to go braless or do you want to wear a bra with your dress tonight?"

"I don't know. I've never been to a party before. What are you going to wear?"

Cici transfigured her clothes to show what dress she had selected for the party tonight.

"Oh, that's pretty! What do you think of this?" she asked as she turned and looked at herself in the mirror.

Cici handed her another dress to try on. Vicky gave the first one back so she could hang it back up. All of the ones that neither of them liked went in one pile while the ones that one of them liked went into a separate pile. The three or four dresses that they both liked got a second chance. Hold the dress up, twist and turn, twist and turn, nope, next dress, twist and turn, twist and turn, nope, third dress, twist and turn.

"I kind of like this one."

"Me too. Try the last one on again."

Twist and turn, twist and turn, maybe.

"Try this one on again."

Twist, "I don't know," turn, "I kind of like it," twist, "I think that I like the other one better."

"Me too. Let's go find some heels. And we still need to buy you some bras."

"Should I wear it with a bra?"

"Wear it around the store without one, and then you can decide."

The girls picked up all of the discarded dresses and opened the door.

Just as they stepped out, and they saw Hermione and she said, "Nope, put it back and choose another one!"

The two shocked girls stood there with their mouths hanging open. Cici managed to recover first. She had never had a confrontation with her mother-in-law. She and Ced had been given guidance but never an outright 'No,' Vicky closed her mouth, and her face fell, her shoulders slumped, and she slowly began to turn around.

Hermione rushed over, she took Vicky into a hug, "No, it's okay, I was just teasing you, two girls! You two were taking forever! But I like the dress! It looks beautiful on you."

"Really? You like the dress?"

Hermione released the hug and leaned back to look her in the eye.

"Yes! I like the dress, I think that you look beautiful in it!"

"We still need to get some shoes to go with it though."

"Okay, I am sure that Daphne would like to look at some shoes to go with her new dress." Then Hermione leaned in and whispered, "And don't forget the bras!"

When Vicky saw her face again, she could see that her adoptive mother was smiling at her. Her new mum had a sense of humour. The four girls had fun shopping for shoes for Vicky and Kitten. Kitten got her first set of heels, a set of two-inch heels, and Vicky had selected another set of strappy black platform wedges, two inches of platform, and four inches of total heel. It would make her almost as tall as George. As she explained, she was planning on dancing the whole night, with or without George. As they were headed to the counter to pay for their clothes Vicky saw a set of stockings that had a flower design woven into the nylons, she grabbed them on a whim.

"Ooo, I like those!" Cici told her. But she didn't get a package for herself.

With their packages shrunk, and placed in the pockets of their school robes, the girls headed for the Potter Mansion.

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 **A/N: Please review! Reviews are good!**

 **Revised 01.22.2018**

 **And again 01.01.2019**


	21. Year Four Chapter 21

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 21

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Most all of the guests had arrived by 7:00 pm, as Daphne, led the procession of girls down the grand staircase. She was wearing the dress, and two-inch 'kitten' heels she had purchased just a few hours earlier. Her face was radiant with the glow of a young lady wearing a pretty dress to a party. Next in the line of beautiful females, was Hermione, looking like a million galleons, walking with an air and grace that had been refined over many years, and many more parties. She was followed by Rose and Angel walking side by side down the grand staircase, looking positively fabulous in their black dresses and heels. Their smiles stretched from ear to ear. Cici was the next to walk down the staircase, next to Hermione, she was pure elegance, her black satin dress shimmering in the light, she chose to wear white pearls, and sparkling white high heels to match.

The last to stand at the top of the stairs was Vicky, as Vicky was standing there, Harry tapped on the side of his crystal wine flute, "Ladies and Gentlemen!" he said in a loud voice. "I would like to introduce to you, the newest member of the Potter family! Victoria Jeanette Potter!"

As the crowd of friends and new family applauded, Vicky blushed a deep red at all of the attention focused on her. She began the long, slow, descent down the stairs to greet all of her new family and friends. She had chosen to wear black, on black, on black. Her beautiful new dress glittered under the chandeliers, and the flames of the candles lighting the mansion. She borrowed Cici's onyx jewellery, and the jewellery stood out amazingly against the pale white skin of her chest and neck. She was wearing the black nylons with the design in them, and again the design stood out against the pale white skin of her legs, she was also wearing black strappy heels that she would be comfortable dancing in.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Harry held out his arm for her to take, he looked at her, "May I have this dance?"

She took his arm, and said, "Yes, you may."

Harry led her to the dancefloor, Hermione selected a song for them to dance to. He placed one hand on her waist, and she took his free hand, he waited for just a second and then stepped out in time with the waltz. They glided and twirled around the dancefloor. He was very impressed with her skills as a dance partner. At the end of the waltz, while the onlookers applauded the couple, they bowed and exited the dancefloor, opening it to the rest of the guests.

George met Vicky at the edge of the dancefloor, "You look amazing!" he gushed over her, "and you looked wonderful out there dancing!"

Harry nodded to Vicky as a way to say thank you for the dance. She smiled back at him in appreciation.

"Thank you, I had wonderful teachers," she replied to George.

Hermione turned the responsibilities of the phonograph over to Gareth who selected the next waltz. Harry held out his hand to her and said thank you to Gareth.

Ced asked Cici if she would like to dance, she just grabbed his elbow in response to his question.

The dancefloor filled quickly, with friends and extended family. Gareth set a good tempo with the different choices of music. Everyone was having a fun-filled evening.

Somewhere around 10:00 pm Angelica and Charlie showed up still in their dragon rider's uniforms. Cecilia spotted her mom walking down the hallway towards the night's events. Ced let her go so she could run to give her mom a hug.

"Mom! What are you doing here!" she said close to a yell in her excitement. She gave her a huge hug. "Oh! You smell like a dragon!" her nose crinkled up.

"Well mija, I just got off of Uasal! What'd you expect?" her mom laughed at her.

"Go get showered, and come back downstairs!"

Charlie and Angelica held hands as they walked around the dance floor. They greeted the different sets of friends. They didn't get too many hugs because of their dirty uniforms. Then they made their way up to Angelica's room for their showers.

"Who were those people?" Vicky asked Cici.

"Oh, that's my mom and her boyfriend!"

"Oh, I thought your mum was a muggle."

"Yup, and we let everyone believe that. It lets them underestimate me," she said smugly.

"Only an idiot would underestimate you!"

"Met a few of those this past semester haven't we!"

"Ha! Yes, you have!"

Cici leaned in to talk to Vicky quietly, "Would you like to meet someone?"

"Who?"

"Someone special."

"Okay but who?"

"Come with me," she said secretively.

Cici turned and led Vicky around the perimeter of the crowd of people. Some they had to stop and greet, and others just looked at them as they worked to slip out of the party. They got to the far side of the dancefloor and hurried down the hallway. When they got to the end of the hallway, Cici opened the door to find Uasal and Car-baun walking towards their cave.

"Uasal!" Cici called out to the dragon.

Uasal turned to see who was calling for her.

" _Ah, Cecilia, how are you this evening?"_ the tired dragon asked her friend.

"Fine Uasal. You look really tired!"

" _Yes, it was a long flight here. We only stopped twice because we wanted to get here as soon as possible."_

"I would like to introduce you to my friend and the newest member of the Potter family."

" _Ah, the other two-legged with you."_

"Yes, Uasal, this is Vicky." Then looking at Vicky, "Vicky, this is Uasal and her son Car-baun."

"Oh, Merlin! You have dragons?"

"Not really, Uasal and her son have bonded with the Potter family. They're not so much pets, as they're familiars," Cici explained the difference to her, so she wouldn't offend the two dragons.

"Wow!"

"May we come to visit you again in the morning?"

" _Yes, that would be wonderful. We really are tired."_

"Goodnight Uasal, Goodnight Car-baun," Cici told the two tired dragons.

"Goodnight!" Vicky called to the retreating dragons.

"Wow! That was amazing! And they just let you talk to them like that?"

"Yes, dragons are intelligent creatures! You better get used to that! Don't ever disrespect them, or they may just burn you to death."

The two girls started walking back to the party, they talked along the way. Cici explained to her that Ced had grown up with the dragon, so for him, it was natural. Just like for 'normal' kids to grow up with a cat. To the Potter children, Uasal and Car-baun where just part of the family.

As the girls entered the party, they both noticed that the tempo had slowed down, so they went in search of the guys.

"Hey! Where have you two been?" George asked.

"Oh, Cici just wanted to show me something."

"Oh, okay. Do you want to dance?"

"Sure!" she said. She took his hand and followed him on to the floor.

"What did she think of Uasal and Car-baun?" asked Ced.

"She was suitably impressed. I explained to her that they're not pets but familiars."

"That's good, it wouldn't do for her to get cooked to death her first week with the family," he said in an overly dry tone.

As the evening wore on, the tempo of the songs slowed even more, until it was slow songs for lovers and romantics. Cici caught a lot of the comments being made about her and Hermione. How people were comparing the two of them. She was enjoying seeing her mother so happy with Charlie. He held her tight, and they moved slowly. She was also glad to know that her mother had lost a little more weight. She didn't really understand just how overweight her mother had gotten. She had slimmed down and toned up a lot. She guessed that working with dragons and dragon trainers all day kept her busy. She looked over at Vicky and George, Vicky had her head laid on George's shoulder as they slow danced, just swaying to the music.

As the time ticked on towards midnight, the guests started saying their goodbyes. The ones that had their parents there left with them. The ones that didn't have their parents left by floo.

Ced had noticed that Kitten's friend, Willow was there, he spotted a redheaded lady that was talking to her. She shook her head no, and then he saw the pouty look on the little girl's face. Her mother then told her something else, and the girl looked much happier. They left together after saying goodnight to his parents. Uncle Neville and Aunt Luna left with Kitten's other friend, Solaria. He looked around and noticed that when his mum wasn't playing the hostess, she was doing some cleaning.

"Mi Amor, I think that we should help my mum with some of the cleaning. We did kind of spring this on the elves and all."

"Okay, I'll go help her, you go help your dad."

As Cici walked towards Hermione, she stopped and got Vicky's attention, she motioned with her head for her to follow, and they both went to assist the Lady of the House. These were duties that Cici needed to learn, now that Vicky was part of their home, duties that she would need to learn also.

As the last of the guests left for the evening, Gareth played one last song. The four couples moved out on to the dancefloor, they held each other close and moved sensually to the music. When it was over, Vicky walked with George to the floo and kissed him goodnight. When she turned around, she saw an army of house elves cleaning what was remaining of the mess. The five of them headed up the stairs to their rooms. They wished each other goodnight and headed for their respective beds.

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It was a tired group that gathered for their morning run, just before they turned to start walking to the starting point, George Jr. came through the floo, he looked as tired as they felt. He greeted Vicky with a good morning kiss, took her hand, and walked with them to get their routine started.

As they were walking back to the mansion, Vicky got to watch as Uasal and Car-baun took the sky to go hunting, the two dragons gave a soft good morning roar as they passed low over their bonded family. They climbed quickly and headed to the far corner of the property.

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Inside the training room, Vicky and Angelica squared off against each other in a timed duel. Eventually, Angelica overcame Vicky's defences by being able to wear her down more. She walked over to her still body and cast _rennervate_ to revive her, she reached down and gave her a hand up.

Charlie got cocky and thought that he was going to take Cici in a one on one duel, even going as far as to start taunting her before the match began. She let him think that he had put her on the defensive, but she was just letting him get overconfident and drawing him in. As he became more and more careless, she had finished setting him up, using both hands, so she could cast the spells as fast as she could think, she had conjured three granite walls and when he realised too late, a stunner that overcame his shield. She walked over to his still body, and cast _rennervate_ to revive him, she reached down and offered him a hand up.

For the last match it was going to be three on one, but who would the three be and against who? Hermione ended the discussion by asking, "Are you three big strong men afraid of little ole me?" in her best helpless female taunt.

The three guys all hit her at the same time with different spells, she dropped to a knee and cast a powerful shield spell, she used her element, and flooded the training room with a layer of water, then she flash-froze it, giving the guys no ability to run away. As the guys tried to keep their balance, she shot a stunner at Harry who she perceived to be the biggest threat. He blocked the spell, but it knocked him down, she hit him again with another stunner as Ced disappeared, George had fallen and was easy prey, a quick stunner on him, and he slid across the ice. She kept her senses on high alert for where Ced could be, she knew that as soon as she took her attention off of her husband, he would be gone. Hearing something off to her left she shot a water column in that direction hoping to catch Ced off guard. Just as she thought, as soon as she turned her head to look, Harry was gone. In almost the same thought, Hermione was gone.

And this is why the matches are timed Cici thought. She looked over, and summoned George's body to her, then she _rennervated_ him.

"That hurt!"

"It'll teach you to mess with Hermione now, won't it!"

Vicky came over, and gave him a kiss, as she took his hand, and sat next to him.

"Three minutes!" Cici shouted to the group stalking each other.

At that announcement, the intensity and the desire to win went into overdrive, the guys stepped up the severity of their attacks, but all they kept hitting were decoys left by Hermione. Then Hermione pulled a Cici and hit Ced with a triple pack of spells. Thankfully for Ced, he was used to Cici doing the same thing, it didn't overcome his shield, but it did knock him back, and down with the power that his mum put into the triple hit. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Harry casting his own set of hexes at her, using her water element, she blocked it with a wall of water.

"Times up!" shouted Cici. Just as Hermione was redirecting the wall of water towards Ced, Ced stood up and got soaked!

"Hey! No fair!" he yelled, trying so hard to keep a straight face.

"Let's go practice flying after breakfast," Harry told the group.

His goal was to see how proficient of a flyer Vicky was, and where she needed help. That got all of the teens excited, Hermione understood what Harry was doing, and Angelica as far as they knew, had no experience flying on a broom, now on a dragon, that was a different story, she was Uasal's favourite rider!

Harry watched as George and Vicky parted ways with a kiss. Vicky entered her own room, and George went on down the hall to a spare room to get his shower.

" _Mione, I think that we're going to have to have 'the talk' with Vicky, and maybe get her on the potion,"_ Harry thought to his wife.

" _She's so young, though!"_ she thought back to him. _"But, better safe than pregnant."_

" _Do you want to do it? Or do you want me to do it? This will be the first time that either of us has had 'The Talk' with one of our kids. The bond took that opportunity away from us with Cedric."_

" _I think that I should do it. It might be too uncomfortable if a man were to talk to her about her developing sexuality."_

" _Speaking of sexy,"_ Harry thought as he stood there looking at his naked wife. _"you are the sexiest woman alive!"_ his thoughts were earnest and sincere. The love flowing through their mental link was flooding over her, filling her with desire. They joined each other in the shower.

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After breakfast, the eight of them headed back outside for some broom flying. As Harry expected, Angelica had no training on a broom. Charlie was more than happy to help her. Vicky had just the very rudimentary basics that she had learned in school from Madam Hooch. Harry had given her an older Nimbus broom to ride, and she was able to get up and around, but she lacked practice. He knew that a big part of the solution was for her to just get out and fly. After about twenty minutes of flying, Harry called a water fight on the brooms. This was the same tactic that Remus had used years ago to help them hone their reflexes and their aim. All of the commotions in the air attracted Uasal and Car-baun's attention, so the dragons came to see what was going on.

" _What are you doing Harry?"_ Uasal asked.

"We're just having a little fun, having a water fight!"

" _Would you like to play a dragon game? It is called tag."_

"A game of tag? With you and Car-baun?"

" _Yes!"_

"Is it played like regular tag?"

" _Where you touch someone and then they have to touch someone else?"_

"Yes, the person that is chasing the others is 'it?'"

" _Yes!"_

"Hey! Uasal wants to know if we want to play a game of dragon tag!" Harry told the others in their group.

Everyone yelled "Yes!"

" _Tag! You're it!"_ Uasal tagged Ced with her wing tip and took off flying.

"OH! You, cheater!" he yelled at her. He could have sworn that he heard her laughing at him. He broke off the pursuit of Uasal, and rolled over, and headed for Cici. She flattened herself on her broom, and dove for the ground. Car-baun, seeing them headed his way rolled away, and flapped his powerful wings hard trying to gain altitude. Cici broke to the left, Harry, Hermione, and Vicky scattered. Cici pulled up hard, going vertical, she climbed and climbed, and then she stopped suddenly, falling over backwards, she rolled to an upright position as Ced shot past her. He looked and saw Car-baun gliding down below him. Flat on his broom Ced shot towards Car-baun, at the last instant, Car-baun folded his wings and rolled, dropping fast, he spread his wings and arched his back soaring to freedom as Ced just missed tagging his tail.

Ced turned and gave chase to Vicky who was laughing at him, she saw him coming, and laid flat on her broom, shooting forwards, slowly Ced was gaining on her, she knew she had to do something, he was closing the distance. She turned to the left, she turned harder. She had never turned at these speeds before, she had never flow at these speeds before, she turned tighter, it was working, Ced was going too fast. She straightened up, and flattened out again, trying to put some distance between her and him. She needed a decoy. She looked, and then she saw George looking the other direction, lying flat on the broom she rocketed towards her unsuspecting boyfriend, a slight adjustment to the right, a little more, and then she shot past him! George, startled sat up straight on his broom, an easy target for Ced.

"Tag! You're it!" Ced got him on his shoulder.

George looked around, and he spotted Uasal and Hermione talking to each other. He flattened on his broom and was after whichever one he could get.

Charlie and Angelica watched from below, flying around slowly. They had watched the dragons in the dragon preserve playing this game, but they had never seen dragons and wizards playing this game.

After most everyone had been 'it' they put a halt to the game so they all could get some lunch. Between the water fight and the game of tag, Vicky's flying had improved immensely. Dragons and two-legged had become closer friends.

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That night, after dinner, and after George had flooed home, Harry called the three teens into the study in his room. Once there, Hermione sat across his lap, Ced and Cici took another overstuffed chair with her sitting across his lap to face Hermione, and Vicky had a chair to herself.

Harry began talking, "I've called you here, to talk to you about something. I've been approached by the British government for some help. I told them that I would not be able to help them, but that I might know somebody that could. Would you three be interested in working with the British government?"

The teens looked back at him, a little confused.

"Okay, what do they want help with?" Ced asked his father.

"I can't tell you that until you tell me that you would be willing to help them."

"So, until we say yes, you can't tell us anything," Cici replied.

Vicky sat there quietly watching and listening.

"That's correct."

"When would we help them?" Ced asked.

"You would start training on Monday if you were to say yes."

Ced looked at Cici for a moment, then they looked at Vicky.

Vicky looked back at them, shrugged her shoulders, then she said, "I'm in if you're in."

Ced looked at his father, "Okay, I guess that we're all in this together."

"What you would be doing is helping on a rescue mission. There is a British agent that has been undercover, and they need to get them out. What they need you three for, is to fly in there, and bring the agent out. Are you still in?"

"Yes," the three of them said.

"Okay, on Monday we'll go meet my contacts in the British government. You two can go. I think that your mum wants to talk with Vicky for just a moment more."

Hermione got off of Harry's lap so he could walk the couple out of the room.

"Is everything okay Hermione? Did I do something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"No, you didn't do something wrong, and everything is okay. It's just that I've noticed how close you are to George. And I feel that I need to have 'the talk' with you."

Both of them blushed.

"Okay, but George and I are just friends."

"Well, I'm glad that you two are friends, but it looks like there might be more than just friendship there. I'm glad that you've found someone like him. I see the way that he looks at you, and the way that you look at him. The two of you are a lot like Cici and Cedric."

"Okay, but we haven't done anything!"

"I'm not here to accuse you of anything. I am here to wish you the very best. I'm not trying to break you two up, but I don't want to see you get pregnant either. With Ced and Cici, it all happened so fast. One minute they were just friends, and then a simple kiss later, and they're married! But I know with their bond, that they most likely won't consummate their marriage for a couple of more years. The bond won't push them in that way. For you, your hormones will push you in that direction, and the last thing you need is to get pregnant at thirteen. Or fourteen. Or fifteen. I would encourage you to wait until after school before having a child. Am I telling you not to have sex? No, but I am telling you that if you do have unprotected sex, that you will have a baby."

"Okay but, we're not having sex. We just kiss, that's all."

"Oh, good, that helps a lot," she sighed. "I'm not encouraging you to have sex, but I am saying that if you think that you're going to have sex, or you feel that. Please go and get the potion, from Madam Pomfrey or me. Then, when you're ready to have a family, then you can have a family. Would you like me to get you a couple of books about sex?"

"Cici already gave me a couple that I've read. One of them was called something like 100 Questions about Sex, which was not all that long or complicated to read, the second book was something like The Kama Sutra? It showed a bunch of different positions, and talked about the physical act more in-depth."

"Okay, that's good. Do you have any questions?"

"No, not at this time," Vicky said more calmly than she felt at that instant in time.

"Okay, well if you think of anything, come and find me and we can talk about it, from both a medical point of view, as well as a female's point of view."

"Okay, thank you, have a good night," Vicky said. She was ready to get out of there! She walked back to her room, then she knocked on the door to Ced and Cici's room.

"Come in," Cici called to her.

"Hey." She was glad that they weren't in bed yet. In fact, it didn't even look like they had taken a bath yet.

"What's going on?" Ced asked her.

"I'm not disturbing you two, am I?" she asked sheepishly.

"No, we were about to go soak in the tub. Why?" asked Cici.

"Can I join you, please?"

"Sure, are you doing okay?"

"Well, your mum just had 'the talk' with me."

"Want me to ask Maco for a couple of butterbeers for all of us?"

"Could you please?"

Ced asked Maco for six butterbeers and then wished her goodnight. Cici started filling the tub and added soothing bubbles. The three of them stripped out of their clothes and climbed down into the tub. Cici sat between Ced and Vicky so they wouldn't be talking across him. They sipped on their butterbeers and talked about what had happened to her. They hashed it and rehashed it. Then they started on their second butterbeer.

Finally, it came down to, "Well, at least you know that she cares enough about you, to talk to you about what is happening between you and George," Ced told her. "I think that with the bond, the bond doesn't want Cici or any other female to wind up being a pregnant warrior princess."

"That would be seriously bad!" Cici said as she stood up, and stuck her belly out as far as she could, then pretend to try and fight while pregnant.

All three of them burst out laughing at her standup comedy routine.

She sat back down, "You know, Ced and I haven't had sex yet."

"Really? Everybody in school thinks that you two are doing it every night!"

"Yeah, really. We just don't see a reason to. We're both happy with where our relationship's at, at this time," Ced told her.

"How many times have you woken up in our bed?" asked Cici.

"Lots."

"Do you ever see any hanky-panky going on?"

"No."

"There you go. Don't try and rush something that doesn't need to be rushed," she told her.

Ced looked at the ceiling and the walls. Then he ejected his wand, and cast all of the same charms on them, as the tub room in their quarters at school. The ceiling transformed to let them see the night sky, the walls changed to show them the surrounding forest. Ced waved his hand, and all of the candles went out. They were bathed in darkness as their eyes adjusted to the available light. Ced slid over towards Cici, and then he lifted her up and sat her between his legs so she could lay back against his chest, his arms and legs wrapped around her. A few moments later, he reached over and pulled Vicky in tight against them. Ced and Cici opened their mental link fully, letting their love for each other, and for Vicky flow openly, they let it wash over the three of them, to let Vicky know that she was not alone in this world.

Much later that night, after Ced had carried the girls to his bed, he made sure that all of the doors had locking spells on them, it wouldn't do any good for the three-naked teens to be rudely awaken, then he crawled between the girls, and lay down. First Cici assumed her position, and then Vicky assumed hers. Ced wrapped his arms around the girls, kissed them both on top of their heads, and went to sleep. He and Cici sharing their dreams as they had become accustomed. The three of them slept soundly and restfully, the love flooding out of Ced and Cici, while they slept, was washing over Vicky. Unconsciously, she was receiving the love she had never received as a child, she was absorbing it like a sponge.

It was three well-rested teens that met downstairs for the morning run. They waited a bit to see if George was coming. Fred showed up and then George. Vicky and George shared a good morning kiss, then the two girls came through the floo. It was a much larger group running this morning, they had a lot of fun running and talking. As they walked back to the training room, Fred asked if they would be having dance practice that afternoon like they did at school.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and shrugged, "It's okay with us. did you want to invite your friend over too?" Harry asked him.

"If it's okay, yes."

Harry looked over to Ced, "We had her take an oath of loyalty on the train ride home," he told his dad.

"That's fine, you can invite her over," Harry told Fred.

After breakfast, they all went out to play another game of dragon tag. This time Angelica got involved in the game, while she was being chased by Fred, she had climbed in altitude, when she spotted Uasal closing in on her. When the dragon was below her, and off to the side, she conjured a saddle on her back, then Angelica jumped off of her broom, and freefell the three meters to the dragon below her.

Cici just saw her mom falling off of her broom, "MOM!" she screamed. As she watched her fall.

The others stopped and watched as she fell through the air, then she landed on Uasal's back, and scooted the little bit into the saddle.

Angelica leaned forward and shouted, "Come on girl, let's go!" Uasal flapped her powerful wings to gain speed, she turned hard to the right, and then she cut back to the left, Fred overshot the dragon and had to find another target to tag.

They called the game quits around eleven so they could all get their showers, then eat lunch. After lunch, they decided on two o'clock to have their dance practice. Charlie wanted to know if everybody was invited to practice or if it was just the teens. They all looked at each other, and then they looked back at him and said, "Everybody!"

"That was a very gutsy move there, mom. Jumping off of your broom and onto Uasal like that!" Cici scolded her mom.

"Your mum and Uasal are like, inseparable at the dragon reserve," Charlie told her.

"Speaking of inseparable, what are your intentions towards my mom?"

"Well, um," Charlie looked down, he started rubbing the back of his neck, he looked anywhere but in her eyes.

Cici was on her feet, her wand in her hand, the magic was snapping and crackling off of her wand, she was just about to touch Charlie in the chest with her wand when her mom stepped between them.

"Mija!" her mom said.

Cici changed her focus from Charlie's face because he wouldn't meet her eyes, to looking at her mother's eyes.

"Charlie's already asked me to marry him! I just can't wear my ring because of the dragons, and some of the other dragon trainers," she told her daughter.

Cici's look went from being one of ferociousness to one of extreme excitement and joy as the news sank in, her wand retracted back into its holster, and she grabbed her mom and started to bounce with joyful enthusiasm. The other girls rushed over to hug her mom with her.

.

After lunch, and while all of the girls were changing into comfortable clothes for dancing.

Dobby appeared next to Harry with a bow, "Excuse me, my Lord. You have a visitor."

Harry looked at Dobby.

"Mask is in the study downstairs my Lord," Harry's old friend told him.

"Thank you, Dobby, I'll be down in a moment."

"Yes, my Lord, I will inform Mask," and his old friend disappeared with a slight pop.

As Harry entered the downstairs study, "Lord Gryffindor."

"Mask." Harry had long ago learned to distinguish between Mask and Emmeline Weasley.

"I have something of importance to discuss with you concerning your adopted daughter."

Harry's eyebrows shot up.

"In the rush to get the paperwork done for the adoption, there is an ancient adoption ritual that will tie her magic to the magic of the Potters forever."

"But rituals are against the law. Just ask Hermione how Amelia scolder her when she did the ritual on my eyes!" mirth was in his tone.

"Yes, and so is being an unregistered animagus," she replied with just as much mirth.

"Maco," Harry called.

"Yes, my Lord," the elf answered with a bow.

"Could you have Vicky, Cedric, and Cecilia join us here please?"

"Yes, my Lord." Pop.

A few moments later, pop, "My Lord, they will be here momentarily."

"Thank you, Maco." Pop.

Cici and Vicky came gliding into the study dressed very nicely, showing their feminine curves, Ced followed behind. As they entered the room, Harry closed the doors. A moment later, Hermione, dressed as nicely as the girls, joined them in the study.

"Vicky, this is Mask." Vicky recognised the robes of the Unspeakables. "She is telling me that there is a way to tie your magic to the magic of the Potters forever. Is this something that you would be willing to do? That you would want to do?"

"In the rush to get your adoption paperwork done, this ritual or ceremony was left unmentioned," Mask explained to her. "In essence, after performing the ritual, Vicky Vane would cease to exist, Vicky Potter would take her place forever."

"Yes, how soon can we do it?" there was no hesitation in her, other than giving birth to her, the only thing her mother had done, involuntarily, for her, was to leave her with a large number of galleons. Since knowing Ced and Cici, her life had done nothing but get better every single day. She was even playing tag with dragons!

"We could get started as soon as the rest of the family members are here," Mask informed her.

"Dobby!" Harry called out to his friend.

"Yes, my Lord?" Dobby answered him with a bow.

"Could you have the other children join us in here please?"

"Yes, my Lord." And he was gone.

They heard a mighty roar from Cathaoir, and then the squeals of small children. Harry guessed that he had jumped off the third floor this time. A moment later the doors to the study opened, and Cathaoir strolled in with Susy and Neville on his back. Where was Daphne? They waited patiently for a few more minutes. Just as Harry was about to ask Dobby to bring Daphne to him, she apparated in front of him.

"Sorry, I was in the loo!" she whispered to him.

He hugged her in return.

Harry closed the study doors again. This time he locked them and cast the privacy charms, and spells to ensure their privacy.

Mask started to explain again why they were there. She had Vicky stand directly in front of her, Harry and Hermione on either side.

Ced pushed all of the chairs away from them and up against the walls of the study. He and Cici stood there with the smaller kids on either side of them, Cathaoir was standing next to Susy, his cub.

Mask explained that the 'ceremony', was much like a marriage ceremony, and should only take about an hour. The magic in the room began to grow as the chanting, and spell casting changed, the words of the chant changed, and grew in force. The magic swelled, filling the room with power, the candles flickered. Then the magic inside of Vicky came out and swirled around. But, it didn't engulf Harry and Hermione as expected. Instead, it reached out to Cedric and Cecilia, it tightened around the three of them, pulling them, then slamming them together as the intensity, and the ferociousness of the magic grew. Vicky had a sudden gasp of breath, as the power of the magic she was being filled with, coursed through her system. With the colours of the magical energy changing, and then there was a glow that had only ever been seen by one person in that room. Vicky's magic was joined with the combined magic of Cedric and Cecilia, the glow intensified until it was blinding and the others in the room covered their eyes in an effort to protect them. Cathaoir reached out and pulled Cub and Neville to him to protect them from the glow that was flooding the room. In a blink, it was gone, Vicky collapsed, and both Ced and Cici reached out to support her.

" _What happened?"_

Ced's and Cici's eyes went wide. Their mouths fell open.

" _Did you hear that?"_

" _Yes, what just happened?"_

" _That's what I said."_

" _Vicky? You can hear us?"_

" _Yes, why wouldn't I be able to?"_

" _Because we're not speaking out loud."_

" _What?"_

" _We're speaking telepathically."_

" _We are?"_

The three teens stood there and 'talked' about what had just happened to them. The others in the room just looked at them, and the expressions on their faces changing as the three of them communicated silently.

"Dad."

"Yes."

"You might want to send Susy and Neville back upstairs. This is going to take a while."

Cathaoir just nodded and coaxed the kids to climb back on. "Let's go play with Uasal and Car-baun."

"Yeah!" they screamed.

After they left, the charms were reestablished, Ced called the furniture back into place. This time, he, Cici, and Vicky all sat down on a couch touching, Vicky in the middle.

Daphne looked at Mask, "Why'd you perform a bonding ritual on them?"

"What do you mean? The ritual was supposed to bond Vicky to the Potters."

"Well, it did. It bonded her to Ced and Cici."

"What!" was the response from Harry and Hermione.

"Emmeline just bonded Vicky with Ced and Cici."

"It wasn't supposed to happen that way. She should have been bonded to the family as a whole, it was supposed to make her a part of this family, magically. I read, and reread, and reread, the ritual, and what it's supposed to do."

Pop! "My Lord. Special delivery for Mistress Victoria Potter," Dobby said with a bow.

"What is it?"

Dobby held out a small box, the perfect size and shape for a wedding band. Harry took the box and opened it, inside the box was a gorgeous wedding band with V J Potter on it, on either side were the initials C O Potter. He didn't touch it, he held it out for Vicky to take.

The three teens looked at each other. Harry and Hermione could tell that they were talking amongst themselves. Finally, they stood up and faced each other, a moment later, Vicky held out her left hand, Ced and Cici took her offered hand together, and then together they slipped the ring onto her finger, and it resized automatically to fit her finger. They hugged each other and exchanged kisses. After their brief impromptu ceremony, they sat back down, holding each other's hands.

"Well, this is one of those things that nobody in this room can ever tell anybody about," Ced told them.

"We're going to go finish getting ready to practice our dancing," Vicky told them. Truth be told, she was still in shock from the whole thing. She came downstairs to finish the adoption process, and now she's married to her two best friends. Not Ced, or not Cici, but to the both of them! She wasn't angry about it, but Ced and Cici are married to each other! Now they're married to her! She could feel that they weren't mad about it either, just a little surprised like she was, but nobody was mad with any of the others. She could hear their thoughts just like they could hear hers?

" _So, you two really don't have any secrets from each other, do you?"_

" _No, and we don't want to start keeping secrets either,"_ Cici thought to her new wife.

" _Keeping secrets is one of the fastest ways to destroy a relationship, secrets and jealousy,"_ Ced thought to his new wife.

" _Okay, I can understand that. I'm not here to ruin anything for anybody."_

" _Okay, smiles on! The story is, is that it was an adoption ceremony that required the whole family. Let's leave it at that until we learn more. I think that the last thing we need, is for someone else to learn that the three of us are now married,"_ Ced suggested strongly to his wives. _"And it is the truth. Because that is what it was supposed to be."_

" _I think that things didn't go the way they were planned, is because of our love for Vicky,"_ Cici thought to her mates.

" _Look how much time we spend together? How often do you sleep in our bed?"_ Ced thought.

" _A lot. I sleep in your bed more than I sleep in my own,"_ Vicky thought to her mates.

" _That might be why your magic didn't go to Harry and Hermione. It came looking for us! Because it knows that we love you and that we would always protect you,"_ Cici thought to them.

As they stepped through the door of Ced and Cici's bedroom, the only thing that could have been considered 'off' was that Cici and Vicky were holding hands.

"What was that all about?" Fred asked.

"Oh, it was just a formality that didn't get taken care of when my parents adopted Vicky," Ced smiled at his best mate.

George came around to give Vicky a kiss and hold her hand. Vicky released Cici's hand and took hold of George's hand. They went over to sit on the side of the bed. Rose and Angel had finished getting ready while the ceremony was taking place. All that was left was for the group to head downstairs to have some fun, dancing.

"If everybody's ready, let's go dancing!" Cici said with false bravado.

The group started the migration down the stairs to the living room. The chairs and tables had been moved out of the way, leaving a nice large dance floor for the kids to practice their dancing. This was the time when they could try adding more complex pieces to their dance routine or even start learning all new dances.

Fred spent the majority of his time teaching Julia the basics of dancing.

George was working with Vicky, and they seemed to be doing well. He didn't see the distress on her face. As the song ended, and the group was going to take a break, Vicky was dragging George over towards Ced and Cici so she could sit next to Cici. As soon as she grasped Cici's hand, she started to feel better.

A few minutes later someone else had put another song on the phonograph, and couples started heading for the dance floor. George led Vicky back out onto the floor for another dance. Maybe halfway through the song, Vicky began to tremble.

"Are you okay?" George asked her.

"No, I'm not feeling well," she said weakly.

"You don't look well. Do you want me to walk you up to your room?" concern filling his voice.

"Yes, that would be nice," she said trembling.

George escorted Vicky up to her room and helped her onto her bed.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"No, go downstairs and have some fun," she told him with a frail voice.

He hung around like he felt that he should. He guessed that if something came up, she would call Hermione. Her mum was a healer after all.

She rolled over and kicked her shoes off, then she rolled back and pulled the blankets with her to cover up.

A little bit later, she felt George leave, he closed the door behind him.

" _OH, GODRIC this hurts!"_ she thought.

" _Are you okay?"_ she felt Cici ask her.

" _OH, MERLIN make the pain go away!"_ Vicky wailed in her thoughts.

When no one was looking, Cici told Ced, "I'm going to go check on Vicky." Double checking that no one was looking she shifted to Vicky's side.

Cici locked Vicky's door. Then she picked her up and carried her to Ced's bedroom. She got her to stand up, and then she undressed her, down to her knickers. Cici shed all of her clothes also, and then she got in bed, she pulled Vicky down on top of her, she wanted as much skin to skin contact as she could get for her new soul-mate. Cici opened the mental link to Vicky as far as she could, she encouraged Vicky to do the same.

" _It will help a lot,"_ she told her.

" _Oh, Godric it hurts so bad! Is this what you and Ced went through?"_

" _Yes, and we both remember the pain of being separated for too long too soon."_

After a long while, Vicky's breathing settled down, and she was able to move off the top of her mate, and on to Cici's side. Just laying on half of her.

The girls could feel Ced winding the dancing down, they heard him making excuses for Cici and Vicky's absence. Without rushing their guests, they felt his frustration, as he tried to get them to leave so he could take care of his family.

"Yes, George, I will contact you if Vicky asks for you. Right now, I'm going to go find my mum so she can come take a look at Vicky, and see what she thinks. Please go, and we'll see you in the morning for our usual run."

After George left, Ced thought to the girls, _"I'm going to tell my parents that we're going to go to the house, and we will see them in the morning."_

" _What house is he talking about?"_

" _You'll see, it's where we go to get away from it all."_

They heard him talking to his parents, and then he shifted to them. He locked his door, then he came over to the side of the bed, and laid his hand on Vicky's bare shoulder. He could feel the peace starting to flow through her at his touch.

"Are you ready to take a little trip?" he asked her.

"Where are we going?" she answered weakly.

"Someplace very nice."

Like a trooper, she rolled out of bed, and stood before him bare-breasted, Cici followed suit.

"Do you two young ladies want to go like that or do you want to put some clothes on first?"

Vicky leaned against Cici, "We'll go like this," Cici said.

"Okay, Vicky, do you see that little house in the bottle on our chest of drawers there," Ced pointed to it.

"Yes."

"You have to wish to enter the house. So basically, you say to yourself, 'I wish to enter the house,' and you should be there."

Cici stood her upright, then they watched as she mouthed the words. Where she once stood there was just a glowing rune.

"It worked!" they said together. Then Cici was gone and then Ced.

Ced bent over and scooped a weak Vicky into his arms, carrying her bridal style.

Ade greeted them, and then she looked at Vicky, "Is she okay? I sense that she is weak. She needs physical contact with both of you, soon."

"Thank you, Ade. I'm going to take her to our room." And he apparated away.

"How is it someone other than you and Cedric are able to enter the house?"

"I don't know, but we can try to explain it to Edmund in the morning."

"That will be fine. Go and take care of your new bond-mate."

"Thank you, Ade." And Cici apparated to their room.

When she appeared in the bedroom, Ced already had Vicky laying on the correct side of him. He opened his arm to Cici. She crawled into her spot and adjusted herself so she could pull Vicky's leg up onto Ced's hip, so her leg and Cici's legs touched, then she reached over and adjusted Vicky's arm, so it lay on his chest, and her arm would be touching Vicky's arm. Ced kissed Vicky on top of her head, and encouraged her to open her mental link fully with them so they could share their thoughts, and dreams if they were to fall asleep. He leaned over and inhaled the scent of his new wife, cinnamon, Vicky smells like cinnamon, how interesting. The three of them lay like that for a couple of hours.

As Vicky awoke, she thought out loud, "I thought that I heard a woman's voice."

"You did, that's Ade. She's the house. Speaking of which, Ade?"

"Yes, Cedric?" the woman's voice said.

"What time is it in the real world?"

"It is seven pm."

"Could you set the time differential to one year to the hour please?"

"It is as you wished."

"Thank you, Ade."

"I'm hungry, is there any food here?" Vicky asked.

"Yes, do you want to go like you are? Or would you prefer to put on some clothes?" Ced asked her.

"Can I just have a top? Just something to cover up with."

"Would one of my t-shirts work?"

"Yes, that'd be great."

"Mi Amor, Vicky wants to get something to eat now," Ced told her gently, he kissed her on top of her head.

Cici rolled over, to let them get up, then she rolled back onto her stomach. Ced summoned a t-shirt for Vicky, then he headed to the restroom. He came out, and Vicky was waiting for her turn. They exchanged kisses, and then she went in and closed the door.

In the dining room, a round table had been provided with three chairs. Ced sat each of his wives and was rewarded with a kiss from each of them before he took his seat.

After dinner, they went for a long walk along the beach, they put Vicky in between the two of them, and held her hands as they walked. They talked about where they were, and that she would meet her new instructors in the morning, after their run. They talked about George, and the complication their bonding was going to make. They also discussed Ced's choice of setting the time difference to ten years. This was going to be the longest that they had ever stayed in the house at one time.

"I chose ten years because that will give us enough time to resolve any relationship problems that may come up."

"Is this the place that you came, that night that you told me to go to George if I had a bad dream?"

"Yes, we couldn't tell you about this place. This is our last safe refuge in a time of crisis. Nobody in the world knows about this place. Can you imagine what an evil person would do to get the information that is contained in here?" Cici asked.

Over the next ten years, they each took turns attending class with Vicky, Ced in the morning, Cici in the afternoons, then Cici in the mornings, and Ced in the afternoons. Cici began studying healing magic, and the healing arts.

"This is how you two are able to learn magic so fast!"

They just smiled at her.

Ced started studying metalworking and wand lore. He began crafting a sword for Vicky that would be the equivalent of the swords that he and Cici had. They had left before he could get a hair from Cathaoir, well, one more trip to finish the project. He had her try the sword several different times, and she preferred a sword a half a centimetre shorter than the length of Cici's.

In the afternoons that they could, they lay out on the beach, Vicky soon adopted Cici's choice of clothing, only she preferred a bikini bottom that covered just a little more of her nether region, still, it was a small t-back bikini, that was barely there. She was truly amazed at how dark Cici was in the house and thought that it was a good idea that her tan didn't carry through into the outside world, it would just draw attention to her.

Eventually, Vicky took her O.W.L.s and passed them with flying colours.

The girls came to the decision that they each wanted private time with Ced, alone. They would continue to sleep as the happy threesome that they were, but they each wanted individual time with their husband alone. Cici asked for Friday nights which Vicky was glad to give her because she wanted Saturday nights. Private time would end at midnight so they could cuddle in bed together as they had been since the beginning.

As time went by, Vicky had turned to a lovely honey brown colour, while Cici was about the same as dark brown sugar. Vicky's hair had become sun-bleached to a lighter brown than it usually was.

Vicky enjoyed her time with Edmund, he recommended that she continue on the potion that Cici was giving her for a full year, he also had Ade get her another potion that would accelerate her bonding to catch up to where Ced and Cici were. After that point, the potion would become useless. He also made history of magic an exciting subject. He gave her a list of books that he wanted her to start reading. So, she would lay on the couch, and read the book cuddled up against one of her mates. Cici would snuggle with her while she read if Ced was cooking dinner for them.

The three of them talked with Edmund about how unique their situation was, he agreed that it had never happened before, "Your love for Vicky must have been very strong for this to have occurred. The strength of your love was the foundation, and the ritual was the catalyst that caused this to happen."

"It's even in the book of Soul-Bonds, we're the only threesome in the book!" Vicky told him.

"There must be an evil that is unique that requires the three of you to purge, for the bond magic to have allowed this to happen."

Vicky completed her courses to take her N.E.W.T.s and then moved on to her Master's level classes.

One afternoon, late in their stay in the house, Ced was leaving the restroom to find Cici and Vicky arguing about something. They were screaming at each other, their faces were all red. When he went to break up the fight, all he heard was one of them scream at him, "to stay out of it." And the other one screamed at him to "just shut up!"

When he said, "Hey!" he had just enough time to get his shield up when both of them turned and fired wandless and wordless hexes at him. The combined force and strength of the hexes pushed him back into the restroom, where the door was slammed shut, and locked from the outside.

The two girls learned to compromise on things, and they learned to stand their ground on something that they believed in. Cici became the alpha female for most areas, but Vicky was the alpha female in other areas. The girls had worked out a system that worked for them, and that's all that mattered to the three of them.

Then one night as Vicky was crawling into bed, Ced and Cici heard, _"When did my breasts get so heavy?"_

Cici snickered, _"I said the same thing Little One!"_

After Vicky had taken her Master's level testing in ten subjects, the three of them would take it easy during the afternoons, they broke up their mornings between the different subjects but giving their combat training three mornings a week.

.

Eventually, their time in the house came to an end, as they reappeared in Ced's bedroom, Vic looked down at her breasts, "Well, I guess that I'm going to have to transfigure my bras to fit again. Can I borrow a sports bra for this morning's run?" she asked Cici.

Ced laid the sword that he was making for Vic on the bed.

"Sure, Little One," she and Cici were the same bra size, just differently shaped breasts. They were after all two different individuals.

"I'm not so little anymore!" she hefted her breasts. Thank Merlin for that spell she thought.

" _Yes indeed!"_ Cici replied to her.

The three of them met Harry and Hermione at the bottom of the stairs.

"I see being bonded agrees with you," Hermione's comment was filled with mirth.

"Yes, I guess that I need to go bra shopping again," she laughed with her.

Charlie and Angelica joined them, "Oh Wow!" was Angelica's comment.

"We'll explain this evening, we have an appointment at nine this morning," Harry told them.

Minutes after Charlie and Angelica joined them, the four teens came through the floo. George rushed over to Vicky to give her a kiss. She returned his kiss, minus the enthusiasm. The other girls were eyeballing her new 'assets.'

" _This only gets more complicated Mon Amour," Ced thought._

" _This is going to be harder than I thought."_

" _Yeah, it is."_

After their morning routine, they broke for their showers. George walked Vic up to her room, he held her hand the whole way, he leaned in for another kiss, and she pulled back. He got a hurt and confused look on his face, like what did he do wrong.

"I'll explain more tonight. Right now, I need to get ready to go with Harry this morning. But I promise you, I will explain it to you tonight," she told him. She turned and entered her room. She wasn't the little girl that he helped into bed last night. Last night, all of this happened just yesterday, she thought.

" _This is one of the side effects of living in the house for extended periods of time. We change, and they don't,"_ Cici thought to her.

" _Yeah, let me lock my door, so no one comes barging in on us."_

She locked her door and stripped her clothes off as she walked to join her husband and wife in the shower. With a flick of her wrist, her sweaty garments flew into the hamper. With two people washing one person, showering could go faster, or, if things got out of hand, it could take considerably longer to get showered. This morning, it went more quickly because they had an appointment to make.

.

.

.

 **A/N: Thank you all for reading this far! Please review!**

 **Revised 01.23.2018**

 **And again 01.01.2019**


	22. Year Four Chapter 22

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 22

.

.

The five of them stepped out of the floo at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry waved at Tom the owner, then headed for the door to muggle London. He had chosen the Leaky Cauldron to avoid the prying, political, eyes at the Ministry of Magic. Raising his hand, he hailed a cab to take them to 85 Albert Embankment in Vauxhall. The group was dressed in business attire, and the conversation in the cab was small talk. Ced was the first to exit the cab, followed by his father. Harry held his hand out to help Hermione out of the back of the cab, then he helped the other two women in the back of the cab exit the cab with dignity. Ced leaned in and paid for the cab, then he joined his family as they walked to the entrance of the building.

Inside at the receptionist's desk, Harry informed them that they had an appointment with Sean McMillian. The guard called upstairs and informed the correct individual of the arrival of the five guests. He then gestured to the waiting area so they could sit and be comfortable. They sat in the indicated seats to wait for their escort arrive. Several minutes later the most average looking man Ced had ever seen, walked towards them. Harry stood up and shook his hand, he and Hermione exchanged European style kisses on the cheeks, and then he led them to a room somewhere in the bowels of the building. He opened the door and let his guests enter the room first. He closed the door behind him.

Ced and his wives looked around, it was a training room, but they kept quiet.

"Excuse me for my rudeness, I'm Sean McMillian." He said as he held out his hand to each of the teens.

"Cedric."

"Cecilia."

"Vic."

"Pleased to meet all of you. Now, what has Harry told you about us?"

The kids just shook their collective heads.

"Okay, today will be a testing process, if you pass the test, then we'll be able to talk further," Sean told them.

The kids just looked over at Harry, he nodded his assent to them.

"What's the test that you need us to pass?" Ced asked the spy.

"Hand to hand combat, weapons, …"

Ced interrupted him at this point, "None of us have any experience with guns."

"No, no, edged weapons would be just fine. The third and the first to happen will be a basic physical fitness testing that all of the SAS do, it's an obstacle course."

"When do you want us to do this?" Cici asked him.

"We can start today if you want."

Ced looked at the girls, they both nodded their heads.

" _Toll had us doing all of this."_ Vic thought to them.

"That sound's fine to us, one problem, we didn't bring our workout clothes with us," Ced informed the spy.

"Clothing will be provided if you really want to do this."

"Where do we change?" Vic asked.

"Follow me, I have a van outback to take us to the training facility."

.

They travelled about an hour outside of London to a military base that had the required obstacle course for them to run. Inside the locker rooms the girls on one side and Ced on the other.

" _This bra sucks!"_

" _Yeah, it does!"_

" _They expect us to run in these things?"_

" _Screw this, I'm going to put the spell on it!"_

After transfiguring their bras to fit correctly, they cast the charm on them to give the needed support for the workout that was coming.

Once out at the start of the obstacle course, McMillan introduced them to Platoon Sargent Winkelmann and Sargent Major Richardson.

"Sargent Winkelmann will demonstrate how to do each obstacle for you, then you will run the obstacle course yourselves. It is a 10K obstacle course, and you will have forty minutes to complete it because you are not in full gear with a pack." Sargent Major Richardson instructed them just like Toll would have.

"Do you want us to follow him? Or is he going to give us a walkthrough of the course?" Ced asked

"Do you think that you can keep up with him? He's done the course in thirty-four minutes."

Ced looked at the girls. _"Nothing that we haven't done before from what I can see."_

"We'll follow him," Cici told Richardson.

"You heard them! Leadoff Winkelmann!"

Winkelmann took off running, the kids right on his heels. He set a good comfortable pace through the different obstacles, they had monkey bars, rope swings, rope climb, combat crawl, balancing logs, the old tires, and then a 6.5K run back to the starting line, thirty-five minutes later they were done.

"The next portion of the testing will be knife fighting because you have no experience with guns of any kind."

"Question, do we get to choose our edged weapon?" asked Cici.

"If you want little lady you may choose your own 'edged weapon.'" The SGM told her with a smirk.

After they had entered the training facility again, there were mats in the centre of the floor. "This is Platoon Sargent Shaw. He will be testing you with your 'edged weapons.'" The Sargent Major smirked at them.

"So, is this going to be one on one testing?" asked Ced.

"Yes, why?" asked the SGM irritably.

"It's not going to be a very fair fight just one on one."

"If you like, he can fight all three of you at the same time." Quipped the SGM.

"I was thinking the other… Dad! Have all of these people taken the oath of loyalty or some other thing to have knowledge of us?"

"Yes, they had all signed a Blood Contract before they agreed to this."

The SGM was looking confused, and angry, he just wanted these kids to get out of his facility so he could get on with the mission planning.

"I apologise SGM Richardson, I was going to say that you will need at least a dozen men if you want a fair fight. Four for each of us, and you will want to give my mum someplace to change clothes."

"What? So, your mummy can fight your battles for you?"

"No sir, so she can heal your men for you. We fight until our opponent surrenders or is no longer capable of fighting. That's the way we were trained."

"Bring in the others!" he ordered.

Fourteen more men in uniform entered the training room.

"I need eleven volunteers for edged weapons testing!"

Eleven men stepped forwards, feral grins on their faces.

Vic moved to go to the facilities.

"Where are you going young lady?" the SGM asked harshly.

"To the loo. Is that okay?"

"Yes, but be quick about it." He sneered at her.

"Yes, sir." She said. Once in the loo, she called out softly, "Maco!" a soft pop.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Please bring me my sword."

Pop. Pop and she was back with her sword. Even incomplete it was better than what they would have given her to use. She shrank it down and placed it in her pocket.

When she returned, she found Cici in the middle of the mats with 4 men surrounding her. Her sword was up and ready, the men all carried service issue knives. Cici turned counterclockwise as she studied her opponents, then one of them lunged at her, and that was all it took for her to become a blur. Three men were down and bleeding severely, she focused all of her attention on her final opponent, Vic glanced over at Hermione who had silently transfigured her clothes to medical scrubs. Cici pressed in on her last opponent, he started backing, trying not to step on his injured friends, Cici could see the concern in his eyes that he could end up like them. She faked a move, then she faked another, Shaw was jittery and would jump back, he had never seen anything like this, you used a knife as a weapon of last resort, another fake and he dodged too much then he knew that he had been cut. His knife arm didn't want to respond to his brain anymore, the mats were getting slick with blood and sticky with blood that was drying, she just kept pressing in. His knife was in his off hand, but he wasn't going to surrender to this little girl, his ego wouldn't let him. He swung at her, and she lunged forward, dropping to her knees and sliding behind him to cut both of his hamstring muscles. Shaw collapsed like a marionette that had the strings cut, she rolled over and placed the edge of her sword against his throat. He opted to tap out instead of having his head cut off.

She got up and walked off the mats, the blood dripping from her sword, "You got a rag I can clean my 'edged weapon' with?" the sarcasm evident for all to hear.

As the SGM stood there with his jaw hanging open, Hermione rushed over to start healing the injured soldiers. Vic and Ced joined her to keep the more severely wounded from bleeding to death.

Harry walked over to the SGM, "Do you want to pass all of them? Or do you want more of your men to be severely injured to satisfy your ego?" he watched as the SGM's back went ridged with pride.

As he stood there trying to swallow his pride, the three teens and Hermione were finishing healing the soldiers that had just finished testing Cici. Ced was helping his man stand up again and handed him a blood replenishing potion to take. He helped him walk off the mat, the bloody boot prints there for the others to take heed of. In the end, there were four sets of bloody prints leading to the rank of the other volunteers.

All eyes were on the SGM waiting for him to concede the testing or to ask for four more volunteers. Ced moved over next to him and pulled out his sword full sized, he started walking to the bloodied mats, Vic came up to him and pulled him back.

"I want to go next." She told him, her sword already drawn. She handed her husband the scabbard.

With a wave of her hand, the mats were cleaned.

"Who's next?" she asked the group of men. She didn't have any volunteers. Her sword gleamed in the sunlight streaming in through the high windows. Her sword was virtually identical to her wife's sword. It was enchanted in all the same ways, Ced had engraved different runes down the sides of the blade, the handle was wrapped in a different colour scheme than Cici's, the scabbard was jewel encrusted similar to Cici's, all that was missing was the magical core, and that would be fixed tonight.

Pointing her sword at them, "Do all of you, concede that my mates and I are accomplished warriors with an edged weapon?"

Silence.

"Answer the question!" she said loudly. "Before I put all twelve of you on the ground just like the first four!"

The men kept looking over at the SGM, their leader, for direction. The bloody footprints a grim reminder that the first four men had been defeated easily, but none of them had the authority to concede the match.

"Well, I guess that it is one against the twelve of you." And she raised her sword to start the fight. The men backed up and spread out giving themselves room to move. She eyed them carefully, watching, looking for the weakest of the group. Who was the bravest, who was the more cautious of the lot? The four that Cici had taken down had moved off to the side, and out of the fight, the most cautious of the group. Eight soldiers were left. Then it happened, she had three men lunge at her from three different directions. She swung and backed up, hoping to get them to close ranks some, and they did, now all eight were in front of her. Again, she eyed her opponents, looking for the weakest link in their chain, the one in the centre lunged at her again, a feral grin appearing on his face, his lunge cost his mate to the right his inner thigh. He went down, a pool of blood starting to form. When he looked at what had happened, he got cut on his upper arm all the way to the bone. He dropped his knife and grabbed the cut, earning him another cut on the other arm, he walked out of the fight. Six left, they spread out again, encircling the girl in the middle of the mats. She started turning in a clockwise direction, her sword at the ready. Two men lunged from opposite sides of her, she sidestepped their lunge and swung her sword wide and low. She got the guy behind her and the two in front of her across the fronts of their thighs. She stepped out of the bloody carnage, wanting to put the other soldiers in the mess that had just been created. Let them trip over their own, she thought. She stood there and waited. The two on the outer edges of the half-moon of soldiers came for her quickly. She lunged forward as the soldier in front of her turned his head for just a second to see what his platoon mates were doing. It cost him a slice across the side of his neck. He realised that it could just as easily been his whole neck that got cut, not just the side. As the two other soldiers had started their move, it was too late for them to withdraw, they were committed to their course of action, and they knew that it was going to cost them dearly. Vic tucked and rolled, as she came up, she cut the soldier across his calves and watched him fall into the man in front of him. As the soldier, next to her stood there slack-jawed, it cost him a cut across his forearm of the hand holding the knife, it fell with a dull thud on the bloody mat. Three left, and she was behind two of them. The other was holding his platoon mate. She knew that if she wasn't careful, she could sever their spines, killing them. She wasn't here to kill them. One of the last remaining of the three picked up the knife to have two weapons to her one. He came at her swinging both knives, she ducked the swings and cut him across his torso, his eyes went wide as he looked down at his blood-soaked clothes, the hesitation cost him his legs, he collapsed in a heap on the matted hardwood floor.

"Who's next?" she asked.

"I'm gonna kick yer arse little girl!" a big behemoth of a man pushed his way forward.

Vic stood there, her bloody sword at the ready, she had faced simulations with opponents this large if not larger. She waited for him to make the first move.

He was big, and he was fast. His long arms giving him a decided advantage over the others. He took a jab at her, she ducked the jab and cut the inside of his knife arm. He dropped the knife because there wasn't a connection to his hand anymore. She backed away quickly, and he charged her. She rolled to the side and cut his leg, he roared in pain and frustration, she cut him on the inner thigh with a thrust, and flipped the blade over and cut the other leg as she drew the sword back. He looked down at the amount of blood that he was losing, she walked behind him and grabbed his chin to lift it up and placed the edge of her weapon against the skin of his throat.

Quietly she asked in his ear, "Do you concede this fight?" his response was a growl of defiance. She lowered her sword and cut him across his chest. "Do, you concede this fight?" she asked again. He struggled against her. She cut him across his chest again. "Do, you, concede this fight?" she asked again. And again, he struggled against her. She cut him again across the chest. "Do you concede this fight? Or are you going to just bleed to death because you're too stubborn to admit your defeat? No one here is going to come to your aid, it's all up to you. You can live, or you can die." He struggled again, and as everyone in the room watched, she cut him across the torso. "It's your choice, live or die. I would guess that you have less than five minutes of life in you, judging by the pool of your blood, that you're kneeling in."

"Arh fine!" he said.

"Say the words." She didn't let him go.

"Arh!" and he shook his head no.

"Say the words." She said calmly.

"Arh, fine! I concede this fight!"

She let go of him, and he fell face first into the pool of his own blood.

She walked over to where Ced was standing next to the SGM. "Excuse me, do you have a rag that I can wipe the blood off my sword with?" mimicking Cici's words.

Cici was helping Hermione with the injured soldiers, the one that was able to walk off had been healed earlier in the fight. The last man was of significant concern, he had lost a lot of blood before he could admit his defeat. Cici reached for more blood replenishing potions to give him. She just let him lie there in his own blood. Hermione levitated him to the side of the training room, the blood-soaked shirt dripping the whole way.

Ced pulled his sword from its scabbard, he applied the cutting spell to its edges. He started walking towards the group of soldiers, swinging the sword in all sorts of fancy manoeuvres. "Well, I guess I'm up now. So, who wants to go first?" he asked with a feral grin on his face. He assumed a ready stance. He had no volunteers.

"THIS IS ENOUGH! This is enough of this barbarism!" the SGM yelled.

"Does this mean that you concede this portion of the testing?" asked Harry.

"Yes! This is finished!"

"Do you wish to proceed to the next portion of the testing? Or is that finished also?" asked Harry.

"No, we must proceed with the testing as prescribed." He said as he deflated.

Ced relaxed and returned to his wife, she handed him the scabbard for the sword. He sheathed it and then shrunk it down to return to his pocket.

"You wish to continue with the hand to hand combat portion of this testing. Is that correct?" Harry asked to verify.

"Yes, we should continue to the hand to hand combat portion of the testing."

"Will this be one on one testing? Or something else that we haven't been told about?" Ced asked

"It'll be one on one testing for the girls and two on one testing for you." The SGM said. He wanted to see this little prat get his arse whooped.

Ced emptied out his pockets, he removed his wand and holster, then he removed his camouflaged shirt and kept the t-shirt on, he handed everything to Cici. He walked over to the mat and waited.

"I need two volunteers!" the SGM called out.

Two soldiers stepped forwards and shed their shirts also. Both of them were easily a head taller than Ced and maybe ten kilos heavier. Ced had trained for this, he could do eight in the simulations. The two soldiers took opposite sides from him, keeping him in the middle. Then the dancing began, the soldiers started circling in a clockwise direction. Ced kept his eyes and head moving, watching, waiting for the first move to be made. His feet were spread about shoulders width apart, the man on his left rushed him, hoping to knock him to the mat, Ced sidestepped the rush and hit him in the kidney to encourage him to go to the mat. The other had used this moment to land two hard blows on Ced's torso, Ced returned the favour with a solid blow to his solar plexus. He saw the man on the ground rolling to his feet, Ced worked to keep his current opponent in-between them. He kept up the blows to the body and took his share also. The man took a swing for his head, which he dropped to avoid, two quick blows to the inner thigh of his opponent stopped him from moving for a moment, a hard blow to the stomach and he doubled over giving Ced the opportunity to knee him in the face. He felt the man's nose shatter in response to the blow, one more blow to the back of his head and he was down. One down and one to go. The second opponent had watched the speed and power that Ced had exhibited in dispatching his mate. He lunged at him, and Ced grabbed his shirt, rolling backwards, he placed his foot in the man's abdomen and kicked off when his back had hit the floor in a backwards flip. This sent the soldier flying higher than he should have, to land flat on his back. The soldier's overconfidence was his downfall. Ced kept rolling backwards to come up on his feet. Then dropped hard on the soldier with his elbow, just below his ribcage nocking all of the air out of him, he then dragged the soldier into a choke hold, waiting for him to tap out or to pass out, he didn't care which. He held him like that until he stopped moving. Apparently, the soldier had opted for the latter.

Vic let go of Cici's hand and stepped up next, she watched as Hermione levitated the unconscious soldier off the mats. She looked at the two remaining soldiers, they stared back at her. The fight had become a staring match, she stood there, watching, waiting, she crossed her arms across her ample bosom, she waited, she started tapping her foot, then she heard the noise closing behind her. Some wanker was trying a sneak attack on her! Her adrenaline was pumping, her senses on high alert, at the right instant, she turned into the attacker, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and fell backwards like Ced had, feet in his guts. Up and over the attacker went, then down hard on his back. She scrambled on top of him, pulling him over on top of her as she wrapped her strong legs around him. He thought that she had made a tactical error. But then, she grabbed the soldier's left shirt collar at the back of his neck with her right hand, she was then able to grab his right-side shirt collar with her left hand. She leaned back as hard as she could, the soldiers one arm was pinned under her arm against his body, she drove her elbows down to her stomach and arched even harder, his face changed to a red, then a darker red. She waited for him to tap out, but his pride wouldn't let him. Finally, his face turned blue from the lack of oxygen, and he stopped moving. She released her hold on his collar and used her powerful legs to roll him off of her. As she got up to walk away, she kicked him in the face hard.

"That's for attacking me from behind like a coward!" she scolded the unconscious man.

The other troops grimaced at the brutality she showed her competitor.

As Hermione levitated the latest victim off the mat, Cici stepped up, and the staring match started afresh. Vic grabbed hold of Ced's hand and watched with him. Cici waited, and waited, she looked over at the SGM, he stared back at her. None of the troops was stepping up.

"Fine! Enough of this brutality, you all pass." He wasn't happy about saying that, he was admitting defeat to these children in his mind.

The troops were relieved, they had seen and experienced the viciousness of these teenagers. If any of them had their doubts about them, they were either relieved of them, or they kept their mouths shut.

"Well! Congratulations! You all passed!" McMillan told them. "Now if you want to get your showers, we can talk more about the mission afterwards."

Ced walked to the men's showers while the girls headed for the lady's showers. Once inside he gathered his things and shifted to his wives. They looked each other over for cuts and scrapes that needed to be healed, any that were found, got healed easily. After their shower, they got dressed in their own clothes again, then Ced used _teleportus_ to go back to the men's showers.

" _We're all going to need some anti-bruising potions."_

" _I could use a Vitamix potion also!"_

" _Let's ask my mum for both of them. They're probably in her bag."_

As they reentered the training room, all of the troops had left, the floor had been _scourgified_ , and the mats were up against the wall, you couldn't tell that bloody fights had taken place here.

"Please follow me," McMillan said.

"Just a second please," Ced told him. "Mum, the girls and I would like some Vitamix potions and some anti-bruising potions. Cici and Vic are both going to have some wicked bruising tomorrow."

Hermione looked in her bag and started pulling out some potions for the kids. She handed the two bruising potions to the girls, then she found three Vitamix potions and one last anti-bruising potion for Ced. All three of them downed the potions and cringed at the taste of the anti-bruising potions, they gave the empty vials back to her for reuse.

"Okay, I think that we're ready now," Ced told McMillan.

They took off following McMillan to another building on the military base. It must have been an air force base because Ced saw some aircraft some ways away.

Once they had entered another secured facility, they sat around a conference table. "This mission is of the utmost secrecy. What you'll need to do, is to go in and retrieve an asset that has been in deep cover for over two years. Why we need you three, is that you can fly a broom. We can't get close enough to drop paratroopers in and then go and pick them up. It would also be a three-week hike to get out of there once they got in there. With you three, we can drop you out of a C-17 cargo plane at 13,500m. You and two others will go in, retrieve the asset, collect all of the electronic equipment that is deemed necessary, then you fly them all out on the brooms."

"What makes this person so valuable that you need us?" asked Cici.

"This person has been working and living with the person in charge of human trafficking for the whole terrorist organisation. She is getting scared that her cover is about to be blown and that they will torture her before they behead her."

"Okay, and where is she exactly?" asked Vic.

"She is 330Km inside of Afghanistan from the Iraqi border. Inside of a cave."

"That's a long way in," said Ced.

"Yes, it is, and we're willing to pay you £250,000 each, to take two of our men in there and bring her out."

"You do know that magic and electricity don't mix," Ced told him.

"Correct," Harry said, "one of our companies has developed a bag that will protect a computer or other electronic device from magic."

"So what kind of broom can carry more than one person for any kind of distance?"

"We have some slightly modified Clean Sweep MPB-4 brooms. MPB standing for Multi Passenger Broom seats 4. The modification is similar to what they did on their racing brooms when they added an aerodynamic shield to deflect the air around you so the broom can go faster. But for you three, it will stop the buffeting when you jump out of the back of the aeroplane."

"And if something goes wrong?" asked Vic.

"Then the British government never heard of you. You are, after all, private contractors." McMillan told them.

"If it helps stop the human trafficking, I'm in," Cici told the group.

One for all and all for one!

"If she's in I'm in," said Vic.

"I'll do it." Agreed Ced. "When do we start?"

"0600 tomorrow."

"How do we get back here?" Ced asked.

"There's a spot where you can apparate and disapparate from, inside a hidden room in the guest quarters. I'll show it to you. All of your clothing will be provided for you. We'll ask that once you're here, that you don't leave, and that you use minimal magic. They're going to expect you to do physical training with the unit that you're going to be working with."

"Are these the same men that we just tested against?" Cici leered at him.

"Yes."

"And how long are we going to be here?" asked Vic. She wasn't liking the idea of being around these guys any more than her wife.

"A week, two at the most. It's going to all depend on you three. How fast you learn."

"What's to learn? We can already fly a broom." Replied Ced.

"You need a crash course in jumping out of an aeroplane. At 13,500m there's not enough oxygen for you to live. So, you will need to learn how to use some of the specialised equipment. Then, you and your partners will need to learn to trust each other. You need to trust us, and we need to trust you. You and your partners will be living together twenty-four hours a day, you'll eat together and sleep together."

"There's going to be a problem there." Harry interrupted.

"Yes, there is." Hermione backed her husband up.

"What's that?"

"These three can't be separated for long periods of time. Four hours at the most." Hermione explained further.

"We also require our privacy."

"From nine at night to five in the morning, we need to be left alone. No fake raids, no hazing, no harassment."

"It will be just Shaw and Winkelmann that will be staying with you."

"Okay, we thought that we would be living with seventy-five other people!"

"No! just the two of them. They were the first two to volunteer to work with you. They asked me while you were in the showers. You must've made a good impression on them, they're the two most highly qualified men in the lot. Let me show you to your rooms."

He walked them over to the guest quarters, showed them their rooms, across the hall from each other, the room where they could apparate into in the morning, and thankfully, the loos were attached to their rooms.

"Any further questions? No? Good. I'll see you out in front of here at 06:00 tomorrow. Come dressed in your workout clothes. After your workout, you'll be issued your uniforms and other equipment. Shaw and Winkelmann will guide you through the rest of your stay!"

The five of them went into the apparition room, and then they were walking down the walkway of the Potter Mansion. As they approached the front doors of the mansion, they opened as if by magic, they were greeted by Charles.

"My Lord." He bowed to the group of them. "The post is in the study. There is mail for Mistress Vic and her mates. Mister Weasley has floo called several times looking for Mistress Vic."

"Thank you, Charles."

The old house elf walked away before disappearing. The group walked to the study. Laying on the desk were the three letters that four of them were expecting. Harry looked through the mail and handed each person the letters that were addressed to them. All eyes were on Vic as she looked at the envelope addressed to her.

"Sorry, I've never gotten a letter before."

"Not even your letters from Hogwarts?" asked Hermione.

"No, I guess my mum got them. I didn't even know that we got letters from Hogwarts until just this instant."

Hermione showed her one way to open the envelope. They watched as she opened it and pulled out the letter inside. She began to read the letter, her eyes turned moist as she read it, she turned to her spouses and hugged them, they shared a three-way kiss and then she explained to Harry and Hermione that it was a letter from The Creator congratulating me on my marriage to Cedric and Cecilia. The next envelope contained their marriage certificate, showing that their union was granted by, and approved by, The Creator himself. A separate letter inside guaranteed her rights and protection under the Soul-Bond act. Again, they hugged and kissed, Harry and Hermione, embraced the group of them.

"Oh! I just remembered, Maco?" Ced called out.

"Yes, my Lord." She bowed to him.

"Could you ask Cathaoir and Kitten to come here for me please?"

Pop. A moment later, pop, "They will be here momentarily."

"Thank you very much, Maco."

"It is a pleasure to serve." Pop.

Harry looked at Ced questioningly.

"I'm working on a project."

"Oh! Vic's sword! Could you show it to us?" Harry asked Vic.

She pulled out her sword and enlarged it so they could better see the detail that Ced had put into the sword. She handed it to Harry, who stepped back from the sword.

"It's okay, it doesn't have the magical core in it yet. That's why I asked for Cathaoir and Kitten." Ced told his dad.

As Harry and Hermine examined the sword, there came the usual squeal of delight just before the soft thump of the landing. Kitten rode into the study on Cathaoir's back. She gave him a huge hug before she slid down to the ground.

"Cathaoir? May we have one more hair from your main?" asked Ced politely.

He looked around and saw the sword, he knew what it would be used for, _"Yes."_ His thoughts boomed in their heads. Then he looked at Kitten, he said _"One hair! Not one handful!"_ then he lay down so that Kitten could select the correct hair from the thousands available.

Kitten started crawling all over the Golden Griffin, slowly and methodically she searched for the correct hair. She stopped, she separated out the hair, then she ran her fingers along the length of it, she looked it over and even sniffed it, her eyes closed, and then she yanked on it.

" _OW! That hurt worse than the last time!"_ Cathaoir's thoughts said.

"Oh, you big wimp! I only took just the one, see!"

Cathaoir took a playful swing at her with a massive paw. She squealed and giggled as she dodged the playful swing.

Kitten conjured a small vial for the hair after she sealed the hair inside she etched Vic's name on the side of the vial. "Here you go! Be careful, this is the tricky part!" she said looking at Ced. Cathaoir helped her back on to his back.

"Thank you, both for your help," Ced told them.

She turned and looked at him, "Have Mr Ollivander do it unless you have practised this before." She told him.

Ced looked at the group questioningly, "Diagon Alley, here we come?"

"You'll need the four of us if you're going to do that!" Kitten told them.

"Get in here then!" Ced yelled out the door.

"Didn't mum and dad teach you not to yell inside the house? I'll mention that to Charles." And she stuck her tongue out at him.

.

As Mr Ollivander handed the boxed sword back to the young lady, he cautioned her that she had to be the first to touch the sword. He complimented the sword maker on the exceptional craftsmanship of the sword. "It's as good as anything that I have seen made by the goblins." He told them.

Vic reached into the box and grasped the hilt of the sword, as soon as she did the surge of power was incredible, the sword glowed brightly for a moment then as she pulled it out of the box it started emitting a rainbow of colours, the shop was bathed in the glow from the sword.

"Are you ready? We need to touch all four of them together." Kitten said as her wand appeared in her outstretched hand.

Ced and Cici had already removed their swords from the scabbards. They each raised their weapons and then touched them all together. The magical shockwave that ensued blasted the windows out of the shops surrounding Mr Ollivander's for a hundred meters. The shop keeps, and customers alike were showered with the magical wave and shattered glass.

Daphne looked around, closed her eyes and flicked her wand, it was all returned to normal so fast that people doubted that it had even happened.

"We need to go, the Aurors are on their way." She said.

Each of the teens hugged another family member and apparated back to the foyer.

.

"Would it be okay if I invited George over for dinner? Just George." Asked Vic as they walked out of the foyer.

"That's fine with me." Said, Harry.

"Yes, I assume this is so you can talk with him?" asked Hermione.

"Yes."

"You're going to be navigating some very tricky waters. Letting him down like that and still keeping him as a friend will be hard."

"I know, I've gone over it and over it the whole time in my head," She looked around for Kitten. "while we were in the house."

After dinner, Vic took George by the hand and led him to her room. "We need to talk." She told him. She opened her mind fully to the mental link so her soul-mates would know what she was saying and what George's reactions would be.

Once inside her room, she sat him down on the edge of her bed and took his hands. "George, you remember how I got really sick the other day?"

"Yes, I was so worried about you!" he told her with all of the sincerity that he had.

"Something happened to me during the adoption ceremony, something wonderful for me, but it could be something terrible for you. It's all about how you are going to accept what it is that I have to tell you."

"Okay." He said dragging it out.

"What I'm going to tell you never leaves this room."

"You're pregnant with Ced's baby!" he stood up abruptly and accused her of it loudly.

"Not yet, but someday that will happen."

He got the most confused look on his face.

"Now, what I'm about to tell you can never leave this room. You can never tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. I'm only telling you this because we don't want to lose your friendship. You mean a great deal to us; do you understand that?"

"Yes, I think I do."

"The other afternoon, when I got called down to go through the adoption ceremony, it was really a bonding ritual that was performed. The bonding ritual was supposed to bond me with the Potter family as a whole."

"Okay, so that made you sick?"

"No, not exactly, I didn't get sick because of the ritual. I got sick because I got weak."

"Why'd you get weak?"

"The bonding ritual bonded me with Cici and Ced." She let that one sit there for a moment to sink in. She chose to list her mates in that order so it would be less of a threat to his ego.

"The bonding ritual made you weak?"

"No, the bonding ritual bonded me to Cici and Ced."

"Ced and Cici made you weak."

How thick could this guy be? Time for the direct approach.

"Will you be my friend forever and always? No matter what?"

"YES!"

"Good. I'm married to Cici and Ced."

"Why'd you marry Cici?"

"Because Cici and I are soul-bonded."

Okay now, if A = B and B = C then A = C.

"Why are you and Cici soul-bonded?"

"Because the ritual looked at my magic and it saw that my magic and her magic needed each other, so it bonded me with her and Ced."

"But Ced and Cici are a soul-bonded couple."

"But because of their love for me, and my love for them, the bonding ritual bonded us together as a family."

"But Ced and Cici are married. How can you be married to Cici if she's married to Ced?"

"The Creator made it so for us."

"Why'd he do that?"

"Actually, he didn't do it, the magic did it, and he has blessed it. I am protected by the Soul-Bond Act, I have all of the same rights and privileges."

"How can you be Cici's girl when you're supposed to be my girl?"

"Ced, Cici, and I are married to each other."

"Ced took you away from me!"

"No."

"But he's already got Cici! Why does he need two girls?" he started turning the same colour as his hair.

"Ced didn't do any of this. Cici didn't do any of this, I didn't do any of this."

"Yeah right! I saw the way he kissed you!"

"?"

"And you kissed him back!"

Finally, let him blow off some steam and yell for a bit. Which he did.

"You never wanted to be with me you only wanted to be with Ced!"

"That's not true, and you know it, besides, how could I be with Ced when he is with Cici?"

"He just wants the prettiest girl in school!"

Well, he's got both of them.

"Okay, now listen to me. Look at me, George! Up until Sunday afternoon, even as I walked into that ceremony, I was planning a future with you. I was looking forward to marrying you. I knew that I would always be friends with Cici and Ced, but I would have been married to you."

"Okay, so."

"That all changed because of that ceremony. Now, I could have an affair with you, I could even have your children, but I would never be yours, I belong to another. My love for you is like the love a sister has for a brother. I want us to be friends forever. I want to watch you find the love of your life and be invited to your wedding. A wedding, that's something that I'll never get to have because the world can never know about us." She released his hands and looked down, tears forming in her eyes.

He stood up, and pulled her into him for a hug, "I'll always love you too. I'm sorry that you'll never get to have a wedding."

She pulled back and kissed him for the last time. "Thank you for being so understanding. The three of us love you a lot, and Ced didn't want to lose his best mate because of something out of our control."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

"It's not your fault, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"See you in the morning for our run?"

"No, starting tomorrow morning early, we're working on a project with Harry and Hermione, it'll probably take about a month."

"Okay, what is it?"

"It's a secret project that we can't tell anyone about."

"Okay, I guess I should be going now."

"Okay." And she walked him to the floo. He waved goodbye to the rest and disappeared into the green flames.

.

Sniff, sniff. Pause, sniff, _"Something's wrong."_

" _What?"_

Sniff, _"Ced's missing."_

Two sets of eyes opened instantly, two bare-breasted girls sat up quickly.

" _Where are you?"_

" _I'm in the loo."_

" _Why're you in the loo?"_

" _I couldn't sleep."_

" _Are you sick?"_

" _No, just nervous about today."_

They both got out of bed, Cici picked up her watch and looked at the time. They had about thirty minutes until they should be getting up to get ready. Today was the day, they would fly out to extract the asset. A lot was riding on them getting the job that they were contracted to do, done, and done right the first time because there wouldn't be a second chance. This was going to be a predawn flight. It would happen at the point in time when at altitude, the sun would be risen, but down on the surface of the earth, it would still be dark.

.

All three of them had to learn to use a parachute, and they had to complete five successful jumps. At 13,500m, there's not enough air to breathe, they had to learn to use the oxygen equipment. The air temperature at that altitude could be as cold as -57̈°C, Uncle Sirius had sent them some new long underwear that one of his companies was working on, when it was cold, it would keep them warm, when it was hot, it would keep them cool, also it was super slick material. Shaw and Winkelmann had to get comfortable on the back of a broom, the kids needed to learn to ride doubled and tripled up on the brooms. The five of them shared breakfast, lunch, and dinner together, to help build comradery. The threesome had to learn to live with minimal magic and to clean up after themselves, there were no house elves to do those jobs. The plane ride from London to Iraq was a miserable ride, they didn't fly commercial, but rode over in the C-17 that they would be jumping/flying out of. Once in country, they had made three practice flights out of the back of the cargo plane. They had learned to activate the shield just as they left the plane to protect the flight crew from any stray damages that could occur from the fact that magic and electricity don't mix well at all. The first flight they had tried without using the aerodynamic shield at all and Shaw was blown off the broom, Cici was quick enough that she got under him and he didn't need to deploy his chute. The second flight, they activated the aerodynamic shield to soon and the electronics in the back of the plane had all fizzled out. So, the teens activated the aerodynamic shield just as the broom handle left the back of the plane and they had one long and pleasant flight. They _disillusioned_ themselves and where able to fly over a lot of terrorist held territory without being spotted.

" _I think that we've got this!"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _I like this shield, it stops all of the buffeting as we fly. I like it a lot!"_

" _I like it too, but I miss my Nimbus. It's so much more manoeuvrable than these things."_

" _Speaking of a Nimbus, we need to get Vic one._ What was that Winkelmann?"

Winkelmann leaned forward to yell in Ced's ear. "Can we follow this road over here? I think I saw something!"

"Okay!" and Ced changed directions, to head in the direction that Winkelmann was pointing. _"Winkelmann thinks that he saw something and wants to check it out."_

Shaw was riding with Vic, "Why'd we change course?" he yelled in her ear.

"Winkelmann thinks he saw something and wants to check it out!" she yelled back at him. At over 300Kph, the wind flowing over the shield was anything but quiet.

"See that! That's a convoy of busses! Can we get closer?" Ced led the formation of disillusioned brooms lower. "Can we get alongside the busses? I want to see something." Ced came alongside the busses, about 100m away, to avoid being detected. "See how the windows are covered on all of the busses?"

"Yes."

"That means that they're transporting women from one place to another, to sell them to their troops. I think that they get one for free and the others they have to buy."

Ced climbed higher, more room to think, and less chance of being discovered, they were only disillusioned, not invisible.

"What's going on?" Shaw yelled in Vic's ear.

"Winkelmann says that those busses are carrying women that are for sale!"

"That's not good! But we can't jeopardise the mission to save all of them!"

"That's what we're discussing now."

A few minutes later they watched as Cici broke formation. As they kept an eye on the convoy of buses, they saw the lead bus have a blowout on the right rear set of tires. Because it was the right rears, the bus couldn't clear the lane of traffic because the repairman would need a hard surface to put his jack and other equipment on, so the other busses closed in on it and stopped. After the last bus came to a stop, the left rear tires on that bus had a blowout also. Now all of the buses couldn't move, they were locked in place. Minutes later she rejoined the formation.

The group had started to hover when the buses experience their mechanical difficulties.

When Cici rejoined the group, she said, "That should keep them there for a while."

As they watched, one armed man came out of each bus. He was followed by close to fifty women from each bus, then the drivers of the buses exited the buses.

"There's close to 250 women and girls down there! And only ten men to guard them!" Cici shouted.

"The problem is, now if they don't get help soon the guards are going to start killing the women!" replied Shaw.

"How long will it take for our troops to arrive here?" asked Vic.

"Thirty minutes at the soonest!" Winkelmann answered her.

"We can drop you off, and you can call in help while we stun the guards and the drivers. Cici could do it all from her broom in less than a minute." Ced told the soldiers.

"Shaw! Are you comfortable enough to change brooms up here?"

"I can do that!"

"Do it then!" Ced moved over next to Vic, he could feel his broom get heavier. "Vic! Cici! Go get them!"

The two girls peeled off and closed on the bad guys. The guards hadn't been spooked yet, so they weren't using the women as human shields. Ced could hear them talking, and they had decided that Vic would take all of the men on the left and Cici would take the ones on the right. One pass should get it all done. The guys stayed up there in the sky to watch the girls in action, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10! All of the terrorists had been incapacitated on the one pass in less than a minute! Ced circled around and landed out of sight of the women.

"Go call in for some help!" Shaw and Winkelmann both ran away from the broom before turning their radios on. Ced climbed back up to check on his wives. They must have landed on the opposite side of the buses. He flew in that direction to check on them, yup, he could see the brooms hovering there waiting for their riders to return. He looked carefully, and the first two terrorists had been chained. He could hear them talking now. Cici was explaining to Vic why she used a chain instead of a rope that was customary. Vic was in agreement, and the two disillusioned girls walked to the others and chained them also. He could hear them talking about the women that they had freed.

" _Throw their guns under the buses!"_ Ced thought to them.

" _Good idea!"_ Cici thought back. Just then one of the drivers grabbed her by her ankle, and she screamed.

Vic spun around and saw that the man had her wife by the ankle and cut his arm off with a _diffindo_ , it was just pure adrenaline that caused her to overreact, Cici finished the guy with a _stupefy_. She cauterised his arm to stop the bleeding and threw his arm and gun under the bus.

" _That was close!"_ thought Ced.

" _To close!"_ replied Cici. _"Thanks, Little One."_

" _You two need to get out of there now! I heard that scream all the way up here."_

" _How much longer be for the good guys arrive?"_

" _I don't know. We need to get back to Shaw and Winkelmann."_

Once on the ground, the teens cancelled the charm themselves and walked over to the soldiers.

"What'd they say?" asked Cici.

"They said that it would be about an hour," Winkelmann replied dejectedly.

"An hour! Those people aren't going to last out there for an hour without water!" replied Vic.

"We saved them from being slaves and possibly dying, to dying of thirst in the desert!" Cici was pissed now. She knew that she could walk over there and conjure buckets of water with no problems.

Vic asked, "Are your radios turned off?"

"No, why?"

"Turn them off for me please." She watched as they both turned the radios off. Once that was complete, she disillusioned herself again and started to walk towards the stranded women, the women that they had stranded in the desert without water, in their attempt to rescue them.

The others followed her as she headed towards the women when she got to the top of the dune that separated the two groups she just stood there. They felt the ground start to tremble slightly, nothing too much but a definite tremble none the less. They lay down to avoid being seen and still see as much as they could. Vic was slowly raising her hands as she looked at the group of women and girls clustered together for moral support, they had no place to go, and if they did, none of them could drive a bus to get there. These people were property, a horse or a cow had more value than a girl. They watched as the sand under the women began to shake slightly, then the trembling became localised in the centre of the group, they scattered from the trembling. Then, in the centre of them all, a small freshwater spring started to bubble up out of the ground giving the women some cool fresh water to drink. When she was finished, Vic collapsed there on the sand dune.

Ced and Cici rushed over to their wife. Once he got there, Ced scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to the brooms. After Winkelmann and Shaw had caught up to them, Cici looked around and then conjured a small camouflaged tent to hide them and protect them from the sun.

" _Your mom told us when we were first soul-bonded that if something like this ever occurred, that we would need to share the kiss of a lover to help our soul-mate. You need to kiss her now, Ced."_ Cici told him gravely.

Ced leaned over and kissed his unresponsive wife.

" _Try it again babe, open your mind to her, open your heart to her, let your love for her flow through the mental link. Kiss her again!"_

Again, Ced leaned over and kissed Vic on the lips. This time he did what Cici told him, he opened himself fully to her. Cici moved over and hugged them both, lending her love for them, to the healing powers of the bond. As their love started to flow through the link, Vic started to come back to them. The golden blue glow had surrounded them, and they stayed like that for several minutes. Vic's eyes began to flutter open and then she was with them in the mental link.

" _Did I, do it? Was I successful?"_

" _Yes, you did it. You saved those women and girls from dying from dehydration."_

" _I used my elemental magic, to call the water from under the ground, to give them a spring to drink from. I think that it may have been too deep."_

" _We do too!"_

The glow went away, and the teens separated.

Winkelmann asked, "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes, she just exhausted herself getting those women some water to drink."

"She did that? She caused the spring to start flowing?"

"Yes, and it took a lot of her magic to do it too, she needs to rest for a bit."

Ced conjured a cot for Vic to lay on, Cici held her hand as they waited until they could hear the convoy of trucks approaching from the direction of the nearest military base. Once they heard the trucks, they banished the tent and the cot, climbed on their brooms and headed back to their base.

Back at base, they sent Vic to go lay down, Cici went with her, she knew that Vic was going to need more than just holding of hands to recover in time for the mission tomorrow. The guys went over their equipment for the umpteenth time, checking and rechecking, looking at maps and satellite photos of the terrain near the target, they looked at drone photos of the compound and the layout of the tents, they checked and rechecked the route to the target. They looked for anything that could have been missed. They packed and repacked their equipment, Ced went over the brooms one last time before calling the girls to dinner.

As customary Ced seated the girls, Cici on his left tonight and Vic on his right, as he sat down the girls rewarded him with a kiss on each cheek.

Winkelmann broke the ice, "Are you going to be okay for tomorrow?"

Vic looked at him, "Yes." Then she took another bite of her dinner.

"If you're not going to be okay, I need to know so I can cancel this mission."

She finished chewing the food in her mouth, "I told you, I'm going to be just fine in the morning." She looked at him.

"Are you sure that…"

"She said that she would be ready in the morning. We're going to turn in early and be up at 02:00 to get ready for takeoff." Ced told him.

"But…"

"She just needs to get some rest, the three of us are going to turn in as soon as we finish eating," Cici reassured him.

"The glow that we saw earlier, what was that?" Shaw asked.

"That was our magic healing Vic," Ced told him.

"That was amazing to see."

"She's an amazing girl. The sooner we can get her back to bed, the sooner she'll be rested up for tomorrow. Takeoff is still at 03:30?"

"Yes."

"We'll be ready by 02:00. See you then." Ced stood up and pulled the chairs for each of his wives. They all said their goodnights, even though it was still early, they knew that they had to get Vic back to bed to recover fully.

Back in their room, they had transfigured the three cots into one large bed that they could share. They stripped to their knickers and climbed into bed. The A/C unit was humming out cold air so they could sleep in the heat of the desert. But later that night they also knew that it could get cold. The three of them had all assumed their usual sleeping positions, ensuring maximum skin to skin contact between the three of them. Ced kissed each of his wives' goodnight on the lips, and they lay there, with their minds open to each other, waiting for their dreams to come. They lay there. They lay there waiting.

" _Babe."_

" _Yes."_

" _You need to put up your mental shields."_

" _Why."_

" _Because! Your mind is racing and keeping us awake!"_

Reluctantly Ced raised his mental shields, he enjoyed the dreams that he and his wives shared. But they were right, his mind was racing, and he couldn't calm it down. He needed to find his centre, he needed to relax, he needed to slow his breathing. In through his nose, he could smell the citrus scent of Cici, out through the mouth, in through the nose, he could smell the cinnamon scent of Vic. In through the nose, he was inhaling the soothing scents of his wives, two very beautiful, very different women, very devoted to each other and to this marriage. Reluctantly sleep came to him, the tension in his muscles went away, the grip that he had on each wife loosened, and sleep overtook him.

In his dream, he relived the flight that they had that morning. He was there walking across the sand following Vic. He watched as she called forth a water spring to save all those women and girls from a painful death. Then he watched as the sand came up and swallowed her whole! She was gone! He could hear her thoughts scream out to him and he couldn't get there to dig her out! The sand was sucking the boots off of his feet as he tried to get to her, he was clawing at the sand with his hands as he struggled to save her! The harder he fought, the slower he seemed to go! No! She's counting on me to save her! His jerking in bed woke him up with sweat dripping from his forehead, his hair was wet, and his chest glistened. Carefully he unentangled himself from the girls, and by some natural instinct, they scooted closer together, holding each other, giving each other the needed contact and love. Ced checked the time, 01:00, he stripped off his underwear and headed for the shower in their room. The A/C unit had turned off, and the room was cool, he closed the door and turned on the hot water, once that had arrived, he adjusted the temp to something that felt comfortable. He showered alone for the first time since before Christmas. He sat there in the restroom with the towel wrapped around his waist, it was just a dream, the first time in so long that he had, had a bad dream. He closed his eyes and concentrated on calming down, as he calmed down, he opened his mind to his wives. He sat there, eyes closed, and listened to their dream. In his mind, he heard Cici start to sniff. Why is she sniffing he wondered?

Sniff, sniff. Pause, sniff, _"Something's wrong."_

" _What?"_

Sniff, _"Ced's missing."_

He felt them sit-up.

" _Where are you?"_

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 **A/N: Thank you to all of my devoted readers! Please review!**

 **Revised 01.26.2018**

 **And again 01.01.2019**


	23. Year Four Chapter 23

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 23

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Silently Ced sat strapped in inside the huge aircraft. He listened to the massive engines screaming just outside the thin metal wall behind him. The flight crew had given them earplugs to help deaden the noise, and they did help. He felt the aircraft hurtling down the runway, gaining speed, the nose of the plane lifted up and he knew that it wouldn't be too much longer before they would be airborne. They stayed like that for a few moments then the aeroplane slid sideways, and he knew that they had left the ground. It was at this point that his stomach always lurched inside of him. The whirring as the landing gear was retracted and then the thump as it locked in the up position. He decided that this was not how he liked to 'fly' and he heard the two witches next to him silently agree. He held their hands, and closed his eyes, he knew from the preflight briefing that he had an hour and a half before they entered the jump zone.

Everybody that could possibly come into contact with the teens had been made to sign a Blood Contract, Harry made sure of it. The British government had even gone as far as to build a small compound a couple of kilometres away from the air force base to ensure the secrecy of the inhabitants. The five of them were transported back and forth from the main base in a blacked-out van. They were going as far as to drive the van into the cargo hold of the plane, securing it, and closing the loading ramp before the passengers could exit the van.

Right on schedule, the two soldiers came over and woke the three teens up. They unstrapped themselves and stood up to stretch. Cici reached into a pocket of her backpack and pulled out 5 vials of Vitamix potion, she offered the two soldiers one each, and the eagerly grabbed it. Ced and Vic took theirs and swallowed it down in one gulp. Then they started to unload the cargo van and get ready for why they were a part of this mission.

"They rescued all Two-hundred-forty-eight women yesterday!" Shaw yelled at the teens.

"They did?!" yelled Cici.

"Yes! The women told the interpreters that many of them had been taken from their homes in different counties! They're still looking for interpreters for the ones they don't understand yet."

"Good! Are they going to get them back home?"

"That I don't know. But the scuttlebutt is, that if that water spring hadn't shown up when it did, most of the women and girls would have died from dehydration. All of you did a good thing out there yesterday!" Winkelmann yelled at them.

"If you hadn't seen them, none of them would have been saved!"

Each of the teens reached into their backpacks and pulled out their body armour, they began putting on the latest generation, and specially treated armour.

"What's that!" yelled Winkelmann.

"Body armour!" yelled Ced.

"I can see that! Well, not really!"

"It's special wizarding body armour! It is made from dragon hide and dragon scales!"

They sat down and removed the military issued boots and pulled on matching dragon hide boots, their feet disappeared just like their torsos had. Well, they didn't disappear completely, they just became less visible. Each dragon scale had been engraved with a rune or a group of runes. The teens looked at the soldiers as the reached in and pulled out their balaclavas and pulled them on. They tucked them inside the collars of the body armour and then finished zipping up the body armour. Now they were just barely visible to the soldiers. The balaclavas had tiny little dragon scales all over them, the eyes sockets had black eyeballs that followed were ever they looked.

"How much longer?" Ced asked, his voice coming out harsh and scratchy.

"You three look like death from the apocalypse!" yelled Shaw.

"You sound like death!" yelled Winkelmann. "Five minutes until we go on oxygen!"

Five minutes later, the jumpmaster motioned for them to dawn their oxygen masks just before he lowered the loading ramp. They finished dawning their backpacks and moved to the back of the plane waiting for the green light to glow. As the jump master started counting down with his fingers, they climbed on the brooms and moved to the very rear of the aircraft. Three, two, one, and they left the back of the plane. The turbulence was brutal, but they got through it again. Definitely, the aerodynamic shield helped. Ced and Vic cast a disillusionment charm on their passengers and broom as they headed in the correct direction as indicated by a compass.

They would stay at this altitude for another twenty minutes as they flew towards the first weigh point. There they would drop down to where they could shed the oxygen equipment and start following the terrain that they had spent a lot of time memorising. Ced checked his watch, they had crossed over into enemy territory, it was time to start the descent. They descended like a falling rock, at the bottom of the descent they would enter the mouth of the first canyon they needed to follow to the final destination.

As they entered the canyon, Cici took up her position as overwatch with Vic following behind and off to the right of Ced. If they could keep up this speed, they would be at the destination in thirty minutes. At this altitude and speed, they should be close to invisible. The other thing they were counting on, is the time of day, it was just approaching 05:00, the valleys were still dark, and hopefully, the terrorists were still asleep.

As they approached the target area, Ced slowed down and let Cici shoot ahead to scout the area.

" _It looks all quiet!"_ she thought to her spouses.

They relayed the message to the soldiers.

"Have her check one last time nice and slow. I can't believe they don't have at least one guard on duty." Winkelmann said.

" _Winkelmann wants you to check again nice and slow. He says that there should be at least one guard on duty."_

" _Okay."_ Cici flew around again and then she widened her search area. She found one guard smoking a cigarette and another across the compound sleeping on duty. _"I found them. There are two of them. One is smoking, and the other is asleep."_

Her spouses relayed the information to the soldiers.

" _Shaw wants to take the one that is smoking. He says that he's going to prove to the guy that cigarettes will kill you!"_

" _Winkelmann wants to teach the guard that is sleeping, a lesson about dereliction of duty."_

The two broke off and went to their respective targets, landing about 20m from the guards.

Phfft went the submachine gun. They didn't hear anything from the other side of the compound.

"Tell Cici she can land now," Winkelmann told Ced.

"She's doing it now, and says that she'll meet us at the command structure in the centre of the compound."

The two groups moved towards their individual targets. Cici waited until she could see Winkelmann moving in the shadows. Vic and Shaw were headed towards the barracks to find the asset. The others were going to grab as much electronic data that they could. While Cici would go around placing explosive charges near critical equipment and to cause as much damage as possible. They wanted to make it cost prohibitive for the terrorist to rebuild the camp.

.

Shaw moved in and opened the door slowly, he was using his night vision goggles so Vic couldn't use any magic yet. It needed to get lighter first, or the fight had to start, one or the other. They slipped into the quarters, and there were two doors, not the one that they had expected. Shaw tried the door to his left first, locked. He moved over and tried the second door, the one on his right, it was unlocked. Slowly he finished twisting the doorknob, pushed the door open enough to look inside, two bodies were lying in bed. This should be it. He nodded to Vic. She reached into her backpack pocket and pulled out four vaporising sleeping droughts. She stood up straight and threw two of them to the far end of the barracks. They started vaporising as soon as they broke. She tossed the other two, closer to themselves.

"We've got two minutes until we succumb to the sleeping drought," she whispered to Shaw. He pushed the door open and moved to the bed quickly. Wrong bed it was two guys sleeping together. He used the butt of the gun to butt stroke both of them in the head to knock them out. Turning he rushed to the locked door and kicked it open. It was a male and a female sitting up in the bed, the woman was naked and bruised badly from being repeatedly beaten. The man tried for the pistol next to the bed. Shaw shot him.

"The thunder only happens," Shaw said the first part of the passcode.

"When, it, is, raining." She said in Farsi.

"It's not her!" and he raised his weapon to dispatch her.

"It is her! She just said it in Farsi!"

"She has to say it in English, or I'm going to kill her!"

"When, it, is, raining." She managed to get it out in broken English.

"Put some clothes on!"

"I have no clothes. They took them all, and keep me in here to pleasure the other men." She told them in a dead voice.

Vic slipped off her backpack, she dug around in it for a moment and then produced a set of sweats. "Do you need shoes?" the sound of death asked her.

"Shoes? Yes, I need shoes."

She dug around some more and pulled out a pair of socks and tossed them to her also. Then she pulled out her boots and threw those to her.

" _We have the asset!"_ Vic thought to her bond-mates.

" _We're almost done collecting the data that we want."_ Ced thought back to her.

The asset went to change positions, and that's when Vic saw that she was chained to the bed. They had given her enough chain to get to the bucket on the floor and then to a pail of water to wash her hands. There was no toilet paper provided for her.

"Turn off your night vision goggles or kiss them goodbye," Vic told Shaw. It came out in a deep growling voice.

Vic closed the door to the room, ejected her wand, used a _diffindo_ to cut the chain off the end of the bed, then she moved closer to the woman, and the woman jumped back on the cot with her back against the wall, shaking.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to remove the shackle from your leg, and then I'm going to heal your leg." The deep growling voice from the grave told the asset.

The woman stuck her chained leg out so the thing in the shimmering suit that she could hardly see could cut the chain off. Vic got close to the asset and then cut the lock off of the shackle. The shackle fell off, her leg was free for the first time in over a month. Vic lifted the woman's foot and started heeling her ankle were the leg irons had rubbed the skin off and caused it to bleed, it was red and puffy with an infection.

"Come over here." the deep growling voice told her. "Stand up so I can heel any other wounds you may have." Vic helped her stand up, then she had her turn around, as she saw the different cuts and abrasions from being beaten and sexually assaulted multiple times, she healed them, keeping good control over her own emotions.

As the asset got dressed, Vic looked in the closet and the footlocker. She found a heavy jacket and a stocking cap for her to wear. Vic handed both to the asset. _"Can you meet me outside in a couple of minutes?"_ she thought to Cici.

" _Ced and Winkelmann are finished collecting electronics. I'll be there in a couple of minutes."_

Vic looked at Shaw and the asset, "I'm going to put a bubble of air over your head so you can breathe. If I don't do this, then you will succumb to the poison gas that is outside of this room. Stand still." Then she cast a bubble head charm on all three of them. "Follow me." She commanded.

Carefully she opened the door and checked to make sure that the terrorists were still asleep. Then she pointed for them to go out the front door of the barracks. Cici was there to take the asset.

What the woman saw was another shimmering vision of death from the apocalypse waiting for her outside.

Cici held out her hand to help the woman on to the broom as it floated about a meter off the ground. Cici was ready to go as soon as the asset was on the broom. "Hold on to me if you don't want to fall off." Cici's deep growling voice told her. She wrapped both arms around her as tight as she could.

" _Let's go!"_ Vic yelled through their mental link. _"We've been here too long as it is!"_ she summoned her broom to her. "Get on! Let's go!" she told Shaw.

" _Winkelmann and I are ready! we're right above you now!"_

The three brooms raced out of there as fast as they could urge them to go. They climbed in altitude to about 3,500m to race for the border. As they reached the altitude, they slowed down and looked back in time to see the terrorist base explode. Then they turned and pointed the brooms towards their base. They should be home in two to two and a half hours as fast as they were travelling.

.

As they got closer to their base, the teens reduced altitude to land in the centre of the base. As they got there, they found their base overrun by terrorists. The group assumed a 'V' formation and turned to circle the base. They stayed far enough away that they didn't present a target for anyone that might suspect the heat waves were really people on flying brooms. The blacked-out cargo van was in flames.

" _Did anybody leave anything of value in the barracks_?" Ced thought to his wives.

All he got was no.

He turned and headed away from the overrun base, they landed about 5Km away.

"What do you think happened?" asked Ced.

"I think that somebody leaked information to the terrorists. We were lucky that we went when we did." Winkelmann said to them.

"Can you radio the flight crew and see if they can take off? We can try to rendezvous with them in flight. They're going to have to fly real slow for us to do that though."

Winkelmann walked a ways' off and called the flight crew. He came back to relay the message. "They said that they would be willing to try, but it would take them over two hours to refuel and get in the air."

"Tell them that we will meet them at the end of the runway, have the loading ramp open, we will be there in exactly two hours," Ced told the soldier.

Winkelmann ran off again and relayed the message. When he got back he told them, "They said see you at the end of the runway at 12:00 noon, don't be late!"

Ced was glad that he had adjusted the time on his watch to local time. An hour and a half. He looked around and then conjured a medium sized camouflaged tent for them to rest in. He walked inside carrying his broom, inside the tent, he conjured a table and six chairs. The others joined him. Cici conjured up six glasses of ice water for them while they waited. Vic cast a cooling charm on the whole place as she walked in. The teens chose to keep wearing the wizarding body armour so they wouldn't have to put a blindfold and sound protection on the asset. They figured that she had been through enough already once Vic had shared the memory with them.

With fifteen minutes remaining, they got back on their brooms and headed out. With a flick of her hand, Cici banished the tent and its contents. With three fresh disillusionment charms, they headed for the air force base. When they got there, they found the C-17 taxing to the runway, the loading ramp was open entirely, so they just flew into the cargo hold, just as they crossed the threshold they cancelled all of the spells and charms. They just wanted to go home.

The loadmaster picked up the microphone, "We have three raptors on board. Let's go home." He hung up the microphone and pressed the button to close the ramp.

.

Back at the guest quarters in Britain, Vic flicked her wand, and everything started to pack itself. Ced shrank it all down and put it in his pocket. They said their goodbyes and entered the secret room. A moment later they were walking down the path to the front doors of their home. As they came closer to the front doors, they opened on their own. Charles was there to greet them, "Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter." He said with a bow. "Dinner will be ready at 7:00."

"Thank you, Charles." They said in unison.

Harry, Hermione, Neville, Daphne, and Susy all came rushing to meet them. Cedric scooped up Susy and gave her a big hug. Cici scooped up Kitten for a big hug, and Vic gave Neville a big hug. Harry, Hermione and the teens had a group hug. After all of the hugging and 'we missed you,' Harry led them into the study to get more information. Ced and the girls sat on the couch, one wife on each side with their legs across him and intertwined with each other. Hermione took her customary spot.

"How'd it go?"

"It went well enough. We were successful in all three objectives of the mission." Answered Ced.

"And the asset?"

"The asset was chained to the bed. So, I had to cut her loose. I never took off the mask, so she never got a good look at me or my voice. I had to perform some healing on her, and I gave her a Vitamix potion." Vic explained to Harry.

"How about on the aeroplane ride home?"

"The crew let use one of their sleeping quarters so she wouldn't ever see us," Vic told him.

"You said that there were three objectives?"

"Yes," started Cici, "The third objective was to blow the place up after we left. While Ced and Winkelmann collected the electronic equipment. I went around the compound placing the explosives. Just after we left, we stopped to watch it blow up. I think that there is a bonus for blowing the base up." Cici finished telling him.

"What did McMillan say when you talked to him?"

"Talk to him? We just came home. I didn't know that we needed to talk to him." Ced answered his father looking confused.

"Yes, you need to do a mission debriefing. I guess that we can go see him in the morning. I'll send him an owl."

"Speaking of O.W.L.s, Vic needs to take her O.W.L.s and her N.E.W.T.s," Ced started.

"We want her in the same class as us for this coming school year," Cici told them.

"Can't she take her tests outside of school?" Ced finished.

Hermione and Harry blinked at them, looking all the more like an owl. "I'm sure it can be done," Harry said.

"We'll need to talk to Minerva." Answered Hermione.

"Aren't we going to need to talk to her anyway? About our new situation?" asked Ced.

"That is true, we'll need to do that. I was just hoping to wait until August before we did that," said Harry.

"Speaking of talking," Hermione said changing the subject. "George Jr. came by while you were gone. He said that he wants to plan a wedding for Vic and you two. He said that Vic told him that she would never get a wedding because of your situation, and that made her very sad. Well, it made him sad also, and he wants her to have her wedding. We talked about it, and we agree. It's not going to be a big wedding, but we agreed that you could invite your friends that you trust with your secret." The smile on Hermione's face grew steadily as she told Vic this part.

For Vic, she started to smile, and her eyes got wet with tears of happiness. Ced gave her a kiss, then the two girls did a crunch and kissed each other in an embrace of joy.

"Come on! You three, upstairs! You smell like dirty wet goats!" scolded Hermione, jokingly. "Come on! Get going!" she clapped her hands together for emphasis.

The girls untangled themselves, and all three of them stood up, with Cici in the middle, they all held hands as they left the room. Harry and Hermione shared a kiss of happiness. Also, they let their love flow back and forth between them. Love was in the air, they could feel the love and joy coming off of their son and their daughters-in-law. If love is what powered the soul-bond, theirs was powerful indeed.

The teens were in their shower, taking a long and luxurious shower. The water rationing at the base almost drove them around the bend. They understood the need for it, but that didn't mean that they had to like it. They washed every centimetre of each other, twice. Ced was on his knees in between his wives. They were washing his hair for the second time. With the conditioner in his hair, the water flow paused, they were just running their fingers through his long hair. It had been months since his last haircut. In fact, his previous haircut had been for his first wedding. Both of them were enjoying the feeling of running their fingers through his hair, he just knelt there letting them do it, he could feel the happiness coming from both of them.

"He needs to get his hair cut."

"I know, it's just so soothing to run my fingers through his hair like this."

"I know what you mean, it is kind of sexy."

"You know, seeing all those guys with their crewcuts?"

"Yeah, that was kind of hot too!"

"But I don't know if I want his hair cut that short."

"I don't either. Remember how long his hair was when we first met?"

"Yes." She thought for a minute, her wife saw the memory.

"YES! I like it that length!"

"Then that's how long we'll get it cut!"

"Okay!" then she waved her hand, and the water started flowing again so they could rinse the conditioner out of his hair.

"But I'm going to miss it being this long!" she whined, as she ran her fingers through his hair one last time before getting out of the shower.

"Me too."

.

The house elves went above and beyond, in their preparation of dinner. They even went as far as to have a cake saying "Welcome Home!" the teens had been out of touch for close to a month. It was decided that having owls flying back and forth would attract too much attention, so they didn't even get to write letters home. Hedwig returned just after dinner with a reply letter from Sean McMillan, he said that tomorrow at 08:00, at the guest quarters would be an excellent place to meet for the debriefing.

That night, they got to sleep in their own bed, in their own room, under their own sheets, without fear of someone barging into their room, catching them asleep together. With their mental link fully open, their dreams were shared openly, their fears were dealt with, with love and acceptance. It was the three of them standing together as one.

.

The next morning, it was just the five of them for their morning run. Instead of duelling, they worked hard on strength training and flexibility. They told Harry and Hermione how their 'secret' base had been overrun by terrorists, how they had flown the brooms into the cargo hold of the plane, and gotten out of Iraq as fast as they could.

At 07:50 the three teens walked out of the secret room wearing their military uniforms, no rank, no names, no nothing. Shaw and Winkelmann saw them and came over to talk while they waited for McMillan.

As McMillan walked up to them, Winkelmann told them, "If we ever get a chance to work together again, I'd be honoured to work with you three."

Shaw mirrored the sentiment, they shook hands and left them to McMillan.

Sean shook their hands for a job well done, "Please, follow me and we will go to a secure facility for your debriefing." He led them out to another blacked-out van and sat in the back with them. "And you will be receiving the £75,000 bonus for the successful destruction of the compound. It was verified by drone this morning."

The debriefing was a gruelling process. They went over every single detail from each of their points of view, and then they did it again. They spent a lot of time on their base being overrun by terrorists, and if they had been seen. They reassured him that they had all worn their wizarding body armour and were completely covered up, even their voices had been disguised.

"Well, that goes with what our asset had told us yesterday. She said that it looked as if three of the four horsemen from the apocalypse had come to rescue her. She trembled at the memory. Shaw and Winkelmann separately, both said similar things in their debriefings. Well, thank you again for your service, your money should be deposited into your accounts by the end of the week. Typically, on Friday mornings. Is there anything that I can do for you?"

"Yes, there is. My father would like to get the brooms returned to him."

After a long pause, "Tell him that I will meet him on Monday morning in his London office. It's just down the street from my office."

"Will do! If you ever need our help again, the three of us would be willing to do what we can." Ced told him as he stood up.

"Is there a place here, that we can apparate home from?" asked Vic.

"No, but I can give you a ride back to the guest quarters."

.

They waved goodbye and entered the guest quarters. As they walked to the secret room, they decided to go to Diagon Alley to get Ced's haircut and theirs trimmed. But first, a stop at home to get changed.

" _We need a wedding gown for Vic!"_ Cici thought.

Ced, with the help of his wives, chose a Polo pullover and some tan slacks with some loafers. Cici chose a light brown backless summer dress and her favourite heels. Vic chose a green floral print backless dress with her favourite heels. The girls selected matching earrings and simple chains for necklaces.

As they headed down the stairs, they met Hermione who was going up them.

"Hey mum, we're going to go to Diagon Alley to get our haircut, and start looking for a dress for Vic," Ced told her with the enthusiasm of a teenager.

"Okay, make sure that you get a non-disclosure agreement from whoever you deal with at Madam Malkin's," she warned the teens.

"Okay!" was the unified answer from the boundless energy and enthusiasm headed down the stairs in the form of the first soul-bonded threesome.

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The wedding date was set for two and a half weeks away, for July 17th. George Jr. had been over every single day working tirelessly to make this the most perfect wedding for Vic. It may not be the biggest wedding in history, but he was going to do everything in his limited power to make it the best wedding. If he couldn't have her, he was going to do whatever he could to make sure she was still going to be happy. The guest list would include everyone that was part of Cedric's and Cici's wedding, plus the close group of friends. Anybody that was not of age for the pact to take effect, or who had not sworn an oath of loyalty was strictly off the list. So, if they were under seventeen, and not part of their little group, they were not invited. So, James and Teddy who had not sworn an oath of loyalty weren't coming. Daphne's two friends were not invited. Now he just had to work up the courage to tell her.

.

He asked Draco and Neville for some help with an idea for the venue for the actual ceremony. They were out in the back garden talking about what he wanted and the ideas that they had come up with. What he wanted was for Neville to have roses grow over the top of the structure and become the canopy.

"Okay, I can do that," Neville told him.

"Great! I'll leave you two to it then." And he left.

Draco and Neville started to discuss what they had envisioned for the basic shape of the structure.

"I want it to have seven sides." Said Draco, "Seven is a powerful number, so I think that it should have seven sides."

"Well, I think that the sides should be closed in with the flowers."

"Well, I still think that it should have seven sides."

And the two of them started to argue over seven sides or flowers growing up the sides. They went back and forth, finally waking up the dragons.

Uasal and Car-baun came dragging their tails over to find out what was making these two-legged makes so much noise. Draco and Neville couldn't understand the two grumpy dragons, so they started yelling for Cathaoir.

Cathaoir showed up with Kitten on his back.

"What's wrong with Uasal and Car-baun? They seem angry with us!" Neville asked.

"They are angry with you. You woke them up from their nap!" Kitten told them. "Now they want to know what is so important that you two had to get into an argument."

"I want the venue to have seven sides to it." Said Draco.

"I want the sides to be enclosed with the flowers." Said Neville.

"Uasal doesn't like the idea of the sides being closed off. She thinks that you're excluding her from the ceremony." Daphne translated for them.

Car-baun puffed some smoke. "Car-baun doesn't like the idea of seven sides."

"Why doesn't he like the idea of seven sides?" asked Draco heatedly.

"Why can't she use the entrance like everyone else?" Neville asked hotly.

After about five or six minutes of the heated talking, it turned into yelling, with Draco yelling at Car-baun and Neville yelling at Uasal.

" _I'm going to burn you where you stand two-legged!"_ Car-baun roared at Draco.

"MUM! MUMMY! MUMMY!" Daphne's voice carried through the whole mansion.

Witches and wizards were running from all over the mansion towards the sound of that scream. Ced grabbed Cici and Vic and used _teleportus_ to be the first ones on the scene. Not long after, Harry and Angelica came running through the door followed by Charlie and Hermione, the other teens brought up the rear of the group.

"What's going on?" asked Ced loudly.

" _This two-legged wants to keep me from attending your wedding to your new mate!"_ roared Uasal.

" _This two-legged keep's telling me I'm stupid!"_ roared Car-baun.

Angelica tried to work her way to Uasal to try calming her down, but she was blocked when Car-baun moved into a better position to burn Draco to ashes.

Hermione looked at Draco with that did you really call Car-baun stupid, look on her face.

He got all sheepish looking and nodded yes.

Hermione closed her eyes and dropped her shaking head. She squared off her shoulders and walked between Car-baun and Draco. "Car-baun!" she shouted to be heard over all of the other commotions.

Car-baun fixed his reptilian gaze on her. He knew her, he liked her, but she was between him and his target.

"Car-baun," she said easier, "Draco didn't mean what he said. Sometimes he says things without thinking first."

" _Move, so I can turn this unthinking two-legged to ash!"_

"No, he is willing to apologise sincerely for what he has said."

" _He is laughing at me and shaking his head no."_

Hermione looked over her shoulder, and indeed Draco was shaking his head no.

"Burn him where he stands!" Hermione looked at Draco as she said it. "I'll send the ashes home to his wife."

"What? Why?"

"Because Car-baun says that you're laughing at him and shaking your head no."

Car-baun was starting to take in a large breath of air, getting ready to turn Draco into ash.

"It's nervous laughter! I can't help it! And I was shaking my head no because I don't want him to burn me to death! I'm sorry for calling you stupid!" Draco told them.

Car-baun held his breath for a moment, then he let it out slowly.

"Draco, why don't you go inside and work on your project in there for now. Maybe go buy him a cow as a gift to say you're sorry?"

"Car-baun!" a small voice said excitedly. Car-baun's large head swung around to view the one he had bonded to. "Can I go for a ride?"

Cici moved over to pick up Susy.

Car-baun said, _"Yes if it is okay with your parents and Cecilia goes with us too."_

"Mummy! Can Cici and I go for a ride on Car-baun?"

"It's okay with me if it's okay with Cici."

Charlie conjured a couple of rider's saddles for them and helped Cici into her saddle. He made sure that both of them were strapped in safely.

Car-baun walked out of the pack of humans and then took to the air swiftly.

One down and one to go. Thought Hermione.

" _But, you look so beautiful when you do it!"_ Harry thought to her.

Harry looked down to see Charles standing there. Then he remembered something that he had not followed up on. "Charles, did the mansion ever get warded against dragon fire?"

"No, my Lord. The goblins say that it can't be done. They said that you should not be keeping dragons as pets."

"Okay, thank you."

"Sucks to be you, pup."

"Sirius! You, old dog!"

Hermione got over to where Ced was talking with Uasal and Neville. She was surprised that they had worked out a compromise of having the flowers grow up around the support posts and leaving the sides open so she could see the ceremony.

Vic worked her way over to her bond-mate since the other one had taken off with the dragon and Susy.

"Uasal, do you remember Vic?" asked Ced.

" _Yes, I remember her as Vicky. She is now your new mate."_

"Would you be willing to give her a ride?"

" _Yes, I would."_ And Angelica conjured her a saddle and helped her climb on the dragon. Uasal walked some ways off, and then took to the air with her huge mighty wings.

"Thank you Uasal!" Vic told her.

" _You are most welcome Vicky. I am glad that you are able to understand me."_

They flew around for a long while, Uasal wasn't hungry, so she didn't hunt. They flew all the way over to the far corner of the Potter estate, where the House Elf village was. Vic commented to Uasal, "That's actually a fairly large town!"

" _Yes, it is. When we are here, Car-baun and I keep a watch over it. The House Elves have been good to us also."_

"Thank you again Uasal!"

" _We need to head back now. I need to check up on the one called Neville, to make sure that he is doing what he said he would do. The other one needs to stay away from us, he insulted my offspring, and he should pay dearly for that mistake."_

"I will make sure that I tell him that. Sometimes, humans say things without thinking."

" _Then they should learn to think before they speak. If Car-baun did not respect Hermione as much as he does, then he would have burned her too."_

When they got back to the mansion, they landed with a soft thud and walked over to where Neville had started erecting the framework for the wedding venue. Vic slipped out of the saddle as Angelica walked over to remove it.

"She wants to make sure that Neville is doing what he said he was going to do." She said it loud enough for Neville to hear. "She also said that Draco should stay away from them for a while. They're pretty mad about him insulting Car-baun. I guess that he should make that two cows, not just the one!" she was proud of herself, she managed to say that without snickering.

Angelica removed the saddle from Uasal's neck. _"Thank you, Angelica."_

"You're welcome. Was it a pleasant flight?

" _Yes, Vicky was pleasant company."_

"You can understand her?" a shocked Vic asked her.

"Yes, Harry made me a bracelet like the one he gave to Charlie." She said holding her wrist up in the air for her to see.

.

Finally, it was the day of the wedding. Hermione had refused to let Cici or Ced see Vic. So Cici was standing at the podium with Ced, in her wedding dress that she had worn less than a year ago. Ced was dressed in the tuxedo that he had worn for his first marriage. In essence, Cici was the first bridesmaid and a bride at the same time. Rose and Angel were the two other bridesmaids. Ced's first best man was George and then Fred. George held Vic's wedding band. They all stood up there waiting for the wedding march to begin. The venue was seven-sided, with the sides open for the dragons to watch. The flowers had filled in over the top to protect them from the sun. They climbed up the support poles and formed lovely arches that Neville had wanted. The flowers were a variety of colours that reflected the colour of the wedding party's eyes. There were light brown roses, chocolate brown roses and green roses all growing together to become one. There was a backdrop of white roses, red roses, and pink ones.

The orchestra switched from background music to the wedding march getting everyone's attention. All of the guests stood up to see the bride. Harry was beaming as he walked his daughter down the aisle. He never thought that when he adopted her, that he would be giving her away this soon, or in this way, but here he was, and he couldn't be prouder of the woman that she was becoming. Vic, dressed in the wedding gown that she, Hermione, and Angelica had selected was positively glowing. It was a white dress, with multicoloured piping and stitching to match the different colours of their eyes, although, by now, their eyes had picked up flecks of the different eye colours. Vic's eyes were no longer just a light brown, but they now had flecks of dark brown to match Cici's eyes, and there were traces of green in her eyes also. She wore white gloves, and Daphne was holding her train as Susy walked in front of her throwing multicoloured rose petals.

The guest list was less than fifty people and no more. There was only the adult Greengrass, the adult Blacks, and the Bones'. After much discussion, they allowed Fred Jr. to bring Julia, as he had argued, she did swear an oath of loyalty to the Potter family. Mask was presiding over the wedding, Charlie Weasley, Angelica Ramos were there, George and Angelina Weasley, the Lupin's, Professors McGonagall and Vector, and all of the house elves that wished to attend.

The ceremony was sweet, it was more than a reenactment of what they had done when they were first bonded. When it came time for the ring ceremony, George had tears in his eyes as he handed the ring to Ced, both Cici and Ced, together placed the ring on Vic's finger for all to see. Mask told them they could kiss the bride, then they shared a three-way kiss, a kiss where all three of them touched lips at the same time, not first one then the other, but all at the same time. When they turned to the group of family and friends, Mask introduced them as Mister and Missuses Potter. The wedding photographer's flashes catching all of it.

When it came time for the bridal bouquet toss, both brides tossed their bouquets. With their backs turned, they threw them high into the air behind them. They guys watched as they sailed through the air headed for all the single ladies. Some of the guys were more apprehensive than the others, as they watched the ever so slow descent of the flowers towards some lucky young lady. Angelica caught Cici's bouquet, while Julia caught Vic's bouquet. As Angelica caught the bouquet, Charlie knew that his time as a bachelor was finished, but he knew that he would never find a better mate for him than the one he currently had. Fred watched excitedly as Julia caught Vic's bouquet, he took a lot of good-natured ribbing from his uncles as he stood there with a smile on his face.

.

The group retreated indoors to the formal dining room that had been cleared out for the reception.

Harry stood up to give the first toast, "When we first adopted Vic, I thought that I was gaining a wonderful daughter. When we performed the adoption ceremony, and it triggered a soul-bonding between the three of them. Well, I couldn't be more proud to have her as my daughter-in-law! Congratulations you three!" There was much cheering and clapping from the audience in agreement with Harry's toasting of the threesome. He had also explained to them all, how this had come to be.

When Professor McGonagall approached to congratulate the happy threesome, she mentioned to Cici that a new student would be starting in their year. She was an American like herself, her name was Amber Davis, she had been sorted into Gryffindor, and she hoped that Cici would be able to show her around for a few days. They all agreed wholeheartedly to do their best to make her feel welcome. Professor Vector congratulated them, though less enthusiastically than Minerva had. It seemed as if she was wondering about the sleeping arrangements in the married quarters. There had been plenty enough trouble with the students thinking that Ced was getting special privileges, but what would they think now?

The wedding party left to change into less formal attire for the dinner and the dancing. They had agreed that Ced would dance with Vic first, while Harry danced with Cici, the choreographed dance had a spot in it where Ced and Harry would switch partners without breaking step. It was a complicated manoeuvre that they had practised several times until it looked like magic, the switch from one dance partner to the other, and when they successfully completed the switch, the audience clapped enthusiastically. For their dancing dresses, the girls had chosen white dresses with red trim, ruby necklaces and earrings, and red heels, Vic had opted to wear a red belt to accent her small waist, while Cici's dress was shorter to show off her long legs. Ced was wearing a white button-up shirt with black slacks and shoes to match. Once the first dance was over, the brides' dance cards filled up fast. Vic took George as her first partner to thank him for giving her the wedding she thought she would never have, because they had danced so much together, they moved like a graceful couple around the dance floor.

At the end of the evening, the happy threesome and their parents stood at the door thanking the guests for attending, as the last guest left, they closed the doors for the night. Angelica, had gotten to see her daughter get married twice in less than a year, and she knew that her wedding was coming, just not when, left to go upstairs to her room. Harry asked the three of them to join him and Hermione in the study.

"Hermione and I would like to give the three of you our wedding present." He started. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out three small, identical triangular shaped pieces of gold coloured plastic. Nothing that would draw attention to itself. "Here, we would like you to have these."

When the teens looked down at what he had given them, they looked up confused.

"They're international portkeys that have had the trace removed from them. Maco and two other house elves are waiting for you. Go, have fun! Be back in two weeks! Your testing starts on the twenty-sixth," he told them.

They gave them a huge hug and thanked them. The girls dropped their portkeys into their cleavage and grabbed a corner of the triangle, with the familiar pull behind their navels they were gone.

.

.

.

 **A/N: Thank you to all!**

 **Revised again 01.02.2019**


	24. Year Four Chapter 24

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 24

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.

The kids got a spectacular view as they descended on the large white house situated on a beach. It was much later here than in England, they noticed as they landed with experience. Most people, the first couple of times they travel by portkey, fall into a miserable mess and have to pick themselves up and dust themselves off. The teens had plenty of experience, and the training not to fall. As they walked up to the front doors of the house, the weather was warm and humid, the sky was mostly clear, with a good view of the stars and moon. They opened the gate and walked down the stone path to the large wooden doors. As they got closer to the doors they opened automatically to them, Maco and two other house elves were there to greet them.

"Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter." She said as all three elves bowed deeply to them.

"Home?" asked Ced.

"Yes, my Lord. This house is a gift from your parents to you and your mates."

"Thank you, Maco." Then he approached the other two-house elves. "Hello, my name is Cedric, this is Cici and Vic." Then he stuck his hand out to shake the tiny hands of the elves.

"My name my Lord is Lucy. It is a pleasure to serve." She said with a bow.

He looked at the last elf, "My name is Leo, my Lord. It is a pleasure to serve." He said with a bow.

The two Ladies of the House greeted the elves and thanked them for their service.

Vic looked at Lucy, "Lucy, are you 'my' house elf?"

"If it pleases my Lady then yes, I would like to be your elf." She said with a smile.

"I would like that, thank you, Lucy."

"Are you here for me Leo?" asked Ced.

"If it pleases my Lord, then yes."

"So, Maco, I guess that means that you and I are still together, I like that."

"If it pleases my Lady, then I like it also." She said with a smile and a bow. She had heard the rumours about Cici's bravery, and her skills as a warrior.

"Leo, would you please show us to the Master's quarters?" asked Ced. "I think that I would like to look around more in the morning."

"It seems to be quite late where ever we are." Commented Cici.

" _It seems to favour the house in the bottle."_ Vic thought to them.

The floors of the house seemed to be polished marble throughout the house. The portraits all looked to be asleep at this late hour. The walls were a mixture of painted plaster with wood accents. The doors, all polished wood with gold fixtures. As they walked up the curved staircase to the mezzanine, their room was the enclosed portion of the floor. Leo opened the double doors to the master bedroom, it too was finished in white, the furniture was polished black walnut, the throw rugs were multicoloured.

"Thank you, Leo. Have a pleasant night." Ced wished the house elf.

There was a private water closet, a large walk-in shower, and a huge tub. The sliding glass doors at the back of the bedroom opened on to a full-length deck that overlooked the beach and the water, two staircases led down to the beach, one on each end of the deck. The air here was colder than the air in the house, signalling to them that this was reality and not a perfect simulation. In the far distance, they could see the lights of a city. What city was that though? The water was black as black could be, but they could see the stars reflecting off the surface. They could look at the waves washing up onto the beach. For this first night, they decided to sleep with the doors closed. They chose to close the curtains also, to provide themselves with some privacy. On one of the walls were closets, two walk-in closets, and a built-in chest of drawers, in the middle was a standard closet. Next to the bed on the third wall was a double mirrored dresser with two chairs. The dresser was on the restroom side of the bed. This would make it easier when Ced would brush his wives' hair for them after a shower. Vic walked over to one of the walk-in closets, opened the door to find all of Cici's clothes, Cici, on the other hand, opened the other walk-in closet and saw all of Vic's clothes. Ced opened the closet between the two walk-ins and saw all of his clothes hanging neatly.

Ced checked his watch and saw that it was just past midnight back in England. "We need to get our showers, it's late, and I know that it's even later here."

Cici checked her watch also, "Oh wow! It is late!"

When they had taken Vic out shopping for jewellery, the second-hand jewellery shop had just brought in a Ladies Submariner dive watch in solid gold to match Ced's and Cici's watches. He explained that he could have the bezel and the face of the watch replaced to match Cici's watch. The owner told them that it would take less than a week, five days at the most. So Ced and Cici bought it for her as an early wedding present. They went around to the same jewellery shops shopping for jewellery for Vic. She had as much to learn as they did the first time they went jewellery shopping; the last stop was the same shop that his grandparents had taken them to, for the jewellery box. The Jewelry boxes now stood on the ends of the double dresser.

The newlyweds stripped out of their clothing and tossed the dresses on the bed, the rest went into a laundry hamper in the bathroom. Inside the shower, they found all of their bath products waiting for them. The floor in the bathroom wasn't polished stone but left more natural, Ced figured it was probably so they wouldn't slip coming out of the shower or the tub. They stepped into a beautiful warm stream of water flowing from two different shower heads, the shower was large enough that you could step out of the stream of water while you soaped yourself up and then back in to rinse off. They helped each other soap up, rinse off, and wash their hair. After they had exited the shower and dried themselves off, including their hair, the two girls jumped on Ced, one on each hip and with an arm under each bum, he carried them to bed. Vic rolled across the bed, the Ced climbed in, and then Cici assumed her position laying on Ced's side. With everyone in place, kisses were exchanged, and this is one of the rare times that the girls would kiss each other on the lips, it was a kiss goodnight. Laying there, they opened their minds to their spouses fully, they closed their eyes as they waited for sleep to overtake them.

.

True to Ced's word, he woke up right in time to start their morning routine. "Mi Amor, Mon Amour, it's time to get up."

It was as if they were sharing their thoughts, "Just five more minutes." They said sleepily.

They did move and let him slip out from between them. Then they moved closer together and snuggled. Ced found the water closet and made use of it. When he exited the water closet, he found a naked Cici waiting her turn. He kissed her good morning as they exchanged places. He headed for the restroom where he found Vic in sports bra and panties, brushing her teeth. She rinsed her mouth and kissed him good morning, then he was able to brush his teeth. Vic left the restroom to use the water closet just as Cici dressed in her workout clothes was exiting, they exchanged good morning kisses and traded places. Ced walked over to the made bed and found his clothes laid out for him. As he was finishing with his trainers, Cici and Vic were joining him. They opened the curtains entirely, then one of the sliding glass doors to step out into the fresh morning salt air. Holding hands, they walked down to the beach and picked a direction to start a slow run so they wouldn't blow out an ankle in the soft sand. As they got closer to the water, the sand got firmer, and they were able to start running at a faster pace. They ran for about twenty minutes in the same direction and didn't see any other houses on the island. They turned around and headed back to their house. It was now up to them to make it a home. At this point, they really didn't see themselves moving in here permanently. It could be a summer vacation home until they got older maybe, they could spend a week here during the Christmas holidays. The Potter mansion was their permanent home when they weren't at Hogwarts.

When they got back to the beach house. The trio started exploring the ground floor, they found a training room, with a weight room off to one side, a potions lab, with several bookshelves of potions books, much to Cici and Vic's delight. They found a large formal dining room and a smaller dining room. They discovered the kitchen, it was a place that Ced could work on cooking meals for his wives, there was a study, and a well-stocked library, the foyer and a formal living room. The windows at the front of the house stretched up two stories facing a well-manicured front garden. From this level, they couldn't see past the front wall and the gate that they had entered through last night. They climbed the stairs to the third floor. There they found several guest rooms with individual restrooms. The rooms on the beach side of the house had a deck overlooking the beach and the rooms on the front of the house had a balcony looking past the wall at the front of the house with the gate that they had entered through. As far as they could see, they were the only occupants of this island.

They went back down to their room to take their morning shower. This time, there was no reason to rush in the shower. Ced and Cici decided to show Vic just how much she meant to them. Ced started to help Vic take her sweat-soaked workout clothes off. The first thing he did was to help her pull the top off over her head when it had cleared her mouth, he stopped pulling knowing that her arms were pinned inside the fabric. He began licking the salt from the tops of her breasts, then he worked his way up her neck to the bottom of her jaw, working around the nape of her neck, he alternately kissed and licked the salt off of her. He moved back up over her jaw to her lips, where he kissed her fully on her lips, their tongues touching ever so lovingly. Cici helped him take her top off the rest of the way. He then focused his attention to the tops of her breasts, he unclasped the front closing sports bra, freeing her ample breasts from their confinement, her nipples upon hitting the colder air in the room, pebbled immediately. Cici was in a similar state of undress. As Ced kissed his way down her torso, he and Cici removed her pants, knickers, and shoes all as one item, leaving only her socks to remove. After removing her socks, he kissed and rubbed his way back up to her lips. Vic's sensitive skin caused her to start trembling, Ced scooped his trembling wife into his arms and carried her bridal style to the shower. Cici had shed her own clothes also and had the shower running. Quickly, Ced removed his clothes and joined them in the shower. He summoned the liquid body soap to him and poured a generous amount into his hand, he then began to wash her, starting with one well-toned leg and working his way down to her feet then back up the other leg. She spread her legs without being prompted so his large hands could slide effortlessly between her thighs. As he washed her legs, he used a _diffindo_ spell on his hands to remove any stubble that may have developed. He brushed her sensitive skin of her nether region with his big hands, eliciting a low moan from her. Vic's shaking had increased to the point that Cici was standing behind her to catch her when she peaked. With more soap, he began washing her small waist, at this point he and Cici opened their minds fully so the love they had for Vic could flood through and help push her over the edge. As he washed her torso he washed her armpits removing any stubble that may have grown, then he massaged her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples sending intense shivers through her body. Vic's sensitivity had begun to affect Cici. He washed her back from the front, pressing his hard body against hers', kissing her intently, then he caressed her neck with his soapy hands. After he separated from her, he slid his hand down to her over stimulated nether region and washed her there using the _diffindo_ spell to remove any hair that had started to grown. As his large hand slipped between her thighs again, Vic very vocally peaked, her body going into convulsions as she collapsed back into Cici's waiting arms.

As Vic recovered from cresting her wave, strength returned to her legs and she was able to stand on her own. Unsteadily she turned to help Ced start to bath her wife. Again, with copious amounts of liquid soap, he used a _diffindo_ spell as he washed Cici's long toned legs removing any stubble. He went down the one leg and up the other, she too, spread her legs so his large hands could easily slide between her sensitive thighs, as he brushed her shaved nether region, she began to shake. All of the feelings and emotions that she had sensed from Vic had started her towards her own peaking. With more soap, he washed her waist and her torso, after he got her armpits for any stubble there, he came back and massaged her ample breasts, eliciting a hardening of her tender nipples. As he kissed her, he hugged her tightly while he washed her back, he separated from her so he could wash her neck with both of his hands. He then moved his hand down to her aching nether region and rubbed her there to remove any stubble that may have developed. This action pushed her over the top of her peak, and she too, voiced her pleasure loudly as her body quivered uncontrollably. As she collapsed, Vic caught her so she wouldn't get hurt. As Cici recovered from her climax, Ced quickly washed his own body. Just as he finished washing, his wives decided that they would help him with any 'needs' that he may have. Cici took his left side, and Vic took his right side so they could support him when the need arose. After washing their hair and rinsing off thoroughly, they exited the shower much happier and much, much later than they had gone in.

As they walked into the bedroom, Cici summoned a black t-back bikini bottom and a pair of water socks to herself and then she looked at Vic to see if she would follow suit. Vic opted for a white t-back bikini and some water socks, then summoned a small men's bathing suit and some water socks for Ced. They headed downstairs to the potions room, skipping breakfast, to look for some sunblock potion. They were in the real sun now, not the sun that Ade and Edmund provided for them. After downing the sunblock potion, they headed out to the beach to walk in the opposite direction that they had gone for their run. Walking hand in hand, fingers interlaced they went to explore their island. The gentle sea breeze fluffing out the girls' hair, they walked along looking at all of the seashells laying on the firmer sand. The sandpipers running up and down the wet sand looking for a meal, the seagulls squawking overhead, as they passed through their territory. They watched as the waves washed ashore, wetting their feet. They came across a cove that was protected from the waves and view from anyone that was not on the beach with them. It was here that they decided to go for a swim. They cast a bubble head charm on themselves, and they could dive under the water. The cove was teaming with fish and other sea creatures crawling across the floor of the bay. With the charm, they could stay under as long as they liked or until they ran out of air, of course. They were fascinated with all of the multicoloured fish. They watched as starfish crawled across the sea floor, and then as a school of fish swam past them. They got out of the water and walked back up to the beach, excited at what they had seen. They continued on down the beach discussing the different sea creatures, as they rounded a bend in the beach, the waves became larger and washed farther up the sand. They could see a ship far out to sea. They decided, that for a private island, that it was very large and would take more than a week to explore. It may even take more than a month to explore fully. Other than ships out at sea, they saw no other indication of human habitation.

Back home, they rinsed off at the outdoor shower, in the few hours in the sun, Cici's darker skin had gotten darker, she had already developed a tan line from her tiny bikini bottoms, no such luck for Ced or Vic. For the afternoon, they snuggled up on a couch and read a book, well, Ced read the book, and the girls listened to him telepathically. Just before dinner, they all got up and stretched, they migrated to the study where they found a full-length mirror hanging on the wall, it looked just like the one in the married quarters at school. He decided not to activate the communications mirror, none of them had enough clothes on to be comfortable talking to his parents. Looking around the study some more, Ced found a good-sized telescope.

" _Hum, I wonder if there is away up on to the roof?"_ he thought.

" _I didn't see one on the inside of the house."_

" _Maybe on the outside of the house, there's a set of stairs."_

They slipped their water socks back on and went out the front door of the house. On the east and west facing sides of the house, they found stairs leading up to the roof! On the roof, they could see really far! Ced left the girls on the roof while he rushed back down the stairs for the telescope excitedly. Back on the roof, the girls looked around and found some chairs and a table that had an umbrella in the centre, they found an outdoor bar that had a sink and cold box. There was an outdoor grill, they decided that the whole thing was an outdoor kitchen for entertaining, it even had a Wizarding Wireless, that they turned on. Ced came back to the roof with the telescope and got it set up. The girls told him that they thought that they were off the coast of Greece because the radio host was speaking Greek, the music was a little different than back home also. Ced pointed the telescope in the direction they had seen the lights last night.

"Ah! look at this!" He almost shouted in his excitement.

He had to lower the telescope so his wives could look through it. He had gotten used to them wearing heels that made them almost as tall as he was. But now that they're wearing flat shoes, he needed to make adjustments for them.

The girls looked through the telescope at the city on the coast of the foreign country.

" _What do you think we are…"_

" _Maybe thirty kilometres away?"_

" _I don't know?"_

" _Do we want to try and go there tomorrow?"_

" _Where would we apparate to?"_

" _Good point. What if we do it at night and hope that no one sees us?"_

Okay was the consensual answer.

They got off the roof and went to change for dinner. While Ced prepared dinner, the girls went back to the library and read some more. He transfigured the small dining room table into a round table with three chairs. He figured that if they ever had a need, he could always return it to its original condition.

The girls complained about dinner, they said that he was trying to make them fat because it tasted so good!

After dinner, they used the communications mirror to talk to Harry and Hermione.

"Hi, mum! hi dad!"

"Hi, son! Hi Cici, hi Vic!" his parents said. They were in Harry's study in their room using the communications mirror there.

"Thank you for the wonderful gift!" Cici told them.

"Are you enjoying it?"

"Yes! It's marvellous!" said Vic.

"There's so much to do and see here!" Cici told them excitedly.

"Where are we exactly?" asked Ced

"It's a private island off the coast of Greece. It's been in the family for hundreds of years, so it did take a bit of fixing up when your mum and I went to check it out. It looked like no one had been there in close to a hundred years. I know that until we went that first time, that I had never been there. When your mum checked on the wards, they were almost fully depleted. Our magic restored the wards. But she found that there are also muggle repelling wards which are normal. It also has unplottable wards and very powerful notice-me-not enchantments on it. From any distance, it looks to be an uninhabitable rock of an island."

"Can we go into the city that we can see from here?" asked Cici.

"Yes, the apparition point for the city is in a back alley that doesn't get used. It has a small wizarding population that blends in with the muggles."

"Great! We're going to go and check it out!"

"Thank you again!" said Vic.

"You shouldn't be thanking us, you should be thanking George Jr. If it wasn't for him coming to us while you were away, wanting to give you a wedding. Well, we would never have gone looking for it. But because of his enthusiasm, we found the portkeys for it in one of the family vaults and went to check it out."

"Ced's father, has never seen a need, to figure out, just how many different properties that the family really does own. Sirius says that the Potter family owns a lot of different properties around the world. He has tried to get Harry to go and check on them, but until now, Harry hasn't seen a need to do that."

"But seeing the condition of that house, if it wasn't so well built out of durable materials, it could have been a lot worse than it was," Harry said.

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Vic and Cici said together. They had visions of being globetrotters, travelling around the world and staying in different countries and then moving on.

They chatted a little more, then the teens said goodnight, it was getting late for them. They were starting to feel some "portkey lag."

It was a couple of days later that they got dressed in casual muggle clothing and apparated into the city that they could see. When the coast was clear, they stepped out of the alley and made a note of where it was. They explored the small city, a village would be a more accurate term, it was only about eight streets by eight streets, and found a pleasant outdoor café. After looking over the menu, which they couldn't read, they asked the waitress what she would recommend for first-time visitors to Greece. She brought them something that she called a "gyro" only when she said the word it came out "euro." It was delicious, they paid for their meal and walked around the village some more. They looked in the different shops, but not being a tourist town there really wasn't much for them to do.

Back in their home, the girls shed their clothing and put on some bikini bottoms again, picked up a book and started to read while the others listened in. It really was a great way to read a book and then be able to have a discussion about it. Also, it would free up Ced to fix dinner, he went looking in the library for a Greek cookbook and found one, looking through the recipes he found one that he like and they had ingredients for.

"Cooking a meal is kind of like brewing a potion. You need to have all of the ingredients and follow the instructions." He told them.

.

After two weeks of laying around in the sun, Cici had gotten very dark, Ced and Vic, well, if it weren't for tan lines, you would never know. They packed up their things, locked up the house, checked on the wards, cast some protection and anti-deterioration charms, told the elves that they would see them back at the Potter mansion, then they portkeyed home to England.

Quickly, Vic cast water repelling charms on them as they walked through the rain to the front doors of the mansion. Thankfully, Charles opened the doors for them as they approached.

"Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter," Charles said with a bow.

"Thank you, Charles. It's good to be home, I think." Ced told him as he glanced at the weather outside.

"Your father is in his study and your mother is in surgery." He informed them.

"Thank you, Charles! It's good to see you again!" the girls told him in unison.

As they left the foyer, Charles went one way, and they headed up the stairs to their room. When they entered their room, they found that it had been remodelled to mirror the room they had in the beach house, minus the balcony overlooking a warm, inviting beach. They put their clothes away with a flick of their hands. Then they headed to Harry's study.

"Hey, dad!"

"Hi Harry!" the girls were starting to sound like twins.

Harry drew them into a huge embrace, he really had missed them. They had been gone most of the summer, and he wasn't used to that.

He looked at Cici, "WOW! You got dark!"

You couldn't even tell that she was blushing at the comment, she had gotten so dark.

"Well, if you want to have your friends over for a small party you can. But don't forget, Vic has tests tomorrow."

"Okay! Thank you!"

"Tell them to wear their dancing shoes!" Cici told Ced as the girls went to change again. Even with all of this changing of clothes, they held to the rule of not making any extra work for the house elves than absolutely necessary.

Ced headed down the stairs to floo call their friends, he told them to wear their dancing shoes. He told Fred that he could bring Julia too.

They all showed up within an hour, and soon the mansion was filled with waltzes and tango music. Both Cici and Vic greeted George with a kiss to say thank you again. All of their friends were amazed that Cici had gotten so dark. Standing next to George or Fred, they could see that Ced had gained a slight tan, but Cici? WOW! Plus, the fact that she was wearing a white dress to emphasise it only made her look even darker. Vic was wearing a bright yellow dress that helped to show her tan, she had accented the dress with a turquoise belt, heels, and jewellery. As they danced the girls had noticed that Julia was getting better, she seemed to be more fit also.

"I've been helping her with a morning exercise routine. Would it be okay if she joins us tomorrow morning for our run?" Fred asked hopefully.

"Sure, I don't see why not," Ced told him as he glanced at his wives. They nodded back.

Soon the girls had gone over to a couch, and they were talking about the honeymoon.

"So, what's it like to share one guy?" Julia asked cattily.

If looks could kill. "We don't kiss and tell," Cici told her icily.

"We don't talk about things like that," Vic told her, with butter wouldn't even melt in my mouth right now tone.

Ced picked up on the coldness of his wives and excused himself from the discussion that the guys were having.

"Is everything okay over here ladies?" he asked.

"Everything is just fine babe. Just a little misunderstanding, that's all." Cici said, a smile as radiant as the sun.

When he looked at Vic, "It's all okay now. Just a little faux pas." she told him with a smile that would melt a heart of stone.

After Ced had left, Julia said, "I'm sorry, that's was rude of me. It's just how some of the girls in Slytherin talk." She looked down at the floor, ashamed of what she had said.

"It's all better now, it's in the past," Cici told her.

"Let's go dancing!" Vic told them. She looked over at the guys that were still talking about something, and said loudly, "Somebody put some music on! I want to go dancing!"

Fred came over to take Julia. He wanted to know what had been said.

George asked Vic to dance. And Ced asked Angel. Cici knew that she had not been slighted and that there was no disrespect.

"So, how did you get so dark?" Rose asked her.

"I laid out on the beach every morning after our morning routine, in a micro bikini bottom. Nothing else. See?" and she pulled her dress to the side a little, to show her that she didn't have a tan line on her breast.

"Oh, my Godric! That's so brave of you!" she whispered as she covered her gaping mouth. Her eyes are as wide as saucers.

They stood up, and Cici looked over her shoulder to make sure that no one was looking. Then she lifted the side of her dress up and flipped the waistband of her knickers down to show her that there was no tan line there too. As soon as she had done it, she covered up.

Rose covered her mouth, said, "OH!" and gave a soft muffled giggle. She turned as red as her hair as she stood there giggling with Cici.

" _What are you two giggling about over there?"_ Vic thought to her wife.

" _I was just showing her that I don't have any tan lines!"_

" _Oh, you little tramp! Am I going to have to spank you tonight?"_

" _Oh, please baby, please! I've been a bad girl!"_

About this point in the dance Ced tripped. Angel picked up on this quickly, because Ced never trips when he's dancing, not in all the months that she has danced with him has this ever occurred. Angel wasn't the only one to see Ced trip, his wives saw him trip also, and they started to laugh.

" _This will teach him to eavesdrop on our conversations!"_

"I think that we need to stop before I start stepping on your feet," Ced told Angel with mirth in his voice.

Vic and Julia finished out their dances.

Fred walked over to Rose and asked her, "What are you blushing for?"

Then the three girls burst out into full-on laughter. Cici had filled her in on what Vic had said to her. Rose collapsed back onto the couch unable to stand anymore, her arms were wrapped around her ribs. By the time they were done laughing, their faces hurt from it.

They all went upstairs to freshen up for dinner where Cici moved her dress to the side, and then lifted the bottom of her dress and rolled the waistband of her knickers down to show the other girls that she honestly didn't have any tan lines. Vic put her arm next to Cici's to show them how dark Cici really was. The other girls did the same thing, they were all shocked at how dark she looked next to them. They did the same to Vic, and it made Vic feel good about her little tan. Vic's tan made her look dark next to Angel, and really dark next to Rose. Rose's skin was about the colour of milk compared to the newlyweds. Julia was staying quiet still feeling guilty about her comment, she also realised that these kids moved in a much higher social circle than what she had been growing up in. In a lot of ways, they were just like her, in the critical ways, her parents had not taught her the skills to move comfortably in these social circles, hence, her faux pas.

At dinner that night, it was a pleasant and lively affair. George had managed to get his knuckles whacked at least once for talking with food in his mouth. Julia, on the other hand, had to be saved by Cici asking Charles to be gentler with her. Charles nodded his assent, and Cici mouthed thank you to him.

"What's the old house elf's problem anyhow?"

"Charles is a real stickler for manners, and please, do not refer to him as 'that old house elf,' his name is Charles, and I have just saved you about thirty minutes of pain. Now, you know of course that talking with food in your mouth is considered rude, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then stop doing it. Nobody wants to see the food in your mouth. Take smaller bites." Cici told her. It's like trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, she thought.

" _I wasn't even that bad!"_

" _I love you, Little One."_

" _I love you, Dark One."_

With some more coaching, Julia made it through dinner with minimal problems.

As they left that night, they all agreed to meet in the morning for their usual routine. Fred told them that he was going to bring Julia so she could start to get faster, he had helped her get to where she could walk for an hour, but they had not tried running for just thirty minutes.

After everyone was gone, the two wives and their husband started to walk up the stairs.

"Vic!" Harry called out to her.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to be ready for tomorrow?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, tomorrow at 9:00, in the study."

"Okay! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight you three!"

"Goodnight!" the other two called out.

They finished the climb to their room, "Do you want to spend some time in the house to practice for the tests?" asked Ced.

"No, it hadn't been that long, just over a month." She told them.

"Wana soak in the tub instead?" asked Cici.

"Couple of butterbeers?" she asked.

"Sounds good to me!" she replied.

"Leo?" Ced called.

A soft pop, "Yes, my Lord?" he said with a bow.

"Would you please bring us six butterbeers?"

"Yes, my Lord." Pop, a pause then, pop, he was back with six butterbeers.

"Thank you, Leo."

"It is a pleasure to serve." Pop.

Vic had started filling the tub, as Ced asked for the butterbeers. After Leo was gone, they started helping each other get undressed. Ced locked the bedroom door and cast the privacy spells, both of his wives could get pretty vocal about their pleasure. Cici turned off the lights, and their eyes adjusted to the stormy scene happening outside of their room. The lightning streaking across the sky, lighting everything as it went. The rain falling in sheets, carried by the wind. They sat there cuddled together, in their warm cocoon of water, sipping their beers. They talked to each other through their feelings and emotions, this is one of those times when they truly appreciated their mental link, they didn't need to say anything, they could just be.

.

Ced awoke sometime after the storm had spent its ferocity and it was just now raining softly. He turned and lifted Cici into his arms and then stood up with her, she moaned softly into his embrace. He stepped out of the tub and dried them both off, he dried her hair and put it into a braided ponytail. He carried her to her side of the bed and gently laid her there. He went back to get his other wife, he scooped her up into his arms and cradled her there, she awoke just long enough to start the tub to draining and give Ced a kiss. He dried them off and dried her hair, putting it into a braided ponytail also. He carried her to her side of the bed, then he crawled up between them, as soon as he was settled, his wives took their respective positions across him. He kissed them both, and they slept with their minds linked fully, sharing everything and hiding nothing from themselves.

Ced woke up right on schedule, "Mi Amor, Mon Amour, time to get up." He told them softly. Their standard reply of five minutes greeted him, but they allowed him to slip out from between them. And as usual, the two girls cuddled together while he headed to the water closet. Cici was waiting for him with a kiss, he went to brush his teeth, and Vic was finishing hers, he received his good morning kiss from her, the bed was made, his clothes laid out for him, his wives kissed as they passed each other, all was normal in their world.

They greeted everyone downstairs and headed out for their morning run. Uasal and Car-baun were up headed out for an early breakfast, they all exchanged greetings except for Julia, who was both amazed and scared that she was going to be their breakfast.

Hermione set a comfortable pace, knowing that Julia was new. Julia did pretty well, only walking the last 200m, when they were all together again, they moved inside to the training room.

Vic took Julia off to the side to figure out what it was that she knew and what she needed help with. It turned out that she needed help with everything from holding her wand to casting basic spells.

"It's this stupid wand's fault!" she said.

"How can you blame it on the wand? Didn't your parents buy it for you when you started school?"

"Yes, but I've never liked it! It always seems to be fighting me! It doesn't want to do what I want it to do!" and she started to tear up.

"Ced! Come here, babe." Vic called.

"What's up?"

"Her wand, she says that her parents bought it for her new, but it has always fought her."

"Did you actually go to the wand shop to buy your wand?"

"No, but what's that got to do with it? My parents told me that they bought it for me and brought it home and gave it to me."

"Okay, have you e-v-e-r gotten into a fight with another person and used magic?"

"Yes."

"Did you lose?"

"Yes." This time sheepishly

"Okay, there are a couple of possibilities, the first is, the wand always chooses the witch. Don't ever forget that. The wand always chooses the witch."

"Okay so?"

"So, your parents bought you a wand and gave it to you as a gift. Did they take it out of the box and show it to you?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Okay, that is one possibility, the other is when you got into a fight, and you were using magic, you said that you lost the fight, correct?"

"Yes, it was in my second year. Betty Butterscotch cheated, and she took my wand away saying that she won it, but I called her a cheater and took it away from her."

"When you lose a magical fight, your wand can, and will change allegiances to the victor."

"Oh, so?"

"Okay, what needs to happen, is the wand needs to be 'reset.' Basically, a wand has a memory, and that memory needs to be erased, obliviated if you will."

"Okay, so what do I do? My parents aren't going to buy me a new wand."

"I haven't done this before, but I have studied it, I'm willing to try and obliviate your wand's memory."

"Okay, here." And she handed her stubborn wand to him.

As he touched the wand he almost dropped it, it felt evil.

"Dad! Come here please!"

"What's going on?"

"Julia's wand, it has been fighting her since her parents brought it home and gave it to her, they touched the wand first. Then she lost a magical fight, and took her wand back from the girl that beat her."

"Oh! Okay."

"And now, when I touched the wand, I almost dropped it. It just feels evil. Can a wand feel evil?"

"I would have to say yes. If a wand has been used to do evil things, it remembers those evil things. What we need to do, is to reset the wand. It's pretty straightforward, not that tricky, but it is high-level magic. I've never had a reason to try."

"That's okay, I've studied it, and I think that I can do it. Want to watch just to make sure?"

"Sure, let's go over to the weight room, where it's a little quieter."

"We'll be back in a couple of minutes."

They laid the wand on the bench in the weight room. Ced thought for a moment, and then he remembered the combination of spells, and the order they had to go in to erase the wand's memory. He ejected his wand and focused his thoughts and energies, then he cast the first of the dozen or so spells. Twenty minutes later he was calling Julia into the weight room to try her wand again. He let her be the first one to touch the wand.

When she grasped the wand, nothing happened.

"Oh! It feels so much nicer! Thank you!" she said as she went back into the training room and practised several different spells. "Thank you! It's so much nicer!"

"Do I tell her, that that's not the correct wand for her?"

"No, just suggest that she ask her parents for a new wand for Christmas and that she be there when they buy it."

"Okay, thanks for your help dad."

"Glad to be there for you son." He said as he rested his hand on Ced's shoulder.

After breakfast, Harry sent everyone home, so Vic could take her O.W.L.s the first part of this week, and then her N.E.W.T.s the last half of the week.

At 8:45 the testing proctor showed up at the front doors, Charles let her in and showed her to the sitting room. The five of them came down the stairs to greet the proctor who was stern, to be pleasant about it.

"Well, where are we going to administer the tests? It needs to be in a quiet room so that we'll not be interrupted." She said sternly, in a take charge kind of voice.

"I thought that the library would be a good place, it has tables and chairs, and you can close the door," Harry told the old witch.

"That will be fine, and for the potions practical? I assume that you have a potions lab?" she just almost turned her nose up at them. Hermione was ready to slap the smug off of the old witch's face.

"Yes," Hermione started in a pleasant as can be tone, "we have a potions lab that I think you will find to be adequate for the test."

"We'll see about that." She said, snubbing Hermione, as she turned up her nose. "Now, I understand that you want to take three written and three practical tests per day? Is that correct?"

"Yes, mam," Vic said to her.

"Well, we'll see about that." The snooty old hag said to her.

"Well, take a seat! You do have a quill and ink?"

"Yes, mam."

"Well, I don't see it!"

Ced summoned the quill and an inkwell for Vic, "Here you go."

"Well, it's about time! What took you so long!" she snapped at him. "Are all of you going to stand there all day? We have tests to take!"

The other family members left the room, Cici gave Vic a quick kiss on the cheek for luck.

"Okay, now that all the rift raft is out of here, we can get down to you trying to pass the O.W.L.s" she really didn't figure on her passing the tests anyway. Poor girl gets adopted by a wealthy family, humph!

Vic knocked the first test out in twenty minutes, much to the surprise of the proctor.

"Are you finding the test too hard for you?" she sneered at her.

"No, mam. I'm finished with the first test." Vic told her very pleasantly.

"Humph, let me reset the hourglass and then you can start the second test."

Vic finished the second test on potions in thirty minutes. It really wasn't that hard, she had brewed this potion several times.

"Here you go, I'm finished with this one now." She said as she handed the finished test to her.

The proctor humphed again, reset the hourglass, and had her start on the third test.

Just as Vic finished the test, Kitten appeared in the room. "Don't hand her that test," Kitten told Vic. "She's planning on failing you on all of your tests!"

"THAT'S A LIE!' screamed the proctor. "GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE I CAST YOU OUT YOU LITTLE TROLLOP!"

The temperature in the room started dropping suddenly, this old hag of a witch had just threatened to throw Kitten out of her own library? "I don't think so." Is all that Kitten said.

Vic got up and went to pick Kitten up. She lifted her and held her tightly against her, "Kitten, Kitten, look at me." Kitten looked away from the old witch.

"She's planning on giving you Trolls and Dreadfuls on all of your tests!"

The temperature in the room was getting dangerously cold, ice was forming on the windows from the rain outside, and the humidity inside of the room.

Feeling Vic's distress, Ced and Cici sent for Harry and his mum to meet them at the library. They rushed down to the library to find the doors locked. Cici cast an _alohomora_ at the door, and it didn't unlock. She tried a more powerful unlocking spell to no avail.

Harry showed up just before Hermione did.

"Vic is anxious, Kitten is in there, and the temperature is getting dangerously cold! I tried unlocking the doors with different spells!" Cici told them.

"Stand back!" Hermione commanded, just as she blasted the doors to the library open.

They could feel the cold air flowing out of the library and into the living room of the mansion. Vic had Kitten in her arms and Kitten looked mad!

"WHAT'S going on in here!" Harry demanded loudly.

"This proctor is planning on giving Vic all Trolls and Dreadfuls on her tests!"

"Is that true!" Harry demanded of the foul attituded proctor.

"No! I would never do something like that!"

"She wants her to fail because her husband had sex with Vic's mum!"

"That's a lie! You shouldn't tell lies, little girl!"

"Look at the tests that she has already graded! They're on the table."

"You're a lying little slu…" was all she got out.

The next thing Vic knew was that Kitten had gone from being in her arms to standing in front of the proctor, and the proctor was petrified.

Hermione walked around the petrified proctor, who was still standing up, how did Kitten manage to do that? All of hers fell over, hum. She picked up the two tests that were already finished, and just like Kitten had said, both of them were marked with a "T" for troll, the worst possible grade available. She handed the tests to Harry.

"They look like very well written tests to me, I didn't find anything wrong with them," Hermione said. She started walking towards the floo, they heard the floo flare to life, and she was gone.

"Where'd mum go?" Ced asked.

"She went to the Ministry to talk to the testing department head," Harry told them without looking up. "She should be back momentarily."

Harry looked at Vic, "You did an excellent job on both of these tests!" he walked over and gave her a huge hug, "Congratulations! Good job!"

Vic scooped Kitten back up and onto her left hip. Kitten wrapped her legs around Vic's waist to help support her. "How did you get her to stay standing?"

"I don't know, they just do."

"Why don't you defrost the library while I look over Vic's third test," Harry told Kitten.

"Okay." And she had Vic carry her into the library. She waved her hand, and the library started to warm back up.

"You better make sure that nothing gets wet!" Vic whispered in her ear.

Kitten waved her hand again and cast a drying spell on the library so the books wouldn't get damp.

"Your third test is excellent also! Good job! Well done!"

"Thank you," Vic said sheepishly, blushing. She wasn't used to all of this praise.

Shortly after the library had warmed back up, the floo flared to life, and an old wizard came through just before Hermione.

"Oh, dear me!" he muttered. "Agnes, Agnes Axegrinder. What have you gotten yourself into now?"

"Well, she has done several things that are in need of a written apology," Harry started. "The first thing is, she chose to give my daughter Trolls on her written tests that she has taken this morning because her husband had gone, and had sex with my daughter's dead mother. The second thing she has done is to imprison my daughters in our own library, to the point that my wife had to blast the doors off the hinges, and then the third thing is, she called my younger daughter a liar and other demeaning things to her personal character."

"If you would be so kind as to _rennervate_ her I will send her back to the office and finish the testing myself."

"I can't," said Harry.

"Surely you can, Lord Gryffindor!"

"Please, go ahead and give it a try," Harry told him, motioning for him to _rennervate_ his underling.

The old wizard took out his wand and flicked it at Agnes. Nothing happened, he tried again, and still nothing, he tried it a third time with much more force, and still, nothing happened.

"There is only one person here that can rennervate her, and that is my younger daughter. She will be expecting a letter of apology by the end of the week."

"Preposterous! She's too young to cast such a spell!"

"Are you calling my daddy a liar?" asked Kitten slipping off of Vic's hip, and out of her arms.

"I'm saying that there is no way that a girl of your age could have cast that spell, that is all I am saying."

"Well, I did cast that spell."

"Young lady, you are much too young to even know what that spell is."

"So, now you're calling me a liar." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Yes, I suppose I am."

Kitten looked down and waved her hand gently, "I would like an apology." She told him, "Before you are fully petrified."

"I will not!" and then he realised that he couldn't feel his feet anymore. How could a mere first year know this spell? She didn't even have a wand! It must be her parents, parents get so overprotective of their children when they do poorly on these tests. It's never the child's fault. Hum, I can't seem to feel my legs. "What's going on here!" he demanded loudly.

"I told you, and you have chosen not to believe me. Soon you will be completely petrified up to your neck. All I have asked for, from you is that you apologise for calling me a liar. I will let you deal with my dad on your own."

"There's no way! You couldn't possibly…"

"Can you feel your hips?" she interrupted him, she really didn't like to interrupt people, that was considered rude.

"No. Fine! I apologise!"

"Apologise for what?"

"I apologised!"

"No, you didn't. You just said the words. You have not apologised for calling me a liar. Can you feel your waist?"

"I apologise for calling you a liar."

"Thank you, apology accepted. You really shouldn't judge people by their age."

"You are correct, I shouldn't."

"Can you feel your chest?"

"No, make it stop." He told her.

"Make it stop what?"

"Make it stop please."

"Okay, but I want you to treat Vic fairly, not like that mean ole witch over there."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise that I will treat her fairly."

"Thank you." And she waved her hand, and the petrification stopped. She looked at him, her head cocked to the side, you have something wrong with your heart.

"Yes, I have a bad heart. Please rennervate me."

"I can fix your heart." She held out her hand, and Synthia appeared. "Do you want me to fix your heart?" she asked kindly, no malice in her voice at all, just concern for him and his wellbeing.

The old wizard looked at Harry, then at Hermione. He knew that Hermione was a Healer.

"If she says that she can fix your heart, then she can fix your heart," Hermione told him. She wasn't going to beg him to let Kitten heal the old fart.

"Are you sure that you can do it?"

"If you don't want me to fix your heart then I won't. But you won't live for six more months. You will be dead before Christmas."

He paled at the news of his own mortality, he wouldn't see Christmas with his newest grandchild, he wouldn't see Christmas with his family ever again. There were so many things that he had wanted to do, but he had always put work before his own family, like so many others had done before him, and will do after him.

"Please fix my heart so I can fix my mistakes. Please?"

Kitten walked up to the partially petrified, terrified man standing before her, she looked at him, she cocked her head this way and then that way, she looked at him again and got a frown on her face, "You have the heart of a man twice your age. You were placed under a curse as a small child. Your heart kept you from doing things that you should have been able to do. This is going to hurt, a lot. Do you want me to stun you so that you don't feel the pain as I fix your heart?"

Vic looked at the old man, "Take the stunning, it'll hurt less."

The old Proctor nodded his head, he was too scared to say yes.

Daphne rennervated him, then she promptly stunned him. With him laid out straight on the floor, Kitten leaned over him and started to speak softly, "…kai oi pýles tis kólasis den tha yperischýsoun." She conjured an unbreakable jar as she pulled the violet coloured curse from his chest, the tendrils held on, but she overpowered them until a violet coloured ball was at the tip of her wand. She swiftly put the curse in the jar and sealed it.

" _Rennervate!"_ She told him, Harry and Ced helped him to his feet.

"Here," Kitten said as she levitated the jar with the curse in it for him to take.

He caught the jar as it floated to him, he looked at the violet coloured curse floating around inside the jar. When had he been cursed? It must have been at a very young age. "I'm sorry, but you're not supposed to be able to do that!"

"There's a lot of things that she's not supposed to be able to do, but we don't tell her," Harry told the old Proctor. "How do you feel?"

He blinked a couple of times, "Like a million galleons!" he looked at Daphne, "Thank you from the bottom of my new heart. I am truly sorry that I called you a liar. You are truly an amazing young witch. Would you please rennervate Agnes so I can send her back to the office?"

Kitten rennervated Agnes, the old wizard told her harshly to floo back to the Ministry, and he would deal with her later.

He looked at Vic, then at his watch, there was still an hour before lunch. "Would you like to get two of the three practical tests done before lunch and then do the potions practical after lunch?"

With a smile on her face, she told him, "Yes!" she kissed Kitten on the cheek and told her, "Thank you for looking out for me."

"Now if I remember right, you're supposed to take your N.E.W.T.s as soon as you finish your O.W.L.s?"

"Yes." She told him softly.

"Just the little bit that I have been able to look over your tests so far, I am very impressed. Would you like to take both sets of tests together? We could start with your practical tests now."

With a huge smile on her face, Vic told him, "I'd like that!" she was going to take her O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. tests side by side, she would have to take the Charms O.W.L. first then she would take the Charms N.E.W.T test right after it. The same all the way through. She started walking to the library, she ejected her wand, and with a simple flick, she repaired the doors. "Are you coming?" she asked him excitedly.

"Well, she's going to get an 'O' on that subject." He muttered as he followed her into the library.

He was kind enough to grade all of her written tests as she handed them in, he would tell her, her grade on each of the practical examinations as she finished them, and as her family had predicted, she was scoring 'O's on all of her exams. They had decided on Thursday night for her Astronomy test.

.

Ced was standing at the floo waiting for the Proctor to come through. At 9:55 the floo flared to life, and the old Proctor came through like a young man.

"Good evening sir." Ced greeted him.

"Good evening Cedric. Is Vic ready for her test?"

"Yes sir, she and my mum are in the back garden at this time. If you would please follow me, I'll take you there now."

"It's amazing how smart Vic is, and she's so young!"

"Yes, she is brilliant. She's a gift to the whole family."

As they entered the back garden, all of the lights that would interfere with stargazing had been extinguished. Vic and Hermione had been laying out there on a blanket for a couple of hours by themselves. They had talked about a lot of things that were on each of their minds. Hermione would quiz her on where this constellation was, what were the different stars. They talked about how she and Harry had gotten together, and what things were like at school for them. Then Hermione would have her point out another constellation and have her tell her about it. By the time that Ced and the proctor had arrived, they were laying there holding hands as mother and daughter/daughter-in-law. Neither woman was given a choice in their relationship, and neither woman would change a thing.

Vic could feel Ced approaching, "They're here," she told Hermione.

When Ced and the Proctor had reached the blanket, the two women were already standing waiting for him.

"Ah! I see that you have a couple of telescopes already set up!"

"Yes, sir," Vic said to him. "We were just out here brushing up and getting some alone time with my mum."

"Excellent, excellent, well, if everything goes as quickly as the rest of her testing, then we should be done shortly. If you will excuse us, please."

Vic and Hermione exchanged kisses on the cheek as Hermione and Ced left to go back inside the house.

Sometime later, the occupants of the living room could hear Vic and the proctor walking down the hallway. The living room was dark, the torches in the hall were turned down very low, just enough to keep you from walking into the walls. As they entered the living room, all of them stood up to hear the news about Vic's testing.

The proctor walked in and looked around, "Why's it so dark in here?"

"Well sir, why don't you look up?" Ced suggested to him.

"Oh, nicely done!"

"We charmed the ceiling to show us the night sky and show us the different constellations that she was looking at." He told the old man.

"Very well done. Well, I have Cedric's test scores here in this envelope, and Cecilia's test scores in this envelope, as he handed each of them their envelopes, and here is a copy of your test scores young lady. It was a true pleasure to have tested you. I would stay and chat, but I would like to get home to my family. If you will please excuse me, goodnight." He walked like a much younger man.

Cici walked him to the floo as her soul-mates opened or looked over their test scores. She opened her envelope as she walked back to them.

As the three of them looked at their scores on all twenty tests, their faces were beaming with pride, they had managed to get perfect scores. They handed Harry and Hermione their scores, as they looked them over, they started to beam with pride also.

"So, does this mean that we can ask Professor McGonagall to let Vic skip a year, so she'll be in the same year as us?" asked Cici. She would like it if her wife was in the same year as her.

"We can go talk to her about it. I'll send her an owl first thing in the morning." Hermione told them. She would like it too if the three of them were in the same year.

.

.

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 **A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review!**

 **Revised 02.04.2018**

 **And again 01.03.2019**


	25. Year Four Chapter 25

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 25

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.

True to her word, Hermione had sent Hedwig with a letter to Minerva first thing in the morning, even before they had gone for their run. Hedwig was waiting for her at breakfast, Minerva had agreed, and set the appointment for them that Friday morning at Hogwarts, about 10:00.

All of the teens were sitting around in the living room just talking and being teens. The Wizarding Wireless was acting as background music when Fred made a comment, "We need a cool name for our group! Last year at school, we helped stop some terrorists!"

"Okay, what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that it should be something with Cici's, Ced's, and Vic's initials."

"You mean CCV?"

"Closed caption video?"

"What's that?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Cool Club Vigilantes?"

"What?"

"Oh! I like 'C' Cup Vixens!"

"Oh! I like it too!"

"Not all of us have a 'C' cup!"

"There's a potion for that!"

"There is? Really?"

"Yeah!"

"Where do I get it?"

"Wait, is it safe?"

"Who cares?"

"Where can I get some?"

"How long do I have to take it?"

"Worked for me!" she hefts her breasts for emphasis.

Ced buries his face in his hands.

Fred and George's eyes are wide open, their mouths are hanging open. Julia reaches over and closes Fred's mouth.

"Uh, sorry," he said to her.

All of the girls burst out laughing at them.

.

Friday morning, they stepped through the floo into Minerva's office.

"Excellent timing! I would like you to meet, Amber Davis. Miss Davis is a fourth-year transfer student from the United States, she has been sorted into Gryffindor House. Miss Davis, this is Cecilia Ramos, also from the United States. Would you three like to show her around the school, while I discuss the necessary business with your parents?"

"Sure professor, we'd like that!" Cici spoke for the group of them.

"We'll see you later, mum, dad," Ced told them.

The four teens started down the circular stairs that led to Professor McGonagall's office.

Once in the hallway, Amber stuck out her hand and said, "Hi! I'm Amber."

"Hi, Amber, I'm Vic."

"Hi, I'm Ced."

"Where're you from?" asked Cici.

"San Francisco, the bay area. And you?"

"My parents moved here from Tucson, AZ."

"Wow! I hear it gets really hot there!"

"From what I remember it does. I've lived here since I was ten."

"My parents moved here for a tech company that is working in Ireland."

"Oh wow! So, you're, muggle-born?"

"Yeah, in America we call them No-Majs, is that a problem?" Amber asked defensively.

"No, not with us, my parents are muggles too." She told a little white lie.

"Okay. This is some really ancient castle! The pictures in the book don't do it justice!"

"You read, Hogwarts a History?"

"Yeah, my parents got it for me when they found out that they were getting transferred. It's a lot different than the school I was going to. My old school was Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the American wizarding school, its located on Mount Greylock in Massachusetts."

"Oh, okay." It didn't mean anything to her. International history, like the international news, wasn't very important in Magical Britain. "Well, this is the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. You have to give the portrait of the Fat Lady the password." Cici gave the last known good password, and the Fat Lady looked at all of them. "We're giving her a tour of the school," Cici told the portrait.

"Okay, dearie." She liked Cici, she didn't let the boys push her around, she swung open for the group of students.

They walked through the common room, the fire in the fireplace was out, the furniture was up against the walls, and the rugs were removed. The lights came on for them to help with what little light was getting through the castle windows.

"The boy's dormitory is to the left, and the girl's dorms are to the right. You'll have Rose and Angel in your dorm with you, they're our cousins."

While the girls showed Amber the girl's dorm rooms, Ced went and checked on the married quarters. There was still only one walk-in closet, one chest of drawers, and just the one dresser. If push came to shove, then on the first day of school, he would just conjure and transfigure what they needed. The girls were waiting for him as he exited the quarters.

"Oh, what's in there?"

"That's where we stay, we're helping the Headmistress and our Head of House with a special project," Ced told her.

"Oh, what's the project about?" Amber asked curiously.

Cici said, "Soul-Bonded couples."

"Those aren't real! Everybody knows that! That's just something the romance writers use to sell more books!"

"They still want us to do it, so we do it. Plus, it gets us special sleeping quarters so that we're not disturbed as we dig through some really old tomes."

They showed her the Astronomy Tower, the Owlery, and they stopped by the Hospital Wing. They waved at Madam Pomfrey, who when she saw that they had a guest with them just waved back. Then they showed her where the different sets classrooms were located. They stopped by the Great Hall and then down into the Dungeons where the Potions classes were, and where the Slytherins had their common room.

"You know, you should just hang out with us for the first couple of weeks. You can meet us at the train station, and we can ride to school together!" Vic suggested to her.

"I think that I'd like that," Amber told them, happy that she was making some new friends fairly quickly.

"Where are your parents now?" Ced asked her.

"They had to take care of an emergency at work." Her tone became depressed.

"What do your parents think about you being a magical, a witch?" Cici asked her, changing the subject to something, happier.

"They're not really happy about it. They're supportive of it. But because magic and electricity don't mix really well. The first time that I had an outburst of accidental magic, I ruined all of the electronics in the house. All of the TVs, all the laptops, all the computers, everything! Including their new hi-tech refrigerator!"

"I know what you mean, something similar happened the first time I had an accidental outburst of magic. It made my dad really mad because he was working on a project for work, and well, he lost it all. He had to go out and buy all new stuff. He told me that if I ever did that again that he would beat me." Cici told her. Ced had never heard the story before. He and Vic exchanged looks. "I think that he was glad that I went away when I went to school. He didn't like how much it cost, but he was glad that I wasn't there anymore." Her tone turned depressed.

"Sometimes, I get those same thoughts."

"How are you going to get home from here, without your parents? How'd you get here? That's a better question."

"Professor McGonagall came to get me. She said that there were things that we needed to do. And she wanted me to meet someone. I guess that was you three."

"So, when are you going to go and get all of your stuff for school?"

"Probably the week before school starts. My parents will just give me a credit card, and then send me down to wherever I need to go, to buy what I need. Their work is really important, and if they do well, there's a really big bonus in it for them."

Vic and Cici saw different reflections of their lives in hers.

"Well if you want, we can all go together! Just floo us and we can meet you there!"

"Just floo you? And meet you where?"

"Let's head back to Professor McGonagall's office, maybe we can catch my parents before they leave," Ced told the bunch of girls.

They hurried back to the Headmistress's office and caught his parents.

"Well, we finished the tour!" Vic said cheerfully.

"Mum, Dad, I'd like to introduce you to Amber Davis. Amber, these are my parents Harry and Hermione."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Said Hermione.

"Pleased to meet you." Said, Harry.

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," Amber told them.

"Amber's parents are really wrapped up in their work, and she doesn't know how to floo, or where to buy her school supplies," Ced told them. He didn't want to just come out and ask the girl for an oath of loyalty, they'd just met after all.

" _What're you doing Ced?"_

" _Girlfriend for George!"_

" _Really? You're playing matchmaker now?"_

"Well, before we could allow her to come over to the house, she'd need to give us an oath of loyalty. Do you think that she'd be willing to do such a thing?" Harry asked them.

"What's an oath of loyalty?" Amber asked as she looked at all of the different people around her.

"An Oath of Loyalty is an oath that says that whatever secrets you learn about us, you won't ever share with anyone else. If you do share it with someone that doesn't already know what you're sharing, you will lose your magic forever. Is that acceptable to you?"

"So, basically you want me to keep your secrets? I can do that."

"So, you're willing to take a wizarding oath?"

"Yes, how do I do it?"

Harry walked her through the Wizarding Oath of Loyalty.

"… so mote it be." And she was bound by her magic to the Potter family forever.

"Minerva? What's the apparition point for her home?" Harry asked.

She gave him the location of the apparition point for her home.

"I take it that you three want to show her Diagon Alley? Is that correct?"

"Yes, is that okay with you? We can be home before dinner." Cici told her in-laws.

"Besides, I think that I need to take care of some business at Gringotts," Vic told her in-laws.

"It's okay with us, and I think that it would be good to get that taken care of," Hermione told them.

"Oh! Professor McGonagall, will Vic be able to join us as a fourth-year?" Ced asked the old Scottish witch.

"Yes, Hermione showed me her test scores, and I don't see a problem with it. Have you three gone up to speak with Poppy?"

"We showed Amber where the Hospital Wing was, but we didn't say hi or anything like that."

"Could you please go and visit her, she needs to talk with you." She wasn't going to be the one to tell this new student that her new friends were married. Not her secret to tell.

"Okay, we'll get that done now." And the three of them excused themselves. As soon as they were out of sight of the others, they used _teleportus_ to get to the front doors of the hospital wing. They walked to the office of the Matron to find her behind her desk.

"Hello! I saw that you had company earlier, so I didn't want to invite you in."

"Thank you, but it's all taken care of now," Cici told her.

"I guess that you need to do another physical on us?" asked Ced.

"Yes, in light of your new circumstances, I need to do a quick evaluation of the three of you."

"What do you need us to do?" asked Vic.

"Why don't the three of you each take a bed and I can just run some basic diagnostic tests on each of you. Come on, up you go!"

She started with Cici, "Lady Potter, that is some tan that you have there!"

"Thank you! We spent our honeymoon in the Greek islands!"

"Oh, that sounds exciting!"

"It was! We went for long walks on the beach and went swimming in the sea."

"Wow! Your magical core has grown substantially."

"Really?"

"Yes. Let me check on your other bond-mates." She turned around and checked on Vic's vitals. "Well, I see that you have gotten a tan also."

"Yes, not as dark as Cici, but at least I'm not pasty white anymore."

"Hum, your magical core is a large as Cici's!" she walked around the bed and came over to Ced.

"Lord Potter, it looks like you got a tan also."

"Yes, we had a great time walking on the beach together."

"Well, I see that your core is slightly larger than those of your bond-mates. That's interesting. It's not uncommon in regular magical couples for one or the other to have a larger magical core. So, I don't see a problem in this case. Okay, so off you go! I'll see you during the school year! Oh, and congratulations you three, it couldn't have happened to a better bunch of kids than you!"

"Thank you!" they coursed as they headed out the doors of the hospital.

They _teleportused_ back to the Headmistresses office, they walked in all calm and relaxed.

"So, everything with Madam Pomfrey is okay?"

"Yes, Mam. Everything is okay." Ced told her.

"Here, here's your list of school supplies that you'll need for your fourth year." She handed each of them their Hogwarts letters.

"Excuse me, may I borrow your floo to make a call?" asked Ced. "I want to call George Weasley, and see if he can join us at the Leaky Cauldron, and spend the afternoon in Diagon Alley." He explained further to the Headmistress.

"That'll be fine. Keep it short though, please."

George said that both of his parents were at work, but that he and Angel would be able to meet them at the Leaky Cauldron in fifteen minutes.

Ced looked at Amber, "I don't have to be home until whenever. My parents don't get home until nine, ten o'clock at night if they come home at all." She told them.

If she stays with this group of kids, she'll be okay, thought Minerva. What's happening with families these days? Miss Vane turned out okay, well Lady Potter turned out alright.

Ced turned back to Professor McGonagall, "May we use your floo to go to the Leaky Cauldron, please?" being polite didn't cost anything extra, and always helped to get what you wanted. She nodded to him that it was okay.

Ced turned to Amber and explained how to use the floo, and what to expect.

Harry and Hermione stepped through the floo together, "It's lunchtime, and we decided that we would like some beer battered fish and chips, with a butterbeer to wash it down with. Leaky Cauldron!" He told his son as they stepped into the floo.

"And that's how it's done." He told her.

Cici and Vic went next, then Ced sent Amber through by herself, he reasoned that Vic and Cici were there to catch her when she got spit out. Then he followed just a moment later after saying goodbye to Minerva.

"Hi, Tom!" Ced said cheerfully.

Tom just nodded his head and pointed to the room in the back of the tavern.

Harry ordered fish and chips for all of them, and a round of butterbeers too. They all started talking to each other, the three girls talked amongst themselves, Ced spoke with his parents to learn what all had happened in the Headmistress' office. Harry started to explain that Minerva had initially been reluctant to let Vic skip a grade, but had given in quickly when she saw her perfect test scores, and who had graded her tests.

A few minutes after they had gotten seated, and started talking, the door to the room opened, and George and Angel joined them in the private room. Angel spotted Cici and move to join her at the table, George spotted the new girl with the light brown skin colour in the room. She wasn't as dark as Cici by any means, but she was darker than Vic, and her bushy hair was a medium brown, full of tight soft curls. She was the most beautiful creature on the planet! All he could do was to stand there and stare at her. He didn't even know that he had stopped moving and was just staring at her.

Ced got up and moved next to George, "Mate, if you keep drooling like this, you're going to scare her away!" he whispered in his ear.

When did Ced walk over to him and start to talk to him?

"Mate, close your mouth! If you get drool on her, you'll scare her away! You don't want to scare off, do you?" Ced asked him humorously.

George shook his head no.

"Then close your mouth, and I'll introduce you to her."

George closed his mouth and nodded his head. He was speechless in the presence of such beauty. She was perfect. She was flawless!

Ced had to nudge him to get him to move. By this time everyone in the room was watching what was going on.

Vic leaned over to Amber, "I think he likes you!" she whispered.

"I think I like him too!" she whispered back. "He's so different than all those knuckledraggers back at my old school."

"Knuckledraggers?"

"Yeah, you know, the guys that pound on their chest and grunt for answers? They think that they can club a girl over the head and drag her back to their cave?"

"We know the type," Vic told her.

"Amber, I'd like you to meet George. George, this is Amber."

"You're so beautiful!" George blurted out.

"Thank you!" Amber said quietly, starting to blush.

"George, would you like to sit next to Amber?" _"Would you like to referee their first conversation Mon Amour?"_

"Yes," George said.

Ced let all of the girls sit together, he sat next to his mum. Tom, the barkeep, had added two extra meals and two extra butterbeers to the order. He knew that Harry was good for it, and to keep his business he would eat it if need be, literally. It was food after all!

.

After lunch, and after Harry had paid for the meal, and after all of the teens had said thank you to Harry and Hermione, they went their own ways. Angel tapped on the bricks in the correct sequence to get them to open up and reveal Diagon Alley, just after they crossed through the magical opening, Vic saw George reach out and take Amber's hand.

" _So far so good!"_

Ced and Cici both turned to look, Ced was holding Cici's hand, and Cici was holding Vic's hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

"Hey! We need to go into Gringotts for a moment. Where do you want to meet up?" Ced asked the others.

"How about the bookstore? Then we can go get a mani-pedi! We haven't had one of those in a while!" Angel said.

"Ooo! I like that idea!" said Vic. It had been a while since their last professional mani-pedi.

"Okay, we'll meet you at the bookstore!" said Cici.

.

They entered Gringotts and were immediately led to a private room. They thanked the goblin in his native tongue. He bowed in response to their level of respect. Soon Manager Ragrok entered the room. Traditional greetings were given, and bows exchanged.

"Lord Potter, Ladies Potter. How may I help you this afternoon?"

"I would like to add them to my vault," Vic answered him.

"I believe that it would be more conventional to join the accounts and vaults together. If you wish, you may maintain two separate vaults, or you could just be cosigners on each other's accounts."

The threesome talked about it telepathically for just a moment. Then Ced answered him, "I think that we would like to merge the accounts and the vaults together. We would also like to keep the current interest rates that we have negotiated. If I am correct, we'll be reducing our fees by only having the one vault, is that correct?"

"You are correct, you would no longer have the fees associated with having a second vault. It is just a matter of adding either Victoria Potter on to your account or adding you two on to her account. I would recommend that you add her to your account for simplicities sake."

"Okay, and will you be able to reissue her debit and credit cards at the same time? Please?"

Vic agreed to be added on to their account and having her stuff moved into their vault. Their vault would now become her vault also.

"Yes, we can do that while we fill out the needed forms. Here is a copy of your latest bank statements." He then excused himself to go get the needed forms for the transfer of Victoria's assets to her new bond-mates' accounts.

Vic looked over her statement, she saw where there was a large deposit from some export company. She did the math in her head, and it was just about right for the exchange rate, everything looked to be in order.

.

 _After the Aurors and the police had gone through her mum's small flat, they let her in to start looking through all of her mum's belongings. It was now up to her to sort out her mum's life. A life that she was unaware of, she had just thought that it was normal. Normal, until she had met Ced and Cici. She just didn't know any different. She saw how trashed the apartment really was. There was empty take away boxes on the countertops and on the floor. She could see the bugs scurrying away as she walked through the mess that she used to call home. She stepped over the trash and walked to her old bedroom. It was so small and dirty compared to what she had now. She saw the dried chicken bones piled in the corner of the room. Her bare, stained mattress laying on the floor, she could see the spring coils through the fabric. There wasn't even a sheet to cover the mattress, or even herself. She had chosen to do this by herself, she had to close this chapter of her life so she could move forward with her new life. She backed out of the doorway and stepped down the hall to the loo. She looked at the loo and saw the filth, she glanced around and saw no bath products at all, not even a roll of paper. She moved back to her mum's room. It was as bad as her room if not worse. The only reason that it could be worse is that there was more stuff in it. She remembered her mum telling her when she would tell her mum that she needed new knickers, to just get a set off the floor. She moved over to the closet and opened the sliding doors to look inside. What she found were piles of shoes and piles of different clothes. She bent over to pick up a shoe, she held it next to her foot, it was too large for her, and she wasn't going to transfigure her mum's shoes to fit her. She turned and picked up a dress, it was stained, and she didn't want to know with what. She looked at the mess on the bed, her mum's bed was always a mess. Just for fun, she levitated the mattress to see if her mum had hidden any money under the mattress, yes, she did! She summoned the galleons into her pocket. She knew from looking at the bank statement that her mum had made regular deposits of similar amounts. All she had to do now was to find the rest of the money in this mess. She decided that if her mum were thick enough to hide money under the mattress, maybe she would hide some under the box springs also. She levitated the box springs off the floor and found the main stash of money in the house. There were several thousands of galleons laying there in front of her. She was going to need help, and she was going to need a lot of it. But the only people that she trusted were standing right outside the front door. Could she humiliate herself by letting them into where she had grown up? She couldn't leave the money, that much she knew, she sat the bed back on the carpet and walked to the front door of the flat. These people had not judged her yet, would they judge her now? She was going to show them one of her darkest secrets, the home that she had grown up in. She opened the door and asked them to come in. Ced and Cici step gently into Vicky's old life. She closed the door behind them. She explained that she didn't know the spells that she needed to recover what she wanted. She led them to her mum's room, and then she levitated the mattress and box spring to show them all the money that was stashed there. Cici took charge and told Ced to keep the mattresses levitated while she looked for a purse in all of the mess. When she saw it, she told Vicky to summon the purse to her. She did, and she looked inside to see that it was empty. Cici explained the spells that she was going to use to make the purse bottomless and weightless. She did it for her and then she told Vicky to summon all of the galleons into the purse. Vicky did this and watched as the gold coins flew into the purse for the next several seconds. When the floor was empty, Ced shook the bed and heard coins rattling inside the mattress. He returned the mattresses to the floor. Vicky went over to the bed and lifted the mattress to look for a cut somewhere, she found it in the head of the mattress. Ced levitated the mattress again and spun it to face her. she summoned the coins into the purse that Cici had charmed. Cici asked her to stand back and then she ejected her wand and flicked it. All of her mum's clothes flew into the dresser, the chest of drawers, and hung themselves in the closet. The shoes even paired themselves and lay neatly. Once all of that had been done, she flicked her wand at the bed, and it made itself. There, with a clean spot, she looked around and flicked her wand yet again, and all of the clothes that just flew into the drawers now flew to the bed and stacked there neatly. They started looking through the drawers, the floor had maybe another hundred galleons laying all around the room. Vicky summoned all of the loose coins into her purse. In the drawers, they found muggle money, some stacked, and most of it crumpled up. She summoned that too. Cici went over to the dresses in the closet, she crinkled her nose at them. Vicky moved to the master bathroom, and looked inside, she would only come in here when her mum wasn't home. She looked around, opened the medicine cabinet and looked inside, she closed it. She looked around again, then she turned to leave. The bonded couple followed her out of the door to the flat. There was nothing in the flat that she wanted or needed anymore. They got to the apparition point, each of them took an arm, and Ced apparated them to Diagon Alley. She led them across the street and up the stairs of the bank. They were shown to a private room. When Master Ragrok asked how he could help her, all she did was to dump the contents of the purse on the table top, the coins rolled and slid off the top of the table and on to the floor. With a wave of the goblin's hand, all of the coins stacked themselves neatly, the paper money laid out flat and stacked correctly, she had just made her first deposit._

.

The goblin returned to the room, "I apologise for the wait, but here are all of the correct forms. Your new debit card and new credit card will be ready when we finish with this." He slid the forms across the table for them to read, they broke up the stack of forms and read them, it was as he said, and they all signed as needed, and were indicated they placed their thumbs. He gathered the forms, stacked them neatly, and as promised another goblin entered hurriedly with the new cards.

"Now, will the bank move my assets to the new vault or is that something that I will have to do?" asked Vic.

"No, mam, the bank will take care of that for you within the next two business days. Everything will be inventoried and accounted for. Any discrepancies will be brought to your attention."

"Thank you." The traditional farewells were given, bows exchanged, and they left to join their friends.

.

In the used bookstore, they found George and Amber side-by-side holding hands except when one of them would reach for a book. Angel was nowhere to be seen. When they asked the sales staff, someone said that they had seen a girl matching her description going down into the cellar. They all headed for the basement to look for her. They found her digging through some really old tomes, leather bound, parchment pages, she had a small stack of books set-aside already.

"Look what I found! Someone just dropped this trunk off at their door and left!"

Cici bent over and picked up one of the books, she opened the book and found that it was a diary. A diary that she and Ced had already read. She handed the book to Ced.

" _Here hold this."_

Ced took the book and looked through it. _"Check the whole trunk!"_

" _What's wrong!"_

" _That's one of Merlin's diaries."_ A sombre Ced thought to her.

" _Merlin? The Merlin? We need to get all of those books! If those fell into the wrong hands!"_ she thoughts going into a near panic.

" _That's what Cici is doing now."_ "How's it going, Mi Amor?"

"Fine, there's a couple of other interesting books in here also. There are some junk books, but also a few treasures." She replied chipperly.

"Do you want to just take the whole trunk?"

"What do you think Angel? Do you just want to take the whole trunk?" Cici asked her friend.

Vic squeezed Ced's hand, she had read Merlin's stuff too, there were some very powerful spells in there.

"You know what? Let's just take all three trunks. I looked through the other two for just a moment, and then I looked in here and found that diary."

Angel stood up, she waited for Cici to stand up and move out of the way so she could place the small pile of books back in the trunk and closed the lid.

Then Cici levitated the trunk and asked for some help with the other two chests.

Amber said, "Here let me help you!" and she pulled out her wand and levitated one of the other trunks. She looked at George, like well, get the other trunk!

Without being asked, George ejected his wand and levitated the last trunk.

" _There's a lot of Merlin's stuff mixed in there with some other old tomes."_ Cici thought to her mates.

" _How are we going to get them away from Angel?"_

Ced thought to his wives, _"We trust her enough to keep our secrets, so, do we trust her enough to tell her what she has?"_

" _I say, we explain it to her. Your parents are going to be interested in this also, especially your mom."_

" _I agree with Cici. We explain it to her in front of your parents, maybe her parents, if she pays for it."_

" _I agree with both of you, we just have to be careful if they ask us how we know that it's Merlin's work."_

" _All of the diaries that I read in the house, had Merlin's name either near the front of the diary or near the back of the diary."_

At the checkout register, the clerk didn't even open the trunks to look inside. "Two galleons." Is all he said.

Angel reached into her pocket and pulled it out. "Here you go!"

"Thank you, have a nice day. Next!"

Vic shrunk the trunks for Ced so he could put them in his pocket. Then they turned and exited the store.

"It's mani-pedi time!" Vic said enthusiastically.

They were making a straight line for the beauty salon when a passerby hit George in the shoulder.

"Hey! Watch where you're going! - Punk!" the stranger growled.

"Sorry, I must not have seen you," George said apologetically.

"I'll make you sorry! - Punk!"

"I said that I was sorry, what else do you want?" George asked, trying to avoid a fight.

"I think that I'll just kick your arse!"

George moved Amber behind him, Cici pulled Amber behind her, Ced pulled Amber behind him. The group stepped back and spread out. No one had their wands out yet. They were waiting to see if this could be resolved without the use of magic.

George's back got a little straighter, "And why would you want to do that? What would it prove?"

"To teach you a lesson! Teach you to pay attention to where you're walking!"

"But you're the one that ran into me. I had moved out of your way, and you changed direction to run into me."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"I didn't say that." George's voice was emotionless.

"So, you did call me a liar!" the guy's wand was in his hand now.

George ejected his wand into his hand. He had been practising for just this moment.

Amber was watching from behind Ced, she had stepped to the side to get a better view, and to hear what was being said. She had watched as George had done everything he could to resolve the problem peacefully.

"I didn't say that," George repeated himself.

The guy jerked his wand up and tried to shoot a spell.

George cast a _protego alavaris_ , this reflected the guy's own spell back at him, then he shot an _expulso/expelliarmus_ at the angry guy.

He held his hand out to catch the guys wand. "My wand, I won it fair and square through the rite of combat," George told the angry stranger laying on the ground, wandless.

The guy tried charging George, " _Stupefy,_ " and he sidestepped the falling body. They all watched the body skid to a stop on the stone street.

The Aurors were almost there. The group saw them coming, so they stood there and waited. They had done nothing wrong, so they felt that they had nothing to fear.

"What're you kids doing!" the large, gruff Auror asked them harshly.

George gave his side of the story and showed the Auror the guys wand. The Auror rennervated the guy. He took him off to the side while his partner stayed with the kids.

The gruff Auror came back to the group of kids while his partner watched the guy.

"He says that you kids started it, you started calling him names and hit him deliberately."

Ced stepped forward, "At this point, I would like to go ahead and call the guy a liar to his face. We were walking across the street, taking the girls to the beauty salon, when the man deliberately changed directions to hit George's shoulder. George apologised several times, but the guy was bent on making an example out of the incident. George beat him easily in the magical fight that ensued. George used _expelliarmus_ to disarm his opponent."

"Well, I think that we're going to go ahead and take all of you in until we can get this sorted out."

"That'll be fine, I haven't spoken to Uncle King in a couple of months, or to Aunt Tonks, not since the incident when they found an Auror that had turned traitor."

"I remember hearing about that. They said that there were dragons that almost burned them alive."

"Yes, those dragons are my familiars. And they're here in Britain, at this time. Do you know how many other families keep two Hungarian Horntail dragons as familiars?"

"There's only one."

"That's correct."

"You're Harry Potter's son, Cedric."

"That's correct. So, what do I have to gain from lying to you? George? This is George Weasley Jr., and this is his sister Angel Weasley."

"You're Angelina's kids?"

"Yes, sir." They said together.

"Okay, that guy over there is saying a bunch of things that are all lies. We'll take him down to the station and have a talk with him, and if we don't like what he says, then we'll let Tonks have a go at him. You kids go on and have a good afternoon."

"You too, and thank you." They said together.

"Wow! What's that guy's problem?" asked George.

"He just didn't like getting beat by a teenager," Ced told him.

They chatted a little more until they got to the beauty salon. Because it was slow, all of the girls sat there and talked while they got their hair trimmed and their mani-pedi's. Cici and Vic stocked up on beauty and skin care products. They also bought some nail polish for use at school. Ced paid and shrank it down to fit in his pocket. Ced paid for Amber too, they had invited her. Besides, George had a terrified look on his face, because he didn't have any money on him, he wasn't expecting to meet the girl of his dreams, today.

They swung by Madam Malkin's to get their school uniforms and robes. Vic and Cici found half a dozen fancy new bras that they wanted, so they got them too. They decided to wait for a week or so to get their school supplies, the bookstore didn't have all of the needed titles just yet.

To get back to the mansion, they used the public floo network, the floo in the mansion had been warded against intruders' centuries ago. Cici held onto Amber as they flooed home. As they stepped away from the floo, Amber was gawking at the splendour and opulence of the mansion. Ced handed Vic the beauty products to take upstairs as the excuse to go find mum and dad before he pulled out the trunks with the books in them.

"This is where you live?" Amber asked in shock.

"Yes, this is our home, me, Cici, and Vic. George and Angel live someplace else.

"Do you really have two Hungarian Horntail dragons or were you just making that up?"

"No, we really do have two Hungarian Horntails that live with us part-time. They really don't like the winters here, but they come for the Christmas holidays."

She looked at George, he just nodded back to her.

Vic was coming back down the stairs with Hermione, "I hear that you all found some very interesting books today, in the cellar of the bookstore?" Hermione asked. "Let's take them into the library and see what it is exactly what you found."

All of them moved to the library of the mansion and brought three tables close together. Ced pulled out the three trunks and handed one each to Angel, Vic, and Cici. They took their trunks and tapped them twice to re-enlarge them. Then they emptied the contents out on to the tables. They started sorting the books, several of the books were just old books of no particular value. They found four more of Merlin's books, six of his diaries, and then three books written by Godric Gryffindor, four books by Rowena Ravenclaw, two books written by Salazar Slytherin, and half a dozen books by Helga Hufflepuff, almost the complete collection of books by the four founders of Hogwarts.

"How much did you pay for all of this?" Hermione asked Angel.

"Two galleons." Said the shocked girl.

"Well, you got an incredible buy today. This group of books right here," Hermione used her arm to separate the books, "Are worth probably close to a million galleons by themselves. The rest would probably bring in maybe a hundred galleons at an auction."

She waited for the shocked expression to fade a little before she told her the rest of the story.

"Of all of these books, the books by Merlin are by far the most dangerous of the books." They were all looking at her. "The reason for that is that Merlin was a theoretical wizard. He theorised new spells. Some of the spells that he created are still used to this day. Others of his spells are incredibly powerful and very dangerous in their instability. When you read these books, you need to read his diaries at the same time. The diaries will tell you what he was thinking when he was working on that spell, he didn't always get it right, and he got hurt more times than I can remember reading about. There is also a love story in his diaries as he writes about Viviane and how infatuated he becomes with her. The other danger of these books," she paused for effect, "Is if they fall into the wrong hands. Imagine if you will, some dark wizard wannabe gets a hold of these books and turns Merlin's work to evil. I would definitely tell your parents what you have here so they can protect you and these books."

"They're really that valuable? That someone would want to hurt us to get the books?"

"Very much so. They are very good reading, and I would encourage all of you to read them, you will learn a lot about magic and how it works. If you're not comfortable taking them home, then you can leave them here and read them, while you're here. We can even tell Angelina and George that they're here and we are keeping them for you."

"Okay, I'm okay with that," Angel told her, kind of fearfully.

They went over the trunks one final time, looking for hidden compartments and any other thing that they could have missed. With all of them satisfied, Hermione banished the trunks with a flick of her wrist.

.

After dinner, after hanging out for a couple of more hours, and after George and Angel flooed home, just before Ced and his wives apparated Amber to her home, she asked them, "So, what's your story? Sister's don't hang all over their brothers like you two do."

They were alone in the living room, the Wizarding Wireless, had been turned off, Ced was on the couch with Cici and Vic snuggled up next to him, their legs laid across his and theirs. Cici looked at her as if she was judging her, weighing the goodness in her soul, "Remember how we mentioned Soul-Bonded couples before?"

"Yes, but that's just something that's made up!"

"What do you know about Soul-Bonded couples, that you can say that?"

"Well, I have never read one of those romance novels, but from what the other kids have told me, they don't exist."

"So, you know nothing about Soul-Bonded couples, other than what someone else has said couldn't exist."

"I guess so."

"So, what could we say, to someone that has already made up their mind, that something that they know nothing about, is real?"

With a confused look on her face, she said, "I don't know."

"If we gave you a book to read, and we would want you to read it all tonight, would you do that? Would you read it?"

"Okay, sure." She said not too convincingly.

Vic held out her hand, and a book from the library sailed into it.

"How did you do that?"

"Because, we're something that doesn't exist, in your mind," Vic told her.

Vic's statement just seemed to confuse her more. The two wives stood up, it was time for their guest to go. Amber stood up, then Ced. As a group, they walked to the apparition point for the mansion, they could see the rusted wheels in the fourteen-year-old girl's mind starting to turn. She had, after all, a very full day running around with Vic, Cici, and Ced, and then there was George.

When they reached the apparition point for the mansion, Cici held out her arm for Amber, "But you're too young to apparate! How can you do this?"

"Because we're something that doesn't exist in your mind. Your mind is closed to all of the possibilities. Did you ever really believe that Merlin existed?"

"No, he was just a legend that was made up for bedtime stories."

"Yet, today, you saw and handled some of his books, his diaries! So how can you say that he doesn't exist? Hold on tight."

Amber grabbed Cici's arm in a death grip, and then they were standing in her neighbourhood. A moment later, Vic and Ced were standing next to them. They started walking her home. Talking softly, to avoid attracting unwanted attention. The street was lit with street lights, there was light coming from around the curtains in some of the houses, others had the curtains open, and the light from the homes spilt out from them. The neighbourhood was an upscale neighbourhood, the streets were clean, there were no homeless lying on the benches at the bus stops. They turned and walked up a short path to the stairs leading to the front door. This is where Amber turned to say her goodnights.

"I would invite you in, but my parents." She used as an excuse.

"That's okay, do you want to come over and visit some more tomorrow?" Cici asked her.

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay, we'll pick you up at eight?"

"Okay, I'll be ready at eight."

"Read the book, tonight!" Vic encouraged her.

"Okay! I'll read the book!"

"Goodnight!" the threesome told her.

"Goodnight." She answered them back.

The threesome left holding hands, walking down the sidewalk. Then Ced slipped his arms around their waists, they slipped an arm around his waist.

"You feel pretty real to me!" he said giving them a squeeze.

They squeezed him back, and when they got to the apparition point, they were home, walking down the path to the front doors of their home.

"I don't think that we should tell her that we're a soul-bonded couple/threesome." Ced finally said. "Why do we have to tell everybody that we meet that we're soul-bonded?"

"I agree, let her figure it out on her own. If she doesn't read the book, we'll just ask for it back and put it away."

"I agree, we just put the book back and let her think whatever it is that she's going to think. We don't have to prove that we exist. If you think about it, we hide so that people won't know that we exist."

"True, but I don't regret our friends knowing, I'm fine with that. Let's just see how it goes in the morning."

.

At 7:55 in the morning, the teens were walking down the street to Amber's house. They turned to go up to her door when Amber came out of the house and saw George standing there with a big smile on his face. He was so happy to see her that his smile was infectious.

"Hi!" she said smiling.

"Hi!" he said grinning like an idiot. To him, she was crazy beautiful, prettier than the prettiest flower.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Cici.

"Yes, and you can have your book back. I read it, and I just find it all so hard to believe."

"Okay, that's fine. At least you read it."

"It was actually kind of boring, I mean, I don't know what I was expecting. But it was boring."

"That's fine, it's not for everyone. Did you have it with you? I want to put it back before it gets lost."

"Hold on a sec. let me go in and get it."

"Okay, we can wait a moment."

" _I'm not going to spend my time trying to convince her of anything. She might be one of those people that has to see it to believe it."_

" _Let's just see how it goes. George likes her, and that's a plus."_

" _Guilty conscience?"_

" _Some, but I know that we have nothing to be ashamed of."_

" _He really is a very nice guy. It was good to see him stand up for himself yesterday."_

" _Yeah, it was. It felt good to see all of that training paid off finally."_

" _Glad that Auror decided not to haul us in."_

" _Uncle King would have torn him up!"_

Amber came back outside, "Here you go!" and she handed the book to Cici.

"What happened to the book?"

"Oh, sorry, my mom's dog got to it. It must have fallen onto the floor, and he chewed it up."

Cici walked over to the low standing garden wall. She opened the book up, and the book started leafing through the pages. It stopped where a page was missing. She looked at the section that was missing the pages. It was on soul-bonded couples. "It's missing pages." She stated flatly. "Bring me the missing pages before I start using all sorts of magic to find them!"

"You can't do magic in public. You're underage! And they'll get you for it!"

"I will ask you one more time before I find those pages myself." The chill in her voice would have made you think Daphne was there with them.

"NO! and you can't make me!"

George stepped away from the girl that he was crushing on.

Cici left the book open to the missing pages. She walked toward the front door of Amber's house.

"The doors locked and I'm not giving you the key! So there!" Amber stomped her foot in defiance.

As Cici stepped on the first step leading up to the door, the door just burst open. She walked inside the house and held her hand out. A moment later, all of the missing pages to the book were flying into her hand. She grasped the pages and turned to leave the house. She noticed that none of the electronics in the house was working anymore.

" _Vic, wipe her memory of us just after the incident with the Auror. Everything after that needs to be just a blank. Or just give her a false memory after that point, I don't care which."_

Ced pulled George aside so Vic could get next to Amber. Amber was just standing there, shocked at what had just happened to her house. Vic decided to use the damages as part of the false memory she was going to plant. It would be accidental magic that had happened.

" _Check for any stolen items that belong to us, too."_ Ced thought to Cici.

Cici turned back around and summoned any stolen items that belonged to them. Nothing appeared to her. She left the house and repaired the book. As she was shrinking the book to fit in her pocket, Vic was walking Amber up the stairs to her home, she walked her inside and sat her on a chair in front of a blank telly. She stepped back outside, the stage was set to make a false memory real.

Ced had explained what had happened and why they did what they did. George just nodded. "Okay, game faces on, and let's go." He whispered.

George went up the steps and knocked on the damaged door jamb. "Hello! Is anybody home!" he called out.

A dazed Amber came walking to the front door of the house, it was severely damaged and barely hanging on the hinges. "What happened? What are you doing here?"

"We agreed last night that we would come by and pick you up a little after eight," Ced told her.

"Oh, I must have forgotten. What are you doing here?" she asked George.

"Well, I thought that since you and I hit it off so well yesterday, that I would tag along so that I could spend extra time with you. I hope you don't mind!"

"No, no, I liked spending time with you yesterday. I had a lot of fun with you. And when you stood up to that bully, that was really brave of you."

"What happened to your front door?" asked Vic.

"I, I, I don't know?"

"Did you have a burst of accidental magic?" suggested Vic.

"Uh, I, I guess so."

"Did you want us to fix that for you?" asked Cici.

"Could you please?" she asked. She was so confused, she hadn't had a burst of accidental magic in years. She looked around the house, all of the electronics were broken, she guessed that she must have had an outbreak of accidental magic.

Cici had already fixed the front door. You couldn't tell that it had been blown off the hinges in anger. Cici looked around the house, other than nothing electrical working, it all seemed in place.

" _What else did you find while you were in her head?"_ asked Cici.

" _Nothing, she can be a little troublemaker but nothing to malicious. She's never hurt anyone, she's never stolen anything."_

" _Then why'd she rip the pages out of the book? And I don't see a dog."_

" _She's just one of those people that has to see it to believe it. I think that she took the pages because she knows that we're telling the truth, but she doesn't want to believe us."_

"Did you still want to come over? Or did you want to stay home?" asked Ced.

"Would you mind me coming over? There's nothing to do here, and I'm not a big reader, so I don't have any books. I just normally watch TV or play computer games," she looked around the room, "but all of those are broken now."

.

Back in the Potter mansion, Angel, Fred, and Rose were waiting for them. It was taking longer than they had expected to go and get Amber. When they walked through the front doors and thanked Charles, the girls and George went one direction, and Ced went in another direction. He caught Rose's eye and motioned with his head that he needed to speak with them.

Off to the side, Ced told them, "Amber stole some pages from a book that we gave her to read, she literally ripped them out of the book. We were going to tell her that we're a soul-bonded family, we wanted her to read the book because she didn't believe us, we kept giving her hints, but we've changed our minds on that. She's the kind of person that won't believe it until she sees it, so we've modified her memory from just after George stood up to that bully until this morning. Mostly what got changed is what happened after you left last night."

"Wow! That's a little extreme, don't you think?" Rose said.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same, that it's a little extreme." Angel agreed with Rose.

"I can see your point of view, but she's a lot more pleasant person now than she was when we first met her at the door. She was being a vindictive little witch about the pages from the book she took. After Vic modified her memory, she's very pleasant, to George and to us."

"Well, we'll go and see, but can you change it back to what it was before?" asked Fred.

"I think Vic can, we would have to ask her," Ced told them. Then he started thinking how ironic it was, that the girl that had her memories modified without her permission had just done the same thing to another girl.

" _True, but she's not trying to kill anybody."_

They all went back to join the group and found Amber sitting next to George, holding his hand. Fred had invited Julia to come over and hang out with them. They spent most of their summer this way. Amber's parents yelled at her for ruining the electronics in the house, again. The group had chosen not to invite her to go running with them in the mornings, they had decided that they would wait until school started to invite her along. Nobody mentioned the memory modification again, as promised they took her school shopping, and they met her at the train station for the train ride to school.

.

.

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 **A/N: Please review!**

 **Revised 02.11.2018**

 **And again 01.03.2019**


	26. Year Four Chapter 26

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 26

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Just before the girls and Ced boarded the train, Harry pulled them aside, "Sean McMillian contacted me this morning, he wants to know if you three would be interested in helping them with another 'project?'"

The three teens looked at each other, "Sure when?" asked Ced.

"It would be sometime during the school year. There could be some on again off again type of stuff involved. As you can expect, he hasn't given me too many details at this point."

The teens looked at each other again, "Okay, keep us informed and let us know when he wants to meet again." Vic answered for the group.

They exchanged hugs all around, and the girls kissed Hermione on the cheeks. She even blushed a little at the gesture.

They boarded the train and found the compartment with their other friends. Rose had enlarged the compartment to make room for everyone. After Ced and his wives arrived, Angel cast the privacy charms on it. Fred had taken one window seat with Julia leaning against him, George had the other window seat with Amber mimicking Julia.

" _That girl needs to learn to get a life of her own!"_ Cici thought.

" _If I had known that she was going to be this needy, I would have given her, her own personality!"_ Vic answered her.

After they had chatted for a while, and the compartment had grown quiet, Ced told them that he had a new game for them to play. It was based on a muggle sport known as skeet shooting.

"How do you play it?" asked Fred getting all interested in this new distraction.

"Yeah, what do we have to do?" George asked leaning forward.

"Well if I could get Rose and Angel to move over some. I'll enlarge the compartment some more, and we can use that corner as a backstop."

The two girls stood up and move to the window of the compartment. Ced enlarged the compartment, so there was a seat under the window. Then he put some charms on the walls and the windows of the compartment to absorb any missed shots. He explained to his friends that in muggle skeet shooting, they use clay targets, but what he was going to do was to make magical targets and that they would use a real low powered _diffindo_ or _reducto_ spell to shoot the targets. He conjured a small target, about the size of a knut coin. Then without missing a blink, Cici shot the target, and it popped.

"Hey!" Ced exclaimed at his wife, frowning.

She and Vic giggled at him.

"So, yeah, that's the idea," Ced told the group.

"I want to try!" squealed Rose.

"Me too!" squealed Angel.

So Ced conjured another target and had it just stand still. Rose took a shot at it and just missed. Angel took a shot and hit it dead centre.

"Good job!" encourage Ced.

"I wanna have a go!" said Fred.

"Okay," Ced told him as he conjured another target.

Fred took a shot, and he hit it easy enough. After everyone had a chance to shoot at a single target, Amber refused to participate, Ced stepped it up and made the target move across their practice spot in a straight line. They all found the moving target much more challenging and therefore, more fun. Once they were getting good at hitting the single target, Ced added a second target, and had them going in opposite directions, he had the targets cross over each other, even had them turn in the same direction, but at different radii.

It was such a great way to pass the time, that they were pulling into Hogsmeade station and they hadn't even put on their school robes yet. Ced let the others put their robes on and clear out of the compartment before he pulled his and his spouses' trunks out to get their robes. After they had purchased their robes, and after everyone had gone home that day, the three of them took the time to enchant their robes with shield spells. The last thing that any of them wanted was for someone to catch them unawares and land a lucky shot on them. With their robes on, Ced shrank the trunks and put them back into his pocket. They walked outside to catch one of the last carriages headed up to the castle. All three of them could see the Thestral that pulled their carriage. Their experiences over the summer had opened their eyes in that way.

"It's sad that we can see them now," Vic said all melancholy.

"Yeah, it is." Her wife agreed with her.

"Yup." Was all Ced said.

They were the last carriage that arrived at the castle grounds. They walked up the steps and entered the Great Hall just before the sorting started. Their friends had left 'their seats' open for them. Amber and George sat across from the three of them. Ced sat each of his wives, one on each side of him, as he sat down, they both gave him a kiss on the cheek. The sorting happened, dinner was eaten, the new potions professor was introduced, her name was Laura Lively, and all of the routine announcements were made. A typical start of a typical new school year.

Up inside the common room, Vic walked over to the gryphon, tapped it three times on the nose and said "Happy threesome," to set the new passphrase.

"I like it," said Ced.

"Me too." Cici agreed.

The gryphon slid to the side to allow entrance into their quarters.

"Why do they get special treatment?" groused Amber to Angel.

"Oh, they're doing a special research project for Professor McGonagall," Angel replied like it was the most natural thing in the world. Need to mention this to Cici she thought to herself.

"How do I become teacher's pet?" Amber thought out loud.

"Well, you could go ask her," Rose commented back to the question. "But the last girl that asked wound up crawling through the pipes looking for lost earrings, where they were found, and what kind of earring they were." She lied to the girl.

"Yuk!"

"That's kind of why nobody complains to the Headmistress."

"That's gross!"

"Well, that's your bed over there, mine's over here. See your trunk? Your trunk is next to the bed that you've been assigned." Angel told her.

The three girls started to unpack their trunks.

"Are you going running with us in the morning?" Angel asked her, as she unpacked her trunk.

"Sure? What time? About eight?"

"Eight! At eight o'clock, we'll be in classes! No, we wake up to go run, at five in the morning." Rose corrected the foreign witch.

"Five in the morning! But that's so early! Can't we do it at 7:30?" Amber whined.

"Tell you what, if you want to go run with us, be in the common room by 5:30. If you want to sleep in, stay in bed. We all go run, and thought that we would invite you along." Angel told her harshly.

In the married quarters, Vic had already unpacked all of their clothes, she stripped down to join her spouses for a long soak in the tub. There were two walk-in closets, a chest of drawers, two dressers, a regular closet for Ced, and the laundry hamper was in the restroom sitting in its usual spot. Her clothes flew into it as she walked naked to the tub. As she stepped down into the tub, she relished in the soothing bubbles that Cici had added, the lights went out as she stepped farther into the water, the stars and the moon providing the only view in the room.

"That was a fun game that you invented on the train ride, babe," Cici said.

"Yeah! It was a lot of fun!"

"Yeah, it seemed like everyone enjoyed it," Ced told them.

He pulled them in close, and squeeze them. They leaned up and kissed him on the jaw. He returned their kisses, letting his love and appreciation flow through their mental link.

.

The next morning in the common room, their four friends waited for Ced and the girls to join them, just a moment later they exited from the gryphon, looked around and the group headed for the portrait hole. At the bottom of all of the stairs, Julia hooked up with Fred for their morning routine. She liked the new energy that she had, plus the occlumency was helping her concentration.

"What? No Amber?" Julia asked.

"Nope, guess she didn't want to join us," Angel answered coldly.

Their brisk walk to the edge of the lake helped to warm their muscles, at the edge they broke into a slow run that gradually increased the farther they got around the lake, for the last few hundred meters they went into a full sprint for the lone tree by the lake. They looked around to clear the area and portkeyed to the chambers.

"Professor Greengrass, Professor Longbottom!" the group almost shouted in excitement.

They exchanged pleasantries all around.

"I heard that you all had a little excitement in Diagon Alley," Neville told them.

They explained what had happened and how George had tried to defuse the situation but that the guy just wanted to keep escalating the situation. How Ced had to name drop to save them from being taken down to Auror Headquarters in the DMLE.

"So, are we going to keep working with hand to hand combat?" asked Professor Greengrass.

The teens looked around and agreed that that would be best, even Julia wanted to learn.

It was a tired group of teens that were ready to head up to their showers. Angel and Rose pulled Cici and Vic to the side.

"We want that potion you mentioned a while ago," Rose told them.

"How long does it take to start working?"

"For me, I felt the effects starting the next morning," Vic told their friends.

"Does it have any bad side effects?" asked Rose.

"Yes," Cici told them.

Rose and Angel's faces fell to the floor.

"What?" a dejected Angel asked.

"It will make you go out and buy new bras when you get tired of having to transfigure your old bras!" Vic told them.

"I can live with that!" Rose said.

"Me too! How long to do we have to take the potion for?"

"For you two, probably about six to nine months, twice a day. Before breakfast and before bed." Cici told them.

"Do you have any now?"

"I think so if I do, I'll bring it to you at breakfast, if not I can brew some tonight for you in the morning."

"Okay, but we don't want Julia to know, okay?" Rose told them.

"Sure, that's fine with us," Vic said.

Back in their quarters, Ced was already in the shower, the girls slipped in with him, and they each helped the others get washed up quickly.

Out of the shower, they dried off, Vic dried Cici's hair and had it braid in a four-strand braid. Cici had Vic's hair, do a simple three-strand braid but farther up her head, so it was perkier. The elves had laid their clothes out for them, and they grabbed their bookbags to head down to breakfast. A tired Amber met them at the bottom of the girl's stairs.

"Where did everybody go?" she yawned.

"Everybody's at breakfast, if you want to eat and not be late to class, you should hurry up," Cici told her.

"But nobody woke me up!" she whined.

"Sorry, but here; you have to wake yourself up," Vic told her. Godric I'm so tired of her whining!

"If we don't see you at breakfast, we'll see you in class!" Ced told her chipperly. He turned and guided the girls to the portrait hole.

Down at breakfast, they scanned the hall as they entered, with a girl on each of Cedric's arms, he headed over to join their group of friends, and they sat with their backs to the wall.

"Did Amber wake up?" Rose asked.

"Did you bring it?" whispered Angel to Cici.

"Yeah, she was still wearing her PJs when she caught us in the common room," Vic told her.

"Yes, I'll transfer it to your pocket in a moment," Cici told her.

"I'm so tired of her!" Angel grumbled.

"What's wrong with her? She's not that bad, she's just misunderstood." George defended his girlfriend.

Rose felt something appear in the pocket of her robe. She looked at Cici, and Cici just nodded to her. A smile started to grow on her face.

Julia looked at him, "Yeah she is." And went back to eating her breakfast.

"That new potions teacher is young!" Fred commented.

"Why do you say that? Do you like her?" Julia asked him. The accusation of jealousy was in her tone. "Do you think that she's prettier than me?"

"I'm just saying that she's young! And compared to our other professors, she is young." Fred defended himself.

As Julia and Fred were arguing, both Rose and Angel swallowed the potions quickly. When the vials were empty, they both banished the bottles.

As the group was heading out of the hall, Amber was rushing in without her bookbag.

She looked at the group of friends, "Why didn't anybody wake me up!" she whined.

"I'm not your alarm clock," Rose told her.

She looked at Angel.

"Me neither, you need to get up on your own. All of us get up on our own, and so should you." Angel told her.

"We'll see you in class! And don't forget your bookbag!" Cici told her as Amber entered the hall for some food before running back up all of those stairs.

.

As they entered transfiguration, Professor Vector called Vic up to the front.

"Miss Potter! If I may have a word with you?" she said.

"Yes Professor."

Then in a much lower tone of voice, "You will be my assistant for the remainder of the school year. Is that okay with you?"

"I'm going to be your assistant?"

"Yes. Will that be okay with you?"

"Yes! I'd like that!"

"Good, during the lecture portion of the class, you will sit at the back of the room. Then during the practice portion of the class, you will go around and help the other students that are having troubles with the exercise."

"Okay, I can do that. That'll be fun! Thank you!"

The professor smiled at her in return.

About ten minutes after class had started a winded Amber rushed into the room.

"Miss Davis, late on the first day. Hum, 10 points from Gryffindor, find a seat and sit in it."

"But it's not my fault! Nobody woke me up!"

"It's not their responsibility to wake you up. It's your responsibility to get yourself up and ready for class."

"But that's not fair!"

"Life's not fair Miss Davis. If you persist in talking you will earn yourself detention, is that understood?"

"But that's not fair!"

"See Mr Filch after dinner for your detention tonight."

"That's not fair!"

"And tomorrow night also. Shall we keep going?"

She shut her mouth and turned an angry red.

Vic snickered from the back wall of the classroom.

After the lecture, Vic went around helping some of the students, the exercise was simple enough, transfigure a feather into a whole bird. Amber couldn't even get the feather to move.

Vic went over to her to help, but Amber chased her away. Vic made her way up to the head of the class and mentioned to Professor Vector that she didn't feel that Amber was even capable of levitating the feather, let alone transfiguring it.

Seeing the look that Professor Vector was giving her, Vic told her, "I asked her if she could levitate the feather and she got mad at me. But as I watched her, she couldn't even get the feather to move."

"We'll look into it."

"Thank you, Professor."

For all of their morning classes, one of the three of them was a teacher's assistant. Lunch was an enjoyable affair. No one came over and made comments, no one came over to harass them, lunch was a nice quiet meal. The group of friends headed off to their afternoon classes. After lunch; they had potions, and as usual, it was with the Slytherin's. This was good for Fred, because he got to have Julia as his partner, and Ced was the teacher's assistant for the class.

"Mr Potter, you're to be my assistant for this class." Professor Lively told him.

"Okay, Professor, where would you like me to sit?"

"Go ahead and take a seat right up here behind me. I'll have you help me demonstrate the potions that we'll be brewing this year."

Potions was an enjoyable class for the first time for most of the Gryffindors. The professor, was not the Head of Slytherin, so favouritism was a thing of the past. A tradition that Professor McGonagall was glad to bring to an end.

.

After about two or three weeks, Ced, Cici, and Vic were talking to each other, when the subject came around to Amber as it always seemed to do lately.

"In the classes that George is with her, she seems to do okay."

"In the classes that she …."

"Has to do it on her own …"

"She has the most troubles."

"She got caught out of bed again last night."

"I heard that they gave her a week's detention this time."

"Do you think that George is carrying her in class?"

"I wonder what she's doing out after curfew?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Do you think that he's doing her homework for her?"

"I wonder if she's meeting somebody?"

"If he's doing her homework for her, he's not helping her."

"I wonder what he's getting in return?"

"Do you think they're doing 'it'?"

"Doing 'it'? I hope not, for his sake!"

"You know she's not using the potion."

"Where would he get condoms?"

"Well, everyone still thinks that we're doing 'it.' They say that they can hear us through the walls!"

"Oh, My, Godric! Really? They can hear us through meter thick walls?"

"That's what I overheard."

"I wish that they could hear the professors, as well as they, hear us!"

"I heard that!"

The three of them burst out laughing at that remark. So many of the students didn't listen to the instructions that the professors would give them during class. It was amazing how many substandard transfigurations, charms, and potions the students would turn in.

"Really Professor? That potion gets a passing grade? It's brown, and it supposed to be orange!"

"In this case, 'brown is a shade of orange.'"

The girls mimicked their potions teacher.

"Well, at least you two weren't target practice for D.A.D.A.!"

"Tomorrow, I'm going to go ask Professor McGonagall if we can have three school dances, on Halloween, before we leave for the Christmas holidays and one before we have spring break. I'll organise them all if she needs me to!" Cici said.

"That'd be a lot of fun! We could do something other than study all the time!" Vic said, "I'll even help you plan it out!"

During their morning run, Cici started pitching the idea of having some school dances to the others.

"I like it!" Angel said.

"Me too!" Julia said.

They all discussed it as they ran around the lake. The discussion put all of them in a good mood, right up to the point that they saw Amber walking towards the school with someone else. They cast disillusionment charms on themselves and silenced their shoes so they could follow her without being detected as easily.

"This is a first! She's not still in bed sleeping!" hissed Rose.

The group spread out to encircle the two people.

" _It's Finnigan!"_ Vic thought.

" _What's she doing with Finnigan?"_ Ced thought.

" _Well, there goes that little bit of trust we had in her."_ Cici thought.

" _How's George doing? We need to keep an eye on him!"_

" _Yeah, if he doesn't keep it under control, he's going to blow it for the rest of us."_

" _Keep an eye on them. I'm going to see if I can figure out where they came from, and maybe what it was that they were doing out here."_ Ced thought to his wives.

Ced changed directions and move back towards the Forbidden Forest. He listened for the sounds of any others in the forest, he kept sniffing the air to see if he could pick up the smell of a fire or something like that. He scanned the area looking for broken branches or disturbed things, like rocks that had been bumped.

The group of friends followed Amber and Finnigan into the castle. They weren't holding hands, for what that was worth. They couldn't get close enough to overhear what they were saying in hushed tones. Thankfully there weren't any students up and moving at this early hour, so they didn't have to worry about someone bumping into them as the stalked their targets. Inside the castle, Finnigan turned to head down to the Slytherin common room, Amber followed him dutifully. Outside of the entrance to the Slytherin common room, they stopped.

Finnigan turned to face Amber, "You've gotten close, but you need to get closer to him. You need to get him to trust you more, I don't care what you have to do to get him to trust you, just make him do it."

As if she were hypnotised, she said, "Okay, I will do as you say." And just before she turned to leave.

"You had best not fail! The Master does not tolerate failure well." And he turned and entered the common room.

It looked like Amber was in a daze as she walked towards the Gryffindor common room.

" _Finnigan's one of them!"_

" _They could try contacting you soon!"_ Ced thought to her.

" _Do we still have the listening devices?"_

" _Yes, my dad didn't ask for them back."_

" _We need to let Neville and Draco know too."_

" _Are you going to be okay when they try contacting you Mon Amour?"_

" _I'm going to be better than okay. I'm going to take the fight to them!"_

Ced continued to search the forest for clues as to what they had been doing out here. He finally found a patch of dirt that looked like it had been packed down by more than just two people. He looked around to see where the footprints led, but in one way or another, they all led back to the grass and the castle.

The group let Amber walk right through the centre of them, she didn't notice them in the slightest. George looked at her, and she seemed to have a vacant look on her face. The group moved to follow her, Julia pulled Fred aside and gave him a sweet kiss.

"I'm going to go get my shower now, I'll see you for breakfast."

They exchanged kisses again, Julia looked around, and Fred cancelled the spell. As Julia entered her common room, Fred hurried to catch up to his friends.

At the portrait hole, the group of friends let Amber enter first then, still disillusioned, they followed her in, at this point, the four girls followed her up the stairs to the fourth-year girl's dorm room. She went over to her bed, took off her school robes, and climbed into bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Back in the hall, the girls cancelled the spell, closed the door and went down to the common room.

"That was weird!" Angel said lowly.

The guys cancelled their spells too.

"Yeah it was!" said Rose.

"Do you think that we should try following her for a few nights? To see where she's going?" asked Vic.

Ced appeared next to Vic. Cici had told him that the coast was clear.

"All I found in the forest was an area that had been packed down by more than two people. All of the footprints led back to the castle." Ced informed the group.

"You should have seen the look on her face! It was blank like she was being mind controlled or something!" a disheartened George said.

"You heard what Finnigan said to her, she has to get closer to one of us guys," Fred said. "You're not having sex with her, are you?"

"NO! Geez, no!"

"Then that is how they're going to try and get you under their control." Said Vic.

"How do you know that?"

"Because, that's what they wanted me to do, to get Ced."

"Really? They wanted you to have sex with Ced so they could get control over Ced?" asked Rose.

"Yes, the birth control potion they gave me to take, had a second potion in it that would let me exercise mind control over Ced if we had sex."

"I think that we should follow Amber for the next couple of weeks. I'll tell Draco and Neville so they can inform the Aurors, and I'll tell Professor McGonagall what is happening, just in case we get caught." Ced told the group.

"We're going to go take our showers." Said Cici.

"Then we'll head down for an early breakfast." Added Vic.

The others agreed with getting an early breakfast.

"I'll go see if Neville and Draco are in the chambers," Ced told them. He portkeyed out of the common room.

The others headed to get their showers.

In the chambers, he found Neville and Draco duelling, and they weren't holding back either. After several minutes, Ced called out to them.

"Hey!" he yelled to get their attention.

They stopped to look at him. He walked up to his uncles.

"We just watched something interesting this morning after our morning run." He started telling them.

"What was that?" asked Neville.

"We saw Amber walking back to the castle with Finnigan."

"At what time was this?" asked Draco.

"About six o'clock, that's when we finish our run around the lake. We were at the lone tree by the lake, getting ready to portkey into here, when we saw them walking towards the castle. They weren't holding hands. We disillusioned ourselves, silenced our shoes, and the group followed them to the Slytherin common room entrance."

"Did you hear what they were talking about?" asked Draco.

"They caught the end of the conversation which was for her to get close to one of us guys, we assume that it's George this time and that if she doesn't, that the Master will be angry with her. I went to the forest to look for any evidence, and all I found was a spot that had the dirt packed down. I followed the footprints, but they all led back to the grass and the castle."

"Did you disturb anything? Kick anything? Touch anything?" asked Neville.

"No, I left it all alone and made my way back to the common room, where they followed Amber back to her bed."

"Okay, I'll contact the Aurors and have them send a forensics team to search the spot. Have you told Minerva yet?"

"No, I was going to do that later today. We want to follow her at night for the next couple of weeks to see where she's going."

"I agree with that, but I'll tell her that you're doing it because I've asked you." Said Draco.

"Thanks, I'm going to go get my shower and have an early breakfast. I'll see you both in class!"

The girls were just finishing their shower when Ced got back to the room. He caught them coming out of the restroom, and he saw their school uniforms lying on the bed for them. Vic had chosen to wear her hair in a loose ponytail, and Cici was just going to wear her hair loose and hanging around one side of her neck onto her chest. They both had decided to wear dangly earrings and black heels.

Ced showered quickly so he could walk to the Great Hall for breakfast with the group.

"She's sound asleep!" said an astonished Rose.

"I bet she was out all night. But doing what?" Vic said.

"I don't know, but let's discuss this over breakfast. At least there we can cast the privacy charms." Ced told them.

At breakfast, they discussed how they would keep track of Amber's movements. Ced saw that Finnigan was at breakfast, and he didn't even look tired. They had decided that Vic would go with Rose tonight, Ced would go with George, then Cici would go with Angel, Fred and Julia wanted to work together to help solve this mystery. As they left the hall, Ced looked up at Draco, and he nodded back to him. Ced just gave him a single nod of his head to acknowledge they had the Headmistress's consent.

On the way out of the doors, Amber came stumbling in looking for some breakfast. George turned around to help her.

"Why are you so tired?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she said groggily. "I haven't been sleeping well."

"Are you having bad dreams?"

"No, I don't think so. I have been having strange dreams though."

He helped her into a seat, she could barely stand. He started to load up a plate of food for her. He wished for a vial of Vitamix to give her after she had eaten something. That wasn't the best picker-upper to take on an empty stomach.

"What's happening in your dreams?" Maybe she could remember what was happening to her, he hoped.

"I don't know, they're just bizarre dreams. I've been having them ever since we took that trip to go shopping. You know, the one where that bully tried to beat you up."

"Ever since then? That was a long time ago."

"And now, here at this school, they've only gotten weirder. Like, I dream that I'm out walking in the woods, and there's someone that is trying to tell me something, but I can't really hear them?"

She finished eating her food, and they had just enough time to get to class, … if Amber hadn't left her bookbag in her room.

"I'll see you in class. It wouldn't do us any good for us both to be late to class. I'll tell Professor Vector that you forgot your bag in your room."

"She's still going to give me detention again. She doesn't like me."

"Just don't argue with her. She's not that bad."

"She's mean!"

.

George asked Cici if she had a Vitamix potion that he could give to Amber. Cici dug around in the pocket of her bookbag and gave him one.

" _I need to brew some more Vitamix potion and some more potion for Rose and Angel."_ She thought to her mates.

" _Please do! If you want to brew the potion for Rose and Angel, I'll brew the Vitamix potion."_

" _Sounds good to me. I'd appreciate the help."_

" _I can probably get the Vitamix done before I have to go with Rose to follow Amber. Let's see if she gets detention for being late to class again."_

"Ah! Miss Davis, late, as usual, I see."

Amber took her seat, "I am sorry for being late, Professor."

"Now shut up! Don't say another word!" hissed George.

"That's good advice, Mr Weasley." Professor Vector said, with her back turned to the class.

The day's assignment was to transfigure a hedgehog into a teacup.

Amber's hedgehog took off running across the floor. Amber scampered after it, it was almost comical because she didn't want to hurt it, and she didn't want to get stuck by it, either. Finally, Vic just summoned the hedgehog to her and handed it back to Amber.

"Thank you, Vic.," She said humbly.

George didn't have any troubles completing the assignment. This was déjà vu for Professor Vector back to when Harry and Hermione were her star students, the students that hung around with them started to do excellent work also.

.

That night, Amber was in her bed with the curtains drawn around the bed. Rose and Angel were talking softly about nothing in particular, and Vic was disillusioned, listening to her friends, watching for Amber to leave. As the hours slipped by, Angel went to sleep, and Rose disillusioned herself, and they waited. Sometime before midnight, they heard the curtains being slid open on Amber's bed. She was fully dressed, all the way down to her shoes. Vic moved around to be by the door, she wanted to get a look at Amber's face. It was just as blank as what George had described. The girls let Amber leave the room first so they could follow her. She worked her way down all of the stairs, and out the front doors of the castle that had been propped open, so the alarm had not been set. Vic and Rose saw maybe a dozen different girls all fourth-year and older walking out of the front doors of the castle. They waited to see if anyone was following them to make sure that they stayed in line. After a minute, they slipped out the doors to follow them. They moved off to the side, of the line of girls so they wouldn't be so easily seen. The column of girls headed to where Ced had told them he had found the packed dirt. Once there they formed a circle around a red-cloaked figure. The figure reached into its pocket and pulled out some vials of potions. It handed a potion to each girl and two to Amber. When the potions had been swallowed, each girl handed the empty vial back to the red-cloaked figure. So that's why there wasn't any evidence, the person in the red cloak collected the empty bottles! Then they watched as the figure in red went around to each of the girls and stared into their eyes, on some of them it would use its wand to cast a spell. Then off to their left, Vic saw some movement. Quietly she pushed Rose down onto one knee, as she watched the movement. It was Finnigan, walking a patrol path. Vic lifted Rose back to her feet and motioned that they needed to move back away from the group, she pointed to were Finnigan was walking, and Rose could see that they were in his path. With their silenced shoes, they quickly got out of the way of Finnigan. One by one, the red-cloaked figure released the girls to return to their beds. When it got to Amber, it was particularly rough with her, even where they were squatted, they could hear her whimper, as the cloaked figure used the wand on her, then he moved on to the next girl in line, but Amber just stood there. After all of the other girls had been sent back to the castle, the cloaked figure returned to Amber, then the cloaked figure made her remove all of her clothing, then get down on her knees, when the person opened its pants, that's when Vic and Rose knew that it was a guy. The urge to end this right here right now was almost overwhelming to Vic. Had they done this very same thing to her? The figure motioned for Finnigan to join him in this 'fun'. After Amber had been used in this way, she gathered up her clothes and headed to the castle naked. Vic motioned for Rose to follow her back into the castle, while she stayed and watched Finnigan and the cloaked figure. Human trafficking had made its way into Hogwarts.

Vic watched as Finnigan headed to the castle and the cloaked figure headed towards the Whomping Willow. As he got closer, the tree started trying to hit him violently, the cloaked figure summoned a long stick wordlessly and used the stick to press on a knot at the base of the tree. At that instant, the tree stood perfectly still until after the person had entered into a hollow at the base of the tree. Vic chose to stay behind because she didn't know where the hole in the tree led. This was the course of action that all of the espionage manuals had said to follow. Everything that they were doing was learned from just reading books! They had read a spy manual, then they would read a couple of spy novels, and then they would talk about how the story compared to the manual. They had done this for a whole year! But now, it was starting to pay off. They would ask Ced's dad about the tree, and they would talk to Neville and Draco about what they had seen. Vic turned around, and found the correct window in the side of the Gryffindor tower, she wanted the common room so she could make sure that Amber and Rose had gotten there safely. Using _teleportus,_ she was standing next to the window in the common room just as a naked Amber came through the portrait hole. She still had the same blank look on her face, but now, her dirty face was stained with tear streaks. The two girls followed the one girl up the stairs and to her bed. Amber dropped her clothes on the floor next to her bed and crawled between the sheets. As soon as her eyes closed, she was asleep, unaware of what she had just done, or had been forced to do. But Vic knew that those horrible memories were in there, somewhere, and that they would manifest themselves as nightmares that the girl would be unable to wake up from. She may not like the girl, but that didn't mean that she had to like what the girl was going through.

"Are you going to be okay?" Vic asked Rose.

"Yeah, that's horrible what they're doing to her though. Singling out Amber."

"Yes, it is. But we need to keep an eye on the other girls too," she whispered.

"How long do you think this has been going on?"

"For me, since last year. Before that? I don't know. Let's get some sleep. Do you want a Dreamless Sleep draught? We can talk more about this in the morning."

"No, I want to wake up for our run. I'll just take a Vitamix or two tomorrow."

"Me too." Vic agreed with her. For Vic, she would at least have the comfort and mental support of her spouses. For Amber, she was going to need George more than she ever knew. How is it that George always seemed to wind up with the damaged girls?

Once Vic was in the hallway she just shifted to her spouses, she slipped out of her clothes and into bed, taking her spot, as her skin touched the skin of her mates they both let out soft moans of pleasure at having the missing part of them back in place. For her, she felt the pleasant tingling sensation that always accompanied their touch. She lay her head down on Ced's broad chest, her arm and leg touching Cici's, in his sleep he kissed her on top of her head, this simple action brought a smile to her lips, the steady beat of his loving heart lulled her to sleep faster than any potion could have.

In their sleep, the three of them analysed and reanalysed what Vic had seen that night, they all were appalled at what had happened to Amber, and they were surprised at the number of other girls in the school.

During their morning run, they discussed what had happened last night. They were most worried about what George's reaction would be. It was a good thing to be worried about too. George was all for going in and hexing Finnigan and all of the dark Slytherins. At the end of their run, they cleared the area quickly and portkeyed to the chambers. Neville and Draco were there waiting for them.

The two professors debriefed the two teens that had done the surveillance last night. When Vic told the part about the Whomping Willow, they said to her that it was smart of her not to have followed the cloaked guy. They explained that the underground path led to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade, it would have been a natural place to ambush her, and that would have created more problems, instead of helping to solve the one big problem that they have now.

"Let's practice, and I'll tell the Headmistress at breakfast," Draco told the kids.

.

"That potion gives you more energy!" Whispered Rose to Cici.

"And I feel that tingling sensation that you talked about," Angel whispered to Vic.

Vic and Cici shared a smile with them. Julia was sitting to close to have a good conversation about it. The group kept an eye on Finnigan, but he was just so plain ordinary acting! Amber came stumbling in earlier than usual, George jumped up to help her. He helped her into her seat and then helped her get some food. She looked terrible like she hadn't slept in weeks, which if you think about it, is about right. But when had the UAA gotten its claws into her?

"How are you doing this morning?" George asked her.

"Fine, I guess I slept better last night. I'm not as tired."

"That's good, did you have any bad dreams again?"

At this, Amber got all quiet and glared at George.

"I'm just asking because I care."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't care so much." The comment wanted to be an angry comment, but it came across more as a warning to those listening in from the sidelines.

.

That night, Cici waited up in the fourth-year girl's dorm room. She was standing, disillusioned, between Rose and Angel, her shoes were silenced, and she made no noise. They waited until Amber had drawn her curtains before Angel disillusioned herself. Then, a little before midnight, Amber started moving around. Cici positioned herself at the door to the room to wait, she wanted to get a good look at Amber's face, to see if she really did have a blank look, or was she just faking it. The curtains around Amber's bed slid back, and an expressionless Amber started moving to the door of the room. Cici stepped aside, and then they followed her down to the forest. The twelve victims of the red-cloaked figure were all there. Just as Vic described, the red-cloaked figure gave all of them the potions, then he collected all of the vials, and Amber was given the second potion. Just as before, Amber removed all of her clothing and got on her knees. Cici could feel her anger rising inside of her, once the red-cloaked figure was done with her, he motioned for Finnigan to come and take his place. When Finnigan was finished with Amber, the red-cloaked figure knocked her to the ground and said something to her that Cici and Angel couldn't hear. Amber got up and put her clothes back on. Finnigan escorted her to the castle, while the red-cloaked figure walked to the Whomping Willow. Is this what they had done to her wife? Before Ced and Cici had taken her in? What was going on with the other girls? Who were the other girls? Right now, we have more questions than answers! The three of them could easily capture the red-cloaked figure. Did the UAA want them to catch the red-cloaked figure? What was Finnigan's part in all of this? She focused on the window of the common room, then she was in the common room. She watched as Amber came through the portrait hole followed by Angel. She followed them up the stairs and waited as Amber got in bed fully clothed, shoes and all. Angel cancelled the charm, said goodnight and went to her bed. Out in the hallway, she checked for prying eyes, then shifted to her spouses.

.

The next morning after charms, "Vane!" the voice called to her softly.

"Honey, take my bookbag and wait over there for me," Vic told Ced super sweetly, pointing to a spot along the wall, wanting the cloaked figure to believe that she still had Ced under her control.

Cici just walked on by like she was finished with him.

"I see that you have made progress Miss Vane, or should I say, Miss Potter. The master is pleased that you have gotten yourself adopted into their family."

"What is it that you want." She could feel him trying to get inside of her mind. Well, two could play at this. She shot her hand out and grabbed the cloaked figure by the throat. She sank her long nails deep into his skin, blood was beginning to run down from where she had an excellent grip on this terrorist. She had put her mental walls up, to protect her bond-mates from this wanker, finding out that she was soul-bonded now, and many more times powerful than he would ever be. She could feel him wanting to start a spell.

"No no no, you don't really want to do that!" she whispered to him. She sank her nails in even farther, tightening her grip.

"Now, let's go someplace where you and I can have a talk." Then she _teleportused_ to just outside the Room of Requirements. With her nails sunk into his throat, Vic walked the terrorist backwards into the room. Once inside the room, and the wall had reformed behind her, she tripped the terrorist so he would land on his back. She went down with him slamming his head into the hard stone floor.

"Now, let's talk. What's going on in that ugly little head of yours?" and she crushed his feeble attempt to keep her out of his head. What she found only made her even angrier, without her knowing it she had started closing her grip on his throat. She could hear him gurgling when Kitten showed up next to her.

"You don't want to do this sister," Kitten told her.

"Yes, I do."

"This isn't why I helped you."

Vic's head snapped around to look at her.

"It's not," Kitten told her softly. "Let me bring Tonks here to take care of this for you." She offered.

Vic, with the anger and hatred, that she felt for the person's life she literally held in her hand, nodded.

"Tonks," Kitten paused, "Come." And Tonks was standing there next to them both.

Tonks looked around trying to get her bearings on where she was and what was happening. She saw Kitten, and then she saw Vic with her fingers wrapped around some guys windpipe. The guy was gurgling.

"Wotcher Vic. You can let him go now." Tonks told her.

"No, I can't, as soon as I let him go, he's going to do something. He just hasn't made up his mind what though."

"What do you mean?"

"I have been performing legilimency on him, and he is the scum of the earth! I'm not letting go of him until he's in a protected cell where he can't get out."

"Well, you're going to have to let go of him for one of us to get him in there," Tonks told her.

"No, I'm not, Kitten take us to the cells in the Ministry."

"I'm sorry Vic, I'm not that strong." She told them.

Vic started to get up, and she was dragging her victim up with her. She wasn't letting go until he was in a magically protected cell. "Fine then, take my arm, Tonks."

Tonks did as she had told her. As soon as she felt Tonks tighten her grip, Vic _teleportused_ to the front gates of the school. From there they walked to the apparition point. And from there Tonks apparated them to the Auror Headquarters, DMLE. But Vic still didn't let go of the guy's throat.

"I said in a cell. I'm not letting go until he's in a magically protected cell."

Dutifully Tonks led them to an elevator.

"You're leaving blood everywhere," Tonks told her.

"It's not mine." Was all that Vic said.

Suddenly, Vic slammed the perpetrator up against the back wall of the elevator car. Tonks turned, her wand in her hand, to see Vic snarling at the guy, her grip closing around his windpipe.

"What's wrong?" asked a concerned Tonks.

As the elevator car doors opened. "He wanted me to kill him here. I started to oblige him, and he decided he really wanted to live." By now, the blood had started to run down her hand past her wrist and was being absorbed by her school robes. "I guess he didn't want me to rip his windpipe out and show it to him."

Tonks led them down a gloomy hallway to the highest security cells the aurors had. Amelia had increased the security after Pettigrew had escaped from one of the cells. The guards jumped up when they saw Vic with her fingers wrapped around some guys throat. Tonks just waved them back down.

"Open this cell." She told the guard.

"On whose authority?" he asked her.

"Mine!" she raised her voice to him.

"Mam, I need the correct paperwork," he whined back to her.

The terrorist gurgled out a laugh.

"Well, tosser, you can either open that cell in the next ten seconds, or you can fill out all of the different forms for having a dead body laying across your desk. Your choice." Vic told the guard. She shook the perpetrator by the throat for emphasis.

The terrorist gurgled some more.

The guard started fishing for the correct magical key as quickly as he could. He didn't know who this little girl was, but he did know that he didn't want to make her mad at him. Plus filling out all of those forms in triplicate, that would suck! He got the cell open, and Vic walked the terrorist into the cell backwards, she tripped him again and slammed his head into the floor of the cell, his eyes rolled to the top of his head, but he was still breathing. That was more than she cared about. As soon as she left the cell, the magical door closed behind her, forming a complete magic proof box around the prisoner.

They started walking back to the elevators, when they were out of earshot of the guard, Vic began to talk to Tonks.

"Tonks, I'm sorry for behaving this way," Vic started.

"Well, I'm wondering just who this guy is exactly."

"This is the guy that was messing with my mind last year in school."

"Oh, so he's a terrorist! That makes it a lot easier to hold him and question him." Tonks was much happier now, her hair turned back to its usual bubble gum pink.

When they entered the elevator, there was another wizard in the lift with them, so they stopped talking. Once they got to Tonks' office, and she had reinforced the privacy charms, they started talking again.

"When I probed his mind, because he was trying to probe mine, there's so much evil stuff this guy has done. He's partly responsible for the twelve girls in Hogwarts right now."

"You have twelve girls in Hogwarts that's being controlled by terrorists?"

"Yes, they're all fourth-years and up this time."

"What's Minerva got to say about all of this?"

"Well, we've told Draco and Neville, and they said that they would keep her informed of what's going on."

"Okay, Neville has asked us to come check out a spot at Hogwarts, but our crime scene investigator is running behind at this time."

"You probably won't find much, there's this red-cloaked figure that gives all of the girls a potion, and he gives Amber a second potion, then he makes her do sexual stuff to him. I just almost hexed him the first time I watched. But the guy in the red cloak, he slips in and out by way of the shrieking shack and the Whomping Willow."

"What time is this guy doing this stuff?" Tonks asked curiously.

"Amber always leaves her bed just before midnight. The guy probes their minds and does something with his wand to some of the girls sometimes. Then he sexually abuses Amber, he calls Finnigan over to let him sexually abuse her, then he walks just as calmly as can be to the Whomping Willow and leaves. He's gone before Amber makes it back up to the dorm for the rest of the night."

"Will this happen again tonight?"

"If he follows his pattern that he has held the last two nights, yes."

"Okay, I can be in the shrieking shack around one in the morning."

"I can get Ced and Cici, all three of us can wear the body armour that Uncle Os, Remus, and Sirius, gave us last summer."

"They gave you body armour? What were you doing that you needed body armour?"

"That's something that I can't talk about. They made us sign a contract."

"Who made you sign a contract?"

"I can't say, it's those kinds of people. But let's just say that this is some really nice body armour. Really nice."

"While we're catching the guy in the cloak, somebody is going to have to take care of the girls, so they don't get hurt."

"I can get Rose, Angel, George, and Fred to help with that. We don't want George to see what these guys are doing to his girlfriend. She's going to need a lot of help after this, a lot of help. I was lucky, I had Kitten help me and then I had Luna help me."

"Luna's good! She's come in and helped some of our other abuse cases, and all of them really say that she's the best."

"Good, we'll wait until the girls are back in the castle to stun them. But how are we going to get them from the first floor to the Hospital Wing?"

"I'll ask Minerva to have a dozen house elves ready to apparate them to the hospital wing."

"We don't want a lot of people to know what's going on. That way there's less chance of someone telling the wrong person or the wrong person overhearing what is going to happen tonight."

"I'm familiar with operational security!" Tonks scolded her.

"I'm not saying that you aren't, but at Hogwarts, that place has ears everywhere! And lots of mouths that like to talk! Let me talk to our house elves, and have them ask for help from the elves that they trust in the school. Let's not tell anyone until this is all over."

"Okay, but Minerva is going to be mad for a few days!"

"All I'm saying is if the wrong person overhears her telling Madam Pomfrey or one of her assistants, and that person tells someone else that they trust, but …"

"Whoever you needed body armour for over the summer, had really good op-sec! I'll see you tonight after it's all over. You can use the apparition point, I'm pretty sure that you can apparate already, right?"

"Yes, but don't tell anyone please, we're not supposed to be able to do it yet."

"Your secret's safe with me!"

Tonks watched her leave, Vic waved bye, and silently she apparated away. She's better than me! Tonks thought to herself.

.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 02.18.2018**

 **And again 01.03.2019**


	27. Year Four Chapter 27

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 27

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Vic appeared at the apparition point for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, or the front gates, as it was better known as. She looked down the carriage path and _teleportused_ to the top of the hill, from there, she chose to just walk. A smile on her face, she felt lighter, freer, not a thought in her head, no care in her heart. She checked her watch, and it was just almost lunchtime, by the time that she would be in the Grand Entrance Hall, lunch should start being served. By the time that she entered the entrance hall her spouses were walking through, she spotted Ced and ran at him. When she was just in front of him, she jumped up onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck, she kissed him, not just some, 'Oh hey! Good to see you kind of kiss,' no this was an 'I love you, you're the most important person in my life, and I never want to let you go,' kind of kiss. The kind of kiss that makes other students go 'Ooo!', kind of kiss. The kind of kiss that makes first-year girls giggle, and your wife blush, well if she wasn't so dark, blush, and actually, if you knew what to look for you could see that she was blushing. Ced held on to her too, his powerful arms holding her just below a crushing grip on her small waist. The last he had seen her, she had told him to go wait over there with her bookbag, and then she was gone, he began to go into panic mode, and Cici had to come over to him to calm him down. In this case, no news was good news. She knew that if Vic were in trouble, she would call out for help. But Vic had closed off her mind to them. Now here she was kissing her husband for all he was worth. After the moment, Vic made to jump down, and Ced helped her down to her feet, Vic kissed her wife square on the lips. This kiss was different than what she had just given her husband, this kiss wasn't a sexual kiss, this kiss was, an, 'I love you kiss, and thank you for being there for me, and I know that you will always be there for me,' loving kind of kiss. As they separated, to a bunch of gawkers, Cici leaned into Vic's ear.

"Mental shields." She whispered to her wife.

Now it was Vic's turn to blush. No wonder she had no thoughts in her head, and no concerns in her heart, she was all caught up in her joy of catching the guy that had mentally and emotionally raped her repeatedly, for months. She quickly lowered her mental walls. All of the happiness that she was feeling flooded out of her and all of the stress and concerns from her soul-mates came flooding into her. It was staggering to her, the worry that she had caused her husband, he was so worried about her that he had just sat in his last class, a non-participant in the class. Vic could feel now, how emotionally weak her husband really was, he might be the rock of her existence, but his wives were his emotional anchor, and one of his anchors had just left, and he had clung to his other anchor for all that he was worth. Now here his other anchor had returned to him. The girls put him between them and taking his hands, they walked into the Great Hall, as the happy threesome that they were. His mind had processed enough information, that when they joined their friends, at the long house table, he was able to seat his wives. This simple act of respect earned him a kiss on the lips from each of them.

Angel cast the privacy charms over the group and immediately leaned in to find out what had happened with Vic, she had been gone for just over a class period.

Vic looked at Amber, who was sitting next to her this time, and saw that she was eating a giant healthy meal, almost as if she could sense that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, and it wasn't a Eurostar train speeding in her direction. After a few minutes of Amber eating, Vic looked at her, she had some colour in her face, but her eyes were still haunted.

"Amber?" Vic asked.

"Yes." She answered with food in her mouth.

Didn't this girl ever learn? "You look tired," Vic suggested. Angel and Rose just watched.

"No, I don't feel tired."

"You look tired. Why don't we just move your plate out of the way and you can just lay your head right down here." as Vic said all of this stuff, she was moving the plate out of the way. Rose helped her by picking the plate up and taking it when it got close to her. George kept his mouth shut during all of this.

With a spot on the table cleared for Amber's head. Vic started to rub Amber's back, just go ahead and lay your head right there on your arms. When her head hit her arms, Vic cast a sleeping spell on her. She would be out for the rest of lunch.

With Amber asleep and a muffling charm on her ears, Vic told her worried friends what had happened. The dried blood on her arms only proved that she wasn't exaggerating her story. As she was talking with her hands, Cici wet a cloth napkin and handed it to her wife so she could wipe the blood off of her arms, while she told her story. The group could see that she was so much happier, she was on cloud nine!

"And then the guard at the DMLE told Tonks that he couldn't open the cell because he didn't have any paperwork! I told him that he had ten seconds to get that cell open or he was going to have a dead body lying on his desk!"

They all burst out laughing at what the guard had said, and what she had done.

Then she got down to the part where she needed to put Amber to sleep.

"Tonight?"

"Yes, tonight. Ced, myself, and Cici are going to herd the guy in the red cloak to the Whomping Willow, and then capture Finnigan, while the rest of you are going to rescue the girls, once they are inside of the castle. Once in the castle, you're going to stun them, and the house elves will apparate them to the Hospital Wing. We're not telling anybody, anything, about this. Not Draco, not Neville, not even the Headmistress! If the wrong ears hear about what we've got planned for tonight, all of the girls, including Amber could get hurt.

The excitement level in the group ran high the rest of the day and into the night. Angel and Rose escorted Amber out of the dorms that night. As they passed the gryphon, Angel gave the passphrase, and as Amber stepped through the portrait hole, she called up the stairs.

"It's time! She's out of the portrait hole!"

The sight that greeted her was petrifying, she had never seen creatures so terrifying in her life! The visions of shimmering death walked towards her. Angel could feel her blood turning cold as they made their way to her.

"You need to move out of the way so we can leave." The harsh, raspy, guttural voice from the other side of the grave, told her.

Angel was startled out of her trance by the sound of the voice. She didn't know what she expected, but the voice was almost as terrifying as the sight of living death walking towards her. Even disillusioned they could see her.

"You need to catch up to Rose! So, she's not alone!" the voice told her.

Angel just nodded.

"Go!" the second voice growled at her. "Go now!"

This scared her into action. Angel hurried out of the common room and down the flights of stairs. She caught up to them at the front doors to the school. Just like they had with Vic and Cici, the two girls moved off to the side, so they weren't following directly behind Amber. They watched as more girls trailed out of the school and to the clearing in the forest.

Ced and his wives moved over to the common room window, they got a clear picture in their minds of where they wanted to be and _teleportused_ to that location. The three of them spread out around the group of twelve girls and the red-cloaked figure. The ritual was the same as the nights before, vials of potions, mind reading, send the individual girls back to the castle, abuse Amber.

When the girls started heading for the castle, one by one, Angel and Rose went back to the castle to wait inside with their brothers and Julia. They let the first girl get completely inside of the castle before they stunned her from behind. They levitated her off to the side of the entryway, and a house elf apparated her to the Hospital Wing. A minute later the second girl experienced the same thing, all the way up to the eleventh girl. Amber was left behind to be sexually abused by the red-cloaked figure and Finnigan.

Amber picked up her clothes and started walking to the castle. Finnigan stayed behind for a moment to hear what the red-cloaked figure had to say. He nodded his head a couple of times then turned to walk to the castle. Vic followed after Finnigan while Ced and Cici followed after the red-cloaked figure.

It was an angry, surprised, and shocked, George that stunned his naked girlfriend after she entered the castle. Angel, rolled her over on to her back, and they could see the tear stains running down her cheeks. She placed her clothes on her belly, and let the elf apparate her to the Hospital Wing.

Just as Finnigan stepped through the front doors of the school, he caught sight of the disillusioned figures moving about, he pulled his wand out of his robes, and the shimmering death that had been following him stunned him from behind. As he lay there on the cold stone floor, the urge to kick his teeth in or crush his genitalia was almost overpowering, but then chains shot out from the end of the wand and tightened until he looked like he had been petrified. The shimmering image turned and was gone.

Cici and Ced waited until the cloaked figure had entered the Whomping Willow before they summoned the stick to follow. Vic arrived just in time for Cici to use the stick to press on the knot, on the trunk of the tree. The three of them hurried into the opening, in the tree's roots. Ced led them down into the cramped tunnel underneath. They had no need to give their position away by using a _Lumos_ charm, that was the equivalent of a soldier on guard duty smoking a cigarette, all a sniper needed to do was to wait for the flair of the inhale to make it the last time that soldier would ever make that mistake. No, their body armour's balaclava had built-in night vision or infrared technology, they could see the heat signature of the red-cloaked figure less than twenty meters in front of Ced, walking hunched over, just like they were. They walked this way long enough for their young backs to start complaining. Then they could see the figure stand up straight and begin to climb out of the tunnel. They could hear the sounds of spells being cast, and multiple bodies falling, the sounds of yelling and fast-moving footsteps, then silence. Ced quickened his pace and climbed out of the tunnel, only to be hexed, his wand was in his hand, and he had it trained on his target when he recognised the Auror robes of an overexcited rookie. The vision of shimmering death silently approached the young Auror. Ced could see the fear in the young woman's face.

"Where did he go?" the terrifying voice of death asked her.

Vic and Cici took off in the direction that she had pointed.

"How many Aurors were here tonight?"

The scared young Auror just shook her head; no, no she wasn't going to answer that question. She sat there shaking, but she wasn't going to answer that question and put more of her people in jeopardy.

Ced could see that she was injured, and he moved to heal her, she shook even harder as death was at her heels, but she uttered no sound. He knelt down beside her and treated the nasty cut that went across her thighs. He went around the shack and found another Auror that needed healing, he healed this Auror also. Ced moved out the door of the cabin and found another Auror that was injured, he bent down and healed the chest wound of this Auror. He could tell that the Auror would need more medical attention, to return to active duty. Ced had just done some field medic work to save his life.

" _Where are you?"_ he thought to the girls.

" _We got him, but Tonks is down."_

" _Okay, I'm shifting to you."_

" _No, don't. Keep walking towards us, and you will find Tonks."_

Ced focused on where he could feel his wives and started walking in that direction. A few moments later he came across an unconscious Tonks that was severely injured. He began performing first responder first aid on her and got the bleeding stopped. None of them had brought their backpacks with them. It was supposed to be a simple mission, and the full Auror team had been badly injured.

Vic and Cici came walking back with a levitated, unconscious red-cloaked figure. Ced bent down and scooped Tonks into his arms.

" _I'm going to take her to Saint Mungo's, I'll be back soon_." And he was gone silently.

.

When he appeared in Saint Mungo's, the people in the waiting area, saw an unconscious Auror in the arms of death. They all started screaming and panicking, the nurse behind the desk hit the emergency button and ducked behind her counter. Ced looked around for a gurney to lay the unconscious Auror on. He walked down the hall until he found an open bed in the emergency room. He put her on the bed, and as he turned around to look for a healer, he watched as everyone tried to duck out of sight. He figured that everyone saw him bring her in there, so he apparated out and back to the Shrieking Shack. He scooped up another Auror and took him to the hospital, again he had to look for a bed to lay the unconscious Auror on. Then he left again to get the third and then he scooped up the young female Auror, as he apparated to Saint Mungo's for the last time, Vic and Cici brought the terrorist with them too. This time, there were three visions of shimmering death in the hospital lobby. Ced, carrying the weak but conscious Auror to the emergency room, led his wives that were just levitating the chain bound terrorist between them. He found another bed to lay the Auror on. When the healer braved entering the room, Ced turned to him.

"Do not rennervate this man until Auror Tonks is conscious. Do you understand me?" Death told him.

The terrified healer stuttered out a yes. He couldn't see their eyes, their mouths were black spots, he could see them, but he couldn't really see them, just where the light seemed to bend around something that was there, but he had no desire to reach out and see if he could touch it.

A security guard came running down the hall with his wand out. He slid around the corner into the emergency room and got off a shot at something that he could not describe to his senior guard later. He knew he hit one of the shimmering figures, but his hex had no effect on the creature standing there in front of the healer. He turned and ran faster back down the hallway that he had just run down before those things could come after him.

"If you rennervate him before Auror Tonks is conscious, we will be back for you." And with that, they silently apparated out of the emergency room.

The healer looked down, and there was a small puddle under his wet pant leg. He looked up at no one in particular and stuttered out, "I'll be back in a bit." And he started walking to the staff locker room to change his clothes.

The three teens in their wizarding armour appeared at the front gates of the school. They walked inside the gates and then _teleportused_ to the foot of the steps of the school, from there they _teleportused_ again to their quarters where they undressed and changed into their school robes.

"Leo?" Ced called to his elf.

"Yes, my Lord?" the elf answered with a bow.

"Where are our friends?"

"They are all in the Hospital Wing my Lord."

"Thank you, Leo."

The three of them group hugged and then _teleportused_ to the doors of the Hospital Wing.

Ced and his wives entered the Hospital Wing to a harried Madam Pomfrey and a very angry Headmistress.

"Mister Potter! If I may have a word with you!" her voice was almost a screech.

"Yes, Professor?"

"What is the meaning of all this?" her voice, shrill with anger.

"Well, Professor," Vic started, "today, we've captured three terrorists working inside of Hogwarts, and we have liberated twelve young women. One of which was being used as a sex slave for at least one student here in Hogwarts. We've also saved four Auror's lives."

"And why wasn't I informed of all of this?" she asked, not quite as shrill but still angry.

"We thought that you had been," Ced told her.

"And who was supposed to be keeping me informed?"

"Professor Greengrass said that he would keep you informed of what we had discovered happening here at Hogwarts, mam," Ced told her.

Madam Pomfrey walked over and interrupted their conversation. "All of these students have been poisoned. I don't know what the poison is or how it was given to them. Miss Davis, has multiple different things happening with her at the same time, it's a wonder that the girl's still alive. She must have a very strong will to live, I don't think that any of the others could've survived this long."

"Do you want me to ask Daphne if she can help with Amber?" Ced asked getting very concerned. He may not like the girl, but she didn't need to die tonight.

"Could you please? I've already contacted Saint Mungo's and they will be here in the morning. Apparently, they had several close encounters with the Spirit of Death tonight."

Ced looked at Cici and Vic, "Would one of you two be willing to go get Kitten? I'm not allowed in the girl's dorms. No boys' wards?"

Vic and Cici looked at each other for a moment, "I'll go." said Cici, she had known Kitten the longest. It was a tough call because Kitten had been inside of Vic's head before, but Cici had known her longer.

Outside of the doors to the Hospital Wing, Cici used _teleportus_ to get to the common room quicker, she went upstairs to the second-year girl's room. With all of the curtains pulled, she just looked at all of the beds, which one was her sister-in-law's bed? Do I just call her name softly? Do I go and peek through the curtains? She decided to just peek through the curtains one by one. She looked at the nightstands, and some of the wands were laying there, and some didn't have any wands. What did Kitten's wand look like? She knew better than to touch the stupid thing. She just picked one end of the beds and started looking in the curtains. Dark hair, nope that's not her, dark hair, nope not this one either, then when she turned and went to the next bed, she could feel the magic from the wand, this is her. She opened the curtain and looked in, platinum blonde hair, yup, this is her. Gently she touched her shoulder, she squeezed a little tighter.

"Kitten!" Cici said softly. She shook her a little, "Kitten!" she called to her again. "Kitten! Wake up!" she called to her as she shook her.

Kitten's eyes flew open, and Cici's shield flew up! She didn't know what kind of spell it was, but her shield protected her from it. "Kitten, we need your help with Amber. She's been poisoned like Vic was poisoned."

"Um, okay." A sleepy Kitten said. "Give me a moment, and I'll meet you in the hall."

Cici went out to the hall and closed the door, less than five minutes later a groggy Kitten came out the door in her school robes. She held her hand out to Cici, Cici thought that she just wanted to hold her hand for comfort. As soon as Cici took her hand, she was walking to the doors of the Hospital Wing. Cici opened the door for Kitten. Madam Pomfrey saw them and started walking towards them.

Madam Pomfrey led Kitten over to the bed with the privacy curtains erected around it. Kitten walked over and saw that Amber was still stunned, and even naked. She looked up at Madam Pomfrey.

"This is the way that she came in, so I erected the privacy barriers. Until I could get her dressed." The Matron told her.

Kitten looked around, with the barriers up there wasn't enough room for everyone else. They needed to learn what they were fighting. She raised her hand and turned around, the privacy barriers made a wall between the other patients and them, she then applied the silencing charms to the walls she had just erected. With Amber still naked, she motioned for the others to come closer. To Kitten, it didn't matter that Amber was naked.

"Is it going to bother anyone that Amber is naked while I help her?"

George kind of raised his hand, some. Fred raised his hand all of the way. Professor McGonagall was going to say something, but Kitten cut her off.

"If it bothers you, Fred, then you can leave. If it bothers you, George, then you need to get over it, because you two are going to get married anyway."

She held out her hand, and Synthia appeared in it. Kitten looked Amber over, she looked at the extensive bruising on her skin, she looked inside of her and could see the potion pooled inside of her belly. Kitten looked inside of her mind and frowned deeply, she was in much worse condition than Vic had been. This person that had done this was cruel and enjoyed being cruel. This wasn't the same person that had hurt Vic. Kitten rolled Amber to her side facing her, then she touched Amber's belly with her wand, she conjured a plastic tub to catch the vomit as it came up.

"Part of this potion is the same as what they used on Vic to control her. Part of it is something else that will need to be analysed by the DMLE." She told them.

She rolled Amber back onto her back, and looked inside of her again, she could see the poison coursing through her veins, it was everywhere that her blood was flowing, she could see it killing Amber's blood cells slowly.

"This going to hurt you a lot." She told the stunned Amber.

Then she started to pull the poison out of her blood, she drew it down out of her mind first, and they watched as her face contorted with the pain. Once Kitten had pulled the poison out of her brain, she pulled it down and out of her face and neck, down into her torso. She watched as Amber's heart tried to reject the poison, knowing that it was there it kill it, gradually. Kitten pulled the poison out of Amber's torso, and caused it to form a ball at the end of her wand, she took that ball and dropped it into an unbreakable jar that she conjured in her free hand. She repeated this, three or four more times, pulling the poison out of her and dropping it into the unbreakable jar. Finally, she stopped and looked at Amber's private parts.

"They've sterilised her. They were going to keep her as a sex slave for the rest of her life." She said clinically.

Kitten examined Amber's legs, she could see that they had damaged her legs so she couldn't run away. She raised her wand over Amber's legs and started to whisper, "Tha tréxoun kai den tha exantlithoún."

The others could see that Kitten was getting tired.

"Kitten, can you pull off of my strength and magic?" Ced offered.

"Yes, I can, but it's going to be hard. She has a lot of damage done to her."

"Can you pull from the three of us at the same time?" Cici asked her.

"Yes, that would be better for all of you. As strong as Ced is, it would drain him quickly. Healing magic takes a lot of magic. Stand beside me and behind me, the closer you are, the better it should be. I've never done this before though, so don't get mad at me or anything, okay?"

"We won't get mad at you." They gave her a group hug.

The three of them interlaced their fingers together as they held hands almost touching Kitten. As Kitten went back to work on Amber's reproductive system, the threesome could feel their magic being pulled upon.

Kitten started whispering again, "Póso charoúmeni kai evimeroúsa tha eíste! I sýzygós sas tha eínai san mia gónimi ampélia, pou akmázei mésa sto spíti sas. Ta paidiá sas tha eínai san éntones nearés eliés kathós káthontai gýro apó to trapézi sas."

The threesome could feel the intense pull on their magical cores as she finished whispering.

Kitten paused at this point and continued to look Amber over, a simple wave of her wand and the bruising was gone. She looked back inside of her and found her heart to have been weakened by the poison they had been giving her, to control her.

Kitten focused on her heart and started to whisper, "Kratíste kai fyláxte tin kardiá sas me óli tin epagrýpnisi kai páno ap 'óla me tin prostasía sas, giatí apó aftín réoun oi pigés tis zoís." Again, they felt a strong pull on their magical cores.

They could see Amber's colour returning to her face and skin, her naturally darker skin had taken on a grey pasty colour that they had all attributed to her poor sleep habits.

Kitten moved farther up on Amber and stopped at her eyes. Her eyes had a dull, lifeless look to them, Kitten focused on them more, trying to decide if it was because she was laying there stunned or was this damage that had been done by her abusers. She probed Amber's mind and came to the conclusion that it was damages done by the attackers.

Kitten pointed her wand at Amber's eyes, "To máti sas eínai san mia lámpa pou dínei fos sto sóma sas. Ótan to máti sas eínai ygiés, olókliro to sóma sas gemízei me fos." The threesome felt another heavy pull on their magical cores.

"This is the part that is going to take the most time." Kitten conjured herself a stool to sit on as she began to focus on Amber's mind.

"She's been under their control since before school started," Kitten told the group. "She made contact with them through the internet, and they invited her to meet at a coffee shop, not far from her home in Ireland. It was there that they first started using the potion on her. She met them a few times after she took the oath of loyalty to the family," Kitten said. It sounded like she was in a trance and just reading out the facts of Amber's short life. "The potion and the Oath of Loyalty were at odds with each other. This is what accounts for her strange behaviour."

Kitten whispered again, "Kaneís den boreí na exypiretísei dýo ploiárchous. Giatí eíte tha misísei to éna kai tha agapísei to állo, eíte tha eínai afieroméno sto éna kai tha perifroneí to állo."

At this point Madam Pomfrey summoned the rod to check on the teenager's magical cores, she scanned each of them, and they all read the same, off the scale of the rod. She had no choice but to let Kitten continue.

Kitten continued to work with Amber's mind for a long time, there were a lot of things that needed to be set right.

"Do you want me to block the memories of the sexual abuse?" she asked of no one in particular.

Vic asked her, "Can you put those memories in a box in her mind that she can open at a later date? When she is more ready and able to deal with that trauma?"

"Yes, I can do that for her. I think that will be the most beneficial to her also. It'll also be the most beneficial to her and George's relationship. I can block it from his memory too if you want." She looked over at George.

"She had no control over what was happening to her George. Don't hold it against her, it'll only make your lives more difficult." Vic told him.

"I know, I'm just angry that it happened to her."

Kitten locked away those memories in a box in Amber's mind. She went back to work healing her mental abilities.

A long while later, Kitten stopped working on her and waited. The threesome felt the pull on their cores end. Amber sat up straight in the hospital bed with a gasp.

She looked down at herself, "I'm naked!" She squeaked.

"You need a shower too." Kitten deadpanned. "But no one is complaining about that yet, either."

Amber looked around, embarrassed at her nudity.

"If you get out of bed, I can help you with your clothing shortage," Kitten told her.

She looked at Kitten, why was a second-year telling her what to do? She looked around, and all the others seemed to be waiting for her to do what she had been told. She slipped out of bed on Kitten's side of the bed wanting to hide her modesty, or what was left of it.

With a simple wave of her hand, Kitten dressed her in an incredibly beautiful deep purple dress. Amber felt her hair fly up and then settle back down perfectly brushed. She felt herself grow a little bit, and when she looked down, she was wearing purple glittery strappy heels, she felt something on her wrist, and when she looked at it, she was wearing a four-row bracelet made with amethyst stones. She checked her neck and found she was wearing a necklace that she assumed was the same, she felt the weight on her earlobes and touched them, there were three strand earrings that she would have to wait and see. She smiled for the first time in weeks, she felt like her old self, herself before she moved to Ireland, her happy self. The fact that she was looking like a princess helped too.

"What happened to me?" Amber asked.

"George can explain it to you. I think that we're going to head to bed. Professor McGonagall? May we be excused from classes today?" Ced asked the old Scottish witch.

"I believe that will be acceptable, you will, however, be responsible for any missed homework." She smiled at them.

"Kitten, are you ready? Kitten too?" asked Ced, looking at Professor McGonagall.

"Kitten too."

The whole process of healing Amber had taken a little over four hours and a lot of magic, the four of them were exhausted, the other seven of them were in awe at what they had watched happen in front of their eyes. Professor McGonagall decided to let the rest of the teenagers skip classes for that day also. After all, they had just rescued twelve girls from who knows what horrors. The work that Kitten had done on Miss Davis was nothing less than incredible, Miss Davis looked like an entirely new person.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, Cici let go of her spouses and walked up to Professor McGonagall, "Professor, would it be possible for us to have three dances during the school year? One at Halloween, one before we leave for the Christmas holidays, and then the last one before we go home for Spring break? I'd be willing to do all of the planning for them!"

"I'd help her!" Vic chimed in.

"I would too!" Angel said.

"Me too!" Rose called out.

"I would also," Amber said.

Julia looked around, "I guess I can help too."

"Let me discuss it with the staff, and I'll get back with you."

.

It was late October, and Ced had received his weekly letter from his parents. This time he asked Hedwig if she would stay for just a moment.

" _Sure Cedric, I can wait a moment,"_ Hedwig answered him.

"Would you like a rasher of bacon?" Ced asked.

" _Yes please, I like bacon."_

Ced got the owl a plate and added four or five rashers of bacon to it for his parent's owl.

"Hedwig, do you think that any of your children would be willing to be our owls?"

" _I do not know,"_ she turned her head to look at him with her large amber coloured eyes, _"I would have to ask them. Would you like for me to do that?"_

"Yes, please. Would you like some water?"

" _Yes, the rashers were very salty."_ Ced conjured her a bowl of water, Hedwig got a couple of drinks from it. _"Is there anything else Cedric?"_

"No, thank you, Hedwig."

" _Goodbye then."_ She hopped up and took flight.

Professor McGonagall had given the girls permission to have their dances. Cici had even negotiated a Hogsmeade weekend the weekend before the school dances.

"Very shrewd of you Miss Ramos." The Headmistress told her.

"Thank you, Professor."

Cici had been advertising heavily for the dance, she had posters all over the castle. Hagrid was going to bring his traditional giant pumpkins. Cici had asked him if she could magically enhance one of the pumpkins to be even larger than all of the rest.

"Aye, bu' Ah, don' know wha' ya be want'ng ta do dat fer." Hagrid had told her.

"Well, Hagrid, when you said giant pumpkins, I just had a great idea!"

Even the castle ghosts were getting excited about having a party on Halloween. Cici had enlisted their help with a secret project she was going to have behind the castle. She had Ced, and the other guys start building it about a week before the party. Fred and George enlisted the help of their fathers for this project. Cici made sure that they had put all of the correct charms on it, to keep it a secret, and Vic added some wards to keep the other students away from the surprise.

After an early dinner on the 31st of October, Cici had closed and locked the doors to the Great Hall. All of the pumpkins were already in the hall and had been carved into Jack-o-lanterns. Hagrid had left the largest of the pumpkins untouched in the back corner of the hall like Cici had asked of him.

Ced and the boys were outside taking the wrappings off of their surprise from the back to the front. The party didn't start until nine o'clock that night, but Cici had guessed that it would take them at least three hours to get the finishing touches on the decorations and the surprises. She had wisely delegated out the different tasks that needed to happen. She and Vic were working on the more extensive details in the hall because of their telepathy. Amber had volunteered to work with the house elves on the food, Julia had been assigned the Grand Entrance Hall and the foyer for decorations, Rose had taken on the entertainment, and Angel was taking care of the more delicate details of the decorations.

Ced left the finishing touches to the boys and had come inside to add a magical doorway to the surprise outside, behind the castle. Where the Slytherin table usually sat, Ced added a magical doorway that looked as old as the castle itself. They chose to use this method instead of having the students walk around the castle to get to the surprise in the back, it was quicker and safer.

Vic walked out into the entrance hall and was wowed by the work that Julia had done. She looked at the clock in the foyer, the one that you could already hear throughout the school, and then at five minutes to nine, she charmed the clock. A small eager, crowd of younger students had already formed on the stairs. As the clock struck the first chime of nine. It went **GONG!,** the floor under their feet shook with the reverberation of that gong. Then the second gong as loud as the first rang out from the clock, and all of the torches that lit the Great Hall and the entrance hall flickered out, plunging them into darkness. Then the third gong and clouds had formed in the entrance hall with sheets of lightning flashing across the ceiling. On the fourth gong, the students could see that Vic was no longer one of the most beautiful girls in the school, she had started to transform in front of their eyes. The fifth gong, they could see her friends rushing to her hunched over form. On the sixth gong, there was a flash of lightning, that showed one of her friends laying on the ground in a pool of blood, her head off to the side. The seventh gong, they could hear the screams of the other students, the flash of lightning between the gongs showed them two more of her friends laying there, dismembered in their own pools of blood. With the ringing of the eighth gong, the students could see the forms of Werewolves entering the doors of the castle. The flash of lightning showed them as they howled at the ceiling of the school, then in the blackness after the flash of lightning, the temperature started to plunge as the clock struck the last and final gong. A flash of lightning revealed, a swarm of Dementors coming through the walls opposite the Werewolves. This was too much for many of the students, who in the blackness, started to scream and cry, some took off running for their dorm rooms, as fast as they could run, wanting to get away from the horrors they had been told stories of.

As the giant minute hand of the clock in the Grand Entrance Hall swung past the top of the hour and landed with a massive clunk at one minute past the hour. All of the torches lit, revealing a nice clean and brightly lit foyer with the organisers of the party standing in the doorway to the Great Hall in their costumes.

Using the _sonorous_ charm, Ced, in his best announcer's voice said, "Welcome to the first, of what we hope will be many, Halloween dances!"

With a flick of her wand, Rose got the music playing.

Cici and Vic had disappeared at the start of the party when they were least likely to be missed. That colossal pumpkin that was sitting in the corner? She transfigured that into a carriage with four horses pulling it. The two wives made their grand entrance in that carriage as Cinderella going to the ball to meet their Prince Charming. After they exited the carriage, Vic reversed the animation charm that had been put on the carriage and the horses and moved them out of the way so they would become part of the decorations for the dance.

The doors that Ced had added to the wall? They led down a hallway that was unstable, to disorient the students who dared to enter the haunted house. By the time that a student got to the haunted house, their equilibrium, their hearing, and their sense of time had all been messed with to make the haunted house project that much more fun.

The first thing that the students saw as they entered the haunted house was a witch being burned at the stake. Another was a witch being pushed into an oven by a little boy and his sister.

Not wanting to focus all of their horror scenes on muggles, they had a crazed Hippogriff, a dragon, not real, Uasal got offended when Fred Sr. had asked her to participate.

All in all, the haunted house had over a dozen different scenes being acted out and some just everyday ole scary stuff like people jumping out at you.

Cici had enlisted the help of Harry and Hermione, Harry had enlisted the help of the Marauders, and several of his other friends for the haunted house, Fred and George Sr. were both a shoo-in for working in the haunted house. With everybody's help, the Halloween party was a huge success.

As the clock struck twelve, the last of the students were shushed up the stairs, and the cleanup began. With the help of over a hundred house elves, Cici and her friends, Harry and his friends, the cleanup lasted less than half an hour.

"You've got to love magic," Amber said.

Tonks pulled the threesome aside, "I'd like to thank you for saving my life a couple of weeks ago. The hospital staff said that Death itself carried me in there, and saved the rest of my team. Remus told me that they had given you three, some very special body armour."

"He did?" they sounded genuinely surprised.

"Yes, he did. And that young Auror, she apologises for trying to hex you. She said that it didn't have any effect on you. You gave her quite a scare!"

"Sorry for scaring her, but we really don't want people finding out about us," Ced told her.

"Well, your secret is safe with me!" she laughed. "The hospital staff is still terrified that you three might come back! They say that you miraculously healed four people and gave two others a heart attack!"

The teens chuckled at that.

"Those two that you captured? They're both a piece of work. The one that Vic brought in, he's not as bad as the one that got us, his voice is still hoarse from the damage that you did to his voice box."

"No great loss," Vic said.

"No, not really. We've gotten some names of some higherups out of him. The veritaserum has been a big help, but sometimes you just have to know the correct questions to ask. Right now, we don't know enough to ask the right questions!" Tonks said angrily.

"The second guy, he's some foreigner. He's pretending that he doesn't speak English, but we know better. We just need to find the right motivator for him. Part of the problem is, is that he knows he's going to get the death penalty, so there's no motivation for him to help us, again, the veritaserum has helped, but even less than on the first guy."

"Then you have Finnigan, he's a wannabee, he wants to be somebody someday, but he doesn't want to work to get there, he's looking for the easy way. He's claiming that the only reason he sexually abused that girl was to keep his master happy. That if he didn't do it, then the guy in the red cloak would have hexed him."

"Did he tell you what they were going to do with the other girls?" Vic asked her.

"He says that he doesn't know, that he was told to collect eleven other girls and slip them the potion, that the guy above him would decide what was going to happen with the girls. Then the second guy's boss, the guy in the red cloak, had wanted to keep Davis for some reason, and that's all he knows."

"Did the D.M.L.E. ever figure out what the potions were?" asked Ced.

"All twelve girls were given mind control potions, Davis was given the second potion that was a slow-acting poison, but we're not sure what the primary effect of the potion was to be. They're still working on it."

"When they tried to get me to take a potion, it was both a birth control and a limited mind control potion. It was supposed to give me some ability to control Ced after we had sex." Vic told her.

"Girl, if you can't get your man to do what you want him to do after having sex with him, then you're doing something wrong!" Tonks teased her back.

They all had a good laugh at her joke.

"Well, it's getting late, and Remus gets grumpy if I keep him out too late," Tonks told the group of teens.

"Goodnight Aunt Tonks!" they coursed.

They thanked, said goodbye, and goodnight to all of their friends and family. Then they headed upstairs to their room. A quick shower later, then all three of them were in bed asleep.

.

It was a happy but tired group of friends that had shown up in the common room to go running that morning. After Daphne had healed Amber of all the damages done to her, Amber actually had a really great personality! It also turned out that she really enjoyed running with the group. For the first two weeks, she had walked around the lake. The first couple of days, she had made it less than halfway and George had carried her the rest of the way. Her legs were in that bad of shape. The day that she had managed to walk entirely around the lake, they had a small celebration for her down in the chambers. Luna had worked with her steadily on occlumency, to help her make her mind stronger. She was very appreciative of the help that Luna was giving her, she wanted to get something special for her, but what do you get someone that has the ability to get whatever it is that they want? All she could give her was her undying gratitude. She was always saying please and thank you. If Luna wanted a glass of water, Amber offered to go and get her one, whatever Luna wanted, Amber was willing to go and get it for her. George worked with her on her magical skills. It turned out that Amber was able to levitate that feather, and with George's help, she was able to transfigure that feather into a whole bird. George helped her catch up on all of the school work that she had left undone, or had just plain missed. He started back at the start of term, and helped her with all of her subjects, they worked on potions on Saturday and Sunday mornings and afternoons. On Sunday afternoons, while the potions brewed, they would practice dancing together. They would grade the potion, start another, and when it was time for the potion to simmer, they would join the others for a dance. They had begun learning the Latin dances, so they were able to mix up the different dances, slow, fast, seductive, platonic, the group of friends had learned to dance well with each other as the need arose. On Saturday afternoons, they worked on Amber's spellcasting abilities and building her magical core. Julia and Amber were good partners for each other, as the others were much more powerful than either of them. Julia was stronger than Amber, but Amber was working hard to catch up. Ced always kept an eye on her magical core. Never letting it get below 50%, no matter how much she said that she was alright. He always told her that she didn't want to spend a month in the hospital waiting for her core to recover, work it, work it hard, but give it time to recover, just like building muscle. If you overdo it, then you have to let it heal before you can start building it again, and now you're behind.

The group worked well together, their time in school was drama free. November came and went, December was upon them, and it was getting to the point that they were going to have to start getting ready for their end of term finals, plus they had the Christmas Ball to finish planning for. They were more scared of the Christmas Ball than they were of their finals. The constant practising of occlumency was paying off with their best grades ever. It was giving them an improved memory so they could recall what it was that they had read, or heard. Now, if they weren't paying attention, or they had failed to read and do their homework, well if you don't put the information in there, how can you expect to recall something that's not there?

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 02.20.2018**

 **And again 01.03.2019**


	28. Year Four Chapter 28

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 28

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The Love Birds and the Wall Flowers, that's what their group had become known as. They always moved as a group, if someone wanted to attack one of them, there was the group that was there to help defend that one. They ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner together, the girls never went to the restroom alone, there was always one that went with the other. Only the guys used the loo by themselves. They moved from class to class as a group, navigating the hallways so they wouldn't impede the flow of students going in the opposite direction, was a learned technique. Mostly this was learned by Ced and his wives who were always holding hands. Most of the hallways were wide enough that they could walk three across with no troubles. Their friends subconsciously would form a protective detail around the three in the centre, the three in the centre would feel for hostile intent. Feeling for hostile intent was difficult at best, there were so many students that were jealous, they were jealous of Ced because two of the prettiest girls in school chose to be with him. They were jealous of Cici because of her long hair, and she was with Ced because he was rich. They were jealous of Vic because of her small waist, and she was with Ced because he was so good looking. They were jealous of Fred, and George, and Julia, and Amber. Amber because of her skin colour, which was the perfect skin colour for a suntan. They were jealous of Julia because she was with Fred, and he was rich, and they were jealous of George because he had Amber. So, needless to say, not everybody was happy for the Love Birds, especially the dark Slytherins.

They had been working on Julia for quite some time, they had almost brought her over to the darkness when she had gone and joined that happy little group of lovebirds.

Julia, always awoke with plenty of time to get dressed and join her boyfriend and his friends for their morning run. Her father had raised her not to be late. Being late was a form of rudeness, and rudeness was not tolerated well in the business world, especially in finance, where time really was money. Julia had her routine down to the minute, she was always awake before any of her roommates, and that meant that she never had to wait for the restroom or anything else at this hour of the morning. She was dressed and slipping out the door to the dorm room, down the hall, across the common room and out the door to the common room, right on time, every time. She walked down the hallway to meet her boyfriend in the entrance hall, she got there just as they were coming down the last flight of stairs. She greeted Fred with a sweet kiss on the lips, and out the doors, they would go. She had been refining her morning routine since she had joined Fred and his group of friends, she had her routine down to where she could do it in her sleep if she had to, and there had been times when she felt like she was half asleep when she had done her routine.

None of the group had realised that their morning routines had made them predictable, and that predictability was a weakness that could be exploited. They always walked to the same lone tree by the lake, they always ran around the lake in the same direction, they always ended their run at the same spot by the lone tree. Their mornings were predictable, the large group of friends had each other for protection, but there was one that was out on her own, that was vulnerable, and her predictability was her weakness, the chink in her armour, that she was going to exploit.

.

After that antique, ancient, old bat, of a Headmistress wouldn't let Cici do a beach themed Christmas dance with bikinis, Cici had settled on a traditional Christmas school dance.

"But we live where it snows!" Cici had argued with the Headmistress.

"No, Lady Potter! You are not having a beach themed Christmas party with bikinis! And that is final!" The Headmistress had put her foot down.

And Cici was willing to bet that, that foot was covered in callouses and bunions too!

So, working with a Santa's North Pole Workshop idea, Vic had encouraged her not to go with the naughty elf costume with the plunging to the bellybutton neckline, and the micro mini skirt that would ride up over her ample bum.

"Think of Hermione!" Vic had tried guilt tripping her.

"Think of Elissa!" Ced had hit her right between the eyes.

"Fine!" she gave in loudly. "But I'm wearing it on Friday night when it's our alone time!" and she stuck her tongue out at Vic.

Working together as a team, the teens had managed to put together a fantastic Christmas dance for the school. The decorations started in the Grand Entrance Hall and the Foyer, and they flowed into the Great Hall. After an early dinner, they set to work to have everything up and ready by seven o'clock that night. The dance would last until midnight again, and the Hogwarts Express would be leaving after breakfast the next morning.

Hagrid had selected a Christmas tree that was truly huge, even by Hagrid's standards. As was the tradition, the school faculty decorated the Christmas tree, with Professor Flitwick levitating the star to the top of the tree.

There were several animated toys, including a steam engine, running around the base of the tree, then across the tables of food to the far end of the hall and back across the tables, of course! They had even managed to charm a nice sized Santa Sleigh with all of the Reindeer to fly around the Great Hall shouting out "Ho-Ho-Ho and Happy Christmas!" dropping Christmas gifts of candy to all of the students.

Even though the dance was casual, all of the girls were encouraged to either wear dresses, and all of the guys were encouraged to wear a button-down shirt, or they could wear an appropriate costume.

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The Hogsmeade weekend before the dance had a lot of the girls buying dresses and shoes for the dance. The salesclerks were glad to see Cici and Vic walking through their door.

"Hi! This Christmas party has everybody buying new dresses and shoes!"

"Hi! Yourselves!" the girls greeted her back. The store was packed with students buying dresses, for the Christmas dance the following week. They even spotted Julia and Amber in there exercising the debit cards their parents had given them. They were still amazed at the transformation that Amber had gone through, she was no longer this moody, reclusive, irritating person they had met over the summer, but she was upbeat, outgoing, confident, and a real pleasure to know and to be friends with.

They joined Julia and Amber as they shopped for their dresses, Cici saw her naughty elf costume, Vic and Ced just rolled their eyes at her. But they all selected the costumes that they would start the night wearing. They waited their turn in the checkout line, when they got to the cash register, the salesgirl was so happy with all of the extra business they had received, that she gave them an additional 50% off their purchase as a thank you.

They stopped at the Three Broomsticks, for a late lunch and a couple of butterbeers. Rose and Angel caught up with them there, the waitress was good enough that she got their order and was able to bring all of the food at once. This earned her a generous gratuity at the end of the meal.

Once back in their dorm rooms, Fred was going through his shopping bag, and he found a small box of chocolates with his name on it signed with XOXO. He looked at the chocolates, his eyebrows furrowed in thought, how had this box of chocolates gotten into his bag? Who put these chocolates in his bag? He would bet his last galleon that Julia hadn't done it, she hadn't been out of his sight long enough to make it happen. So, he set the chocolates down on the foot of his bed and went about putting his costume and his new clothes in his trunk.

"These are really good!"

"George? What are you doing?"

"These chocolates are really good! Have you tried one?"

"Did you just take those off my bed?"

"Yes, they're really good!"

"Why did you take my chocolates off my bed?"

"Oh, I miss Amber sooo, much! I just wish that I could go and see her right nowowowow!"

"You idiot! Those are the chocolates from our dads' joke shop! How many did you eat?"

"Just a few. Oh, where's Amber? I want to go and see her now." George swooned.

"Aye!"

"AMBER! WHERE ARE YOU? I LOVE YOU!" George started yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Aye, George!"

"AMBER! I'M COMING FOR YOU!" he yelled as he got up and started to head down the stairs to the common room.

"George! You're in no shape to go anywhere!" Fred yelled after him.

"AMBER! HERE I COME MY LOVE!" he yelled as he walked across the common room to the girl's staircase.

"GEORGE don't do it!"

"AMBER! I'M COMING FOR YOU!" he yelled again as he started to climb the staircase.

Thankfully with all of the noise and commotion that he was creating, Amber, Rose, and Angel came rushing down the stairs to stop him as he put his first foot on the first step.

"George!" an embarrassed Amber hissed at him. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, Amber my love. I love you so much. I miss seeing you, staring into your big beautiful brown eyes. How can you be so pretty? Everything about you is so pretty! Why are you so far away from me? Come here! I want to look at you closely."

Amber stepped a little closer to her boyfriend, "George, what has gotten into you?"

"Ha! You! You are sooooo incredibly beautiful! You are the most beautiful girl in the whole school!"

Amber managed to blush at that, her naturally dark skin colour got darker and took on a reddish tint to it. "Thank you, George. What's bringing on this sudden rush of emotion?" she asked him as she looked at his sister and cousins.

The two girls just shrugged their shoulders, but Fred told them quietly, "He ate a few chocolates."

"What?" they hissed at him, "How could you give him those chocolates!"

"What chocolates?" a confused Amber asked.

"Oh, I love the sound of your voice! It's like music to my ears!"

By this time, Amber had wrapped her arms around George, he had become slightly tipsy.

"Our dads' own a joke shop! One of the pranks that they sell is a box of chocolates that have a love potion mixed in, all the person that is giving them, as a gift or gag, has to do, is to tap on the box three times and repeat the person's name three times. Then, whoever eats the chocolates will develop a crush on that person for as long as there are chocolates to eat. In this case, you." Angel explained to Amber quietly.

"But why would someone waste their money on a prank on two people that are already, sorry," she looked at Amber, "in love with each other?" asked Rose.

"They didn't, the box of chocolates was given to me anonymously," Fred told them.

The three girls looked at him.

"OH! Amber! How do I love thee! Let me count the ways!"

"Baby, let's go over here and sit on the couch for a few moments, okay?"

"Oh, anything for you! I love your hair, it's so perfect, I love your eyes, they're so perfect, I love your teeth, they're so white, I love your …."

"Why would someone want to give you a love potion to make you fall in love with Amber?" asked Rose.

"I don't know, I love Julia."

"Why would someone, want to get you and Julia to break up? She's the jealous type, not as bad as she used to be, but she still gets a little jealous every now and then." Angel told him.

"How many did he eat?" asked Rose.

"Half the box."

Their eyes just rolled to the backs of their heads, they were in for a long, long night.

"Well, I guess at dinner we'll need to keep watch for whoever is watching us too closely," Fred told the group. He knew that he was going to have to sit on the same side of the table as Ced and his wives. He needed to keep watch over the hall during dinner. He started thinking about the best way to get everyone to sit at the table, he wanted to make it look kind of like the prank had worked, but his sister and his cousin were right, Julia was the type to get jealous too easily.

They went downstairs for an early dinner, they weren't really hungry, because of the late lunch they had at the Three Broomsticks, they were there to see who was watching them. Fred and Julia sat on the side of the table that put their backs towards the wall, and they started observing the social interactions of their fellow students. Fred watched, and he watched, and he watched. Then, like fish in an aquarium at feeding time, the other students started getting really animated, the volume of the noise in the hall jumped up. He turned his head in the direction that they had their heads and he watched, and Ced and his two wives entered the Great Hall. He could see as the other students would lean their heads together and start pointing and talking, a whisper could no longer be heard, they had to speak at a normal volume to listen to each other's comments. He watched as the students, at first would follow them by turning their heads, then they would have to turn their bodies, and finally, some of them went as far as to twist around in their seats to watch them all the way to where Ced would seat each of the girls, and receive a kiss from each of them.

As Ced was holding Cici's chair for her, Fred asked him if he could sit next to him, he had something that he wanted to talk to Ced about. Ced looked at Vic and Cici, and they nodded their consent. Once Cici was seated, she gave him a kiss on the lips as a thank you, for his love and respect. He then helped Vic with her chair, and she too, kissed him on the lips, it was after all Saturday night, her night.

Once everyone was seated, Julia was quick to cast the privacy charms over the whole group. Fred explained everything that had happened since their return to Hogwarts.

"How much did he eat?" asked an incredulous Ced.

"Like I said, he ate half the box before the first one had a chance to take effect," Fred told him.

"So basically, he's going to be like this well past midnight," Ced commented out loud.

"So, you want our help in spotting who gave you the box of chocolates in the hopes of getting Julia to break up with you. So, I have a couple of other questions; the first is, who would want you to themselves? And the second is; who would want Julia for themselves once you're out of the way?"

Julia started to speak slowly, in a quiet voice, "Well, there's this one girl in Slytherin house that's been watching me in the mornings, when we come back from working out. She's a sixth-year, and lately, she's always in the showers when I'm in the showers. She makes me feel uncomfortable in the way that she looks at me. She's never been rude to me or said anything mean to me, it's just the way that she looks at me."

"Why haven't you said anything to me about this?" a concerned Fred asked her, as he took her hands in his.

"I didn't think that she would do anything, all she's ever done is to look at me. We say hi to each other, we're pleasant to each other, but that's about all!"

Ced asked her, "When she looks at you, does she look at you in a mean way? Like she doesn't like you?"

"No, she looks at me like a boy who likes me, who wants to be with me, looks at me."

Amber placed her finger across George's lips, he immediately started to suck on it. She just looked at him, he had his eyes closed as he held her hand and sucked on her finger, "She's a dyke?"

"What's that?" Julia asked, having never heard the term before.

"A dyke. You don't know what a dyke is?"

"No." Said Julia. Fred and Ced all shook their heads no.

All eyes were on Amber as she explained, "A dyke is a girl who likes other girls. She plays the role of the male in the relationship. They typically have short hair like a boy, they wear boy's clothes, and they try to act like a guy in every way possible, down to grabbing themselves like some guys do! They can get real aggressive when they go after a girl. The really aggressive ones, the guys call them bulldykes, because they get aggressive like a bull does."

The purebloods at the table just looked at her as if she had just described something that doesn't exist in their world. Magical Britain's population had just returned to the level that it was thirty years ago. And now there were girls that wanted girls like guys wanted girls? How were they going to have magical children?

"There she is! The girl with the short hair!" Julia pointed at her, she wanted all of them to see her, the girl that looked at her.

The short-haired girl saw Julia pointing at her and changed her course to come over to the Gryffindor table, and the group she was sitting with.

As she got closer, Rose cancelled the charms.

She looked at Fred, "Ahhh, I see that you didn't get the chocolates I bought for you." Her tone was that gee I'm so sad for you, not! Tone.

Then she looked at Julia, "Hey cutie! How've you been? Do you miss me yet?" like they had already been in a long-term relationship.

Every eye at the table looked at Julia in either a questioning way or in an accusing way.

The intruder was good, she picked up on the looks of the others and decided to try and drive that wedge of distrust further into place.

"Why do you keep trying to avoid me? I thought that we had something special!"

"I don't like the way that you look at me! Why do you always have to follow me? Can't you just leave me alone?" Julia was near tears with her frustrations.

"But, I thought that we had something special between us! You used to like what I did to you!" then she looked at Fred. "I want my girl back. I challenge you to three different duels, a formal magical duel, a good ole fashioned fistfight, and a sword fight. Best two out of three gets Julia."

"Julia's a person! She's not a piece of property!" an indignant Angel said.

"You're wrong! My dad paid for her, she's my property. He bought her three years ago." She looked around the group daring any of them to say otherwise.

"So, what's it going to be Bones? Are you up to the challenge? Or are you just going to give me back what's mine?"

"When do you want to fight?" asked Ced.

She eyed him, then she looked at Fred, "First duel, February first in the Room of Requirement. We'll make it a formal Wizard's Duel."

"So, who are you?" asked Ced.

"Julia here can tell you all about me, and all the things that we used to do to each other, and how good I used to make her feel when we did them." With that, the short-haired girl turned and left.

With that departure, four hands waved casting the privacy charms. They were all interested in an uninterrupted story of Julia's life.

"No, not yet, I want to hear everything that she's got to say!" said Cici, she was the farthest from Julia and the one that was going to miss out the most in the conversation. "Let's take this to our quarters where we'll have the privacy, and it will be a lot more comfortable."

Amber pulled her finger out of George's mouth, wiped it off, and the group moved to go to the married quarters in Gryffindor tower. They ignored the short haired girl and her friends as they left.

Amber and Julia had never been in the threesome's married quarters before. They were awestruck by the lavishness of their quarters. Vic conjured more chairs for their guests, and arranged the chairs and couches in a circle, sitting Fred and Julia directly across from her, Ced, and Cici. Cici had asked Maco and Lucy if they could bring some butterbeers and lite snacks for their guests.

"You even have your own house elves?" Amber asked in awe.

"Yes, our elves are all volunteers, and receive payment for their services," Cici told her.

They all got quiet and started to look at Julia to begin to tell her story. Julia launched into her story of how she became the short-haired girl's property. "The girl's name is Candice Coldstone, and I was sold to her family just before my first year at Hogwarts. The original agreement was that I would belong to her only when I'm at school, I'm supposed to be her 'friend' at school. My father didn't want the rest of the Wizarding World to know that he had sold me, to pay off the gambling debts, he owed to her father. He had borrowed a lot of money, and the agreement was that he could buy me back in three years or I would forever belong to Candice. Well, as you can see, I'm in my fourth year, and I still belong to her. I dread going home because of my parents, but I dread coming to school even more. I don't like the things that she does to me, and she makes me do to her. But sometimes, your body betrays your mind. Since I've been learning occlumency, I've had more control over my body, and she doesn't like that. She doesn't like that I'm getting stronger both mentally and physically. She doesn't know that I'm getting stronger magically also. Because of this, I think that she's getting bored with me."

"Well that's a good thing, right?" Rose asked.

George had gone back to sucking on another of Amber's fingers, at least it was keeping him quiet.

"Yes and no. Yes, because she has provided a way for me to be freed. No, because she could just as easily give me to one of her other friends, and some of them are more abusive than what she is. She's never hit me or anything like that, she yells at me and calls me names, but she's never hit me before. I've watched as her friends have hit their girlfriends."

"How many other girls are in the same situation as you?" asked Vic.

"I can't tell you that. They made me swear a wizard's oath."

"So, all I have to do is to beat her in two out of three challenges?" asked Fred.

"Yes, and then I'll belong to you, literally, with papers that say so. I will be your property to do with as you please." Julia told him. They could all see the hope and desperation in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Is this why you got together with me?" asked Fred.

"Yes, no, and yes." She told him. She was going to be as honest as she possibly could. "Originally, I was just going to use you to get to Cici. After watching her defeat those two guys last year, I knew that she was my best hope of freedom. Then I saw how devoted Cici was to Ced and I knew that I could never drive them apart, not even Vic was able to drive them apart. But, then, as I got to know you, I fell in love with you. I know that sounds cliché, but this is going to sound cliché too, but I fell in love with you, and now you're my best hope of a better life. She's strong, but I think that you can beat her. I watch you practice, and you're better than she is, but she's strong magically, it runs in her family."

Fred pushed away from her, his emotions were all in a turmoil, right this moment he didn't like her, she had just admitted to using him to try and get to his friend. And when she couldn't get to her, she had settled for him. So, no, he didn't like her, but he still had feelings for her. How can I have feelings for someone that I don't like right now?

The others watched as Fred put a little distance between them. They could see the emotions running across his face, they watched as his face changed to various shades of red, and then settled back down to his usual pale white skin colour.

Slowly Fred began to speak to her, "What happens if I beat her, and I don't want you that way?"

"Then you can give me away, or sell me to someone else," Julia answered flatly.

"But what if I don't want to do that either?"

"I will be yours to do whatever you want to do with."

"But what if I don't want to do that either? What if I don't want you that way? But I want you another way? What if I just want you, for you?"

"Then I will be yours forever." Her eyes getting misty.

Did Fred just propose in front of all of us and did Julia just say yes?

" _Yes! You can be so thick sometimes!"_ his wives thought back at his random thought.

" _Not everybody gets …"_

" _Off as easy as you did!"_ his wives thought to him.

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At the Christmas dance, Julia was stuck to Fred like glue, that was just fine with Fred because he was stuck to her like glue also. How they managed to get the decorations up was a mystery to the rest of their friends. Fred and Julia had gone up to Coldstone and told her they had accepted her challenge to begin on the first of February and to keep her distance from Julia until all of the challenges were fulfilled. She agreed to their terms.

The happy couple joined their friends for a wide variety of dancing and lots of Christmas cheer. Everybody got to dance, no one was left out of the festivities, not even the Wall Flowers. The guys had made sure that Rose and Angel got to dance as much as the couples. It was a tired group of friends that started the cleanup shortly after midnight. The house elves helped them, and the school was returned to normal, ready for breakfast the next morning in less than an hour.

Fred dreaded walking Julia down to the dungeons, he just didn't trust the snakes to keep their word. Julia worked to alleviate his fears, and their kisses had grown in intensity as the days had gone by. Now, here, after the dance Fred wished that he could provide the security that he felt that she needed, she told him that she would be safe, but he still kissed her like it would be the last kiss forever.

Now, her mind and her body were working as one, her body was responding to the desires of her mind, and she had to push him away lest they go too far. She wasn't even on the potion!

"Fred."

"Humm?" kissing her neck.

"We need to stop!"

"Why?" sucking on her earlobe.

"If we don't stop, we're going to get into trouble!"

"Why?" kissing across her neck to the other earlobe.

"Because we're going to go too far!" pushing him away from her reluctantly. She wanted this as bad as he did if not more. She needed to talk to Cici or Vic.

She put her hands between them on his chest to hold him at a close distance. "We need to say goodnight and go. I will see you in the morning for our morning run. Okay?"

"Fine."

She leaned in and kissed him chastely on the lips, as he tried to pull her in for more, she was able to hold him off.

"Goodnight Fred."

"Fine. Goodnight Julia." And he tried for one last kiss.

She kissed him back and then hurried to the Slytherin entrance. She got to her room and looked at her bed, it was trashed. The curtains were torn down, the sheets in the floor, her trunk was dumped out, her pillow was cut, her mattress was wet, and she didn't know enough magic to fix any of it. She took her sheets, her blanket, and her cut pillow and curled up in the corner of the room closest to her bed. She closed her eyes and got a few hours of sleep, when she woke up, she quietly repacked her trunk, and got dressed to go for her morning run. When she was out there running, there was nothing in the world but running, that was all that she focused on, she hardly participated in the conversations that sometimes occurred, she was just there to run. At least they got to go home today. She hated home. But at least it was better than here. Her parents both worked, so she didn't have to deal with them all day long, and this holiday she could spend as much time with Fred as she wanted, she didn't care what her father tried to say, their secret was out.

They reached the lone tree, and it was bitter cold outside, they looked around, she wrapped her arms around Fred and then they were falling into the chamber of secrets.

"Hey, Vic, can I talk to you for a few moments please?" she was scared that she would be judged, but she also figured that of all of them, Vic would be the least judgmental and be able to still help her. Amber was still too inexperienced to help her with her magical needs.

"Sure, what's wrong?"

"A couple of things, one is, they trashed my bed last night and they soaked the mattress, I don't know how to fix it. The other is, how do I go about getting on the potion?"

Vic pulled her farther off to the side, then chose to take her into the sitting room. With a wave of her hand, all of the furniture stacked itself against the back wall.

"How do you do that? I bet that most of the teachers here can't do what you've just done!"

"Practice, lots and lots of practice. Plus, and what I'm going to tell you is probably the biggest secret in all of England."

"Okay, I took the oath."

"Ced, Cici, and I are a soul-bonded threesome. And because we are soul-bonded, that lets us learn magic at an accelerated rate."

"I can see!"

"Okay, to deal with your broken, wet bed." She conjured a Hogwarts bed and then she broke it, then she soaked the mattress. "Now the first spell is actually very easy, it's _reparo,_ and this is the wand movement that goes with it."

She had Julia practice saying the spell a few times then she let her try it on the broken bed. Julia looked at the broken bed, cast the spell with the correct wand movement, and she watched as the bed repaired itself.

With a little bit of confidence built up, Vic moved on to the drying spell. She taught her the spell, then she showed her the wand movement, she had her practice saying the spell five times, then she let her try it on the soaked mattress.

Julia looked at the mattress, she said the spell and flicked her wand, and the mattress was dry to the touch!

"Now, here's the best part of the drying spell, you can use it on yourself!"

"I can use it on myself?"

"Yes! You have to practice on each part of your body, you have to focus, and then you can dry one leg, and then the other without using your wand. It takes practice, but after about a week, you should be able to dry yourself when you get out of the shower."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Cici taught it to me. She also taught me another great spell. Have you ever noticed that her hair is always perfect?"

"Yes! And I'm so jealous of her for that!"

"After you learn to dry yourself wandlessly, you can use this spell to dry and style your hair." Vic taught her the spell and then she showed her the hand movement that went with the spell. "Now, you have to know how you want your hair when you cast the spell." Vic shook out her hair and got it to go everywhere. Then she looked at Julia and cast the spell on her hair, her hair flew up, and then it settled down into an intricate braid that crisscrossed her head, complete with hair ties on the end of each braid.

"Wow! That's so amazing!"

"Now, for the last question that you asked me. Cici and I don't use the potion because, as close as we are with Ced, we've never consummated our marriages. It seems as intense as our love is, that the bond won't let us consummate our marriages. We figure that the soul-bond doesn't want any pregnant warrior princess! Now, I can get you some books that will answer a lot of your questions, these are the same books that Cici gave me when I asked her this same question, on a variety of subjects, but you will have to talk to a doctor or Madam Pomfrey to get the potion."

"But I don't want to have my parents take me to the doctor!"

"Ced's mum is a doctor, and so is Cici's mum. If you want, I can introduce you to one of them."

"Which one would you talk to about this?"

"For me, because of my situation, I would talk to Ced's mum. But you may be more comfortable talking to Cici's mum."

"But isn't she a muggle?"

"That's another secret that we keep. She was under a curse, but now she's hooked up with a dragon trainer, and she should be at the Potter mansion for the holidays. Uasal and Car-baun like to come to visit whenever we're home. As much as they hate the cold, they would hate to miss us more!"

"Cici's mum is a dragon trainer?"

"No, she just rides them, but she's their healer for the trainers that get hurt. Oh, and just so you know, she cheats at dragon tag!"

"Dragon tag? What's that?"

"Did you ever play tag when you were younger?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's just like that, only you're playing with dragons while flying on a broom."

"Are you two doing okay in here?" asked Cici.

"Yes, I was just telling Julia how your mum cheats at dragon tag!"

"Yeah, she does! But don't tell Uasal that!"

The three girls broke out laughing, and they had a good hearty laugh.

"I was just teaching her a couple of new spells to make her life a little easier."

"The drying spell and the hair styling spell?"

"Yeah, those are great to know. I just needed to talk to a girl for a while. Fred is okay, but there are things that he just wouldn't understand no matter how hard he tries."

"Boys!" the three of the coursed, and burst out laughing again.

" _If she continues to have troubles in her dorm we can offer her the spare bedroom if it's okay with you and Ced."_

" _Thanks, but we'll offer that as a last resort. My wife may be a little to clothing optional for us to have long-term guests."_

"Ced wants Fred to practice four on one for the next fifteen minutes, so we need Julia to help him out," Cici told them.

When it came time to get their showers, Julia asked Rose and Angel if she could portkey with them. She told them that she really didn't want to go back to the Slytherin girl's showers that morning.

"Do you want one of us to go with you to get your stuff? Or do you want us to have an elf go and collect your stuff and you shower in our spare room?" Ced asked when he heard the request. He was sure that Cici and Vic could handle any troubles that may occur, but he wanted to offer just the same.

"Well, my trunk is packed." She said.

"Then I can send an elf to collect your trunk and bring it to our spare bedroom. You can shower in there and change in private."

"Okay, that'll be fine then."

Ced asked Maco to go get her trunk and take it to their spare bedroom for Julia while she showered.

.

Everybody met down in the common room for breakfast, the saying that there is safety in numbers turned out to be true. As they got closer to the Great Hall, more and more of Coldstone's friends were watching them in the halls. Ced and the girls scanned the hall as the entered to see who was watching, and everybody was watching, wonderful.

They sat in their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, the guys all sat their girls, and all of them received a kiss of appreciation as their reward. This didn't go unnoticed by the Headmistress, she liked that Ced's manners were paying off with his friends. Angel was just about to throw up the privacy charms when Ced waved her off, she looked at him questioningly.

"Let's see what all of the noise is about. It can't all be about getting to go home in a couple of hours." He told her.

She nodded in agreement, she thought that it was unusually noisy, the noise wasn't right for getting to go home, it seemed that it was anticipation noise, like for a fight.

The guys helped their girls with loading up their plates with food, Ced was sitting between Cici and Vic, Julia was between Vic and Fred, Amber was between George and Angel, and Rose was on the end of that side in front of Cici. Everybody on Ced's side of the table kept a watchful eye on the rest of the hall. As they were finishing their breakfast, and most of the head table was empty, two sixth-year Slytherins started making their way towards the Gryffindor table, one went around, and across the front of the hall, the other went around by the doors. It was a classic pincher movement, catch them in the crossfire. Some of the other Gryffindors saw what was coming and wolfed down their food so they could leave quickly, and with a full belly.

"Here they come." Said Fred.

"Looks like a couple of sixth-year guys," Ced replied.

"Those aren't boys, those are girls." Julia corrected them.

"Those are girls?" squeaked Fred.

"Yes, and they're mean too," she told them.

"Well, lookie what we got here, little miss sweet in the pants, went and got herself a Gryffindor boyfriend!" said the one closest to the doors.

"What? We ain't good enough for you?" said the opposite dyke.

Julia just looked from one to the other, she was noticeably scared

Fred spoke up, "Coldstone agreed to leave us alone until all three challenges were finished."

"No, she said that she would leave little miss sweet in the pants alone. You're fair game."

"So, it's you two, against the eight of us?" asked Fred a little confused.

"Who said that there were only two of us? it's a long train ride home, and it's about to get longer." And they turned and walked away.

"Well, at least we know where they're going to try and attack us," commented Ced, already thinking of a defensive strategy.

"Let's get the last compartment on the train, at least they can only come at us from one direction!" George said.

"I like it, we just need to get there early enough to get it." Responded Ced.

"I'll go down there early and get the compartment." Said Vic. _"I'll just teleportus to get there before anybody else!"_

.

So far, the train ride home was nice and quiet, Vic had teleportused to the gates of the school, and from there she had walked to the train station. The scarlet coloured train was sitting there waiting, smoke and steam coming out of the various ports and pressure relief valves. She looked at how clean and shiny it always was, then she realised that it must be enchanted to never get dirty or for the paint to fade. She walked to the last car of the train and climbed aboard, there she found Candice Coldstone and two of her friends applying runes to the train car. Vic quickly _disillusioned_ herself and quieted her shoes to make no noise. She stayed still so that she wouldn't attract attention, it was only a disillusionment charm, not an invisibility cloak after all. She stood there and watched them work, just over half way down the car.

"The kid said that they were going to take the last compartment on the train! Hurry up with those runes!" Coldstone told the long-haired witch.

Shaking and gasping out her response between sniffles, she said, "I'm going as fast as I can! It takes time to draw all of these runes!"

Coldstone hit her in the back of the head, "Draw them faster then!"

"I'm trying!" she tried saying louder. But she was shaking too hard to draw the runes any faster.

" _Change of plans, we're going to be in the first compartment of the last car. Coldstone is having some long-haired girl write runes on the walls of the train car. She stole my idea!"_

While the long-haired girl had to draw each of the runes three and four times, Vic got all of her runes done quickly, the compartment disappeared with the drawing of the last rune. She slipped inside and watched for her spouses and their friends. The minutes dragged by as she waited quietly inside the compartment. If anybody cared to count the windows on the outside of the car, her ruse wouldn't hold up.

" _We're here."_ she heard her husband think to her.

" _I'm in the last train car, and when I see you, I'll open the compartment door. I used some runes around the compartment door to hide the compartment."_

With Ced leading the way, the group headed for the last train car, Vic watched them approach through the windows of the compartment, she also saw, Coldstone watching them from down the platform. She turned just in time to catch Ced before he walked past the compartment door. Well, at least my rune work works!

"Yes, it does." He kissed her in greeting.

"Coldstone is farther down the platform, she watched all of you get on the train car, so she knows that we're here," Vic informed the group as they put their trunks in the overhead storage racks.

Once they were all in the compartment, the door slid shut. While Cici was locking the door, Vic was casting another charm on the outside windows of the compartment to display a bunch of first-years having fun. On the inside, the compartment didn't exist, and from the outside, it was just a bunch of kids messing around. And sure enough, one of Coldstone's short-haired friends got off the train and walked to her. They talked for a few minutes and then the short haired girl that had threatened them at breakfast, walked down the outside of the train car looking in each of the windows. They all held their collective breathes. They watched her walk back to the front of the train car and then as she went down the hallway of the train car. Cici cast all of the privacy charms and added a couple more. The threesome knew they couldn't use their body armour, and privately they were glad that they had enchanted their school robes to absorb all but the strongest of spells.

"So, when do you think that they'll come looking for us?" asked a nervous Fred.

"If we're lucky they won't find us until we get home." Answered Vic.

"If they start checking for wards, about halfway to the train station," Cici said.

They heard the whistle of the train telling all of the stragglers to hurry up. A few minutes later the whistle blew again signalling that the train was leaving the station. They felt the train lurch as it started to move forward. With a steady pace, it built speed until it reached the cruising speed to get them home. The nine of them took turns watching the hallway and the scenery moving past as they sped down the train tracks.

"There's one of them standing in the hallway," Angel said. "they're looking towards the back of the train car."

"Another of them just came out of the area that we can't see into." She continued her narration of what was happening outside of their compartment.

"Do you want to take the first couple of hours of watching them, Angel?" asked Ced.

"Sure, I doubt that I could relax anyway." She told him.

"Good, the rest of us need to close our eyes and get some rest. The stress of waiting will wear you out worse than the fight would. Close your eyes and clear your mind." Ced told the rest of their friends.

George and Fred, leaned against the outside wall of the compartment, they pulled their girls into them tightly, their arms wrapped around them to hold them in a loving embrace. Rose leaned against Angel, while Ced leaned against the inside wall, then Vic, and then Cici sandwiching Vic between them. Cici and Ced held hands loosely as they closed their eyes. Angel sat there, standing guard over her friends, brother, and cousins. She watched the aggressive behaviour of the dykes, she watched as they were abusive to their girlfriends. She had seen other female couples that looked to be very loving, but these girls were even more aggressive than most angry guys. Coldstone was definitely the leader of the group, every few moments she would come out and talk to the guard in the hallway, then walk past the wards. Even the trolley-witch walked past their compartment and then she also walked past the wards to the back of the train car! Well, I guess their warder isn't as good as our warder! Angel thought to herself. This helped her relax a little as she kept watch.

About an hour into waiting, Rose sat up, "I can't sleep!" she said softly to her cousin. "I'll trade you places."

The two witches got up and traded places.

"We're known as the Wall Flowers," Rose told Angel, a little dejectedly.

"I know, but most of the guys these days don't grow up until they're in their thirties!"

"And we're too closely related to all of the good guys!" Rose was making reference to the actual fact that Magical Britain was getting too inbred. The purebloods had all been marrying each other for the past centuries that they were all literally related to each other at the fourth and fifth cousin stage, if not closer!

"So, what are you thinking?"

"I was thinking about looking abroad for a husband. Taking some time and travelling."

"Your mum is going to kill you!"

"Have you ever looked at dogs? The pure-bred dogs?"

"Yeah, so."

"All of the pure-bred dogs have health problems. Some have problems with their hips, some are nearly blind from birth, some just have unnaturally short lives. With people, their intelligence gets lower, and they also develop some health issues. Look at some of the Slytherins, hell! Look at some of the guys in our own house! Smythe for example! The guy was in the same year for three years!" she hissed.

"So, what are you going to go do? Marry an American!"

"If I have to! Cici's not so bad."

Then they heard it, somebody was banging on the walls of the compartments.

"Time to wake up!" Angel called loudly.

The rest of them sat up quickly.

"What's going on?" asked Ced.

"They're patting down the walls to search for us," Angel said.

They all got quiet and listened. They could hear the pat-pat-pat of someone looking for a missing compartment. It wouldn't be long now until they would have the confrontation they had been expecting. The long-haired girl was patting down the walls with Coldstone right behind her, her wand out.

They watched as she got to the smoothness of the glass.

"That's Lucy, she's a Ravenclaw that they converted from boys by telling her a bunch of lies. Now they control her with fear." Julia informed them softly.

Lucy found the edge of the doorway. They watched as Coldstone pulled her back and felt for the door herself. A smile came across her lips as she called for her back up.

"Yup, two hours in, into a four-and-a-half-hour train ride!" Cici said looking at her watch.

"Use _protego alavaris_ for your shield spell, this will reflect whatever curse they're going to use back on to them," Ced told the group.

Fred and George were busy teaching their girlfriends the new shield spell. Cici and Vic watch as the two girls got the hang of the spell.

"When she barges in here. I'm going to slam and lock the door to keep her friends out. Then we'll enlarge the compartment, like the time Percy Jr. came after me? Do you think that you can take her in the fistfight, Fred?" Ced asked.

"Yeah, she's fat, and she's slow."

"But she's strong!" Julia cautioned.

"You also have to let her take the first swing! When they try to accuse you of starting the fight, your defence is that they threw the first punch. It doesn't matter if they hit you, they threw the first punch, and you were just defending yourself, and/or your girlfriend."

"I'm kind of thinking that if he disarms her in the magical fight, that that would count as the wizard's duel. Then if she throws the first punch, and he beats her in the fistfight, that would be the two out of the three." Cici said.

Ced looked at Fred, "If you get it over with today. Then you've gotten yourself a girl for Christmas."

"Now what you do with her! Well, that's up to you two!" Vic cheered him on.

Coldstone started trying to blast the door open. They could feel the reverberations of each of the spells hitting the door. She kept hammering at the door with her variety of spells.

Ced looked at Cici. She looked back at him and shrugged her shoulders, "Guess she's not as strong as she thinks she is."

"This is good for you Fred, she's wearing herself out just trying to open the door!" Ced told his mate.

"Why don't the rest of us get up on the seats and disillusion ourselves, leaving only Fred and Julia visible?" suggested Angel.

The rest of the group looked at each other, gave that 'Gee that's a good idea' look, and climbed on to the seats and disillusioned themselves. It was about three more tries before the wood and the glass of the door shattered inward. Fred cast a shield spell to protect him and his girlfriend.

"Little punk! Looks like all of your friends have abandoned you! Or did you get a compartment to yourselves hoping to get some from her? You, traitorous witch!" she spat at Julia. Julia cowered under the verbal onslaught of abuse.

Fred cast a reparo spell to fix the door, and then he locked the door behind the overweight witch in front of him. Next, he enlarged the compartment and kept Julia behind him where he could protect her with his body, and his magic.

Coldstone, already in a rage cast the first spell, Fred blocked it with the _protego alavaris_ shield like Ced had suggested and a deep cut crossed Coldstone's face. This took her by surprise, and she cried out in pain. The pain fueled her rage as she cast another spell, which Fred blocked easily. He then cast a duplicate of himself that she blasted to bits. He cast another and then another letting her burn up her magic blasting decoys out of existence. Then sensing her weakness, he hit her with a one-two punch of spells and her wand landed in his outstretched hand.

He looked at the defeated witch, "My wand, I won it through the rite of combat!"

Coldstone, her energy fueled by her rage, charged at them. Fred pushed Julia farther to the side as he waited for the right moment for him to sidestep the raging dyke, then he was going to hit her in the back with his elbow and drive her into the floor of the compartment. NOW! Was the instant to strike her! He buried his elbow into her back as hard as he could! She went down with a thud, her face hitting the wooden floor of the train compartment. He dropped on her with his knee into her back again. Straddling her, he grabbed her short hair and slammed her face into the floor of the compartment.

"DO YOU SUBMIT!" he yelled at the dyke. This wasn't a girl or a woman, this was a dyke, a new breed of human.

She shook her head no.

He slammed her face again, into the floor. Her blood coming from her mouth and nose.

She shook her head no again.

He slammed an elbow into her kidney, and she roared like the bull she wanted to be. But she still shook her head no.

He slammed his other elbow into her other kidney, causing it to rupture, and she let out a bellow worthy of any bull.

"DO YOU WANT ME TO DO IT AGAIN?"

She shook her head no, she didn't want any more of this pain.

"GIVE HER TO ME THEN!"

She nodded her head in submission, and he got off of her. He stood back warily waiting for some kind of deception, but there was none. He unlocked the compartment door.

"Summon the papers to give her to me." He told her coldly.

Her friends tried to rush in, but she held up her hand to stop them. "I need my wand." She said.

"It won't work for you, but here it is."

She caught her wand and could feel the difference immediately. " _Accio_ papers for Julia," she said. She repeated the charm twice more before the papers came to her. She tossed the wand back to Fred. "It's useless to me. You keep it."

"Sign the papers giving her to me! And then put your bloody thumbprint in the circle!"

After she had finished signing the papers and she was handing them to Fred, Ced disillusioned himself and stepped off the seat. He took the pieces of parchment and read them carefully.

"It's not right," Ced told Fred. Then he looked at the dyke. "You need to word it this way." And he told her how to word the contract so it was uncontestable and Julia would truly belong to Fred, papers and all.

When she had finished rewording the contract and resigned it, and reinserted her bloody thumbprint. Cici disillusioned herself and stepped down from the seat.

How big was this compartment? Coldstone wondered.

"Let me heal you, or you won't live long enough to get to London." She told her.

She just nodded her consent, and Cici started to heal her. Fred had done an excellent job of defeating her. Cici treated her kidneys first then she worked on the rest of her for the next thirty minutes. She left all of the drying blood on her robes. Vic disillusioned herself and scourgified the rest of the compartment clean.

Julia was sitting on Fred's lap kissing him hard. All of them were very truly happy and excited that Fred had won. All those months of training had paid off for him with an incredible prize.

"So, what are you going to tell mum?" asked Rose.

"That I won her fair and square!"

"So, what are you going to say at your funeral? 'Cause you know that she's going to kill you!"

"I've got the papers that say she belongs to me! What can she say?"

.

He was about to find out what his mum was going to say as they pulled into the platform at King's Cross Station. The first thing he wanted to do was to deal with her parents. He was going to make it clear that she was no longer theirs. She belonged to him now.

When they got to the station, Uncle Os was talking to Ced's father, the threesome walked up as Fred and Julia walked to her parents. Uncle Os was watching the scene that Fred Jr. was making.

"Why's Fred Jr. waving that parchment in Ole Berkshire's face?"

"Oh, he just won that girl in a two out of three fight. She used to belong to another girl that's called a dyke." Ced told his great uncle.

"He won her?"

"Yes, that parchment that he's waving in her father's face? That's the ownership papers to her, she belongs to him now."

"Ownership papers? He sold his daughter with papers?"

Os and Harry started walking towards the commotion happening on the platform.

"Berkshire," Os said.

"Lord Greengrass! Lord Gryffindor!" he bowed to them. Could this day get any worse?

"You sold your daughter?" asked Os.

"No! No! It's not like that! I was going to buy her back!"

"So, you did sell your daughter." Harry's voice was colder than what Daphne could make it.

"Let me see the parchment, Fred," Os told his grandnephew.

Fred handed him the parchment. Os started to study the contract. While Os was examining the contract, the rest of the Ancient and Nobel families where drawn to the commotion. When Susan asked Fred Jr., what was happening.

Os looked at her, "Your son owns this girl, Julia Berkshire. These are the papers giving him ownership of her."

"WHAT!"

This outburst from her niece caught Amelia's attention, now the Minister of Magic was walking towards them, and her husband, the Head of the Wizengamot.

"Os."

"Amelia."

"Susan."

"Auntie."

"What's going on?" asked the Minister.

"I was just explaining to Susan, that Ole Berkshire here sold his daughter to pay off his gambling debts to Coldstone over there. Fred tells me that he gave her to his daughter as a plaything, for when they were at Hogwarts and that he just won her in a fair two out of three fights. So, now your grandson owns this girl legally."

Probably the only thing that was saving Fred from being hexed into oblivion was that Julia was hanging on his arm with both of hers. She had met all of them before, she had almost lived at the Potter mansion over the summer. She had even been to Bones Tower on several occasions, but right now, seeing all of the anger, she was scared.

Fred was scared too, he was afraid that they would somehow take Julia away and give her back to her parents that sold her off in the first place.

Berkshire was looking around like a mouse in a maze, when he saw the original "Ice Queen" of Hogwarts walking up, with her husband.

Daphne looked at her father questioningly.

"Your employee sold his daughter three years ago to pay off his gambling debts on a three-year contract," Os told her.

Daphne looked at the wizard. "Don't worry about cleaning out your desk. I'll have everything brought to your house on Tuesday after Christmas."

He looked at her pleadingly.

"You're dismissed."

He looked at her husband hopefully.

Cedric looked at him with disgust. How could you sell your daughter, your only child, to pay for your bad habits?

"Leave, before I have you arrested for loitering," Amelia told him.

He didn't move, he just looked from face to face looking for a friendly face.

"Tonks!" Amelia raised her voice.

The Assistant Director of the D.M.L.E. started walking towards her former boss. "Yes, mam?"

"Have one of your Aurors arrest this man for loitering. Keep him until Tuesday, after Christmas."

Tonks looked at Sirius. Sirius was smart enough to keep his mouth shut and just nod at the bubblegum pink haired witch.

Tonks waved an Auror over and told him what she wanted to be done. When the Auror realised who all was there, he became nervous but carried out his duties as he was told.

With Julia's father taken away in magical handcuffs, Fred and Julia celebrated with a huge hug and a searing kiss. Who cares about a public display of affection when the one that sold you into slavery is locked up.

"We need to change that law on Tuesday also," Amelia told her group of friends. It may be too late for Julia, but she was going to put an end to slavery in Magical Britain.

Vic walked over to Julia, "That's Hermione, whom you've already met, and that's Angelica, Cici's mum, you've probably met her too. They're both doctors, but read the books that I gave you. You don't need to have sexual intercourse to have fun in bed with each other." She whispered in her ear.

Julia kissed her on her cheek, "Thank you! Thank you for everything!" she wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tightly.

Susan looked at her son, "She can live with us until you two are of age. I'll have Fleur place wards on your rooms! If either of you tries sneaking into the other's room, I WILL KNOW ABOUT IT! Do I make myself clear?"

Harry looked at Hermione, then he motioned to the threesome. They walked a little ways off to have a conversation.

"Sean McMillan wants to meet with you three now. We were supposed to be there thirty minutes ago." Harry told them lowly so no one would overhear.

"Daphne, will you be okay if I send you home with Winkey?" Hermione asked.

"I'll be fine. Just please shrink my trunk for me. I haven't figured that one out yet."

Hermione handed her, her shrunken trunk.

"Bye mum, I'll see you at home!" and she was gone with a soft little pop.

"Same place as before. Ready?" asked Harry.

Then the five of them were gone.

.

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 **A/N: Please review!**

 **Revised 02.22.2018**

 **And again 01.03.2019**


	29. Year Four Chapter 29

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 29

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.

If Julia thought that she was going to get off scot-free, she was sadly mistaken. Susan had learned the art of interrogation from her Aunt. It had been refined by Aunt Tonks, so after dinner, they started to get to know each other. Susan led the conversation, but she did answer the questions that Julia asked. If Julia didn't answer a question completely, then Susan would circle back to that question a few moments later. Somewhere around ten-thirty at night, Susan let up on her questioning.

"You two need to be in your own beds by midnight. If I come checking on you and you're not there. We'll decide what an appropriate punishment shall be."

"Yes, mam."

"Yes, mum."

Fred Sr. had learned to keep his mouth shut when his wife was in a mood. And tonight, he chose to keep his mouth shut. He liked Julia, and he was proud of his son for standing up for a person that was what the politically correct group would call 'The Vulnerable Population.'

As the young couple walked past Rose's room, they stopped to say hi.

"Hey! Did mum go easy on you?"

"Well, we still have all ten fingers and all ten toes so, yeah I guess she did!" Fred told his twin.

"Hey, Julia, I've got some bras that don't fit anymore, do you want them?"

"Sure! My parents left it up to the Coldstone's to buy my clothes, and they left it up to my parents. So, everything that I have is worn out or the wrong size."

Rose summoned the bras to her wandlessly and wordlessly.

"I guess hanging out with Vic and Cici has its advantages!" she said as she marvelled at Rose's display of magic.

"It does! If you ask them, they are more than willing to teach you! We started going over potions and wow! My grade in potions went up!"

"Mine too," Fred told her when she looked at him.

"Well, I know that Vic taught me a drying spell this morning before we took our showers and she also taught me a spell for drying my hair and styling it. She encouraged me to learn to do both of those wandlessly."

"Practice summoning the soap and shampoo to you also." Suggested Rose.

"They didn't buy me soap or shampoo. I had to borrow or use Candice's shower products. Plus, I don't know how to summon stuff to me."

"Here, let me teach you the spell, the spell is _accio_ and whatever it is that you want to come to you. Like this bra." And she tossed a bra on to the floor." _Accio_ bra!" and the bra flew into her hand. "Now you try it."

Rose tossed the bra back onto the floor. Julia looked at the bra, " _Accio_ bra!" and nothing happened. She tried again, and nothing happened.

"You need to call it like it's a puppy, and you need to see it coming to you in your mind," Fred told her.

She looked at the bra, she closed her eyes in concentration, and with her eyes still closed, she said, " _Accio_ bra." And she opened her eyes just in time for the bra to land in her outstretched hand.

Fred gave her a big hug and kiss for her reward.

"The next step with that is to do it wandlessly in the shower and then do it wordlessly," Rose told her.

"Well, tomorrow, we definitely need to help you select your own bath products. But, for after our workout in the morning, I'll loan you mine."

"Thank you." She said humbly. " _Accio_ bras!" and she was rewarded with all of the bras flying at her. She giggled as she caught them.

.

Once all five of them were in the lobby of the MI-6 building, Sean came down to greet them. He escorted them through security and then up to the conference room, down the hall from his office.

"Good afternoon, and thank you for coming on such short notice. I have a job that I wanted to know if you three were interested in."

The three teens just looked at him.

All I can tell you right now until you sign the confidentiality agreement for the job, is that it will help stop the flow of young girls from England to join the terrorist group that is responsible for the trafficking and deaths of thousands of young girls.

Cici looked at her mates for a moment, "Okay, we're in."

"What we have, is an opportunity for three people to travel from London to Syria using a trail of vehicles. What we want is to capture each person that is responsible for transporting human cargo. We also want their cellphones. We figure that it will take eight days to go from London to Syria following this trail." He pulled down a map of Europe and the Middle East, to show them the path that they thought that they would take. "So, you would start here in London, then you would take the tunnel to France and then on to Paris. In Paris, you will probably stay in one of the no-go zones that the French has given up to religious minorities. From there, most likely to Germany, then on to Austria, and so forth. Every time you change drivers or cars we want that person. Your langue skills are what they want. Because you're so good with languages, you're very valuable to them, and to us because of your age and skill set."

"Okay, but when we stun the person, it will kill the cellphone," Ced told him.

"Yes, we're aware of that. So, with the help of Harry," at this point Hermione gave Harry, a we need to talk kind of look. "And your uncles, we have developed a bag that will protect the cell phone from all but the most powerful of spells."

Ced and his wives looked at each other. "Okay, when do we start?"

"You would leave the morning after Christmas. We can meet Christmas afternoon to go over your cover and give you the supplies that you may need."

"And how much does this pay?" asked Vic.

Cici looked at her.

"Hey! I need lipstick! Unless you want me to keep borrowing yours!"

"Is that where my lipstick's been going?" Cici turned to looked at McMillian, "This job had better pay a lot!"

"It will pay each of you £100,000 each, plus £10,000 each for each person, and £5,000 each for each cell phone."

"And any laptops?" asked Ced.

"I'll get you £60,000 for each laptop split three ways."

"Make it £25,000 each, for each laptop, and we'll save as many as we can," Ced told him.

"Deal." Was all McMillan said.

Harry held the chair for Hermione.

Ced held the chairs for Cici and Vic.

Sean walked them to the apparition point of the building and wished them happy holidays.

"So much for our holidays." Said Vic. Her birthday was coming up, not that she had ever celebrated it, but still, there was hope. For Ced and Cici they had a small family party, not much different than a normal threesome night, but still, they had wished each other a happy birthday and made it special in some small way. Cici's mum had managed to get her a card. Harry and Hermione had made the same effort.

"We won't forget your birthday Little One," Cici told her just before they apparated to the mansion.

"When's Vic's birthday?" asked Hermione as they walked down the walkway to the mansion.

"December 27th," Vic told her.

"Well, with your mission happening on your birthday, we'll celebrate it properly when you get back."

"Thank you." She knew that they wouldn't forget her, Hermione was too organised for that, but she still didn't want to get her hopes up too much. She had so many broken promises from her mum, she couldn't count them all. She had made a promise to herself and her future children, if she ever had any, that she would never forget their birthdays.

"When's our anniversary?" Ced asked.

"When is our anniversary?" Cici asked.

"Well, we kissed on the Hogwarts Express, and that was on a Friday, before Christmas." Ced started thinking out loud.

"Then we got married on that Sunday, at night," Cici said, thinking out loud also.

They stopped walking.

"Then we went to Haiti for a day."

"Then we went to talk with Uncle Ragnarok about the swords."

"Then I think that Christmas was the following Friday."

Then they looked at each other, "Then our anniversary was last Monday?"

They started walking again.

The mansion doors opened for them, with Charles standing there waiting to greet them. "Lord and Lady Gryffindor, Lord and Ladies Potter." The old elf greeted.

They all returned his greeting.

"Kitten made it home okay?" Hermione asked. She's a mum, she has to ask, that's what mum's do.

"Yes, my Lady. Though she seems perplexed by her trunk."

"It's a simple spell."

"She's not used to a wand, mum."

Hermione looked at her son. Could it be that simple? With all of her abilities, she had troubles with using her wand? "I'm going to go check on Kitten." She told no one in particular.

"Okay." Said, Harry, as he headed for the study.

Ced and his wives followed Hermione up the stairs, to their room., he placed the trunks on the bed before enlarging them to their normal size. With a flick of his wand, the trunks started to empty themselves, the clothes put themselves away where they belonged, and the rest of their belongings went to their appropriate places. They changed out of their school clothing, they had to use a glamour as they moved around London, and in the MI-6 building. Now here at home, they changed into something a lot more comfortable. Both girls had chosen to wear something braless, they wanted to let the girls breathe, Ced was noticing a slight difference in the clothes that his wives wore. Cici was a little more revealing of her 'assets' than Vic. Vic was more conservative than her wife, but not by much, this wasn't something that most people would notice. Most people wouldn't notice that both girls wore the same size everything, same size shoes, same size pants, same size bras, down to the cup size, everything they wore was interchangeable if they wanted it to be. With one wife on each arm, they headed down to dinner.

"I can't believe you two forgot your own anniversary!" Vic teased her spouses.

Cici looked at her, "When did we," gesturing between her and Vic," get married?"

Vic shut her mouth. She stood there, her face scrunching up tighter. " I don't know! I know that it happened while we were on our summer holidays, and it happened before we went on our 'trip,'"

"But how much before we left and how far after we started the summer holidays?"

"Oh, My Godric! I don't know my own wedding date!"

They continued walking to the smaller dining room.

"What are you three talking about?" Angelica asked.

"We're trying to figure out when Ced and I got married, and then when Vic and we got married," Cici answered her mom.

"Oh, Wow! That was some hectic times! I know that you bonded on a Friday and the wedding was on a Sunday, but what were the dates?" she looked at Hermione for some help.

Hermione's eyes went wide, this would be something that she should know easily. "They got 'married' on the twentieth, that was the ceremony, their actual was the eighteenth of December. Their marriage certificate will say the eighteenth of December. But for Vic."

"Yeah, I heard some of what happened that afternoon. We were all going to practice dancing. Then that Mask person came over, then Vic got sick on the dancefloor." Angelica was sad for her.

"I think we bonded on the eighteenth of June. How coincidental is that?" Ced asked.

"That's six months to the day!" Vic thought out loud.

Ced looked at his dad, "Does this mean that I have to buy two sets of anniversary gifts?"

Grandpa Dan started choking at this point.

"I need to take Dan to get some fresh air!" Harry said as he rushed to get up and leave. Sorry son but you're on your own on this one he thought.

"Harry James Potter! How dare you!" Hermione started scolding him.

"Oh, roll call on that name!" Charlie quipped.

Angelica's head snapped around to glare at him.

"Let me help you there Harry!" Charlie volunteered.

"You move, and you're sleeping with Car-baun tonight! And I'll tell Uasal!"

Charlie got that drat! I almost made it, look on his face as he sat back down nice and slowly. It didn't help that Ginny had taught her that blasted bat bogey hex, Bill had taught her!

"Are you going to die on me dad?" Hermione asked coolly, "Because I'm not giving you mouth to mouth."

"No, no, just need a little water, that's all." Dan Granger wheezed out.

Hermione looked at Harry, then at his seat. Harry moved back around the table slowly.

"Ced, I think that it would only be appropriate that you buy two anniversary presents for your wives. Don't you gentlemen?"

"Uh, yes Ced I think that's a good idea." Choked out, Dan.

"Uh-huh." Grunted Charlie.

"Angel you are so wise in this decision," Harry said quietly. It was the only thing that came to mind to keep him from sleeping with the dragons that night.

"Okay! Well, I guess that I have some shopping to get done this weekend!" Ced told the group in a chipper tone. This was going to be fun! He started thinking about all the different things he could buy them.

"You even think! About buying me that. You, Charlie, and your dad will be sleeping with the dragons!" Cici told him.

"I like the ruby necklace, it'll go nicely with my red panties," Vic told him as the girls got up and left.

The other adults at the table just glared at him.

"Can I sleep with Car-baun tonight?" a small high-pitched voice asked.

"Not tonight honey, maybe after Christmas," Hermione answered her.

"I don't ever get to do anything fun!"

"What! It's not like I can just go out and buy negligées or nightgowns!" Ced told the eyes that were looking at him. Ced got up to go back upstairs to his wives.

When he entered their room, they were both sitting on the bed talking to each other.

"Mi Amor? Mon Amour?" he said gently.

"We forgot our own anniversary!" Cici said as she started to tear up.

"We would have forgotten our own birthdays if our parents hadn't sent us cards!" Ced told her teasingly.

Cici looked at him.

"You know it's true! Look how much stuff has been going on! When we found out that Julia was sold into slavery by her father, what did we do? We focused all of our attention on that!" Ced told her as he knelt at her knees. He was looking up into her big, brown, sensitive eyes. She wiped the tears that hung in the corners of her eyes with the back of a hand.

"I know, it's just that I feel like a failure! I forgot our anniversary! My dad was always forgetting his, and my mom's anniversary, he forgot all of her birthdays and my birthdays too! I just don't want to turn out like him." The guilt was starting to get to her.

"Mi Amor, do you know what I want for my birthday present? What I want for my anniversary gift? For Christmas?"

Cici shook her head no.

"I just want a kiss and a hug from you. I don't need anything more than that. You and Vic are all I want. I don't need anything more, I have you two." His sincerity was there for them to see on his face and to read in his thoughts. "We'll go shopping tomorrow and on Sunday too. If there's anything that you two want, tell me, and I'll get it for you, and if there's something that I like, I'll get it for you too."

That night as they slept, Vic and Ced's love for Cici flooded over her, letting her know that she was loved by them.

.

The three of them stepped out of the public floo into Diagon Alley. They were followed by the rest of their friends. All of them had lots of Christmas shopping to do. Ced made sure to remind Fred that Julia needed her wand replaced with a new wand, not a second-hand wand. Amber's parents had let her spend the weekend with Angel and George. Amber, told the group, that she was gambling on the fact that her parents had a huge company report due, so she wasn't even going to go home for the rest of the Christmas holidays.

The group of happy teenagers moved from shop window to shop window. They had never heard of the term window shopping, but here they were doing it.

At Madam Malkin's, Amber said, "I was going to buy some bras, but Angel gave me all of her old ones."

"Rose did the same thing for me!" Julia said.

"Yeah! They look like new, and they fit great!" Amber said.

The potion that Vic was giving to Angel and Rose was working great! They had decided to wait until the day before returning to Hogwarts to go bra shopping again.

Julia wandered into the intimate wear section of the store. It was located in the back corner of the shop. She picked up a teddy and held it against her body to tease Fred with.

" _Can you see us wearing that?"_ thought Cici.

" _When? Before we soak in the tub?"_

" _Or afterwards, when Ced carries us to bed when we're asleep?"_

" _Ooo! When we go down to have dinner with the family!"_

" _Can you imagine how hard Hermione would hex us?"_

" _Can you imagine how hard Charles would whack our knuckles?"_

" _Have you ever been hit by one of Hermione's hexes?"_

" _Yes, that hurt! Have you forgotten how hard Charles can hit your knuckles with that stick?"_

" _No! That hurt too!"_

The other girls in the group had watched the expressions on Cici's and Vic's faces as the two girls had their conversation privately.

"What are you two talking about?" Rose asked.

"Nothing!" Vic replied.

"Yeah, right! They're probably talking about how hard Hermione would hex them if she ever caught them wearing something like that!" Angel said with a lot of mirth.

"You're close, they were talking about getting hexed by my mum, and how much it hurt!" Ced told the girls out loud.

The giggling girls put the lingerie away, and they moved to the next store.

"Hey! We need to go help Julia get her own bath products. She's never had her own before!" Rose told the group quietly.

Vic watched as Julia's face pinked. But the group of friends changed course for the beauty salon. Rose helped her sniff the different scents of the hair care products. Julia would find one that she liked then let Fred smell it. She watched the different faces that he made before settling on the shampoo they both liked. They sniffed a couple of more, just to be sure, Julia watched as a look of contentment came across Fred's face at another shampoo. She put the first one back and selected the last one, now she just needed a seven-month supply of the stuff! They chose body soaps and conditioners, and deodorants, and body lotions, and …. While they were there, the other girls restocked their supplies too.

Amber was watching what Julia was doing and learning also, she had George sniffing body soaps and shampoos too. After listening to Rose, she realised that all of her stuff was a hodgepodge of different scents. She was sending out a confused message to her potential mate. The last thing that she needed was her mate to be any more confused than he already was. He was the most incredible guy she had ever met, but she didn't want him not knowing her and her 'scent.'

Rose looked over at Amber and George, "What're you doing?" she asked interestedly.

"We're selecting the correct products. I learned a lot from what you told Julia, and now I'm finding what I need. Like Julia got Fred to help her select her stuff, I'm getting George to help me. I realised that I had a confused scent." Amber replied to her quietly.

Vic and Cici smiled at each other. Elissa had done a good job of helping Cici. Cici had done a good job of helping Vic. Rose and Angel had learned when they had taken Vic shopping for her bath products.

As they exited the beauty salon, Tamara Treewood was walking towards the store, when she caught sight of Vic. The girl paled noticeably when she saw Vic make eye contact with her. Vic noticed that her nose still had that broken nose look to it. Madam Pomfrey had done an okay job repairing it, but it would take a healer of Hermione's calibre to fix the nose correctly.

"We have an appointment with Healer Potter on Tuesday, dear." Vic heard the woman behind her. "I wish that you would stop being so clumsy at school! She's very expensive!"

Cici looked, and George hadn't even noticed her. The only girl in the world to him was holding his hand.

The teens drifted from one store to the next. They would buy something in this store for this parent or something in that store for that person.

As they walked past the owlery, "Have you noticed that Hedwig never got back to me about her kids being our owls?" Ced commented to his wives.

"She didn't, did she." A confused Vic said.

"No, she didn't," Cici said thinking about the situation.

After lunch, the group of kids drifted into one of the pawnshops. The group split, the guys went to look at the guy stuff, the girls looked at the jewellery. Eventually, the guys drifted back around to where their girls were. Amber pointed out this spectacular piece of jewellery, Julia would point at something that she liked. Rose and Angel compared pieces with Cici and Vic. They thanked the shopkeeper for their time and moved on to the next shop. Slowly but surely, they all were getting their shopping done. It added to the price, and it took extra time, but they had decided to have all of the gifts wrapped in the stores as they bought them.

It was when they were entering into a higher end consignment jewellery store that George made a comment to Ced when they were alone, "Girls are bloody expensive!" he whispered.

"If you want to get them nice things, yes they can be. But the right girl is so worth it, mate!"

"Yeah, but geez!"

"A good quality woman will make your life so much more, I don't know, better! You know, there's a saying out there somewhere that I read a while back, it goes something like this; 'I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men. They are far superior and always have been. Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.'"

"Yeah, I know." He sounded downhearted.

"But you need to remember this part too; 'So, if you give her any crap, be prepared to receive a ton of shite!'"

The two guys chuckled together, the girls looked at them. Cici and Vic smiled at Ced. They had 'heard' what he had told George.

Ced walked over to the counter where his wives were. Vic took her index finger and pointed at a ruby jewellery set on consignment from an estate. "That's my birthday and Christmas present from you." She told Ced with a smile.

Ced motioned for the shop owner to come over. He gave an inquisitive look at the kids, but he came over anyway, there wasn't anyone else in the shop but them. As far as he could tell they hadn't tried to steal anything like that group of short-haired girls had.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, she would like to see this set there please," Ced informed the owner pointing to the jewellery.

"This set?" as he pointed to a less expensive set of jewellery.

"No, it's two over to your left," Ced told him politely.

"Okay." The owner said trying to keep the apprehension out of his voice.

He carefully removed the jewellery from the display case without touching it and sat it on the countertop.

Vic was reaching for the necklace when "No! don't touch it!" Ced said firmly. "It's cursed!" and he slapped Vic's hand away just before she could touch it. He took her hand and kissed it apologetically.

"What do you mean its cursed young man! I would never sell anything like that in my shop!"

"It's cursed sir. I can feel it." Ced told him respectfully.

"I assure you, young man, this collection is from one of the finest Old Wizarding estates in all of Britain."

"And whom might that family have been?"

"It came from the Old Wizarding family of Malfoy."

"And how did you come by it, sir?" Ced knew that his Uncle Draco would never have let a cursed item from his parents be sold, without him first removing the curse.

"It was brought in by a young witch who said she got it directly from the estate."

"Well, you may want to inform my Uncle Draco, that someone has stolen some of his mother's jewellery," Ced told the shop owner.

"And how do I know that you're not lying to me, young man?"

Ced called, "Leo."

With a pop, the finely dressed elf with the Potter's crest on his shirt showed, with a bow, "Yes, Master?"

"Leo, would you please ask Uncle Draco if he could come here, now? It concerns some of his mother's stolen jewellery."

"Yes, Master." And the young elf was gone.

A few minutes later a very angry Draco showed with Leo.

"Thank you, Leo." Ced dismissed the nervous elf.

"What are you talking about, Ced!" Draco was fuming!

"Uncle Draco, we were out Christmas shopping when we came into this store. My sister was looking at this set of ruby jewellery here," and he showed the set to Draco. "When she went to pick it up …"

"How did you come by my mother's jewellery?" Draco hissed at the shop owner.

"A, a, a, a young witch brought it in, she said that she got it from the, from your estate my Lord." The shop owner cowered.

Looking at Vic, "Did you touch it?" Draco asked sincerely.

"No, Ced nocked my hand out of the way before I could touch it."

"You saved her life. Yes, it is cursed so that only an heir of the blood of Malfoy can ever wear it. Meaning only my daughters and their daughters can ever wear it." Draco explained to the teens.

"So only Venus and Centauri can ever wear it?" asked Vic.

"Yes, it's something that my father did to all of my mum's jewellery." Then looking at the shop owner. "If you have any more of my mother's stuff, you need to return it to me, NOW!" he scolded the shop owner.

The shop owner hurried to the back of his shop where he kept the safe, they could hear him shuffling back up to the counter.

Draco looked in the cloth bag that the owner sat on the countertop. "Is this everything?"

The shop owner nervously said, "Yes, my Lord!"

"If you're lying to me, you'll be found out!" he raised his voice on every word to end in almost a yell.

The shop owner hurried to the very back of his shop.

"For what it's worth," he was looking at Vic, "You've got good taste, Vic," Draco told her as calmly as could be.

The owner hurried back through the swinging doors carrying a bag as large as the first bag, he placed it gently on the countertop.

Draco looked in the bag, then at the shop owner, "Lie to me again, and you'll learn why the name of Malfoy was feared by all!" he told the shop owner lowly and deathly cold in expression.

All the terrified shop owner could do was to nod at the heir of one of the most feared of the dark lord's followers.

"Please, join me outside where we can talk in private." Draco addressed the teens.

Once the group was outside, Draco cast a silencing spell on the front of the shop so the owner couldn't hear what they were saying. "So, are we doing Christmas late Sunday night or early on Monday morning?" this bipolar effect had Amber and Julia's heads spinning.

"I think that my mum was planning it the same as last year, everybody gathers on Christmas Eve and then we open presents at midnight," Ced told his uncle.

"I hope that Christmas is a little less exciting this year than last!" he teased the threesome. "I need to go, I've got Astoria's presents to wrap and these things to put into safe keeping." He told them as he hefted the two bags of stolen jewellery.

It was a mixed course of "Bye Uncle Draco" and "Bye Professor" that followed him as he apparated away.

The group of smiling, laughing teens moved on down the street to see what else might catch their eye. They stopped at the various windows to look at what was on display. They stayed away from the pawnshops for the rest of the afternoon. Then when they decided as a group that they had gone far enough in one direction they turned around and worked their way back.

At one point, they walked past an office complex, and Fred took note of the fact that there was a wizarding law office in there. Findlay and McKenzie law office. He decided that he would talk to his Uncle Sirius about who he would recommend, for what had come into his mind. He and Julia had spent most of the day with their arms wrapped around each other's waists, their hips pressed against each other, and they had figured out how to walk, so they didn't rub up against each other in an uncomfortable way. Every time they would stare into each other's eyes they would start kissing, they stared, and kissed a lot! The rest of the group just let the lovebirds be. George and Amber were just as bad, though George did take some serious ribbing about sucking on Amber's fingers for several hours. He would just blush and smile good-naturedly, he knew that the teasing was not done in a hurtful way, but out of fun, besides, at least he was sucking on his girlfriend's fingers and not some other girls!

As they got closer to the centre of the busier part of the shopping district, "Hey! I need to take Julia over to Ollivander's so I can buy her a new wand." Fred told the group. The group changed directions to go to Mr Ollivander's shop.

The bell above the door rang as they entered. The counters were just as dusty as they were when Vic got her wand, as when Cici's mom got her wand. Maybe this was some kind of scientific experiment that he was conducting.

"Ah! May I help you?" he said looking at the group of nicely dressed teenagers.

"Yes sir, I would like to by my girlfriend, a new wand," Fred told the ancient wandmaker.

"Okay, is there something wrong with her old wand?"

"Yes sir, her parents bought her the wand without her being there for the purchase. Her mum tested the wand out before they gave it to her."

"Hum, that wouldn't do at all, the wand chooses the witch, not the other way around." He looked at the group of kids. "May I see the wand?"

Julia stepped forward and pulled her wand out of her robes. She handed the wand to the old wandmaker.

"Hum, yes, I can feel that this wand is all wrong for you. Someone has recently reset the wand to try and make it work better for you." He looked directly at Ced. "They did a fair enough job, but the wand has had several owners, and not all of them good." He handed the wand back to Julia. "Now, let me go and get a selection for you to choose from. Just a moment." And he slowly moved to the back of the shop.

"I've never been in here before," Julia commented.

"Me neither, but it has a peaceful air about it," said Amber.

Several minutes later he shuffled back to the front counter, with a huge armload of wands. He created several stacks on the counter. Then they started the wand selection process. Mr Ollivander explained about each of the wands that Julia tried, he talked about the properties of the wood and the properties of the wand core. But ultimately, it was up to the wand. Close to an hour into the testing of the wands, none of the wands felt right to her, and she was getting frustrated. Julia had already gone through the second trip of wands, and she could see that Mr Ollivander was getting tired.

"Hum, let's try the less common wands. You seem to be a unique young witch." Again, looking at Ced, "Not as unique as your sister." He said.

For those that weren't there that Christmas, they looked at him for the story to pass the time.

"Is it normal for somebody's wand to stun someone else who tries to steal it?"

"If you are referring to young Miss Potter's wand, then there is no normal to compare it to. Her wand is perhaps the most unique wand that I have ever had the privilege to make. Why? Did something unusual happen?"

"Well, some of her classmates and upperclassmen have tried to take her wand and hide it. She leaves it on top of her bed so that it is comfortable."

"And? What happened?"

"Well, in the worst case, somebody spent three days in the Hospital Wing with an inoperative shoulder."

"Really? Well, I guess the good thing is that it didn't kill them. But to answer your other question, yes, this is not normal wand behaviour, but then, your sister is no ordinary witch either."

After Julia had placed the last wand back in its box. Mr Ollivander went to retrieve the more unusual wands.

He returned with only fifteen boxes, three of which were wands made from vine wood, the same kind of wood as Daphne's wand. For the next thirty minutes, they went through wands and their properties of them. They went through the I like this I don't like that, and then it all came to a halt when she picked up her first vine wood wand. This wand felt warm and alive, but it just wasn't right, but it was close. She put it in the box and set it aside. She opened the second box, and before she could even touch the wand, it burst into a shower of sparks. Then as she touched the wand to grasp it, she could feel that this was her new wand, the power that flowed through it was incredible, the wand seemed to know what she was thinking, without saying a word, she flicked the wand, and it obeyed her every thought. She transfigured the empty box from one shape to another from one colour to another, then returned it to its original shape and size.

"I think that we have found your girlfriend her new wand." Mr Ollivander said. What an interesting group of friends they were collecting.

Fred pulled out his debit card and paid for the purchase.

As Mr Ollivander handed him the receipt, he told them, "If you hurry you can just make the duelling store for a holster for her too."

The group said "Thank you!" as they hurried away to the duelling store.

As they entered the store just before closing the salesclerk that had waited on them for Vic's holster was wanting to leave. "We're closed!" he said brusquely.

"Is Larry in?" asked Ced politely.

"Nobody by the name of Larry works here!" he lied to him again.

Getting louder, "When did Larry sell the store?"

Larry came out of the back of the store, he looked at the clerk, "You can go home if you would like. I'll help them."

Cici flicked her finger, and there was a crash of boxes from the back.

"But, before you go, clean that up!"

Fred told the owner that they were looking for a wand holster.

Then Vic interrupted him, "Something similar to what you sold me a few months ago." She held out her wand arm and pulled up the sleeve of her cloak, there was nothing there, then she thought about it for a second, and her wand and its holster appeared before the group.

"Yes, I want one like that!" Julia exclaimed.

"Ooo! I remember that one! That's a Quick Draw IV Princess! Those are rare! Let me see if I have another one left. They only sent me a few of them. The price scared people off." He rushed to the back of the shop.

He returned with two boxes, "I have the last Princess, but it's in pink, and I have the new Quick Draw V in a variety of colours."

Julia looked at the two holsters, she slipped on the V, and it just didn't feel right, so she took it off. Then she slipped on the IV Princess, and it felt like it was a part of her body. "I like this one." She said in a dreamy voice.

"Since that's the last one, I'll take 25% off for you today."

While Fred went to pay for the purchase, Vic showed her how to load her wand into the holster. Then she had her practice five times ejecting the wand and then retracting the wand with her thoughts. She showed her that as a last resort, how to flex her wrist to get the wand to eject from the holster. She tried that a couple of times and had to reload her holster manually. Then as she looked at it, it disappeared.

"Now, you can wear it with a sleeveless dress!"

Amber and George looked longingly at the other holster. George had a holster already, but Amber still carried her wand in her robe pocket. The shop owner looked at them and saw that they wanted the holster, he let Amber try it on and saw the smile on her face as she liked the feel of it.

He leaned closer to the couple, "Buy it now, and I'll take 50% off, just because I'm in a good mood."

George's face fell, he was still a couple of galleons short. "Just a moment." He told the shop owner.

He walked over to Ced and motioned with his head to come talk to him. "Can I borrow a couple of galleons? I want to buy Amber that other holster and I'm short."

"Yeah, sure!" and Ced dug into his pocket and pulled out half a dozen galleons. "Get it to me later!" he told his mate lowly as he clapped him on the back and returned to his wives.

George was very thankful to the shop owner for giving him the discount, just because.

"Alright! Everybody needs to go home! Because I want to go home! And thank you for your business!"

"Thank you and Happy Christmas!" They all yelled as they left.

They made a beeline for the public floos and headed for the Potter Mansion. Once there, they headed up the stairs to get cleaned up and get down to dinner. They were already late, and they all knew how Charles felt about tardiness.

All of the guys seated all of their girls and all of them were rewarded with a kiss. At the end of dinner, everybody made it through without getting their knuckles whacked, Harry asked all of the teenagers to please remain seated.

"I have been contacted by a friend of mine in the British government. He's looking for some people with your skills to help him. He's willing to put all nine of you to work. The thing is, I can't tell you what it is until after your parents sign a release form. Then you will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement, that if you violate it, you will lose your magic. The project would start over the summer holidays." Harry told the kids.

"What does it pay?" asked George.

"I can't tell you that until after we get a release from your parents and you sign the nondisclosure agreement."

"What would we be doing?" asked Angel.

"I can't tell you that until after we get a release from your parents and you sign the nondisclosure agreement."

"Where would we go?" asked Fred.

"I can't tell you that until after we get a release from your parents and you sign the nondisclosure agreement."

"I don't have any parents," Julia said.

"But unfortunately, you do have a master. And he would be the one granting you permission or deny you permission." Harry told the young girl.

"Can I talk to you about something later Uncle Harry?" asked Fred.

"Sure, just come and grab me when you're ready."

"Okay, thank you."

"Can Amber spend the night here? Her parents said that she could stay with us, but I think my parents are getting nervous about things." George asked.

"Have your parents talk to me first." Said Hermione.

"Okay."

"Where do I get one of those release forms? I can have that signed before Christmas. My parents are so focused on their jobs and this stupid report, they don't even know if I'm home or not!" Amber said.

"I'll talk to my parents," Rose said. "But I think that my mum is going to have a hard time."

"Me too," said Harry.

"I'll talk to mine. But I think it's going to be my dad that has a hard time." Said, Angel. "Daddy's little girl."

"Go talk to your parents. Then we'll talk again on Christmas Eve when they're all over here." Harry told them.

As they left the dining room, the teens were talking amongst each other, speculating on what it was that they could be doing. The group started to climb the stairs, but Fred hung back, Julia turned to watch him, and he blew her a kiss and waved her on, he told her that he would be up in a minute.

"Can we talk now, Uncle Harry?"

"Sure, let's go to the study. Dobby, can you bring us a couple of butterbeers?" he looked at Fred, "Your parents do let you have a butterbeer every now and again, right?"

"Uh, sure!"

Pop! And Dobby sat the beers down on the end tables.

"Thank you, Dobby."

Pop!

"Uncle Harry," Fred got right into the reason he wanted to talk to him. "I want to give Julia her freedom for Christmas."

"Okay, that's a very noble thing you want to do."

"So. Who would be a good solicitor to do this?"

"I think that there are several that you could talk to. But let's talk about what can happen to her if you do this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you grant her, her freedom. Where's she going to live?"

"She could stay with us!"

"Have you talked to your mum about this?"

"No, I've only talked to you, just this little bit."

"Another problem could be that her parents could take her back and sell her again to a more abusive master. Maybe even someone who would put her to work in the sex trades."

"Oh."

"Or, even the Coldstone's could go after her saying that her papers aren't any good because of a technicality."

"Oh."

"It may not feel good being her owner, but you're probably the best thing that has happened to her in the last few years. If you wait until she comes of age, then you could set her free, and no one could challenge her on her freedom. By her belonging to you, your parents are putting a roof over her head, food in her belly, and clothes on her back. And if I know your mum, she's going to make sure that she gets the best education possible."

"I never thought of all those things. I just know that it's wrong for one person to own another."

"And you're right, it is. But right now, you're her protector. You're her knight in shining armour, protecting her from those that would do her harm."

"Okay, I can do that."

"And if you still want the name of a very good solicitor, come and see me again. But for right now, take care of your girl. In your heart, I think that you've already set her free. And maybe in her heart, you're her knight in shining armour that has rescued her from a fate worse than death."

"Thanks, Uncle Harry. I think that I'll leave things be and just keep talking to her, and when she thinks that she's ready, maybe we'll get married first."

"Well, for right now. Buy her a broom, she's going to need it."

"Okay! I can do that!"

.

Christmas eve morning found a large group of people in the Potter Mansion getting ready for a morning run. Fred and Susan had joined them, George and Angelina were there also, all of the teens were ready to go, the only parents that were missing belonged to Amber, and they were muggles that worked hundred plus hours a week. Hermione set a hard pace, but she wasn't surprised as the rest kept up with her. The group used the walk back to the mansion as their cool down as they entered the training room. For duelling practice this morning, Harry wanted adults against teens. He wanted to see if these kids could work together as a team to achieve their goal.

"Let's put something on the line here. Let's make this worthwhile to the kids." He said.

"What do you have in mind mate?" asked Fred Sr.

"The kids need their parents to sign a release form letting them work on a special project for the British government. If the kids win, you as parents sign the release form, no questions asked. If the kids lose, then they have to convince you to sign the release form."

"I don't think that I like this Harry." Said Susan.

"Yeah, me neither." Said George Sr.

Harry could see that the kids were chomping at the bit for this opportunity.

"Come on mum! At least give us a chance before you say no!" Called out Rose.

"Timed duel?" asked Angelina.

"Timed duel. Are thirty minutes okay, or does someone want a longer time?" Harry looked from parents to teenagers.

"Okay, thirty minutes it is. Choose your sides. On the count of three, two, one."

The hexes started flying! George knew that Amber was the weak link in their chain, she was the one with the least amount of training.

"What I want you to do is to stay behind cover and when you see a spell flying. Blast the ceiling from where the spell came from. Do you understand me?"

"Yes!"

"And don't get hexed!"

"Okay!"

George took off to support his sister and cousins, they set up a crossfire situation and kept barricades in front of them. They would cast and move, give cover fire and move, barricade and move, they worked to get their parents in a pincher movement, force them out into the open. Cast and move. Amber would peek out, see a spell, and then blast the ceiling above the caster, then she too would move to a new barricade. The teens did a good job of using suppressive fire to keep their parents from moving to the offensive. Then Ced saw a skunk running across the floor towards Amber's location. Amber cast and moved to get closer to her friends, Susan hadn't counted on that as she ran across the floor, sticking close to the various barricades and rubble littering the place. Now Susan was the one seeking cover, she was weak in her animus form, but she could slip in and out of small places easily. The teens pressed their attack, they had a lot to win and little to lose. Then a cheer went up from two of the teens, and the spectators saw the spells change directions. Amber cast another blasting spell to collapse more of the ceiling over the concentration of spells. Another cheer went up from the same set of teens. Susan had gotten behind the teens and started working her way back to the other parents. Amber didn't know that Susan was behind her. But she kept casting and moving, not staying in the same spot for more than two casts. Now Amber was the one caught in the crossfire of the parents. Cici and Vic wanted to help so much! But they knew that it wouldn't be a fair fight, they could easily overpower the parents and win, but their friends needed to show their parents that they could do this on their own. Cast and move, cast and move. Susan just missed hitting Amber with a stunner. Amber knew that she needed to find a spot now, and hunker down where she was safe from both directions. She looked to her left, she checked to her right, she liked the spot to her right, right up to the point that another stunner just missed her as she got ready to move to the right, left it is then! Julia saw Susan stalking Amber, and hit her with a stunner, Susan's shield held, but Susan moved back to take cover, this bought time for Amber to move to a safer location, she was out in the middle of the fight by herself. Susan peeked around the barricade and Julia cast again, keeping Susan's head down. On one end of the fight it was four against one, and on the other, it was one against two. Harry was guessing that the one that was left fighting the four was Angelina, an Auror, so she had training for this and could probably hold out for another few minutes. Susan was used to running a house and taking care of the business needs of her house, he didn't know the last time she had practised her duelling. So effectively it was a stalemate. Julia saw Amber looking to move again and waved her to her, she cast two blasting spells to keep Susan's head down. Amber was safe.

"Thanks," Amber said.

"Yeah, we've got until this summer to get you up to speed!" Julia told her.

"You know, I never thought that I would need this kind of stuff. But now I see that it's really useful!"

"Yeah, it is. Especially if you need to earn some money! Let's go this way." And she pointed back where they had started.

"Okay, I'm following you." She told her softly.

"Cast and move, cast and move."

"I've got that part!"

The two of them moved about three times when Julia told Amber to stay and cover her back. Amber did as she was told, and covered Julia's back. There's Susan! Julia crept forward wanting a better shot. She looked at Amber and motioned for her to fire two hexes at the barricade that Susan was taking cover behind. Bam, Bam, went the two hexes, and Susan stuck her head up only to get stunned. The two girls cheered loudly, and Angelina knew that it was up to her. It was six to one against her.

"Times up!" yelled Harry.

Everybody stood up, Angelina couldn't believe how close the teens were to her. They walked around, _rennervating_ the adults, and giving them Vitamix potions.

"The kids win!" announced Harry.

"So, what's this form that we need to sign." Said Susan flatly.

"Let's deal with that after breakfast," Harry told her kindly.

"You kids did a great job!" Cheered Angelina. "All of you would make good Aurors, even you Amber! Because you followed instructions." She told her son's girlfriend.

Fred and George Sr. walked over to Ced and his wives, "How do you three like that body armour?" They really did look too much alike!

"We love it!" said Cici.

"What do you think of the voice distortion?"

"It scares the living stuff out of people," Vic told them. She needed to be careful and not reveal too much to, … which one is this?

"We need to be careful about what we say," Ced told his Uncles. "You did a fabulous job on the armour, and we don't know what my dad is talking about because he hasn't told us."

"Oh, okay." Said the first one.

"Thanks!" said the other one.

" _I feel sorry for Aunt Minerva!"_

" _Me too!"_

" _Really!"_ said Ced

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 02.24.2018**

 **And again 01.03.2019**


	30. Year Four Chapter 30

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 30

.

.

All of the parents signed the release forms for their children, some did so reluctantly, and one set did so unknowingly.

"Hey! Can you sign this for me!" Amber yelled at her parents, Sunday night, just before they headed back out the door, to go back to work on Christmas eve.

"Yeah, sure! What is it?" her father asked not really wanting to spend the time needed to scribble a signature on the form.

"It's so I can go on a field trip to some government building somewhere." Well, it really wasn't a lie. It was so she could go to some government building somewhere that she didn't know.

"Here you go. I've got to go. Let's go!" he yelled for his wife.

"Thanks, dad! You're the greatest!" her dad liked that kind of stuff.

"Thanks! I'll be in the car!" he yelled at his wife again.

"Bye honey!" her mom said as she rushed out the door to the idling car.

"Yeah, Merry Christmas to you too," she mumbled as she shut the door behind them. Now all she could do was to sit and wait for somebody to come and get her so she could get out of this hell hole she called home. Just one little flick of her wand would wreck all of the electronics in the whole house. Well, at least George's parents were letting her stay at their place over the Christmas holidays. Even if his mom did put a warning ward on her door, and on his too. But, then so did Fred's mom, she put one on his door, and on Julia's door, and he owned Julia, he even had the papers that said he owned her! How weird is that? They sure didn't act like master/slave. Maybe she had a set of furry handcuffs in her trunk someplace. Whatever! At least she was getting out of here this coming summer! She looked at her watch again, only five minutes had passed since the last time she had looked! Arh! That duelling match that they had earlier was a blast! It sure didn't feel like it had lasted 30 minutes! When she was dodging spells, time seemed to drag on forever! Then when they were after Susan, wow! How fast time had gone by. She went back up the stairs again to check her room for anything that she might want, might need, could use. Nope, this drawer is empty, she had everything that she might possibly need, debit card? Check. Credit card? Yup.

Ding dong, bing bong, bong bing, ding dong! Went the doorbell. She rushed down the stairs as fast as the stairs would let her go. She slid to a stop at the front door and checked through the peephole, yup it was George and his dad!

She grabbed her jacket and opened the door. Throwing herself on George, she gave him a kiss that said 'I miss you!'

"You two have been hanging around Ced and Cici to much!" said George Sr.

Amber closed the door and locked the deadbolt. Before she turned around, she patted all of her pockets to make sure she had the release form to give to Harry. Yup, there it was, in her left rear pocket.

"Got everything?" George asked his girlfriend.

Taking his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together, she looked at him, "I do now!"

The three of them walked back to the apparition point, with one of them on each side, George Sr. apparated them to the Potter's home.

Amber looked up in time to see Uasal and Car-baun coming home from an early hunt. She waved her free hand at them and received a small roar in reply.

As they got to the front doors, the doors opened for them, and Gareth stood there in the foyer of the magnificent house. The living room and the foyer were larger than her parent's whole flat. But then again, her parents didn't have this number of guests over, either.

George Sr. looked at Gareth, "They're expecting us." he told the regal looking house elf.

Gareth looked at them, "Lord and Lady Gryffindor are in the downstairs sitting room." Then changing his gaze to look at the kids, "Lord and Ladies Potter are upstairs in their room."

"Thank you, Gareth," Amber told the elf. Cici and Vic's manners had started to rub off on her.

"Thank you." The two guys said together.

Gareth looked at Amber, "You are welcome." Then he turned and started to walk away. About four steps into his walk he was gone.

Holding hands, the two teens started climbing the Grand Staircase to get to Ced's bedroom. They knocked on the open door, and they could hear laughter and giggling as they entered the room.

"What are you all laughing at?" asked a smiling George.

"Uncle Draco! He still keeps at least one person between him and Car-baun!" Ced started laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes!

"And Kitten! She was scared!" said Vic.

"Wouldn't you be scared too, if you were standing between two pissed off dragons?" asked Fred.

"Oh, you know it!" said Angel.

"You should have seen Uncle Draco's face when I told him that he had to buy two cows not just one!" said Vic. "I thought he was going to have a cow right there!"

All of the teens laughed so hard they had tears in their eyes again, their faces hurt from smiling so much.

Amber really didn't know too much of what had happened, but the humour and the laughter were infectious. This was so much more fun than being stuck at home killing time playing another video game. As long as she could get her laundry done before going back to school, she really didn't see a need to go back home at all. If she worked it right, she could spend spring break with George and Angel. Then she planned on spending the summer holidays with them too. What was this special project that Harry was talking about anyway?

Dobby appeared in Ced's room, "My Lord, my Ladies," he addressed them with a bow. "Lord Gryffindor requests your presence in the downstairs sitting room."

"Thank you, Dobby!" all of the teens replied together.

They watched Dobby blush just before he disappeared.

The nine teenagers got up off the floor, got out of chairs, got off the bed and migrated down the stairs to the sitting room, where they joined the adults. Ced and his wives took a couch, Cici and Vic interlaced their legs together on top of Ced's, George and Amber found a love seat to sit in, so did Fred and Julia, Angel and Rose sat on another couch. Vic was the first to spot McMillian. As they all got comfortable, Harry waved his hand and the doors closed. With a flick of her wrist, Hermione locked and cast the correct charms.

"This gentleman here is, Sean McMillian." He introduced the spy. "I have received all but one of your release forms." Harry looked right at Amber.

"OH! Here you go!" she dug it out from her back pocket. Harry took the folded piece of paper and looked at the signature.

He handed the crumpled form to McMillian, "Sean will go ahead and explain why he needs your help, and answer any questions that he can, at this time."

"Good afternoon, the reason that we need your help is simple. You can fly a broom. That's it."

Every face in the room went blank. That's all he wants us for? Is to fly a broom for him? Then why all the secrecy?

"Then why all the secrecy?" asked Amber.

"That part, I need you all to sign a non-disclosure agreement on, and those forms are right here. Print your name in the space provided at the top and then sign on the last page where the 'X' is located. Place your thumb in the circle. It is a magically binding contract that says that you will not discuss this with anybody that is not in this room, or has not been assigned to this mission."

All of them got up and filled out the form, signed it in ink then sealed it in blood. Then they all resumed their previous seating arrangements.

McMillian continued, "Now that all of the formalities are out of the way." He clapped his hands together. "Have any of you heard about all those young girls that were taken forcefully from their villages in the middle of Africa?"

All of the teens except for Amber shook their heads no, she nodded her head yes. "That was a terrible thing those terrorists did!"

"Yes, it was. And we know where they are taking them to, for the summer." He flipped an 'old school,' chart on a tripod, to show them two mountain tops. "They're going to take them to this mountaintop here. The closest place to land a helicopter is here, about twenty minutes by air away. You can actually see the base that they're constructing from the landing site. It's twenty minutes by broom or two weeks on foot. That's why we need you. To help us rescue all of those girls and get them back to safety, their villages, and their families. Several of them have already had one or two children themselves, without doctors or nurses to do the delivery of the babies, from being raped by their abductors."

"Not to be the greedy one in the bunch," Vic said in the silent room. "But how much will this pay us?"

"Each one of you will be paid £100,000 for flying a broom."

George and Amber looked at each other with their mouths hanging open, then they hugged each other tightly, and then they kissed. This was going to take care of all of their financial problems. It was going to take a load off of George and Angel's parent's backs. Owning a joke shop or two was good, being an Auror was good, but neither of them paid £100,000! This would buy the breathing room that their family needed. As long as George and Angel's parents didn't back out of the agreement.

Fred and Julia had a similar reaction when they heard how much it would pay. For Julia, this much money represented freedom. Freedom to be her own person. For Fred, it was a way to start taking care of a family, to take care of Julia so she would never have to worry again, to give her security.

To Rose, the money represented independence, maturity, her growing up and becoming an independent woman. Not dependent on her parents to buy her everything that she wanted, not needed, not a roof over her head or food in her belly, but stuff that she wanted to buy for herself and her friends. Her parents were so wealthy that she would have to spend a lot of galleons before they would even blink, but this would be her money, that she earned from her first job.

Harry stood back up, "Sean will give you more information when we meet him again after school's out for the summer holidays. So, I would suggest that you all practice flying as much as possible! Now, if all of you will excuse us, Sean needs to talk to Ced and the girls privately." Harry started to usher everyone out of the room except for Hermione. When it was just the six of them, Sean started to go over their cover they would use starting Tuesday. He also gave them three muggle styled school backpacks, three magically protected cell phones, and all of their needed documentation, including the specialised passports that would let McMillian follow them where ever their passport was scanned for a RIF chip. He explained to them all of the mission details and gave them a yellow silicone wristband to wear. This is to identify you to your drivers. You will meet your first driver at King's Cross Station at 09:00 on Tuesday morning. I understand that you can do special magic stuff to your backpacks, as long as it doesn't affect the electronics that you capture, you're free to do it, so you can store extra stuff in your packs. They have a built-in false bottom just for that ability."

"Any questions?"

"So, we just get the old driver, get their cell phone away from them, stun them and call you?" asked Cici.

"There are mechanical syringes in the false bottoms of the packs, hit the guy with it anywhere and he will go down in less than fifteen seconds. Then you can get the cell phone and stun him if you like. The tranquilliser will only last about ten minutes, at the most."

"Okay, we'll go over the information again, and then see you at King's Cross Station!" Vic told him.

"If you see me at King's Cross Station, the mission is a bust!"

"Well, in that case, until we meet again," Cici told him.

"See you when it's all over with, hopefully in eight days."

The teens got up, said their goodbyes and headed out the doors and up the stairs. Back in the threesome's bedroom, all the others could talk about was their "summer job."

Both Julia and Amber looked at their boyfriends and said, almost in unison too, "But I need a broom now!"

"I mean that I have the broom here that Harry loaned me when we were playing dragon tag over the summer," Julia told Fred.

"Dragon tag? What's that?" Amber asked.

She had been excluded from their morning activities for a lot of the summer, because of her poor attitude that was caused by the potions, and the imperious curse that she had been subjected to.

"Dragon tag! It's like regular tag where you run around and try and tag somebody, but you play it on a broom with the dragons!" Julia told her, thinking back to how much fun they had had.

"How come I don't remember playing it?" a very sad Amber asked the group.

"It's because of the terrorists, they had messed you up badly, and you didn't want to go running with us at that time," George told her, then he pulled her into a tight hug. She knew that he would never leave her, that he would always be there for her.

"If you want, we can ask Uasal and Car-baun if they want to play a game tomorrow morning after the sun comes up. Probably need to ask Angelica if she wants to play too." Vic thought.

"What's Cici's mum got to do with this?"

"Uasal and Cici's mum are like, inseparable, she hardly lets anyone else ride her anymore," Ced told her. Looking at Cici, "I wonder if your mum got Uasal a gift?"

"What do you buy a dragon?" asked Cici.

"Two cows!" roared Vic.

This started a fresh round of laughter and tears running down their cheeks.

"Oh! That was mean!" Angel told her.

"Yeah, but it's the truth!" Vic told her back.

They laughed again until their ribs hurt, then that made them laugh some more too.

"Poor Uncle Draco!" Ced said to the group.

"The thing is, he did it to himself!" Vic told the group. "He even made Hermione mad at him!"

The teens talked all the way until eleven that night, that's when they moved downstairs to join the others of their extended families. Fred and George saw that their grandfather Arthur and Emmeline had joined them this year. The furniture in the living room had been rearranged, so it faced the massive Christmas tree. Gifts were still appearing under the tree as they sat around and listened to what the adults were talking about. Sirius had released the mistletoe to start floating around the room. It didn't bother any of the teens, they all knew who they loved. But still, there was a lot of kissing happening that night. When the big Grandfather clock in the middle of the stairs struck midnight, all of the kids yelled: "It's Christmas!"

Fred and Julia got volunteered to hand out gifts this year.

Fred Sr. and George Sr. gave them a good ribbing, "Hey Fred!"

"What George?"

"What did you get Jr. for Christmas this year?"

"Nothing!"

"Why's that?"

"'Cause he went and got himself a girl!"

The rest of the group just groaned at the lame joke. Harry winked at him to show his support of Fred Jr. and what he was willing to do for the girl he loved.

The happy couple called out names and handed out gifts. Vic and Cici both got jewellery, it was a safe bet on Ced's part. A lot of the kids just got money, because of the short time from when school let out, and Christmas happened this year. Amber got a Firebolt International Quidditch broom, she screamed in joy. Julia got a Nimbus International Quidditch broom, and she screamed in joy also. Now they had their own brooms to go riding on in the morning. All in all, everybody seemed happy with what they got for Christmas. There were no surprises from Kitten, to everybody's relief.

Outside of Julia's door, Fred was kissing her goodnight, "I hope that you had a good Christmas." Fred told her between kisses.

"Yes, it was the best Christmas I've ever had." She answered him back in-between kisses.

"I wanted to grant you your freedom, as my gift to you. You already have my heart, so that was the greatest gift I could think of to give you."

"Thank you, but why didn't you do that?"

"I talked to Harry about it, and he told me that if I were to grant you your freedom, that your parents could have claimed you and then sold you again. I didn't want that to happen to you."

"Okay."

"We talked about it some more, and I told him that I wanted to marry you, and he told me that when you became of age, that at that point, nobody could ever do anything to you again. I don't ever want anybody to ever hurt you again. Not your parents and not the Coldstones either."

She gave him a kiss, "Okay."

"So, if you want, I can grant you your freedom now, or you can wait until we get married and get it at that time."

"Silly, you have to ask me to marry you first!"

Fred turned as red as his hair, "Oh!" he dropped down onto one knee, "Julia, will you marry me?"

"Yes silly, you don't have to grant me my freedom to make me love you. I love you already! And I have for a long time. Besides, you already asked me to marry you back in Ced, Cici's, and Vic's room at school!"

.

Tuesday morning was a rushed morning, the trio wanted to be out of the house and at the apparition point to walk to King's Cross Station. They all made sure that they were wearing the yellow wristbands. In route to the train station, all three of them applied a glamour charm to change their faces enough that any other students wouldn't recognise them as readily. Ced's name was changed to Carl, Cici's name was Catherine, and Vic's name was Vivian. So, we have Carl, Cathy, and Vi, walking to the train station. Cathy had selected the black backpack, Vi chose the brown backpack, and Carl was left with the dark blue. Under the false bottoms, the teens had put in extra clothes, medical supplies, and their wizarding body armour. The three teens, walked towards platform ten to wait for their contact to meet them. They were hoping that the magic surrounding the portal for platform 9¾ would help disguise their own magical signatures. Carl and Cathy were boyfriend and girlfriend, and Vi was Carl's "emotionally weak" but smart sister. Even though they were good-looking kids, they were shunned by their friends until Vi found a friend online, and after months of chatting online, they were going to meet this friend and travel to meet other like-minded people that had been shunned by others. This search for solidarity was what was driving them to leave their families, the day after Christmas. At five minutes past the hour a high-speed train pulled into the station, a dark-haired woman, in a scarf walked up to them.

"You had best hurry if you want to catch your train! I believe that you dropped these!" and she thrust the tickets into Carl's hand. "You had best hurry if you don't want to miss your train, it won't wait long." Then, as fast as she showed up, she was walking away in the crowd of people. They had just met and lost their first contact.

Cathy ran after her, she pulled her into a hug, "Thank you! You don't know what this means to us!" she said excitedly, yet softly. Then she used a real low-level stunner on her. She fished in her pockets and found two cell phones, she handed them to Vi who walked away and pulled out the protective sleeves to place them in, then Cathy guided their contact to a bench in the station, sat her down, and hit her with a much stronger stunner. Vi placed the sleeve, containing the cellphones in it, back in the contacts pocket while Ced called for pickup.

"You're off to a good start!" was all that the voice on the other end of the phone said.

The three of them ran for their train with moments to spare. They looked at their tickets and found their seats. They were in the middle of the carriage, Carl let the two girls sit together while he sat across the aisle from them. They lay back in their seats, closed their eyes and cat napped for the three-hour train ride to Paris. A trick that they had learned from Winkelmann and Shaw. The two girls held hands and had their ankles touching, Carl was out in the cold so to speak. As the train slowed, the teens woke up, they checked their cellphones and saw that it was only one hour later, it was just after 10:00 in the morning in Paris. They let the other passengers rush off the train. They walked to platform ten and waited.

"You are very unusual teenagers." The heavily accented voice said to them. "Most teenagers would be playing a game or chatting on their phones."

"Well, we forgot our chargers at home," Carl told the dark skinned, dark haired man speaking to him.

"Ah, typical teenagers there. Have a pleasant day." He said as he turned and walked off.

A few moments later, a TGV Eurostar train pulled into the station. Vi just happened to look down, and where the man had been standing, she watched as three train tickets fluttered in the light breeze and threatened to blow away. Quickly, she stepped on the tickets. They had just missed their second contact. She squatted down to pick up the tickets with her footprint on them, Paris to Munich, she looked at the rest of the information, and this was their train, again the seating was in the middle of the carriage. Carl and his girlfriend Cathy sat together when Cathy got up to use the loo, Vi went with her, when the girls returned, Carl stood up with them, and they headed to the dining car to get a late lunch or early dinner. In the dining car, Vi sat with her brother Carl, as they ate. When they returned to their seats, Vi sat with him for the rest of the close to the seven-hour train ride. About thirty minutes before the end of the train ride, Carl got up to go use the loo. As he waited in the line, a passenger walking the other direction bumped up against him and kept moving.

" _Dark hair, long brown jacket, walking away from the loo."_ Carl thought to his wives.

" _Got him."_ Thought Cathy. She stood up at the correct instance and knocked the man into the vacant seats across from her. As she stumbled, she hit him with a gentle stunner to sedate the man as she took his cellphones out of his coat pockets and slipped them into hers.

"Oh, I'm so clumsy! Forgive me! Are you okay!" she started to act out her part.

Vi stood up and leaned against her brother's girlfriend, 'to check on the man,' she slipped the phones from Cathy's pocket into hers', and she went to sit back down. Without drawing attention to herself, she got the phones into a sleeve. When Cathy felt her friend leave her to return to her seat, she stunned the man hard enough to keep him asleep until the good guys could come and claim him.

As Carl returned to his seat, he leaned over and kissed his girlfriend, while his sister slipped the sleeve with the phones in it into his pocket. Carl then transferred the phones back to the pocket of the stunned man sitting next to him, with his eyes closed, and his head against the window, looking like he was asleep.

Carl pulled out his phone and dialled the correct number, "Dark-haired male, long brown coat." He gave the aisle number and the seat.

"Missed one I see."

"Yes. A male in Paris with a heavy accent."

"You're doing good, you're new."

Dead silence on the phone. Carl put the phone back into his pocket. He pulled out the slip of paper that had been put into his pocket by the 'sleeping man' next to him.

Blue winter coat. Was all it said.

It's Munich Germany, the day after Christmas, do you realise how many blue winter coats are going to be at the train station this evening! It's five o'clock in the evening! Carl thought to himself.

" _And that's why they did it this way."_ Vi thought to him.

They let the other passengers off the train, then they walked to platform ten to wait in the cold. Almost a half hour later, a man in a blue winter coat walked up behind Carl.

"Give me your passports." He told them.

"And why would we do that?" he asked him.

"If you wish to continue your journey to acceptance, then you will need to give me your passports. Or you can just stay here Carl."

The three teens put their backpacks down and dug out their passports. Carl collected them and handed the passports to this person.

"Follow me." He told the teens.

They picked up their packs and slung them over a shoulder, and followed the man out to the parking lot. He led them to a Citroen passenger van. At least the three of them could sit in the backseat together. He opened the hatch so they could put their packs in the back.

"Here, cover your heads." He thrust some hijabs at the two girls. He waited for the kids to walk around to the side of the van before he closed the hatch. Carl opened the door for his sister and his girlfriend. Vi went in first and sat in the centre row of seats, Cathy went in second and went all the way to the rear seat. After Carl got in and closed the door, he sat in the back next to Cathy, Vi joined them in the rear seat. Once they were together, they clasped their hands together. The two girls started rubbing their legs on his pant legs trying to get them to move upwards so they could get their legs to touch his bare skin. Carl let go of their hands and pulled his pant legs up just a little, he could feel the relief spreading through all of them as they held hands and touched legs.

"When we get to our destination tonight, there will be some food and a bed for you to sleep in." their driver told them, in his thick accent. As they were pulling out of the parking lot, the driver called and started speaking to someone. Carl listened as best as he could, and he caught a passphrase at the start of the call. After that, the road noise drowned out any conversation that the driver was having.

The three teens closed their eyes and opened their minds to each other. They woke up when the changes in road noise became evident that they were slowing down and making several turns.

" _Must be a safe house."_ Carl thought to his mates.

The van bounced and rocked as they went down an old single lane road on the edges of a larger city, the trees obscured the night sky above them, snow lay under the trees in the shadows where the sun couldn't melt it during the day. A short rock wall was on both sides of the narrow road that they bounced and rocked down. Carl could see that the driver was on his cell phone again, he looked up and saw that the teens were awake in the rearview mirror. He said something else on the phone before he placed it in the centre console of the van.

" _He's not happy with somebody in the house,"_ Cathy told them.

"Get out! Get out!" he yelled at them as he opened the side door of the van, on his way to open the hatch.

Vi was the first to get out, Carl followed, and then Cathy brought up the rear. Single file, they picked up their packs from the back of the van, before the driver closed it. He led them to the front door of the house, which was opened after he knocked.

The driver entered the house and spoke to the others in his native tongue.

"I don't like this! The girls don't even know to cover their heads!" he yelled at an older man with a greying beard.

"Watch how you speak to me! Or you will find yourself back in Iraq before these children get there!"

Greybeard stood up, "Welcome! Names are not important here. Are you hungry? Please, this way to some food. There is a restroom down the hall on the left, your room will be across from the restroom."

There was some kind of meat, bread, and a pitcher of water on the table. Plates and glasses stood at one end waiting for use.

"Excuse me while I go and wash up for dinner," Carl told the grey-bearded man.

"Thank you." He replied to the teenager.

When he returned, both of the girls went to the restroom.

"Please! Sit, eat!"

The teens sat, Carl on the opposite side of the table from the girls. After they had eaten some.

"What time will we be getting up in the morning to continue our journey?" Carl asked.

"It will be most early. We need to catch our friend at the border, he will make the border crossing much nicer."

"So, about four or five in the morning?"

"Oh, no, much earlier than that. Closer to three I think."

"Okay, thank you," Carl told the old man.

The three teenagers placed their dirty dishes in the sink. As they turned to walk to their room to retire for the night.

"Oh, no! the girls need to stay and do the dishes!" the old man said sternly. "If they are going to serve our freedom fighters, they need to learn to take care of a household!"

" _Dishes? I haven't done dishes in over a year!"_ Cathy thought.

" _Dishes? I've never done dishes!"_ Vi thought back to her. _"You're going to have to teach me how!"_

The two girls handed their packs to Carl as they turned to do the dishes. Cathy was instructing Vi on how it was done on the three plates and glasses.

"Very good! At least one of you knows how it's done! None of the girls in the last group knew how to clean! Now go to bed! We will be getting up most early!"

The two girls headed down the short hallway to the room on the right across from the loo. Once inside the room, there was a twin over full bunk bed on the left and a twin over twin on the right.

" _If we get up an hour before they do, then we should be alright."_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Let's plan on waking up at 1:30, just in case they want to try and spring a surprise on us."_ Vic thought as she crawled bare-breasted across Ced.

" _I agree with Vic, let's wake up at 1:30, just in case,"_ Cici said as she took her spot on Ced's side.

Five hours later, Ced's eyes sprung open. "Mi Amor, Mon Amour, time to wake up." He said to his wives softly. He lay there for a moment listening to the sounds in the house. He nudged Cici to get her to let him get out of bed, both wives rolled off of him, and when he was out of the way, they sought comfort in each other. Carl pulled on his pants and shirt before he walked barefoot to the loo across the hall. When he got back to the room, both girls were up and finishing getting dressed. With kisses exchanged the girls headed for the loo. Carl made the bed as best as he could. It looked at least as nice as it did when he got in it last night. The three of them agreed, there was a fourth person that they had not met in the house. There was a laptop in the front room and the potential for eight cell phones. They discussed how they were going to get this house and all of the people in it while still keeping their driver conscious. They agreed that Vi would leave her backpack in the room and that would be the excuse for her and Cathy to come back into the house. Carl would take care of the driver outside. Ced had decided that he would use legilimency on the driver to keep him distracted and clueless as to what was happening inside the house when the time came. Just as they expected, their hosts came knocking on the door and then opened it without being granted permission. All of the teens were dressed and ready to go, no showers this morning. But, they at least had fresh deodorant on! They were leaving out without having breakfast, as they walked to the van, the driver opened the hatch and waited for the kids to put their backpacks inside the van. Carl placed his in there, Cathy placed hers in there, and Vi had forgotten hers.

"I need to go back inside to get my backpack!" Vi told the driver.

"Hurry up." He grunted to her.

"Come on, I'll help you get your pack," Cathy told her.

The two girls headed back into the house.

"Just like a girl to go off and forget her stuff," Carl grumbled to the driver.

"Just like the other girls." He grumbled.

Carl focused on the driver and his thoughts. Just want to walk around to the other side and lean against the van while you wait.

The driver started to walk to the other side of the van and lean up against the side of the van.

Just want to have a cigarette while you wait.

The driver pulled out his pack of smokes, took one out and lit it.

Just a couple of silly little girls can't remember to get their own clothes.

Grunt.

While Carl was keeping the driver distracted outside. Cathy and Vi were distracting the men inside the house. Cathy walked up to the grey-bearded man and wanted to tell him thank you, for his hospitality. He held out his hand, and she took it. She hit him with a real gentle stunner that sat him back down in his seat. She reached over and grabbed his cellphones off the table and slipped them into a sleeve.

Vi touched the guy that was sitting in front of her in the back of his head where the neck joins his head. He leaned forward. She walked around and found his cellphones. All of these guys have two cell phones! She walked over to the table and grabbed the laptop, she put that and the two cell phones into a large sleeve and sealed it.

As quietly as possible they walked to the back of the house, looking in every open door as they went, empty bedroom, empty bedroom, their bedroom empty, locked bedroom and unlocked bedroom. Vi tried the unlocked door, it opened quietly enough, she looked inside, and it was a communications room, jackpot! But how are they going to protect it? Then there was still the locked door across the hallway. Cathy grabbed the doorknob, a real low powered _alohomora_ and the knob turned easy enough. The door creaked as it opened, and there lying naked on the bed, chained at the foot was a woman, probably four or five years older than Cathy was. They entered the room and looked around, another laptop and two more cell phones. While Cathy bagged the electronics, Vi went over to the bed and touched the sleeping woman on the forehead and stunned her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a GPS locator and activated it.

Vi reached into her other pocket and pulled out her cell phone, she dialled the number, "two men, one woman chained to the bed, two laptops, six cell phones, and a communications room. GPS locator in the back-bedroom window."

"Good job on finding the communications room. And the driver?" the voice asked.

"He's outside and unaffected at this time."

"Good job, recovery crew is already rolling your way." Silence.

Vi pocketed her cellphone, touched the woman's forehead again, just to be safe.

The girls picked up her pack and stunned the two men in the front room thoroughly.

As they approached the van, "Sorry it took so long, I had to use the loo again." Vi told the driver. She walked to the back of the van and laid her pack down. As she climbed into the van, the driver closed the hatch, closed her door and got in his seat to drive.

They were on their way to cross the border into Slovenia, less than an hour away. At the border crossing, the driver handed the border agent their passports and four, one-hundred-euro notes. Four stamps later and they were on their way again, hopefully, this time to breakfast. Two hours later they pulled into a diner in Zagreb, Croatia. After a healthy breakfast, Carl went to use the restroom first, and then the two girls went to use the restroom. While the girls were using the restroom, their replacement driver showed up. Carl followed their old driver to the restroom, claiming he had a second urge to use the restroom, and as the driver entered into a stall, he stunned him lightly, got the cellphones sleeved and then stunned him harder, he turned him around and sat him on the toilet seat, unconscious. He sent a text message to the phone number, describing the driver and the location. He also told them they had a new driver at this point.

The new driver was just as untalkative as the last driver, so the three teens sat in the back of white Volkswagen Touran. Carl pulled his pant legs up enough for the girls to lay their legs on the skin of his legs, they held hands and closed their eyes, catching up on lost sleep, like an experienced combat veteran. Four hours later they opened their eyes when the noise of the van had changed. They found themselves pulling into another diner. As they exited the van, they told the driver that they needed to use the restroom again.

"The two girls can go first, then you can go." The driver told them in heavily accented English.

"Thank you!" the girls called as they took off quickly to the restroom.

The driver motioned for Carl to join him at a table in the diner where the driver could keep an eye on the restroom doors.

" _He's watching the restroom doors from the table we're sitting at."_ Carl thought to the girls.

" _Okay."_ Vi thought back to him.

After the girls joined them at the table, they looked over the menu and settled on another hearty breakfast. It was safe. While their food was being prepared, Carl went to use the restroom. He returned just as their food was being brought to the table. The three teens thanked their server in her native language.

"How do you know their language?" the driver asked them in English.

"We have a gift for languages," Cathy told him.

"That's why we are so important to your cause," Carl told him.

After their meal, the teens used the restroom again. And again, they sat in the back of the van and rested, they could share their consciousness while they slept.

Another border crossing and another four hundred euros, and they were in Bulgaria. An hour later they were awakened as the van pulled into another diner in Sofia, Bulgaria. They watched as their driver talked to the replacement driver animatedly. This wasn't looking good. The three teens exited the van and walked towards the driver.

"We need to use the restroom," Carl told the driver.

"You go first. The girls stay here." the new driver told them with a heavy accent.

Carl looked at his sister and his girlfriend, they nodded at him. He looked at the new driver again. He didn't like leaving the girls like this, he turned and started to walk to the restaurant, he looked around and saw several vehicles that could be their replacement driver's vehicle. Inside the diner, it was busy for an early afternoon. He listened to the language for a moment, it was Bulgarian, he asked a server for the restroom, and she pointed to the back corner of the restaurant. He looked out the windows of the diner as he walked to the back corner of the restaurant. Everything looked okay.

" _They are just talking about some muggle sport called football."_ Cathy thought to him.

" _They are just getting excited about it, like you and Quidditch,"_ Vi told him.

After he returned, they let the girls use the restroom.

"Are we eating here, or at the next stop?" Carl asked the drivers.

"We will eat here. It will be a long time before we eat again. We will stop a couple of times to use the, … what do you English call it? The loo. We will stop a couple of times to use the loo." The new driver told him.

"Thank you." He said simply.

When the girls returned, their old driver walked them to the back of the van to get their packs. Carl looked around, the new driver was walking to the front of the restaurant. He touched the driver in the back of the head, and he collapsed into the back of the van.

" _Call it in quick!"_ he thought to the girls.

Cathy had her phone out and swiped the number. As it rang, she pulled out a GPS locator.

Vi had pulled out a sleeve for the cellphones that she was digging for.

Once the cellphones were in the sleeve, Cathy had turned her back to the van, Carl stunned the shocked driver harder.

"They said that it would be an hour."

"That's too long!" Carl said softly.

"Close the hatch. I've got an idea." Vi looked around for their new driver. She saw him walking to the back corner of the restaurant. With the hatch closed. She used a colour changing charm on the whole van, turning it black.

" _Good thinking!"_ the other two thought to her.

With their packs slung over their shoulders, they walked together to a table in the restaurant. Their new driver insisted on sitting so he could see the parking lot, but it wasn't the part were their old van and driver were, there was another white van that he was keeping an eye on. After their meal, and another trip to the loo, they were headed to their last stop of the day. A couple of rest stops and a border crossing later, they were driving down a narrow street in an ancient city made out of stone. They bounced down the cobblestone street, that was over two thousand years old, towards the end of the road they turned again, and there was a large wooden gate. Two honks of the horn later, the gates swung open, and the van pulled in. Carl twisted his head around to watch two men with guns close the gate behind them. Into the mouth of the lion, he thought.

" _We might lose the electronics,"_ Cathy thought.

" _But we can get all of the people."_ Vi finished.

"The women are completely covered," Carl said out loud.

"Yes, we are waiting for the men to go inside so the two girls can get out of the van and go inside. It would be best if they covered their faces with their hajib." The driver told him.

The two girls, rewrapped their hajibs to cover all but their eyes. Well, at least they won't be able to see what we're thinking. Vi said.

" _I can feel what you're thinking!"_ Carl thought back to her.

" _I agree with Vic, if we can, save a couple of laptops, and stun the rest."_ Cici thought.

As they got out of the van, Carl looked up, it was a three-story building with a courtyard in the centre. It was humming with life and security.

" _We can get the people, but we're never going to get all of the electronics."_ Carl thought.

" _There's a lot of people."_ Vi thought.

" _If we take this place, then we'll fail the primary mission objective. I vote that we tag it and go."_ Cathy thought to her mates.

They knew that with their wizarding body armour they could stun all of the people, but never get the electronics, and they were sure this place was full of electronics.

" _Just go inside, eat our meal, and retire to our room for the night."_ Carl thought to them.

As they were led to the restroom, they could see that there were several guards throughout the building. There were guards at the tops of the stairs, and guards at the bottom of the stairs. There were guards at each end of the hallways. After using the loo, they were shown to the dining room where there were three plates set with food on the table, there was meat, vegetables, bread, and water for them. As they ate, there was a woman hovering around them nervously. When they had finished, she took their plates from them, and the guard led them to their room. Again, it was bunk beds.

"I guess this is so they can sleep as many people as possible," Carl said.

Vi went to the window to look out and see what was around them. It was getting dark, but she also found that the window had been screwed shut.

"I guess that's so the new recruits don't jump." She said.

" _We need to get in bed before I start hexing people around here!"_ Cici thought to her spouses. All of the bad vibrations coming from the people she had seen was making her angry. This situation was causing her to remember their trip to Haiti a year ago.

After they had stripped down, the girls were wearing their bras and knickers, Ced was in his boxer briefs, _"What happened in Haiti that's got you all stirred up?"_ Vic thought to her wife.

As the three of them joined their thoughts, Cici pulled up her memories of what they had seen in Haiti, and how the slavers had kidnapped her to sell to someone in Syria. Now Vic understood her wife's emotional attachment to what they were doing.

As they slept, they developed a plan, it was similar to the one they used earlier. Simple is best. At 01:30 in the morning Carl's eyes opened, he kissed both of the girls in bed with him on top of their head, "Mi Amor, Mon Amour, time to get up." Each of his wives rolled off of him so he could get up and out of bed. Once he was out of the way, the two girls snuggled up against each other. With his clothes on, he walked barefoot across the hall to a loo. It was far too disgusting to even call it a restroom. There was a guard at each end of the hall he noticed, as he walked back to his room. Back inside the bedroom, the girls had gotten up and gotten dressed, he found some fresh socks and put on his trainers. The young ladies headed for the loo. A few moments later, the lights in the room flickered for a second, then they returned to normal. One of the girls must have used a scourgify on the toilet, he thought.

" _I did! That thing is disgusting!"_ Cici thought to him.

" _If she didn't I would have!"_ Vic thought in support.

At 02:00, there was a knock on their door, followed by the door opening without permission. "We leave at 03:00," the driver told them as he looked around the room.

"Okay," Carl told him.

They made their way down the stairs to the dining room where they found unfamiliar breakfast foods. They each took a roll and spread butter on it, and had a glass of water to wash it down with. The girls headed back up the stairs and Carl headed out to the van. There he found the driver and two of the guards talking about football again. He listened to their conversation and learned what he could. Once the guards returned to their post at the gate. Carl started his attack on the driver's mind. Once the driver was convinced that everything was okay and sitting in the van, Carl walked over to the two guards that were facing away from him, how lucky could he get? He touched each of them on the back of their head, and they dropped. Carl dragged them off to the side and opened the gate to let the van out. He looked up at the second-floor windows to see if he could recognise the room that they had slept in. The GPS locator beacon didn't have any flashing lights on it, it had nothing to alert anyone that it was even there. Just a button that you pressed down to turn it on. With his best guess, he teleportused to the room, good guess, there were the backpacks, he pulled out a handful of sleeves and started looking for the communications room. All he had to do was to follow the trail of stunned bodies, grab the cell phones, stun the guard, grab the cellphones, stun the guard. He checked all of the doors as he went along.

" _Times ticking!"_ Vic yelled through the link.

" _There's a lot of bodies!"_ thought Ced.

" _Better get a move on!"_ Cici thought to him.

" _Going as fast as I can!"_

" _You know, grandpa's slow, but he's old! What's your excuse!"_ Cici teased him.

" _Okay, got the last one! The communications room is up here on the third floor!"_ Vic thought to her mates.

" _On my way!"_ thought Ced.

Carl had managed to sleeve two more laptops and had started putting the cellphones in with the laptops. They were running out of sleeves!

Carl rounded the end of the hall to find the two girls headed back down the stairs.

"You're moving to slow! Did you stop and have a second breakfast?" teased Vi.

"I've already made the call, and they will be here in less than fifteen minutes," Cathy told them.

They grabbed their packs and rushed out the door to the courtyard and the van.

"Sorry for taking so long! Had to use the loo one last time." Carl made excuses for them.

"That's okay everything is just fine!" the driver told them as he drove past the stunned guards.

The blue Ford Connect van drove down the narrow road and turned left, behind them several black SUVs turned up the road they had just come down.

One rest stop and five hours later they were in Ankara, Turkey having a late breakfast at a sit-down restaurant. After a big breakfast, and one more bathroom break, they were on to Aleppo, Syria. The border crossing was four passports and an argument over how big the bribe should be. Two hundred euros later they were in Syria headed for Aleppo and their final destination. All they had between them was one cellphone sleeve and one GPS locator. Sixteen hours after they had left that morning, they were pulling into another walled in gated small fortress. Even before they got out of the van, they could feel the anger in the air. The girls pulled their hajibs close around their faces so as not to upset anyone before they got out of the van. They walked to the back of the van and opened the doors to get their packs. They followed the driver into the house and then a covered woman led them to their room, more bunk beds, geez! They lay their packs on the largest of the beds and followed the woman back down the stairs to get something to eat. More tasteless meat, more mushy veggies, more, hard as rock bread, and more foul-tasting water, yum.

"Tomorrow you will be taken to your training units, where you will be trained on how to become a soldier for our cause of freedom from repression!" an older grey-bearded man told them from the head of the table.

Answering him in Levantine Arabic, Carl told him, "My understanding was that because of our language skills, that we would not be common foot soldiers."

The old man's mouth fell open, here this child from a foreign land had just spoken to him in a native tongue with a beautiful accent! He looked at the two girls, encouraging them to speak also. The brown-skinned girl was attractive, but he much preferred the pale white girl.

"That was what we were told before we left London on this journey to support the fighters of freedom," Cathy told him.

He had never heard such a beautiful voice before!

"When I spoke with the person in London, I was assured that my brother and his girlfriend would not be common soldiers out on the front lines," Vi told the old bearded man with his mouth hanging open.

Her voice! It had to be a gift from god to sound so incredible.

"No, no, with your skills in language, you would not be sent to do such menial tasks!" I will have her for my wife! So young and yet so luscious! She has the beauty of a ripe fruit, so succulent! He looked at her brother for a moment, it would be such a waste, but he was going to have this gift from above as his new wife before the end of the month. The brown-skinned girl could go as a gift to his son, would he appreciate such a beautiful ripe fruit as her? He might be too young to enjoy such beauty as hers. Maybe he would keep her also. That shipment a year ago had promised a girl close to her beauty. Ah, but that was a year ago.

The three teens were picking up on the thoughts of the old man, it was there for them, just as if they had been reading the Daily Prophet.

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That night, as the threesome slept, they devised a plan. At 01:30 in the morning, Ced's eyes opened, "Mi amour, mon amour, it's time to get up, the two wives sat up in their bras and panties. Ced got out of bed and walked across the hall to the loo, at least this one was cleaner than the last one. He returned to their room to find the two girls dressed in the special long underwear they had used on their previous mission, the two of them went across the hall to the restroom. Ced pulled out his long underwear, a fresh pair of regular underwear, and some clean socks. It would be nice to have some clean undergarments on, and still no shower. The girls returned to the room to finish getting dressed.

" _I called the number and told them they had thirty minutes to get here, and I put the last GPS locator in the window,"_ Cici told him.

" _Okay, we start at the bottom and work our way up like we planned?"_ asked Ced.

" _Yup, you clean out the bottom, Cici and I will work our way to the top floor."_ Vic thought to them.

They pulled out their wizarding body armour and started to pull it on. They turned their backs to each other, so the three of them zipped the back shut and fastened the dragon scales over the top of the zipper, ensuring the integrity of the body armour. They sat down together and pulled on the boots, then they pulled on the balaclavas. Finally, they drew on their gloves. They looked each other over one last time. They just shimmered, Ced picked up his pack, and it disappeared when it touched the body armour.

" _Time to go!"_ Ced told them, they had fifteen minutes to finish what they had started.

" _See you upstairs."_

" _See you upstairs,"_ Cici told her husband.

Ced opened the door and turned to work his way down the stairs and then back up the far side of the house. The body armour distorted the rays of light that surrounded the teens. He walked silently up to the sleeping guard and touched him on the back of the head, the lights in the house flickered, and the guard went down. Ced stepped over the guard and walked down the stairs, he looked for the guard at the bottom of the stairs and saw him with another guard looking at porn on the computer, a double stunner, and the computer stopped working as the lights flickered again. As he walked across the bottom floor of the house, he cleared each room as he went, most of the guards were sleeping or distracted somehow. They all paid the price for their lack of attention, he walked out of the kitchen and into another stairwell, check the stairway by glancing around the wall he could see another guard sleeping in a chair, the lights went out plunging the house into darkness.

Vic and Cici went the other direction to find the guard sitting in a chair leaned up against the wall around the corner from them. A simple tap on his temple and he was stunned, they went back and cleared each of the rooms then returned to go up the stairs.

"Hey! What's wrong with the lights? Why are they flickering so much?" a harsh whisper came down the stairwell.

Silence from the guard at the bottom of the stairs, he was sleeping, also, the girls had made sure of that.

They heard footsteps coming down the stairs, so they waited for the guard to clear the corner before they stunned him too.

" _This is taking longer than I expected."_ Vic thought.

" _Don't rush what doesn't need to be rushed. I'm working my way to the third floor now."_ Ced thought to his wives.

Vic stunned the guard and then levitated him. The lights in the house went out for good. Their body armour adjusted to the low light condition and they could see what they were doing. Vic dumped the body beside the other sleeping guard. She cast chains on both of them.

" _We are too."_ Cici thought back to him.

" _Just like one of Toll's simulations!"_

" _But we can get hurt here for real."_ Ced thought to her.

The three of them got to the top of the stairs, Ced was on the far end of the hall and stunned the guard there, he cast a set of chains on the guard. Cici did the same for the guard at their end of the hall. As the two wives walked down the hall, a door opened, and a man with a machine gun stepped out facing Ced. He was about two doors from him when he opened fire on the shimmering devil before him. The hail of bullets hitting the body armour pushed Ced backwards until he tripped and fell. As he was falling, he let out a scream of pain as one of the bullets ripped through his shoulder. Ced threw up his mental walls to protect his wives from the searing pain ripping through his shoulder and his mind, as he landed on his back.

Cici and Vic watched as their husband stumbled backwards under the assault of the bullets hitting the body armour, then they felt the searing pain as the bullet ripped through his shoulder, they each grabbed their shoulder reflexively and then the pain was gone replaced by a tingling sensation. Instinctively they each cast a double set of curses at the man that had shot their husband. Just as they threw the curses, another door opened to watch the curses hit the man with the gun. When the curses hit him, his body exploded, because the first two curses were _reducto_ curses, the blasting curse, the second set of curses that went through the vapour that used to be a man, were _diffindo_ curses and they cut through the wall at the end of the hall.

The sound of the assault rifle firing in the hallway outside of his door had awoken the old man in charge of this team of freedom fighters. He got up from the bed of his seventh wife to go see what all of the racket was about. He heard a body hit the floor down the hall from his door. He opened the door to watch his son's body explode from the beams of light coming from the shimmering devils at the end of the hall. He saw the other devil at the other end of the hall stand up and start walking towards him. His seventh wife joined him in the doorway to see the shimmering devils walking towards the two of them, she let out a blood-curdling scream of terror.

"It's the other three horsemen of the apocalypse!" She yelled.

The first one to visit their city was Famine.

"It is as you say, Famine has called his brothers, Conquest, War, and Death. Conquest has come and conquered us as we slept in our beds. We have waged war, and War has come to our house and beaten us. Death has come and taken my only son from me." The old man was saying as he stood there.

Vic touched him on his forehead, and he collapsed in front of his wife. She started to scream, and she was also touched.

Cici went to Ced and pulled him into the old man's room. She could see blood starting to drip from his wound. She tried to heal the injury while he still wore his body armour, but the healing spells just bounced off of the dragon scales.

"Finish clearing the floor while I heal Ced." She told Vic.

Vic just nodded and started to open the doors to find more horrors than she could have ever imagined. The adult women, she stunned were they lay. The men with them got stunned where they stood. But when she opened the last door on the right, she found a larger room with multiple beds, with curtains, hung around the beds. With a flick of her wand, all of the curtains flew against the wall, letting her see the beds with small girls chained to them. Every bed without exception had blood on it from between the legs of the little girls, girls about the same age as her younger sister Daphne. The air in the room stunk of infection and sickness. The girls didn't scream when they saw her, their eyes welcomed the sight of death, to take them away from the horror that was their life. A couple of the girls had swollen bellies from being impregnated by somebody that they didn't even know, and still, there was fresh blood on the sheets from between their legs.

" _Accio_ backpack." she thought. And her backpack came to her like the faithful puppy it was. Vic reached into her pack and pulled out some general infection fighting potions to give to the girls. She gave one to each girl and told them to drink it now. Obediently the sex slaves did as they were told.

Out in the courtyard, the teens could hear the sounds of tires on the gravel of the driveway as multiple vehicles pulled in and skidded to a stop. They listened to the sounds of men's voices as they yelled at each other. The front door of the house was smashed in as they stormed the building, shouting either "There's one over here," or they shouted "clear!" As they cleared a room. This was the hard part, clearing a building room by room, trying to identify friend from foe, and they had three friendlies in this house they needed to protect. So far, every unfriendly was out cold.

Cici had to remove the upper half of Ced's body armour. With every tug and pull to work the armour over his shattered shoulder, Ced would whence with the pain, but he never lowered his mental walls to protect his wives. Finally, with his arm removed from the armour, Cici was able to use her wand to look inside of his shoulder and see that the bullet had shattered the ball socket as it passed through his shoulder. She sat him down on one of the hard-wooden chairs in the room, she was able to start repairing the damage done by the bullet, each piece of splintered bone returned to the correct location as the bones began to heal. After they had reknitted themselves together, she repaired the torn muscle and healed the damaged nerves, then she healed the damaged skin.

" _Check it and see how it feels."_ She told him.

Ced moved his arm gingerly at first then he moved it in larger arcs faster. Quickly he pulled his body armour back into place, and Cici zipped it closed and fastened the back, back into place.

" _It feels good!"_ he told his wife.

Vic joined them in the bedroom of the old man. She had summoned their backpacks when she heard the men downstairs. They walked to the window to see what was happening down in the courtyard. There was no transportation for them. Somebody somewhere screwed up royally. She handed an invisible pack to each of her spouses. She opened hers' up and saw that what she was looking for was still there. The kids moved against one of the walls to help blend in with their surroundings. The soldiers had gotten to the third floor of the house.

"Look at this blood splatter!" one of the soldiers exclaimed.

"Clear the rest of the floor then go back downstairs and do not return unless I call you. Do you understand me?" another voice said.

"Yes, Sergeant!" was the reply.

"Sergeant! We have several young girls in need of serious medical attention in this room!"

"Clear the rest of the rooms and then tell a medic downstairs!"

"Yes, Sergeant!"

"The floor's clear Sergeant!"

They could hear the footsteps heading down the stairs at the far end of the hall.

"Alright. I know that you're here, it's safe to come out now." The sergeant called out. He was in the same room as they were but facing the wrong way.

"Over here," Ced responded to him.

The soldier turned around suddenly, his gun was drawn. He saw the familiar shimmering figures standing before him. "You three did all this?" he asked them.

"Yes." Was the growling voice.

Then he saw the other two moved to stand next to the larger one.

"You don't have transportation for us." the horrifying voice told him.

"They didn't tell us that it would be you three. They just told us to come and extract three assets." Winkelmann told them.

"Where's Shaw?" asked another growling voice.

"He's downstairs. Do you want me to call him up here?"

"It would be nice to see him again. It's been a while."

Winkelmann stepped away from the teens and their terrifying body armour. "Dagger three come in."

"Dagger three."

"Dagger three, come up to the third floor."

"Roger that, on my way."

Shaw rounded the corner to the room as he stared at the blood splatter all over the walls and ceiling. When he saw the three in body armour, his gun came up, and he shouted, "SHITE! Don't scare me like that!"

There was a yell from downstairs, "What's going on up there!" and the sounds of running steps coming their way.

"I guess that it's time for us to go." Said one of the growling voices.

Vic reached out and grabbed her spouse's hands and placed them on the portkey. They felt the familiar tug behind their navels, and then they were falling through the night sky towards a dark island, surrounded by dark ocean, then they were landing on the gravel walkway to their island home in Greece.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 02.23.2018**

 **And again 01.04.2019**


	31. Year Four Chapter 31

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 31

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The commanding officer of the military unit stationed at the British embassy came charging up the stairs when he heard the commotion. He was a young man and eager for glory. He often referred to the local people as savages, the savages did this, or the savages did that, could be a large part of his after-hours conversations. He wasn't really pleased to have Shaw and Winkelmann attached to his unit this week. He felt that they were there to spy on him, and report back to his superiors. When he finished taking the stairs three at a time, he was rushing down the hallway, when he came across the blood splatter. It was the most significant amount of blood in one place that he had ever seen in his life. Five and a half litres of blood covered the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. The blood, and all the rest of the parts of a vaporised human body, covered almost everything around him, the stench was more horrendous than anything he had ever smelled, the gore of the scene was too much, and he added to the mess that was in the hall.

Shaw and Winkelmann watched as the three teens disappeared in front of their eyes. As they turned to leave, they heard the local commander tossing his cookies in the hallway and decided to wait for just a moment to let him finish.

"Our sentiments exactly sir." They said as they exited the room. Their business was done here. They would catch the next British Airways flight home to England. It would go in their reports that the local commander was uncooperative with the unique needs of this particular mission. In effect, he had screwed the pooch on this mission, and they were unable to bring in the three assets they had been tasked to do. From this point on, the commander's career was doomed to mediocrity.

Ced and his wives landed on the gravel walkway leading to the front doors of their home in the Greek Isles, as they walk hand in hand, the front doors opened automatically for them. Standing in the foyer were Maco, Leo, and Lucy ready to greet them.

"Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter." Leo greeted them. All three elves bowed deeply.

"It's good to be home, and greeted by you three," Ced told the elves. "We're going to take a bath and catch a little more sleep before we start our day Leo," Ced told the elf.

"Your parents are worried about you. It would be good to send them a note and let them know that all of you are doing okay." The elf suggested to his master.

"Thank you, Leo, I'll take care of that immediately," Ced told the elf.

He let go of his wives' hands and removed his gloves, the three of them removed their balaclavas, so you now had monsters with human heads standing in the living room, of a polished white marble home. He kissed each wife and encouraged them to go upstairs, and draw a bath, he would join them in a few minutes. He turned and entered the study to write the note to his parents and invited them to lunch tomorrow. He wanted his mum to go over his shoulder just to make sure that everything was going to be okay. He didn't know if the stiffness that he felt was normal after being shot or not. Leo took the note and thanked the young lord for thinking of his parents, and he was gone with a small pop.

Ced got upstairs to the room, only to hear the shower running, he joined his wives in the shower, and they helped him get a week's worth of funk scrubbed off of his body. With him kneeling between his wives, they washed his hair twice to get it clean.

The threesome stepped out of the shower, dried off magically, and walked the short distance to the huge tub that was already filled with hot water and soothing bubbles.

"Maco," Ced called to his old elf.

Pop, "Yes my Lord?" she answered.

"Would you be kind enough to bring us three butterbeers? Please?" he asked her.

"Yes, my Lord." And she was gone with a soft pop. A moment later, and there was another pop. She placed the beers within natural arm's reach of the happy threesome. The young house elf knew that this was not a conventional marriage, she also knew that they were the first soul-bonded threesome in magical history. She even knew that they were fighting for the side of the Light in a war that stretched around the globe. She was proud of what her masters were, and what they were doing, even if other elves, of other families, wanted to turn their noses up at them. They didn't know the full story, they just saw the young Lord with two girls, instead of the one girl he should be with. They saw her as weak for not controlling his urges.

The happy threesome sat in the tub and talked about their mission. They sipped their beers and sat there quietly. Then Vic moved over into Ced's lap, he spread his legs for her, then Cici got into Vic's lap, and she spread her legs for her, so eventually, Ced wrapped his legs around both of his wives' laps, he wrapped his arms around both of his wives' waists. Vic wrapped her legs around Cici, so her legs were laying on top of Cici's legs, and her arms were laying on top of his arms. The girls lay back on one another, and then onto Ced's powerful chest. They closed their eyes and lay there. A soft golden green glow enveloped the soul-bonded threesome, then it shifted after a while to a golden blue glow. With their minds opened to each other, they drifted off to sleep as their love healed Ced's shoulder and their emotions over the final part of their mission.

Sometime later, Ced woke up, to the rays of the sun shining into the master bath, he nudged the two girls to let them know that he needed to move. They woke up and moved, they all stretched out their arms and backs. He walked out of the tub and dried himself off as he walked to the water closet to take care of his morning urges.

" _Would you two like to go for a nice slow walk on the beach_?" he thought to them.

" _Yes, I'd like that."_

" _Me too! We haven't done anything for a week!"_

" _Well, I'm interested in walking and enjoying being with you two."_

He kissed Cici as they traded places, then he walked over and kissed Vic as she finished brushing her teeth. As Vic walked to the water closet, she kissed Cici and swapped places with her.

Ced found swimsuit bottoms laid out on their bed for them, all of their dirty clothes had been picked up, and their body armour had been put away. He smiled to himself. The girls walked into their bedroom and looked around, their mess had been cleaned up, their dirty clothes were gone, and they saw the choice of swimwear that had been laid out for them, they smiled too. Cici pulled on the Stars and Stripes bikini bottom, while Vic pulled on the Union Jack bikini bottoms that had been laid out. They all slipped on their water socks to protect their feet for when they would go wading in the tide pools. Holding hands, they exited out the beach side of the master bedroom, into the fresh sea air. It felt good to be together, it felt good to be clean, and it felt good to be here. Once they had reached their favourite cove, they walked into the water and splashed around. Ced made a mental note to get some muggle snorkelling gear so they could see underwater better, the bubblehead charm worked okay, but a set of muggle diving goggles would be better he thought. It was a couple of hours later that the happy, smiling, exuberant teens returned to the warmth of their home. They rinsed off in the outdoor shower, hung their swimsuit bottoms over the deck railing and changed clothes for the day.

Downstairs in the dining room, they had a fantastic breakfast, of the best tasting food they had, had in a week's time. They made sure to express their gratitude and appreciation to their elves.

They curled up together on a couch in the library, with Cici laying on Ced and Vic laying on Cici, Vic started reading a modern muggle spy novel to them. It was a young man who had gone into the spy business without knowing it and against his father's wishes. They both thought that he was just going to work for an investment firm. The young man winds up following in his father's footsteps, from being an analyst to being a field operative. All in all, they felt that it was a good book. They liked how the author took several different pieces to the puzzle and tied everything together in the end.

"My Lord, my Ladies." Leo interrupted them. "Your parents are here as requested."

Harry and Hermione had followed Leo into the library to find the teens curled up on the couch, snuggling as Vic read a book to them. It filled their hearts with warmth to see them all well and so happy.

"Good morning!" said Hermione as the kids got off the couch to give her a hug.

"Good morning!" all of the kids said as they hugged Harry too.

"What are you reading?" asked Hermione.

"It's a modern muggle spy novel. It's actually pretty close to what we've been experiencing!" Vic told her.

Vic and Harry moved off a little, to discuss the book that they had been reading.

Hermione went to check on her son.

"Cici did an excellent job of healing my shoulder mum," he said.

"Well let me look at it anyway." She wanted to fuss over her son.

Ced peeled his shirt off, he knew that it was a lost cause to argue with his mum. "See not even a scare. It felt good last night, a little sore, but it feels normal now." Ced could feel the appreciation from his wives' thoughts as they looked at his muscular chest. It brought a small smile to his lips and a blush to his cheeks.

Hermione looked at the wound this way and that way, from the front and from the back. She ejected her wand and used it to cast a midlevel diagnostic spell so she could look inside at the bones, they had knitted themselves back together nicely. She looked at her daughter-in-law, "You did an excellent job of healing him!" she praised her. Looking at Ced, "Put your shirt back on, before your wives start to drool!" she teased him.

Both girls blushed, which was a feat considering how dark Cici was. She had faded some, from being back in school, but she was still darker than both of her spouses. They also giggled a little at being caught eyeing their man.

"Thank you," Cici told her mother-in-law. "It took longer than I had thought it would, but I wanted to make sure that it was done right. Before it started setting. That's part of the reason that we wanted you to join us today."

"What's the other part?" Hermione raised an eyebrow as she asked.

"To spend time with you and Harry. To let you know that we're doing okay. I think that I want to become a healer like you and my mum." she told her.

"Well, if you did that work, then you're already better than 95% of the doctors and healers out there." Hermione praised her again. "Keep studying in the house. Learn as much as you can there. Learn the different Latin names for all of the different parts of the body. The muggle universities focus a lot on that kind of stuff. You may be able to cut the first two years of college off and only have to go to school for six years instead of eight."

"Wow! Eight more years of schooling!"

"It's going to depend on what you want to do. If you just want to be a General Practitioner, then it is probably less. The more specialised you get, the longer you need to go to school."

"Okay, that makes sense. So, if I want to do what you do, then I would need to go to school for about eight years?"

"Yes. If you want to be an Emergency Room doctor like your mum, then that's eight years also, but it's a different area of medicine that you would be studying. That kind of medicine, you're dealing with a lot of trauma and just saving the person's life. I get the patient after an ER doctor has done their job. Like that girl, I saw just after Christmas. Madam Pomfrey had stopped the bleeding and repaired her nose after she fell. But they came to me to put it all back right."

"She's the girl that was hitting on George when Vic and George were an item. Vic caught her rubbing up against George in the Great Hall." Cici told her, smiling at the memory of Little One putting her foot down on acceptable behaviour.

"Hey! I didn't hit her or hex her! She tripped over her own two big feet!"

"With some help from your pretty little foot!" Ced added in.

"She shouldn't have been touching my boyfriend like that!"

"Remember the time that she 'tripped' and you caught her by her tits!" Cici asked Ced.

Ced blushed at the memory.

"See, he remembers!" she said pointing at him and his blushing. Which made him blush even more.

Hermione remembered the incident in Madam Malkin's also.

Ced turned even redder, and he started to smile at the good-natured teasing he was taking.

"Seems to me, that someone else had to put their foot down about people touching what's not theirs." Hermione teased Cici. "Can you still do that little manoeuvre that you did in Madam Malkin's place?"

"Oh, you mean this?" as Cici placed her hands on the floor and then she slowly and gently kicked off to do a graceful cartwheel ending up in Ced's arms.

He gave her a kiss as the ribbing stopped.

"So that's what you did! I never understood that part when I saw the incident in your memories!" Vic exclaimed excitedly. She did the same thing, and Ced opened his arms to her too, he and she traded kisses, then they exchanged a three-way kiss before they walked out to go eat lunch.

After lunch, all of them walked out to the beach. Their shoes gave little traction in the soft, dry, sand of the beach, as they got down to the sand that was still wet from the water, the walking got more comfortable. The kids showed their parents their favourite cove to swim in. Hermione bent over and picked up a pink and brown seashell about the size of the palm of her hand, it had a small hole in it where a bird had pecked its way in for a meal.

"Are you going to be home for New Years?" Harry asked the teens.

The teens all got a confused look on their faces.

"It's the day after tomorrow!" Harry reminded them.

"Oh! Yes! We'll be home tomorrow." Ced told his father.

"When do you want to do your debriefing? Sean's asking."

"Can we do it on Tuesday?" Ced suggested.

"I'll tell him Tuesday at nine, then."

"Thanks, dad."

"So, why'd you come here?" Hermione asked.

"That's my fault." Said Vic, blushing some. "I had brought along a portkey for here, for after our debriefing."

"And?"

"Well, when they showed up for our extraction, they didn't bring a vehicle for us." Said Cici.

"We were upstairs, talking to Winkelmann, and he called on the radio for Shaw so we could say hi to him, well, I guess we scared Shaw, and he yelled something," Ced told them.

"Then, the next thing you know some other soldier starts running up the stairs," Cici added exasperatedly.

"Ced was hurt, and Cici had just finished healing him and getting him back into his body armour," Vic said.

"When Vic grabbed our hands and placed them on the portkey." Said Cici.

"We had just enough time to say goodbye, and then we were here." Finished Ced.

"So, they failed to provide proper transportation for you out of the combat zone." Harry summarised.

"Yes," Cici said.

The group turned and started walking back to the beach house. There they exchanged hugs and goodbyes with promises to be home for New Years.

"Your friends miss you!" Hermione told them.

"Okay, we'll be home in time for lunch on Sunday!" Vic reassured them.

Harry pulled their portkey out of his pocket, Hermione touched it, and then they were gone.

"Let's go lay on the beach and work on our tans," Vic suggested. She knew that the hard part would be to keep Cici in her bikini bottoms.

"Okay!" Cici agreed enthusiastically. "And no, I'll keep my bottoms on, I'll just wear a micro bikini bottom!" she turned and stuck her tongue out at her in jest.

Vic cracked a smile at the humour. They changed into their trunks, well, if you could call that tiny little piece of cloth that Cici was wearing trunks, they all grabbed a sunblock potion, a beach towel, and headed for the beach.

"We need to brew some more sunblock potion," Ced commented as he lay there soaking up the rays.

Cici turned her head to look at him, she raised her sunglasses, then she put them back down, "I don't see how it's possible, but I would swear that you're getting whiter!"

"Hey!" Vic came to her husband's defence. "Not all of us are blessed with the ability to get a tan like yourself, dear!"

Cici looked at her, a smile on her lips.

"That shower this morning felt soooo good!" Vic said, relishing in the thought of their long shower.

"Yeah it did!" the other two coursed.

"I can't believe how much stubble we had!"

"It had been almost a week since we showered last!"

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After dinner, they hung out and finished the book that they had started, then they went up to the roof to look at the stars for a couple of hours. They watched as the aeroplanes flew overhead, they could see the lights of ships passing by their island home, then they went down to their bedroom and crawled into bed, in their usual sleeping attire.

In their dream, they relived their last combat mission, and they figured out how Ced had gotten injured. He felt the rage and fear of his wives as they both watched him go down screaming in pain. He could feel the power they had put into their hexes, and that explained why, what happened, happened. They could feel the anger as Vic took care of the young girls and they could see the welcoming of death in the girls' eyes whenever Vic looked at the girls. They could feel her disgust at the two young girls that had been impregnated by their captors. No, not captors, owners, because they were slaves, just as Julia was a slave and she had been traded from one owner to another. They knew that Fred loved Julia as much as they loved each other, but it would be a good day when Julia was no longer his slave, but his wife.

The skin on skin contact felt good and helped them have a restful sleep, but right on time, Ced's eyes opened, "Mi Amor, Mon Amour, it's time to get up." He kissed them both on top of their head. They rolled over and gave him room to slip out of bed, he turned and watched as the two women snuggled up against each other and covered back up. He hurried to the water closet to relieve the pressure of his morning urges. When he exited the water closet, Cici was there to give him a kiss as they exchanged places, all was right in the world again!

They went out and ran for over a half an hour. The burn in their lungs felt good, then they slowed to an easy jog as they cut across the island back to their home. They walked the perimeter of their home, holding hands, to the back where they went up the stairs to their bedroom. Once inside their room, they started to strip off their sweat-soaked clothes, as they walked to the shower. Three flicks of their wrists, three sets of sweaty garments landed in the laundry hamper. Three spouses showed their other spouse how much they loved them, as the shower lasted much longer than usual. The other two spouses made sure that the third spouse's physical needs were fulfilled. It was three very satisfied lovers that exited out of the shower to get their day started.

After breakfast, they laid out on the beach for a few more hours before they got dressed to head home to the Potter Mansion, their family, and their friends.

.

"Oh, My Godric! Look how dark she is!" exclaimed Angel as the threesome walked through the front doors of the mansion.

"Look how light Vic's hair has gotten!" Amber said loudly.

They exchanged hugs all around. It was good to be back with family and friends. The time away had been good for them, but it still felt good to be back here. They sat and chatted with their friends. They shared what they could, and their friends didn't press on the things that they couldn't share.

"Hey! Do you all want to go play the skeet shooting game? Down in the training room?" Ced asked them.

He got a resounding yes! From everyone. So, they took off to the training room. This was a lot larger than the compartment on the train, so Ced made the targets bigger, and farther away. They were having a lot of fun when Fred and George Sr. came looking for them, then Draco, Neville, and Sirius showed up. Between Fred, George, and Sirius, trash started to get talked, a lot.

"So, the four of you guys think that you can take one of my wives in a duel?" Ced asked incredulously.

"Kick their pretty little arse!" one of the twins said. Think it was Fred.

"So, you think that you can take Cici or Vic, four on one?"

"Any day of the week and twice on Sunday!" Fred Sr. said.

"Do you want to wager on this?"

"How much are you thinking? Fifty galleons?"

"I say let's make it interesting, put your galleons were your mouth is."

"So, what? A hundred galleons?"

"No, I was thinking 10,000 galleons."

"If we're fighting Cici no way!" said Draco. He had fought Cici before and knew how strong she was.

"Okay, so all of you are scared of Cici. 10,000 galleons say that the four of you can't beat Vic, four against her." Ced challenged them. He stared at them, challenging them. Vic tried to look as weak and helpless as possible.

"What, are you, all talk and no action? So the four of you are scared of Vic and Cici? Are you a bunch of cowards? You come down here and start talking all this trash, and now you can't back it up? If she loses, then I'm out 40,000 galleons! If you lose, you're only out 10,000 galleons each!" Ced was goading them on,m hitting them in their egos.

"What's going on over here?" Uncle Os asked as he walked in.

"Oh, they came down here talking trash and challenge Vic to a fight. I want to make a bet that she can beat the four of them combined and now they want to back out of it."

"How big is the bet?"

"10,000 galleons say that Vic can take the four of them."

"Sounds fair to me! How do I get in on this action?"

"Are you betting for her or against her?" Ced asked.

"My galleons are on Vic!"

"So are mine." Said Neville.

"Now we're just waiting for them to put up their money." Said Ced.

It took a while, but eventually, they caved into their egos. Four big strong wizards vs one small witch.

"Okay gentlemen, you have just made a friendly bet in front of all of these other people. Just so we understand each other, when you lose, each of you is paying each of us 10,000 galleons, because I think that Vic has already decided which jewellery store she wants to go to on Tuesday. If we lose, each of us will pay each of you 10,000 galleons."

"We'll meet you at Gringotts first thing Tuesday morning to collect our winnings!" said Fred.

"Alright then! Now for the next question, do the four of you want this to be an untimed match? Or do you want it to be an hour-long timed match?" asked Ced.

"Let's do an untimed match! We should have her finished off in less than ten minutes!"

"Would you like to make it double the money? If you beat her in ten minutes, I'll double what I will pay you. If she lasts more than ten minutes and she wins, you will pay me double the winnings."

"I'll do that!" said Fred.

"I'll do it also!" said Sirius.

"Take your sides!" called out Ced. He gave Vic a kiss for good luck, so did Cici. "In three! Two! One! And the hexes started to fly!

"Uncle Os? Have they been drinking?" asked Ced.

"A little why?"

"They'd have to be drunk or an idiot to challenge Vic to a fight!"

"I know that Draco and I have both fought Cici, and that's why Draco didn't want to fight if it were Cici they would be fighting," Neville told them.

Vic was busy putting up stone walls as fast as she could. She caught Draco and Sirius trying to outflank her, and she formulated a plan. She let them keep coming around as she kept throwing up barricades for the guys to wear themselves out blasting apart. One last barricade on each side of her, and a decoy in the middle, then she vanished. The four guys stood up and blasted the decoy eliminating two of themselves in the process. George and Draco were down, hit by friendly fire.

Vic appeared behind Sirius, "Sorry, Uncle Sirius." Just before she tapped him with her wand.

Now it was just the big mouth, Fred. Vic charmed her robes to become a shield and absorb all of his spells. She started to walk towards him, blasting all of the obstacles that he threw in her path. She just kept getting closer and closer to him. He didn't know how to shadow duel. Once Voldemort was dead, he didn't see a reason to keep practising his duelling skills.

Uncle Remus showed up, "What's happening?" he asked out loud.

"Fred started talking trash about Vic," Os told him, softly.

"Why'd he, do something so dumb?"

"I guess he had a little too much to drink!"

"We've got 10,000 galleons each, riding on Vic!" Neville told him, quietly.

"Does Susan know about this?"

"Do you think Susan knows about this?" asked Os.

"Is that George on the ground?"

"Draco and Sirius too," said Ced.

"So, I take it that Angelina, Astoria, and Am are unaware of this 'friendly' little match?"

"Uh hu." Said Os.

"Hey, I need to talk to you about my armour. I got shot, and I need to know if you can fix it for me." Ced asked Uncle Remus softly.

"Yeah, let me look at it later. So, why'd they choose Vic?"

"Draco's scared of Cici," Neville told him.

"Why is Draco scared of Cici?"

"Because he's sparred against her when she was in a bad mood, and she was blasting walls that were seven metres thick."

"That's a good reason to be scared of her!"

Vic was getting tired of chasing Fred, and Fred was getting weaker magically, so Vic formulated a new plan. She conjured a stone wall to the side of Fred, and blasted the one in front of her, then she conjured another behind him so he couldn't keep backing away from her. She blasted another wall then she conjured the third wall to try and box him in, she had to blast another wall, before she could conjure another wall closer to him, making his cage smaller. He cast a hex directly at her and hit her square in the chest. She should have gone down, but her robes absorbed the hex. She kept walking closer to him, and he cast another hex at her, and her robes absorbed that hex also. She walked closer still, and he cast another hex hitting her square in the chest again, then she walked right up to him, and he tried again in desperation, and it was also absorbed. She took her index finger and touched him in the centre of his forehead, and he dropped like a stone.

The spectators started cheering and screaming for Vic's victory! Ced grabbed her, kissed her hard and as he kissed her, he swung her around and around, her feet off the ground as her legs bent. He sat her down on her feet, and Cici gave her a kiss and a hug also. All of their friends cheered her on and hugged her gleefully.

"So, should we rennervate them or wait for their wives to rennervate them?" asked Uncle Os.

"If we wait for their wives to rennervate them, it'll never happen!" said Remus.

Remus and Os walked around the training room rennervating each of the fallen contestants.

Cici summoned some Vitamix potions to give to her uncles.

"Now about this meeting at Gringotts on Tuesday? Can we have it on Wednesday at nine in the morning instead? The three of us have an appointment Tuesday morning that will take most of the day." Vic asked her fallen uncles.

As Vic was asking the question, Am, Astoria, and Angelina came looking for their husbands.

"What meeting at Gringotts are we talking about?" asked Angelina. She watched as the four of them tried to fade away. She turned to face her ashen white husband for her answer.

A bit later, Tonks came looking for Remus.

Os, Ced, Vic, and Cici all faded into the background. They found some chairs to sit in as they waited for the main event to take place. The guys telling their wives that they had just lost 30,000 galleons on a sure bet.

Remus looked around, and then he and Tonks joined them also.

"ARE you thick!" yelled Angelina.

All of the negative energy caught Hermione's attention. Being the Lady of the House, she was very in tune with the energy in her home. She started to follow the negative energy and found herself walking to the training room. This was very unusual because typically, very positive energy flows from the training room. Harry picked up on his wife's disturbed thoughts and came looking for her. They both walked in, and Angelina had started tearing George a new anal orifice.

"No! it started off at fifty galleons." He whined.

"Fifty galleons! Do you have fifty galleons that I don't know about!"

"No, but then it got raised to a hundred galleons." He ran his mouth when he should have kept it shut.

"A hundred galleons?" she said calmly, too calmly.

"No, but then the bet got raised to 10,000 galleons." He said real quietly.

"10,000 galleons? YOU MADE A BET FOR 10,000 GALLEONS!" she screeched.

"Each."

"Each?"

"Each."

"YOU MADE A BET FOR 10,000 GALLEONS EACH! HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU MAKE A BET WITH?" she screamed at him.

"Three."

"YOU LOST 30,000 GALLEONS! ON A DUEL?"

"Yes."

"That's everything we have in the vault!"

"I'll work overtime to make up for it!"

"Do you know how many years it took to save that up!" her voice was a screech by now. "You better pray to Merlin and Godric that THEY LET YOU WORK ALL THE OVERTIME YOU CAN! AND I WANT IT PAID BACK BY CHRISTMAS! DO YOU HEAR ME!"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, I hear you!"

"Don't you raise your voice to me!"

"What happened?" asked Harry.

"What's all this yelling going on back here?" asked Susan.

Before anyone could say anything to Susan, Fred grabbed her and led her out of the training room.

"What!" they heard her scream at him.

Draco had quickly cast a privacy charm around him and Astoria. But you could still see the waving of her arms and the apologetic look on Draco's face.

Aunt Am just looked at Sirius, and he withered before her eyes. He had disappointed her.

Of all of his uncles, he felt the sorriest for George. George and Angelina didn't come from money. They worked for what they had, and they sacrificed to save what they had saved. George was working two jobs really. He had the joke shops with his brother, and then they both worked with Uncle Remus at the research and development company for Uncle Sirius. Still, Vic had made 60,000 galleons on the bet. But it was her arse that was on the line out there too.

Angelica and Charlie followed the trail of people walking to where all of the yelling was coming from. They past Fred and Susan in the hallway. Susan was listening to Fred talk about some money problem. As they turned the corner to enter the training room proper, they heard Harry ask his question.

"So, is anybody going to tell me what happened?" asked Harry.

Ced started to tell his dad what had happened. "The four of them came back here and started talking trash about how they could beat Cici or Vic in a fight. So, I asked them to put their galleons where their mouths were. Uncle Fred tried to do it for fifty galleons, and I said no. Then he upped the ante to a hundred galleons, and I said no. I told him 10,000 galleons. Uncle Draco said that he wouldn't fight Cici for that much. So, I offered to let them fight Vic, and they all went for it. Then Uncle Fred wanted to double the bet, and Uncle Sirius joined in on that part, that the four of them could beat her in ten minutes or less. So, we doubled the bet. Vic beat them, and now she's 60,000 galleons richer. Uncle Os and Uncle Neville are both 40,000 galleons richer, they bet on Vic."

"The four of them thought that they could beat Vic? They deserved to lose!"

"Now Uncle George has to pay everything back by Christmas. He has to work all of the overtime he can get. Aunt Angelina is mad. Well, you heard that part."

.

Dinner was a sombre affair. The four wives were still glaring at the four husbands. All of the wives had come up to Vic and told her that they weren't angry at her, they were angry at their husbands for being thick enough to make such a large bet. The two young couples were watching their parents intently. Julia felt terrible for Fred, while Amber had sided with Angelina. Charlie just looked at his two younger brothers and shook his head. There but for the grace of Godric go I, he thought to himself. Even though he had spared against Cici before, he would have bet that they should have beaten Vic. But wow! That was a lot of galleons to lose!

After dinner, Arthur, Emmeline, Ginny, and Willow showed up to celebrate New Years with them, most of their family was here. Arthur and Ginny immediately picked up on the subdued atmosphere in the house. They caught the glares that Susan and Angelina were giving their husbands, so they went to ask Charlie what had happened. Charlie explained what he had overheard, and their mouths just hung open at the money that was lost. They looked over at where Vic was standing talking to her friends.

"Does anybody besides me want to dance?" asked Cici.

"Yes!" Was the response that was almost screamed.

"Let's go get changed and meet back here in an hour?" Vic suggested. This would give Rose, Julia, Amber, and Angel time to go home and change and be back here.

"Let me ask my parents to see if it will be okay first," Angel said sullenly. She was scared that they just might say no.

"I should too." Said Rose.

Both sets of parents agreed, saying that their troubles shouldn't affect them having fun. So, all of the girls flooed to their homes to get changed to dance. Vic and Cici headed up the stairs to get changed also.

Ced went to ask his dad if it would be okay if they all danced while they waited for the time to pass. Harry and Hermione both thought that it would be a great idea, and suggested that they use the ballroom instead of the living room to dance in.

Hermione looked at Harry and said, "I'm going to go get changed also!" she kissed Harry and left for their bedroom.

As Ced was talking to his family and friends, he looked up to see Cici and Vic walking down the stairs. They looked a little less steady than they usually would have. As they reached the main floor, he could see that they were wearing much higher heels than they usually would for dancing. He was so focused on his wives that he didn't see the appreciative stares coming from the other males in the house. When they sidled up next to him, they were the same height as he was. He looked down at their heels again.

"They're six-inch heels, honey," Vic explained to him.

"Well, that explains why you looked unstable as you descended the stairs."

"Yup, we figured that we needed to get used to wearing them, and this was as good an excuse as any!" Cici replied to him.

A little while later Hermione came walking down the stairs also. As she walked across the floor towards Harry, all of the guys were staring at her too. When she stopped next to Harry, she was as tall as he was.

"My mum is wearing six-inch heels too?"

"She saw ours and decided to pull hers out also!"

The two girls walked over to their mother-in-law to compliment her on her attire. Their metal tipped heels click-clicked as they walked across the marble floor. The three of them hugged just before she grabbed her husband's hand and led him to the ballroom. This is one very underutilised room in the mansion _._ She thought to herself.

" _Yes, it is!"_ Harry thought back to her.

When the doors opened to the ballroom, the lights lit automatically. Ced walked over to the phonograph and selected a shorter waltz to get them out on to the dancefloor quicker. Harry and Hermione shared the first dance. At the end of their dance, Ced selected a longer waltz for those that wanted to dance. Reluctantly, all of his aunts and uncles moved out on to the dancefloor. Vic had the first dance with Ced. Cici shared the dance with Harry. Even in the six-inch heels, she was still a little shorter than Harry. Harry for his part was impressed that she was able to move as elegantly as she was, with such high heels. After this dance, Harry and Ced changed partners, again Harry was impressed with Vic's skills in the high heels. By this time, the other teens had returned and were ready to dance. The angry couples weren't as mad as when they had started dancing. It seemed as if the dancing was the therapy that their marriages needed. Gareth appeared next to Hermione and took over manning the phonograph for the rest of the night.

"Thank you," she told him.

With the mood in the house getting lighter, the time started to pass quicker. Soon the clock was striking twelve, and an old year was gone and a new year was here with fresh beginnings for all of them. All of the couples exchanged kisses, some a lot more passionately than others, but still, kisses were exchanged. George and Amber were stuck together like glue, Fred and Julia were stuck together like magnets. Ced and his wives hugged Rose and Angel, the two wallflowers. By 1:00 a.m., the house was empty of guests.

The Lady of the House and her two daughters-in-law walked through the house straightening things up as they walked to the grand staircase. Ced covered the phonograph, and Harry closed the doors to the ballroom as they left to go upstairs.

"10,000 galleons?"

"I never thought that they would go for such an outlandish bet dad, I really didn't."

.

8:45 a.m. found the five of them entering the lobby of the MI-6 building in Vauxhall to inform the guard that they were there to see Sean McMillian. Several minutes later a nervous McMillian walked into the lobby to escort them to the conference room.

Sitting in the conference room were three other people waiting for them. Two were grey haired older men, and the third was a middle-aged greying woman. McMillian just introduced them as his bosses, and no handshakes were exchanged.

"They are here to figure out how you three did such an extraordinary job," Sean said.

"Yes, how is it that three young people, such as yourselves, have been able to do, what our more experienced operatives have not?" asked the middle-aged woman.

The three teenagers just stared at her silently. They had made up their minds that they didn't like her, at all.

Cici looked at McMillian, "Have these three individuals signed a blood contract to know who we are?"

"We don't need to sign anything to know who you are." Flatly stated one of the older men.

Harry, Hermione, and the three teens stood to leave.

"We'll conduct this debriefing at a later date," Harry stated coolly.

"You're not going anywhere!" said the first grey-haired old man.

Harry looked at the old man, "There are not enough people in this building to keep us here." his tone was ice.

"The loss of data, that you would experience will set you back to the stone age," Ced told them steely. He focused his eyes on the old man that seemed to be the problem of the three. What he found there was nothing but shocking.

"This gentleman here is UAA," Ced told McMillian, as he pointed at the man.

The old man got really agitated, really quick, his eyes started darting around the room looking for an escape route, like a trapped rat. The only doors to the room were blocked by their visitors.

"Don't be daft! Jamison has been with the agency for years!" said the other old man.

"Oh, and that means that he couldn't be turned for having sex with underaged girls?" Ced asked.

"You may enjoy swapping wives with other members of parliament, but Jamison enjoys having sex with girls around twelve to thirteen years of age," Vic told the other old man.

Cici looked at the middle-aged woman, "You're about the only half decent person in this room." She told her coldly.

"Now, about that blood contract," Harry said as he looked at McMillian.

"Let me go ahead and have these two removed from the room first," McMillian said as he picked up the phone. He spoke softly for a few seconds. "Security is on their way."

"How do you know these things?" asked the woman.

"Well, Janice, as soon as you sign the contract, we'll tell you," Cici told her.

Ten minutes later, four big, burly, heavily armed, guards walked into the conference room. McMillian told them to take the two gentlemen. Gentlemen? Perverts. McMillian told them to take the two perverts to holding for further questioning. When the door was closed behind them, McMillian closed the curtains also. Then Harry laid a blood contract out on the table.

"This is called a blood contract, because you are going to sign it with your blood. This is a blood-quill, as you sign the contract, which says that you will never in your life reveal anything about us, or you will forfeit your life, it will use your own blood for the signature. Now, you can either sign the contract, or we will obliviate your memory and set you outside the door. It will hurt a little," he told her as she picked up the quill that Harry had produced with the contract.

"Ouch!" she said as the quill cut into her skin. "That was more than a little!"

Harry took the piece of parchment, he looked at it, then he handed it back to her. "Okay, now you need to place your thumb in the circle provided. It will poke you, and the drop of blood will fill in the circle, and we'll be done."

She took the piece of parchment and placed her thumb in the circle. She winced as it poked her for the drop of blood.

"Okay, what's this all about McMillian?" Janice asked harshly.

"This is Lord and Lady Gryffindor, this is their son, their daughter and their son's girlfriend. They have skills that we have needed and have made use of in the past."

Janice looked at Harry and Hermione, very calculatedly. "I haven't heard much about you two. I know your names, but that's about all. You seem to avoid the limelight, so to speak."

"Yes, and we intend to keep it that way," Harry told her.

She looked at Ced and his wives, "You three are more than brother and sister and boyfriend and girlfriend. I can feel it."

"So, you asked a question earlier. How are we able to do what your more experienced operatives couldn't?" Ced changed the subject.

"Yes, I did." She noted that he had changed the subject.

"We have the ability to speak to each other telepathically," Ced told her.

"And to read minds, it seems."

"That's a learned skill," said Vic.

"You three managed to subdue about one hundred enemy operatives with the loss of just one life," she stated.

"That was teamwork," Ced told her.

"There was no trace of a sedative in any of their blood work. How did you do it?" she asked critically.

"You know if you speak to us in a more pleasant tone," Cici told her.

"If you ask us, and not tell us," Vic told her.

"We would be happy to tell you how we did it," Ced told her.

"But you keep treating us as young children," Cici said.

"You don't ask us, you tell us," Vic said.

"For that reason," Ced started.

"We don't like you," Vic said.

"We like Sean, but we don't like you," Cici informed her.

The expression on her face was one of utter dismay. She had never been spoken to by children like that before.

"You judged us when we walked through those doors," Ced told her.

"You judged us, based on our looks," Vic added.

"You judged us, based upon your preconceived notions. You are a very closed minded individual," Cici told her flatly.

"If you're going to be working with us, you need to let go of all of your preconceived notions," Vic backed her wife up.

"You need to open your mind to what we are," Ced told her imploringly.

"What are you?" she asked closed-mindedly.

"We're magicals," Ced told her.

"Magicals? Like magicians?"

"No, we can do real magic. Like, deliver one hundred enemy operatives to you, for questioning."

"That was pretty amazing! The information that we've learned so far is amazing! But that still doesn't tell me how you did it."

"We used magic to subdue the enemy," Ced told her. She was stubborn!

" _She's been closed minded for most of her life."_ Cici thought to him.

"Can you do magic for me, here, now? Or do you need an assistant to help you?"

"Here's the thing, Janice, magic and electricity don't mix," Sean told her. Sean looked at Harry. Harry motioned with his head for them to take her downstairs to the protected room.

"What are you motioning with your head for?"

"We're going to take you downstairs to a protected room to help you understand," Sean told her. She was a good analyst, but she was very closed minded to anything that wasn't inside the box. She had a hard time thinking outside of the box. And Harry and his family was something that was definitely outside of her box.

The seven of them walked to the lifts and went downstairs. Then they got in another lift and went downstairs some more, then they walked to another elevator, in a much greyer part of the building, and they went downstairs some more. At their last stop, Sean led them down some poorly lit grey corridors to a grey door. He pulled out a key and opened the door to another empty grey room. The lights came on as they entered the room. Janice noticed that the lighting was a little more yellow than the fluorescent lights that she was used to.

She looked around the room unimpressed, "So?"

Harry spoke to get her attention before he waved his hand and three oversized, overstuffed chairs appeared. "So, what?"

Ced looked around, yup his dad hadn't conjured a couch for him and his wives. Janice was looking around her like she had just stepped into another world. As his mum was getting ready to sit across his dad's lap, Ced cleared his throat.

"Get your own couch for the three of you!" Harry told his son humorously.

Ced looked at his dad then he waved his hand, and a nice comfortable couch appeared for him and his wives. He sat down in the middle of the couch, Vic, and Cici sat on either side of him. Quickly their legs intertwined with each others. The three of them could feel the calming effect coming over them.

"This would be a lot more comfortable place to have us debrief," Cici said, with the soothing sensation of being in contact with her mates coming through her voice.

"Yeah, it would." Vic agreed with her as she waved her hand and a coffee table appeared in front of them with some tea.

Janice was trying to take all of it in. She was quickly going into sensory overload. Magic wasn't real. She'd been taught that, by her father at a young age, and here she was, still in her building, and the room had been empty when she entered it, but now, these people were sitting on each other, and there was tea on a table that hadn't been there thirty seconds ago.

"Sean, can we do our debriefing in here? Now?" Ced asked. He too was liking the comfort of his wives next to him. Upstairs had been cold and hard, but this environment was a lot more comfortable and familiar.

"Sure, I can take notes," Sean said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a nice ballpoint pen. "Harry, can you hook me up with some paper?" he asked teasingly of his friend.

Hermione flicked her wrist, and a legal pad appeared on his lap.

"Thanks, Hermione. Okay, let's start from the beginning. Tuesday at 09:00 and go from there."

Ced, Cici, and Vic recounted the mission to him. They answered all of the questions that he asked. They talked about how they took a train to Munich instead of a car. They talked about how they had missed the contact in Paris but had caught the one on the train. They talked about how they would tell them wakeup was at one time, and then they would come to wake them an hour early. They explained how they had stunned the terrorists with a low-level stunning spell, and then collect the cell phones and the laptops. They also told them that they could have collected more than what they had, but they had run out of protective sleeves.

"What are these protective sleeves that you're talking about?" Janice asked.

They explained to her about how magic and electricity don't mix, again. She looked down at her watch, and it had stopped over an hour ago. She shook her wrist, trying to will it to start working again. She gave up and paid attention to what the teens were telling them.

"The old man at the last place that we stayed?" Cici started to tell Sean.

"Yes, what about him?"

"He's the one that those girls in Haiti that we rescued a year ago were supposed to go to."

Sean didn't know anything about a rescue mission in Haiti, but he made notes on what she said. "And how do you know that?"

"His thoughts were out there for us to hear. He was thinking that he was supposed to have gotten a really pretty girl from Haiti, but all that had shown in the shipping container were some Haitian men. He was planning on killing Ced and keeping Vic and me for himself." Cici told him.

"His original thought was to keep me, and he was going to give Cici to his son. But then he decided that his son wouldn't appreciate a woman as beautiful as Cici, so he decided to keep her for himself too." Vic told Sean.

"We never found his son," Sean said. Janice was staying quiet, just soaking all of the information in.

"We think that we blasted him. Well, you see, he shot and injured Ced, and we kind of both blasted him when we thought that Ced was going to die." Cici told him. Vic nodded in agreement.

"We panicked," Vic told him. "We've never had to deal with Ced getting hurt before."

"You think you blasted him?" Janice started. "You should always keep calm when you're on a mission. And how did you blast him exactly?"

Ced conjured a two-meter cube of concrete off to the side so Janice could see it clearly. Cici was on the wrong side, so Vic, without even getting up ejected her wand and blasted the cube to dust. She calmly retracted her wand.

"Like that," Cici said.

"Oh!" she said stressed.

"Okay, that explains the mysterious blood splatter in the upstairs hallway that was reported. And probably the one missing person. I'll have them run some DNA testing on it to see if I'm correct," Sean said thinking out loud.

"Remember, Janice, you should always remain calm." Ced teased her. "So, then the local British troops show up, and they don't have a secure ride for us." Ced was finishing the mission debrief. "The local commander started to rush up the stairs, so we said our goodbyes to Shaw and Winkelmann, and left."

"And where did you go and how did you get there?" Janice asked.

"That, mam is none of your business," Ced told her politely.

She started sputtering at being told no by a child.

"You don't have a need to know on that information. If they wanted to tell you, or if they felt that you needed to know that information, they would share it with you," Sean scolded her. "You three did another amazing job for us, and I thank you for your service. Adding up all of what we owe you, for the mission base pay and all of the bonuses," he started doing all of the math on a separate sheet of paper. "It comes out to £2,275,000, ooo, that exceeds the mission budget, I'll need to get an okay for the payout."

"Here, give it to me, I'll sign it. They did an extraordinary job, and the data we're going to be collecting for the next several months is invaluable!" Janice said.

"So, we'll we see that in our account this Friday or next?" asked Vic.

"I'll tell them to put a rush on it, so you'll have it this Friday," Janice told them.

"Great! Thank you." Vic said. The threesome stood up, "Can we leave out of this room? Or do we have to go outside?" she asked Sean. Harry and Hermione also stood, at the clue given by the kids.

"You should be able to leave out of this room. I don't see why you couldn't," he told them.

"Where're they going to go?" asked Janice, just as all of the magicals disappeared right in front of her. Then the chairs and table with the tea disappeared too. They were standing in an empty room once again, even the dust from the concrete cube was gone.

.

The five of them walked down the path leading to the front doors of the mansion. Ginny was there picking up Willow. This was beneficial to both her and Kitten. Kitten got a friend to play with, and Ginny got peace of mind that Willow was in safe hands, paws? Not at home alone, or in some daycare that was taking three-quarters of her meagre paycheck. They stopped and chatted briefly before they wished her goodnight.

After she left and the doors closed, "It looks as if it is just going to just be family for dinner tonight." Hermione commented.

"That's okay with us," Ced told his mum.

"Me too," Harry commented. "We need family time just as much as all of our friends do."

"I guess we could just curl up on a couch and watch a movie," Cici suggested.

"I like that. It's been too long since we've done something like that." Hermione replied.

"Do you mind if Cici and I change into something a lot more comfortable?" Vic asked her mum.

"I don't see why not." She replied.

The threesome headed up the stairs to get changed. The two girls stripped down to just their nickers and pulled on some of Ced's old t-shirts. Then they summoned some jogging bottoms to themselves and pulled them on too. It just felt good to be relaxed and unconstrained by a bra.

During dinner, Harry announced that tonight was going to be a family night, they were going to all get-together and watch a movie. Susy wanted to know if she could invite Car-baun and Uasal to watch a movie with them.

"Sure, why not!" Harry said. He could just enlarge the theatre room to make room for them. He started thinking of a new layout that would let everybody have a good seat.

Angelica and Charlie said that they were in. Charlie had never seen a muggle movie before. Ced cautioned him not to use any magic during the movie, or it would kill the electronics, and they would miss the end of the movie.

As everybody made their way to the home theatre that Harry had enlarged to make room for the dragons. He directed Car-baun to lay on one side of the theatre, Uasal to lay on the other side. Cathaoir went down towards the front, Kitten and Nev joined him. Susy went to her familiar. The rest found their own couches and snuggled up with each other.

"So, I've come up with three choices for movies." Harry started to announce.

" _Lion King!"_ Cathaoir's voice boomed in their heads.

"Yes, that is one of them," Harry said as he looked at his old friend. "Another choice is How to Train Your Dragon."

" _We want to watch that!"_ Uasal and Car-baun both said.

"And the third choice is about some kid that learns he's a wizard." Harry finished. "Okay! Let's take a vote on it. Everybody that wants to watch Lion King raise a hand." Then looking at Cathaoir who had his paw up. "Or a paw." Harry looked around, and Cathaoir was the only one with his hand raised. "Sorry, mate, but it looks as if you have been outvoted."

" _Fine, I'll come in here tomorrow and watch it by myself!"_ the mirth-filled thought entered their heads.

"Okay! Next choice, who wants to watch How to Train Your Dragon?" Harry looked around and saw that that was going to be their movie of the night. He placed the disk into the player, walked over to the dimmer switch and dimmed the lights. He picked up the controller to turn up the volume, fast forwarded through the previews and hit the play button.

During the movie, Harry realised that the smoke in the room was starting to choke them. The dragons were enjoying the movie, laughing at all of the different antics of the characters on the screen. Each time they laughed they puffed out smoke, and it was filling the room. He got up and started to open windows, he went to the door to the back garden and opened it also. He eventually walked back down the magical hallway to the mansion, he conjured a fan to blow fresh air from the mansion into the theatre to flush the dragon smoke out of the room.

" _Next time we do this, we need to do it outside."_ He thought to Hermione.

" _I just hope that none of the neighbours, call the fire department to report the house is on fire."_ She thought back to him calmly.

" _Ooo, I hadn't thought of that!"_

" _Well, they should be far enough away since we rebuilt the neighbourhood. But it still could be a concern. Come back and lay down with me. I'm getting jealous of Ced and his girls."_ Hermione teased him.

Harry hurried back to his 'lonely' wife and wrapped his arms around her. She responded by snuggling up tight against him.

Once the movie ended, a small voice from the side started to yell, "Let's watch the next one! Let's watch the next one!"

"Does everyone want to watch the next one?" Harry asked. With resounding approval, he found and inserted the sequel to the movie.

During the movie, they heard the conversation happening over on Car-baun's side of the theatre.

" _No! you can't try walking from my wings to my mum's wing. It's not safe!"_

"But why?" came the whine.

" _You could fall and get hurt!"_

"But she did it, and she didn't get hurt!"

" _But she's not real."_

"So?"

" _How many dragon trainers do you see standing up while they're flying?"_

"None."

" _Right! That's because they could fall off and hit the ground."_ He didn't want to say she could die, he didn't want her to think of her mortality, she was still young after all.

"But you wouldn't let me hit the ground!"

" _I would try my best to not let you hit the ground. But if you fell off, and we were too low, then I couldn't rescue you, and you would hit the ground and get hurt."_

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. But then we can just do it higher in the air!"

Harry would have sworn that he heard Car-baun's eyes hit the stops when they rolled.

" _Let's talk about this more tomorrow. I'm getting tired, and I want to watch the movie now."_

"Okay." Was the dejected reply.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.03.2018**

 **And again 01.04.2019**


	32. Year Four Chapter 32

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 32

.

.

Today was Wednesday, today was the day that Vic was going to collect her winnings from her uncles that had severely underestimated her, and overestimated their own inebriated skills. She felt sorry for George and Angelina, so she had come up with a plan to ease her conscience and help Angelina out at the same time. But the others had the galleons to spare, and they all would pay her what she was owed. It was three sweaty teens that stepped into their shower to get ready for the trip to Gringotts after breakfast. They were careful not to let things in the shower get too out of hand because then they would miss breakfast and be late for their meeting that morning. The morning workout routine was now taking about two hours with everyone sitting down for breakfast at eight o'clock in the morning. They had their morning run, weight training, occlumency, and duelling. With thirty minutes given to each of those, then another thirty minutes for their showers, classes would start at school, at nine in the morning. Their after-breakfast workout had come to include adding stinging jinxes to their game of dragon tag, with Angelica riding Uasal and Charlie riding Car-baun. But not today, today they were going to head to Gringotts and then to Quality Quidditch for Vic to buy herself her first broom.

They stepped out of the public floo in Diagon Alley with five minutes to spare. Harry and Hermione had decided to join them to see the expression on their friend's faces as they paid Vic her winnings. With Harry leading, they were essentially speed walking to Gringotts to avoid being stopped by fans. They topped the last stair just as the goblin was swinging the door open for the start of business that day.

"Lord and Lady Gryffindor! Please, let me show you to a private room." The banking underling said to them. In the room, they exchanged the polite goblin greetings in Gobbledegook. "Let me get Master Ragrok to assist you with your banking needs, sir."

"Actually, we're waiting for several others to join us," Harry informed the goblin before he could run off.

"Then I will escort the others to this room as they appear." He told him as he left the room with a bow.

All of the others showed in ones and twos before 9:15. Uncle Os showed up with Daphne, Draco showed up with Toria, Fred showed with Susan, George showed with Angelina, and Neville was by himself, as was Sirius, who had excused himself from work at the Ministry.

Master Ragrok entered the room a few moments after Sirius. "How may I be of service to all of you this morning?" he asked politely.

"Well, I'm here…" Vic started speaking.

"We are here to transfer some money." Uncle Os interrupted her. He looked at Vic and gave her that I'll explain later kind of look. "For a business proposition, I'll go ahead and let my fellow wizards talk to you about what it is they need to do." Os finished.

An hour later all of the galleons had been transferred from the losers to the winners of the bet.

As they were all leaving, Vic put her hand on Angelina's arm to get her to hold back for a minute, and let the others go ahead. "I want to give the 10,000 galleons back to you, that I won from George the other night, but I don't want him to know about it." She told her when they were alone.

"No, you won it fair and square. It was a fair fight, and he needs to learn his lesson." She replied to her.

"No, it wasn't a fair fight, I could've easily defeated twice as many that weren't drunk. The only reason that I did the fight was that Fred was talking trash about us. Ced never thought that anyone would take the bet at 10,000 galleons! Besides, they can afford to lose that much," she said happily, "And I know that you can't, you work for your money," looking up at the others as they walked towards the doors to the bank, "They inherited theirs." She told her sincerely.

"Thank you!" she said softly.

Vic motioned for Ragrok to come over to her. "I want to transfer 10,000 galleons, from my vault to hers, and I don't want her husband to know about it, okay?" Vic whispered to him.

"I'll take care of it immediately." He told her softly.

"Thank you." She told him. Then as they got a lot closer to the group. She said boisterously, "I need to go to the Quidditch store! I've got galleons to spend!"

The losers of the bet just grimaced as she rubbed it in. They all parted ways, with the teens walking to Quality Quidditch in a terrific mood. Outside of the store, there was a small crowd of people looking in the windows, gawking at the new brooms, and all of the latest Quidditch armour. The bells on the back of the door chimed as they walked in, Ced held the door for his wives like the gentleman that he was. Vic was the first to go through the door and catch the attention of Jack. His nametag said his name was Jack, and Jack couldn't tear his eyes off of Vic's chest.

"May I help you?" he said to her breasts.

Okay, this is uncomfortable, "Yes, I'm interested in a new broom."

"Have you decided on which broom that you want?" he said to her breasts again.

"Um, my eyes are up here," Vic said to the salesclerk. _"This is making me really uncomfortable."_ Vic thought. "No, I was thinking about one of the International Standard Quidditch brooms." She said hesitantly, this guy was making her feel really uncomfortable. As he continued to stare at her breasts.

" _Here, watch this!"_ Cici thought to her. Silently she banished her bra and tightened her top, so it fit her like it was painted on, leaving very little to the imagination. Getting her breasts to start swaying, "I think that she was wondering if…" was all Cici got out. Before Jack was focused on Cici's swaying breasts.

"Wondering what?" Jack said with his eyes glued to Cici's swaying breasts. _"Now, if we do this right, he'll give you the broom!"_

" _Ew! He's drooling already!"_ Vic thought back to her. "Do you have any of the Nimbus brooms in stock?" she asked the fixated salesclerk. At this rate, she wasn't going to call him a man.

"Do we have any what in stock?" he said trying to tear his eyes off of Cici's breasts. Make them bounce again! He thought to himself. Haha! They did!

"I think that she wanted to know if you have any brooms in stock," Cici said to the fixated salesclerk.

"Any what brooms?" he was mesmerised by the magnificence of her breasts, as they seemed to move on their own!

Vic banished her own bra after that statement, her top became looser, enough to tease but not to show, she placed a small sticky rune on each breast strategically. "Jack," she said softly. Her voice got his attention, "Brooms, do you have any brooms in this store?"

He tried really hard to rip his eyes off of Cici's breasts, but when he did, he was rewarded with true greatness, he, he, he could look down her top and, "Store? What store?"

"Not a store silly! Brooms! Do you have any brooms for me, in this store?" Vic said to him softly.

" _Ew! He is drooling!"_ Cici thought.

" _You know that we're going bra shopping after this, and you're buying!"_ Vic thought to her.

"Brooms? Yes, we have some brooms." As Jack, the jerk, stared down her blouse, hoping to see more. Ah, look at them move! Oh, there they go! He thought to himself. He unconsciously wiped the drool off of his mouth with the sleeve of his robes.

"Are you ignoring us, Jack?" Cici said as her breasts swayed back and forth in front of his eyes.

"Huh? No."

"But she wants your attention," Cici said quietly, as her breasts jiggled before him.

"Who does?" oh, he wanted to just reach out and touch them! Look how they move!

"We do!" Vic's breasts called out to him.

"What do you want?" he said to her breasts.

"We want you to give us the broom that we've been wanting." Her breasts said to him.

They're talking to me! Jack thought to himself. How incredible! Her breasts are talking to me!

"Were you going to give her the broom?" Cici's breasts asked him.

"Which broom did she want me to give her?" he answered her heaving breasts.

"You were going to give her the Firebolt Quidditch broom!" Cici's breasts said as Cici stretched out her arms and arched her back to get the kinks out of it, her breasts thrusting forward.

"Okay! I'll give it to her." He told her breasts, as he was breathing hard. Then he looked over at Vic's breasts, and they were doing the same thing! "Oh!" he grunted heavily as he doubled over, "Oh," he said deeply, and then "Oh!" As he finished creaming the insides of his robes.

"Jack! Are you okay? Because I believe that you owe my friend a Firebolt Quidditch broom." The modestly dressed young lady standing in front of him said.

"Yes, Jack! You said that you were going to buy me a Firebolt Quidditch broom! Could you please hurry? My mummy and daddy are going to start getting worried about me!" the other modestly dressed young lady told him in a little girl's voice.

Jack's face turned red as he walked away funny, trying not to let the insides of his robes touch his skin, as he went to retrieve the requested broom. Several minutes later, Jack the pervert, carried a new broom to the sales counter, still embarrassed at the fantasy he had just had at the expense of the two young girls. He punched several different buttons on the cash register, the numbers came up all zeros, and he said to them, "Here you go, enjoy your new broom." As he slid the Firebolt across the counter to them.

While Jack the pervert was in the back of the store, Vic and Cici had placed glamour's on themselves to cover their faces with blemishes and oozing blemishes, they distorted their looks and changed their ordinarily perfect hair to look as if it hadn't been brushed or washed in months. They were definitely not the girls he remembered in his fantasy.

"Thank you! Mummy and daddy will be so happy!" Vic said in that little girl's voice as she took the broom and the receipt. They weren't going to accuse her of stealing the broom, Jack the pervert bought it for her.

Ced held the door for his two wives, _"Are you proud of yourselves?"_ he thought to them.

" _For what?"_ asked Cici.

" _It'll take that guy probably a year to pay for that broom."_

" _Then he shouldn't have been staring at and talking to my breasts!"_

" _But you have such beautiful breasts! Mon Amour!"_

" _And why didn't you do something about his looking at her like that?"_

" _What'd you want me to do? Beat him to death?"_

" _Well, at least that would have been something!"_

" _You got a free broom out of the deal!"_

" _I say that we make Ced buy the bras!"_

" _Only as long as I get to choose the shade of lipstick too!"_

" _Deal!"_ they thought together.

" _But not THAT shade of red!"_

" _But I like that shade of red!"_

" _But I don't like how it makes me look!"_

" _I like the way you look when you wear it!"_

" _But I only wear it during alone time."_

" _But that's when I want you to wear it!"_

" _What shade of red are you talking about? OH! THAT shade of red!"_

" _Yes! THAT shade of red!"_ the heat in his thoughts were affecting both girls, in a positive way.

Ced held the door for them as they entered Madam Malkin's shop. They had to wait a moment as he held the door, and two others came out of the shop.

"Potter, Ramos, Potter." Tamara Treewood said as she exited the store.

"Why thank you, young man!" Mrs Treewood said as she followed her daughter out of the shop.

"Mam." He said acknowledging her greeting.

"What a nice young man he is! Why can't you meet someone like that?" she admonished her daughter.

"Mum! he's with Ramos!" Tamara hissed at her mum softly.

"Oh! That pretty young girl with the dark skin?"

"Yes, her!" she hissed back to her.

"She seems like a nice enough young girl, she has pretty hair." Her mother said as they walked out of earshot.

"Her mother hasn't got a clue as to what is happening in her life!" Cici said to Vic.

"Not a clue!" Vic agreed with her as they angled to where the bras were.

The after-Christmas sale was still happening, as the girls found a half-dozen bras that they liked. They also started to look through the different panties that were available. They spent a long time matching the different panties to the different bras they had selected. Ced followed them to the fitting room where both girls entered the same room while he waited outside. Now, the girls weren't so gauche as to actually try the panties on, but as they changed bras, they would hold the matching panties up to themselves and look in the mirror and then to their mate for approval or disapproval of the selection. As Ced sat there and waited, he watched as six bras got flung on top of the changing room door and then six panties followed.

" _Babe, go and get us those other bras that we were looking at!"_ Cici said.

" _Okay, and the panties?"_

" _Get those other ones that we were looking at,"_ Vic told him.

What other ones? He wondered to himself.

Then the mental image of the desired panties came to mind.

" _Okay. I know which ones now."_ He thought back to her.

Then the mental image of the desired bras came to mind.

" _Okay, just a moment while I get there and get the smalls!"_ he thought to her. _"What are we going to do with all of the clothes that you two don't wear and can't wear anymore?"_ He thought to them.

" _I don't know. They are too big for Kitten."_

" _I wonder what Rose and Angel do with their clothes that don't fit anymore?"_

" _No not those, the other bras!"_ and she thought about the ones they had put back.

" _But I like this one!"_ Ced thought to her as he held it up in front of him.

" _Ew! That's a granny bra!"_ the two girls thought back to him.

They could feel Ced's laughter at the bra he had chosen. He picked up the other new bras they had wanted to try on. He looked around, taking his time as he scanned for other choices. He found six more bras that he liked on another table. He checked the sizes and selected the correct sizes for his wives. He walked back to the changing room, opened the door a crack so he could see his wives. He blocked the opening with his body so no one else could see the partially dressed girls, as he handed them the new undergarments. They each kissed him for his help.

" _We need to ask them to see what they do with their stuff."_

" _Maybe Julia and Amber would want some of our old clothes."_

" _I guess we could ask them."_

" _We could ask the other girls at school and see if any of them want some of our old clothes too."_

"Then whatever we can't give away at school, we can just give to Glad Rags," Cici told her.

"Then we need to get some new sports bras."

"And those tight running shorts! The ones that fit like a second skin."

"Let's get them all black. It can be something like our new workout uniform!" Vic said enthusiastically.

"I think the guys will like it!"

"We'll have to check them for a pulse if they don't!"

The girls got dress and handed Ced all of their new bras and panties as they went on a search for the new sports bras and the skin-tight running shorts they were thinking of. They grabbed a couple of handfuls of the sports bras and another couple of handfuls of the running shorts and headed back to the changing room to try them on.

Vic stripped off her shirt and bra and pulled on one of the sports bras that should have fit. With the bra on correctly, she bounced up and down, and her breasts went everywhere!

"Ooo, that bra doesn't fit right!" Cici told her.

All of the sports bras went back over the top of the fitting room door.

" _Go exchange these for a smaller size!"_ Cici thought to Ced.

He got up and collected the bras, he looked at the size, and they should have been correct. _"What's wrong with these?"_

" _There's no support when I run!"_

" _Huh?"_

" _Her boobs went everywhere!"_

" _OH!"_

" _Please bring one size and two sizes smaller! And could you find another brand other than that one? Oh, I like the way those shorts look on you!"_

" _Ooo! I like the way they look on you too!"_

Ced found the bras that he had been tasked with finding, he got two of everything and headed back to the fitting room and his wives. He knocked on the door, and they opened the door again. He stuck his hand in there with the next set of sports bras. "I like the shorts too," he said as they kissed him. "Now, what was wrong with the bras that I took back?

"Here let me show you," Cici said as she pulled him into the room.

She stripped off her shirt and bra, and then she pulled on the largest of the sports bras that he had brought them. Once the bra was on, she made sure that it fitted correctly, then she bounced up and down several times real hard. Her breasts went everywhere! "Now, when a sports bra fits correctly, there is little to no bounce of our breasts."

Vic had taken the opportunity to try on the next size smaller bra in the brand that they had sent back. She bounced in front of her mates, and her breasts didn't move nearly as much as what Cici's breasts had done.

The two girls continued to do this until they found a sports bra that they could live with.

"Between the bras and the charm, we should be okay!" Vic said.

"So, even though a sports bra fits, it may not be the correct sports bra because it's too loose." Ced summed up his education is sports bras and breast support.

"Correct! When our breasts bounce excessively, it hurts, and the excessive movement is tearing or stretching the ligaments that support the natural breast, speeding up the sagging of our breasts." Cici told him.

They handed him the bras they didn't like and followed him to the table to pick up more of the bras they did like. Their regular wear bras and their sports bras were two very different sizes.

With his arms filled with women's undergarments, they headed to the checkout lane. As they were standing there, Rose, Julia, and Fred walked in and spotted them. Vic, Cici, and Rose talked about what to do with their clothes that they don't wear anymore. They talked about it and decided that they would get together with Angel at Bones tower later that night to let Julia and Amber go through their clothes first before they did this again at Hogwarts.

As Julia and Cici talked, Rose pulled Vic off to the side, "Angel and I ran out of the potion last night. Do you have any more?" she asked her quietly.

"No, but we can get it brewing tonight and have it for you in the morning. Did you save the vials, or do we need to get more vials?" Vic replied to her.

"Yes, I saved the vials. I think that Angel saved hers also."

"Okay, I'll tell Cici, and we'll get it going tonight. Are you happy with the potion?"

"Yes! My mum couldn't believe that it was me that got off the train! But like you said, we're both sick of transfiguring our bras, and this buying new bras every month is getting expensive! I think that I'll take some of yours and Cici's bras!"

"That's fine with us! Hey, what do you think about learning to Salsa Dance?" Vic tried to imitate Salsa Dancing.

"I'm for it. I mean I like a good waltz as much as the next witch, and those Latin dances are a blast. So why not learn to Salsa?"

"Okay, I'll try to get some classes set up for the rest of the week. Would afternoons work for you? Or would before lunch be better?"

"I think afternoons would be better, our mornings are pretty full with all of the different things that we're doing to get ready for the summer. I mean, we're showering twice before lunch!"

"Okay, afternoons it is. Now I just need to find a dance instructor that I can invite out to the mansion." Vic frowned in thought. Would we need to secure an oath of loyalty? She needed to talk to Hermione.

Ced and Cici joined them just as they had finished talking, "What do you two, think about learning to Salsa Dance?" she asked her spouses.

"I like it!" Cici was very enthusiastic in her response.

"Okay. I'm willing to learn." Ced was willing to do anything to help keep his wives happy and happiness in his marriage. Happy wife, happy life. That definitely applied to him, twice!

"Okay, I'll talk to Hermione before we go to Bones' tower tonight," Vic said.

.

As they stepped out of the floo at home they were greeted by Charles, "Lady Gryffindor wishes to speak with you, Lady Potter." He addressed Vic.

"Thank you, Charles." She said as he led her towards the study.

" _I've been home ten seconds, and I'm already in trouble!"_ she thought.

" _Do you think that somebody told on us for what we did at Quality Quidditch?"_ Cici thought to her.

" _What'd we do at Quality Quidditch? That was all in that pervert's mind!"_

Charles announced Vic's entrance to the study.

"Vic!" Hermione said enthusiastically. "It was a very nice thing that you did for Angelina. Thank you for being so nice to her."

"Uncle George shouldn't have done what he did. He just got caught up in Uncle Fred's trash talk. And like I told Angelina, they worked hard for the money they had saved up. The others inherited their money."

"Well, because of your kindness, Os and Nev both returned the money to Angelina."

"Wow! That was nice of them!"

"Now about the broom that you got from Quality Quidditch."

Vic's face fell, "But that guy's a perv!"

"Okay, and what did he do to make you say that?" she was going to back up her daughter if she was right.

"He made me feel really uncomfortable by the way that he was looking at me. And he kept talking to my breasts! I told him that my eyes are up here, but he just kept leering at my chest! He's a sicko, and he shouldn't be working there!" she pouted.

"Okay, so you did mention it to him, and he just kept staring at your breasts?"

"Yes! So Cici and I decided to play a trick on him to teach him a lesson."

"And, what'd you do?"

She told her how they had banished their bras and changed their clothing to mess with the guy's mind. Then they used legilimency on him to make him think that their breasts were talking to him.

"Okay is that all?"

"Then we planted the suggestion that he give me a broom and he agreed just before he orgasmed in his robes."

"You didn't touch him?"

"Ew! NO! Not at all! That's sick!" she was disgusted by the thought. She shuddered right there in front of her mum.

"Okay, so he agreed to give you the broom?"

"Yes, I have the receipt that he handed to me, with the broom."

"Okay, because, this isn't what he told the owner of the store, or what the owner of the store told Harry and me earlier. He said that you were rubbing up against him and promised him sexual favours in exchange for the broom."

" _CED! CICI!"_ she thought.

" _What's wrong Little One!"_ Cici thought back to her.

" _Please bring the broom and the receipt. And I'll tell you."_ The look on her face was pure anger. Her complexion had turned to a dark red with the fury that she felt.

A few moments later, Ced and Cici both shifted to Vic. Both of them affected by the anger their spouse was feeling.

"What's wrong?" asked Cici taking one of Vic's hands.

"That pervert at the Quidditch store?"

"Yeah?"

"He's saying that I was rubbing up against him and promised him sexual favours in exchange for the broom!"

"That's a lie!" Cici almost yelled. Her complexion darkening also at the anger she was starting to feel.

"He's lying mum," Ced told her gravely, holding Vic's other hand. "Here, I can show you." And he got ready to place his wand at his temple to show her the memory of what had happened in the store.

"Hold on a moment. Your dad wants to be here to see the memory also."

While they were waiting, Harry invited the owner of Quality Quidditch to come to the mansion to see the memory of what had happened. After he had stepped through the floo, Harry shook his hand and led him to the study, where he introduced Ced, Cici, and Vic. All of the kids remembered the manors that Elissa had instilled in them.

"Okay, son. Please show us your memory of what happened this morning."

Ced played the full memory from when they walked up to the store, to when Jack greeted them, how Jack was just staring at Vic's breasts, her telling him that her eyes were up here. Then how the girls started to mess with is mind. Vic and Cici told what they were thinking and what they were doing as all of the different facial expressions played out like a movie, and then Ced showed Jack having his orgasm in front of the girls. He also showed all the way to where Jack gave them the broom and the receipt.

"Here's your broom and the receipt," Vic said hotly. "I'll go buy my broom at Discount Quidditch Supplies! At least there I won't be sexually molested by the help!" her voice was just short of a screech when she finished talking to him, tears hung heavy in her eyes.

"Please, keep the broom as a gift from me. I give you my most sincere apology. I didn't know that Jack was that way, and I will terminate his employment once I get back to the store."

"I. Do. Not. Want. Your. Broom." She told him, icily, each word was its own sentence "I will never; ride that broom, so you have two choices, either take that broom and sell it to someone else. Or, I'm going to put a _reducto_ spell on it right here and right now." If there had been water in the room, it would have frozen solid, such was the tone of her voice, Kitten had nothing on this girl.

"I want you to have the broom." He told her sincerely.

"Lucy! Please bring me a bin." Vic called to her elf.

Pop, "Here Mistress." Lucy told her with a bow.

"Thank you very much, Lucy."

With the broom in her hand, she held it over the trash bin, and then it turned to dust in front of the owner of Quality Quidditch. "Here Lucy, please take this away for me."

"Yes, Mistress," Lucy said just before she disappeared.

"May I leave now?" she asked Hermione.

"Yes, you may." A very sad Hermione told her.

Vic and her mates turned and left without saying goodbye. They were done with Quality Quidditch.

" _I want to buy either Firebolt or Nimbus Brooms."_ Vic thought to her spouses. _"The companies, and if they're cheap enough, I want to buy both of them."_

" _We'll have to talk to my dad, and then probably to Uncle Os, and probably Sirius too."_

" _Why do we have to talk to all of them?"_

" _Because we may already own them. My dad and Uncle Os would know for sure."_

" _Good, then I'll go and buy my broom straight from the factory!"_

They could feel that she was still angry, but not as much. She had just vaporised an expensive broom right in front of the guy that was trying to give it to her. But she knew that riding that broom would always remind her of the pervert that had wanted to molest her.

"Can we spend some time in the house tonight? I don't really want to be around people right now." Vic told them. "We can do it after we get back from Rose's."

"It's been a while. I'm sure Edmund will be glad to see us, and I'm sure that Toll will want to see your sword, now that it's finished." Ced told her.

"I'm up for kicking back on the beach for a few months!" Cici told her.

"Thank you." She said sincerely.

.

The girls went through their clothes sorting out what they wanted and what they didn't. What they could wear and what they couldn't, in the middle of sorting through the clothes.

"Oh! I forgot! Rose said that they were out of the potion. But they're probably out of the cream too." Vic told Cici.

"Okay, let's go get that started, and while it is simmering, we can finish this. It should be ready by the time we go into the house tonight."

They rushed down to the potions lab to get a couple of cauldrons brewing for their friends. Once everything was doing good, they headed back up the stairs to finish sorting the clothes. Ced put the dresses in one bag, pants in another bag, tops in another bag, and bras and panties in another bag.

"We'll scourgify the panties in front of them so they'll feel better about taking them. They'll be just short of sterilised!" Cici said.

"And, what about shoes?" Ced asked.

"I'm not getting rid of my shoes!" Cici said.

"I'm not giving up my heels for anybody!" Vic agreed with her.

It was during dessert that the teens told Harry and Hermione that they were going to go over to Rose's for a while.

"Harry, I want to buy either Firebolt Brooms or Nimbus Brooms, the companies," Vic said.

"Well actually, both of those companies are owned by Clean Sweep Brooms, who bought them both, and we already own one-third of Clean Sweep Brooms, Os owns a third, and Sirius owns the last third. Why do you want to buy them?" Harry asked her sincerely.

"Because the owner of Quality Quidditch and that pervert said those things about me!" the tears started to hang in the corners of her eyes at the memory. "And I don't ever want to go in there again!" she told him as the tears started to run down her cheeks. "I hate them! I hate them! I hate them!" she sobbed out in frustration at being a victim again. She may have done what she did, but he molested her with his eyes as soon as she walked in the front door of the place. She got up and ran for her room. Harry followed her to let her know that he and Hermione would always be there for her.

Harry took her in a big hug, "Hermione and I never believed that you would have done what they said that you did. We just needed to hear it from you before we could confront him. If you want to own Clean Sweep Brooms, I'll give you my third! And I'll talk to Os and Sirius about their shares too. With what you, Ced, and Cici have in your vault, you'll have enough to buy them. It'll put a dent in your savings! But you won't be broke."

"Thank you, for believing in me. I know that what we did wasn't right, but I still feel like a victim, and I promised myself that I would never be a victim again, and that sicko did it to me today!" the tears started forming in her eyes again. "We're going to go into the house tonight and just get away from people!" she told him as she fought a losing battle against crying.

"That'll be good, it's been a long time since Hermione and I have gone into our house." He shared with her.

"Why?"

"We just get so busy, and with small children in the mansion. Cathaoir is a huge help! But there are limits to what he can do with the kids. He tries, but he has a hard time picking things up for example."

"When we get back, we'll watch the kids for you for a night." She told him honestly. "But you had better make it count!"

"How long did you go into the house for the first time? If you don't mind my asking."

"Ten years. Ced said that he wanted to get all of the wrinkles ironed out before we went on the first mission. It was a good thing too. Cici and I had a hard time with both of us wanting to be in control. But, you know, we have a system that works for us, and we will always be there for the other. We may have an unconventional marriage, but it works for us, we have lots of love, and we have honesty. Ced told me just after we got married, he didn't want us to keep secrets, and he didn't want there to be any jealousy. When we go to sleep at night, we open our minds to each other in a type of collective consciousness, and we share our dreams with each other."

"Wow! Ten years! Hermione and I have never even spent two years at a time in there. Well, that explains how you got to be so good so fast! I guess that you and the others will be wanting to take your Master's level tests this year?"

"Yes, we thought of doing it at school, but that would just attract a lot of attention that we don't want."

"I'll get it set up for you after you get back from the mission. You can tell Ced and Cici that they can come up now. They're probably worried about you."

"No, they can still feel my feelings, but I narrowed the link so they couldn't hear what we've talked about. They'll find out when we go to bed tonight, or if I share it with them sooner. No secrets. It works for us." she told him with a shrug of her shoulders.

Secrets, Harry had kept more than his fair share of secrets from Hermione, and he had lied about keeping secrets from her. His son was doing a far better job at his marriage than he had at the same age.

Ced and Cici came up to their room, they gave Vic a hug and a kiss, they 'talked' for a moment then Ced shrank the bags of clothes to fit into his pocket before they grabbed hands and headed for the floo.

"We'll be back in a while!" he called out to his parents just before they stepped into the floo.

"Bones Tower!" they told the green flames, and they were off for the roller coaster ride that was floo travel. A moment later they were ejected into another grand castle of a mansion and greeted by another ancient house elf.

"Please wait here while I tell Mistress Rose that you are here." the old elf said to them.

"Thank you, Robert," Ced told the old elf.

Cici and Vic looked around the ancient home, it's grandeur was no less than that of their current home, it was just different. It was built in a different age, by different people, for a different reason. Soon they could hear two sets of heels clicking across the polished stone floor, that drew their attention to the two young women walking towards them. The teenagers exchanged an embrace and European style kisses.

"You made it!" Rose exclaimed. We're up in my room getting everything all spread out!"

"Where's Fred?" asked Cici. "I would have expected him to be attached to Julia!"

"Oh, he's up in his room with George. They're talking Quidditch or something like that." Julia told her. "Come on! Let's see what you brought!"

Rose led them to her room which was at least as large as their bedroom. Someone had conjured tables for all of the clothing to lay on. Ced pulled out the bags of clothes and tapped them with his wand. Vic and Cici then opened the bags, and with a flick of their wrists, the different garments went to different tables.

"Ced, do you want to go and see if the guys want to come and give their opinion?" Rose asked him.

"Sure, where are they?"

"Go down the hallway that way," she pointed in which direction he should go. "Go around the corner, and it's the second room on the left."

"Okay, I'll be right back." He said happily.

He got to the correct door, and he knocked on it, as he knocked the door swung open. Fred and George were in there arguing about Quidditch teams and quidditch stats.

"Hey!" he called out to them.

"Hey! You made it!" Fred said loudly.

"We were getting worried about you, mate!" George told him.

"We're doing good, just had to talk to mum and dad for a bit before we could come over here."

"Yeah, we heard that something happened in Diagon Alley with you three. Nobody is telling us what though." George told him.

"Well instead of us telling the story a bunch of different times, why don't you two come and join the girls as they try on all of their different clothes."

This elected a groan from the two red-headed boys.

"What? You don't want to watch six good-looking young ladies walking around in heels, bras and knickers?" Ced teased them.

"Yeah but, two of them are our sisters." Moaned Fred.

"Yes, but two of them are your future wives!" Ced corrected his thinking.

This got a small smile and a shrug from the two future husbands.

They slid off the bed and headed for the door and the 'fashion show' that was happening down the hall. They knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter the room. They looked around, and Ced conjured large comfortable chairs for them in a corner out of the way of the girls. They could still talk Quidditch, and give input into what their girls were trying on.

Rose and Angel quickly commandeered the larger of Cici and Vic's bras for themselves. They passed over the panties, but like they had thought, Julia and Amber stopped to look.

"We'll scourgify those for you, so you'll feel more comfortable wearing them," Cici told her quickly.

"Do you even need to? They don't look like they've ever been worn." Amber said as she held them up to her hips. "Fred and George are convinced that you two don't ever wear panties!" she deadpanned the comment, as she forced herself to keep looking at the clothes.

All of the girls turned to look at Fred and George, both were blushing the same colour as their hair.

Julia decided to rub it in a little, "Cici this and Vicky that, Cici this and Vicky that." She said in a high pitched whiny voice that made them blush an even darker red.

Amber came over and sat on George's lap, "Oh, don't get moody! Be a dear and go and get me those black heels that you like, while I go and get changed." She cooed at him. She gave him a kiss, as she felt him starting to get up she slid off of his lap and headed for Rose's bathroom to change. George watched her hips swivel as she walked to the loo.

"You better hurry mate if you want to be here to zip her up!" Ced encouraged him to go.

"And you, would you please go get me my heels that you like?" Julia asked Fred. She rewarded him with a kiss as he got up to go to her bedroom and get the heels that she was talking about. Julia had selected a red dress with matching red bra and panties. Vic quickly scourgified the panties to show her that they were just as clean as if they were new.

George must have set some kind of record getting home and back because he was entering the room just as Amber was exiting the restroom wearing all black; black dress, black bra, black panties. He hurried over to help her zip up. He wrapped his arm around her waist from behind and pulled her close to himself, he inhaled her scent deeply, just before kissing her on the side of her neck, just below her ear. She twisted her head around and kissed him on the lips. He got down on his knees and helped her slip the black heels onto her feet, when he stood up, he looked her over from toe to head and then head to toe. With a flick of her wand, Cici conjured a set of Onyx jewellery on her. She really was beautiful, he loved that she had dark skin like Cici, and he loved her long soft curly hair, that was a little darker than Vic's hair. She was so beautiful, he didn't want to let her go, he wanted to hold her forever. Eventually, they separated, and George returned to his seat on the sidelines.

Amber walked and twirled in the dress. "I like it!" she said as she spun around making the hem of the dress flair out a little. Since she had started being able to run with them, her legs had grown stronger, and the muscle definition was showing as she spun around. She was another one that had minimal experience wearing dresses. The last dress that she remembered wearing before being accepted into this group was when she was five or six years old, it was for an Easter egg hunt or something like that. Maybe it was a birthday party, but whatever it was, it was a long time ago. She liked the way George watched her as she wore the dress, it gave her a warm fuzzy feeling.

Julia came out dressed all in red, Fred was there to help her get zipped up, he could see the red strappy bra and the waistband of the red panties that she had selected. He kissed her slowly, as he held her in place with one arm, from the waistband of her panties, up her spine, to the base of her head as he pulled the zipper up slowly, wanting to savour every bit of his fiancé that he could. Then getting down on one knee, like Prince Charming had done for Cinderella he helped her put on the red heels, as he stood back up, Vic had ejected her wand and conjured a complete set of ruby jewellery on her. The red stones intensified the paleness of her white skin. Whoever had said that redheads couldn't wear red had never seen his girl all dressed in red. He too, returned to his seat on the sidelines to watch her intently as she walked and twirled in the red dress.

She sashayed over to him, "I take it you like it?" she said as she looked down upon him.

"Very much so." He told her huskily.

The two girls changed outfits a few more times, Julia, claimed more of the clothes than Amber.

As they were packing to leave, "Oh! I almost forgot! Whoever wants to learn to Salsa dance, the dance teacher will be at our place at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon." Vic told their friends.

"Can we just bring our clothes with us and stay through lunch?" Angel asked.

"Sure! I don't see why not." Cici told her friend.

With a flick of her wrist, Vic packed up all of the clothes that they had brought to Rose's for Amber and Julia to try on. Julia had taken the lion's share of the undergarments and a few of the dresses, Amber had taken more of the dresses and less of the undergarments. Either way, both girls had returned to their rooms happy with what they had selected. Their boyfriends were very happy with what they had chosen also.

"When are you going to teach us that spell?" asked Amber incredulously.

"What spell?" Vic asked innocently.

"That spell that you just did! The one that packs all of your clothes for you!" Julia cried out.

"Yeah! It takes forever to get packed and unpacked!" Amber whined to them.

"Sorry, we just thought that you knew it already!" Cici told her. As she looked at Rose and Angel shaking their heads no.

Cici told them the spell and showed them the wand movement that went with the spell. She had them practice saying the spell five times to get the enunciation correct, then she let them try it.

Rose went first, it was her room, and she had plenty of clothes to be put away. So, with a wave of her wand and she cast the spell to watch all of her clothes put themselves away in a jiffy. "You've got to love magic." She said in awe.

Angel went second, and with a wave of her wand she cast the spell, all of her clothes folded themselves and packed themselves in the bags that she had brought them in. "That's amazing! Why hadn't you taught us this before?" she said as she stared in amazement.

"You two will have to take your clothes to your rooms to try it," Cici told the girls.

"It's getting late, and we have something that we need to check on before we go to bed," Vic told their friends.

"But you were going to tell us what happened in Diagon Alley!" Fred protested.

"That will have to wait for another day! We need to get home to check on stuff before it gets too late!" Cici told him.

Rose and Julia walked them to the floo and said goodbye, goodnight, and thanks again for the clothes.

At home, the girls rushed to the potions lab to check on the two potions. They both looked at their watches and agreed that they had another twenty minutes before the potions would be ready, so they sat in the lab and talked while Ced had gone upstairs to put the clothes away. Vic and Cici talked about what Vic had talked to Harry about. Vic wondered if she wanted to buy the broom companies out of spite because she was angry, or did she really just want to own them. As they were bottling up the last of the potions, Vic had decided that she wanted to own them because of the way the salesclerk had made her feel, and she just wanted a way to get back at him. To make him the victim instead of her.

.

In the house, they had decided to get washed up before going to bed. They chose to take a shower, a nice long, hot shower, a nice long, steamy shower, where it was always two on one, for as long as the one needed it to be. They moved slowly, caressing gently, touching softly, kissing passionately, speaking quietly, letting their breath tingle the other's ear, they worked to drag out the intensity of the feelings of love and pleasure, that they could only get from their soul-mates. They didn't close off their minds, they opened their minds to the feelings and desires, and needs, of each other, to completely fulfil the satisfaction needs of the mate they were focusing on. Out of the shower, Ced towel dried each of his wives, touching them everywhere he could, then they together used towels to dry him, returning the favour of touching him everywhere. He picked up both wives and carried them naked to the bed. With a wave of their hand each girl, did the other's hair in their preferred style to sleep in. He sat them down on the edge of the large comfortable bed. Vic rolled across the bed to make room for Ced to lay in the centre, then she and Cici rolled into their places, laying on him, and touching each other, they had three-way contact, just like they had from the very first day of being bonded. Soon, Ced's strong rhythmic heart lulled them to sleep where they entered their own world of dreams.

.

Ced's eyes opened right on time, the girls let him out to do his business, they snuggled together, their early morning routine hadn't changed.

As they were running on the path that they had run on many times before. "I miss being in here," Vic said.

"Me too." Cici agreed.

"It's peaceful," Ced replied to her.

After their run, they met up with Toll, they worked on their hand-to-hand combat. Working up a good sweat as they fought against several opponents, Toll praised them for not letting their skills deteriorate. Then it was off to the showers, then breakfast, and then they went to talk with Edmund.

"It's been a while! How have all of you been doing?" he thundered at them, enthusiastically.

His jovial attitude was infectious, and they had a long and pleasant conversation. Cici told him that she felt that she was being drawn towards the medical fields. Vic confessed that she was leaning towards law enforcement, and Ced told him that he would be taking over the family business from his father in several years, but to fill that time gap, he would probably be an Auror. They talked about their help in fighting human trafficking, how it may have a politically correct name, but it was still slavery. They talked about how one of their friends had acquired a slave girl, but he was head over heels in love with her. He had even asked her to marry him, and she said yes. They talked about how the UAA was able to mix potions, and Vic gave him the example of the birth control potion mixed with a mind control potion. He suggested that they talk with Althea about that. He asked to see the sword that Ced had made for Vic, he like the level of craftsmanship, he also liked that it had one of Cathaoir's hairs for a core. They caught up on all the different things that had been happening in their lives since the last time they had met. They came up with a training schedule for each of them to study their desired fields and keep their combat training sharp. They discussed the upcoming mission with their friends and how best to prepare them for the mission.

After their talk with Edmund, they stopped by their bedroom to change before they headed to the beach for a couple of hours. The girls didn't even look at putting on their bikini tops, they said they wanted to 'let the girls' breathe.' When it came time for lunch, they grabbed one of Ced's t-shirts to cover up with before heading to lunch. They filled their afternoons with their individual areas of study, and then they would lay out on the beach before dinner. All was perfect in their little world, it was just another working vacation.

.

Ade returned them to reality in time for them to change for their morning run with their family and friends.

"As much as I love it in there, returning to reality is hard!" Vic told her spouses as she changed into her winter workout clothes.

"It won't be as hard this time as the first time because we didn't spend as long in there," Ced told her.

"That first time for you was the longest that we had ever stayed in the house," Cici said.

"I don't regret it, I love how much I can learn in there. But everything about the house is perfect, the weather is perfect, the sun is perfect, the water is perfect, being with you two is perfect! And here, it is cold, wet, damp, harsh, windy, rainy, but it is reality! I think that I need to be careful about going in there for too long, I don't want to become an escapist or escapism." Vic told them from her heart.

They gave her a hug and shared a three-way kiss before they rushed downstairs to join the others for their morning workout.

As they were walking back to the mansion, Ced asked his dad, "Do you think that we could get an obstacle course built like the one that we had to run for the S.A.S.?"

"Why?"

"Well," and he looked around to see who could overhear them. "We talked with Edmund and Toll about how best to train our friends, and if they make them run an obstacle course, well, they'll fail. Also, it'll help build confidence in the weaker people."

"It makes sense. I think that I can get one built before spring break is here." Harry was already planning it out in his head where he would have it start and where he would have it finish.

Inside the training room, they focused on strength training and hand to hand combat. Weapons training would be saved for when they were at the school so they could use the Room of Requirement to create the training simulations. After they showered and had eaten breakfast, they focused on flying skills, because that was going to be a big part of what they were expected to do. As cold as it was, they worked up a sweat flying as hard as they could. The game of dragon tag had gotten to be a challenge for even the dragons. Another shower and then lunch.

After lunch, about a quarter to two, Gareth announced that their guest and one other was requesting permission to come through the floo. Harry told him that it was okay for them to come through. Gareth returned to the floo and granted them permission to enter the mansion. It was a younger witch and wizard that exited the floo.

As the guests were awestruck at the grandeur of the mansion, Gareth told them, "Follow me please." And he led them to the ballroom where all of the teens and all of the adults staying in the mansion were waiting eagerly.

As Danna and Pablo were checking out the ballroom, Harry stood up and walked over to greet them. As soon as she saw who her client was, she curtsied, "Lord Gryffindor!"

"Please, call me Harry." He said quickly as he extended his hand in friendship.

"I'm Danna, and this is my husband, Pablo."

Pablo took Harry's offered hand and shook it.

"Well, first things first. Before we can begin, I am going to need an Oath of Loyalty from both of you. This is to protect you and my family. There are things that you may see and things that you may hear that we do not want to leave and to get out to the general public."

"Yes, we were told to expect this, and we both are willing to give you our oath."

Harry walked them through the required oath, and their magic sealed them.

"Thank you. Now we have a phonograph over against the wall that you're free to use." Harry told their instructors.

Since all of them had some dancing experience, and most of them had some Latin dance experience the lesson went a lot faster than Danna and Pablo had expected. At the end of three hours, everyone was having a blast and had worked up yet another good sweat. The house elves had started bringing refreshments early on to keep everybody cool and hydrated.

Angelica was having a blast teaching her guero how to Salsa. Charlie was picking it up quickly.

"So, where can we buy the albums to keep here at the mansion," Ced asked her.

"You can find the albums in the bookstore in Diagon Alley. Just look in the music section." She told him.

"Thanks!" he told her happily.

Angelica joined Hermione over in the chairs along the outside wall. "Hey, I need your help." She asked Hermione.

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Well, I need some help with these." She told her as she indicated her breasts.

Hermione looked at her all confused, "What's wrong with them?" Angelica had breasts that most muggle women would willingly pay for.

"Well, ever since I started working out, I've lost a lot of weight. And well, with that weight loss, things aren't quite as firm as they used to be." She told her gloomily.

Hermione looked at her, "Come with me. Let's go to the medical room." She told her.

The two witches slipped out of the ballroom and headed for the medical room. Once there, Hermione closed the door and closed the curtains.

"Jump up on the bed for me," Hermione told her. "Go ahead and take off your top."

Angelica removed her top, so she was just sitting there in her bra. Hermione looked at her with a confused look on her face. Angelica was significantly more abundant in her chest than Hermione was. Angelica saw the confusion on her face and undid the clips on her bra to remove it. Her large breasts just hung like flaps of skin, they had lost most of their volume.

"Okay, so what is it that you want to do? Do you want to do a breast lift? Or do you want to do a breast augmentation?"

"I don't know! They were too large before, and they started to hurt my back. But if we do a breast lift, with as much skin as you would have to remove, then I think that they'll be too small." She told her.

"Okay, I'm going to teach you a spell. Now, you can only use this spell twice in your life, on yourself. After that, the spell does some very nasty things, and they can't figure out why. But the first thing that you need to know is, what size breasts do you want to have? You said that you were too large before and that you're scared of becoming too small now." Angelica nodded at her.

"Something else is, do you want to do a tummy tuck also? I've noticed that you've lost a lot of weight and the skin around your tummy is very loose also. The spell for that is a lot more forgiving."

Angelica slid off of the bed and pulled the loose skin out of her pants, it hung over the waistband of her pants like her breasts hung down the front of her. She had honestly lost a lot of weight and needed the help. She and Hermione talked for a while more before Angelica came to a decision on her new breast size that she wanted. Hermione had her finish stripping and lay down on the bed again, she chose to do the procedures for her because the situation was more extreme than she had first believed. Angelica didn't need to be put to sleep, so she felt everything start tightening up as she lay there. Hermione began with her belly and worked on tightening all of the skin. She moved down to her thighs and bum to tighten up the excess skin. She moved up to her breasts, and they tightened up nicely, she gave her the volume she was seeking, and then as a bonus, she tightened the skin around her face. Over two hours later she had finished with the mommy makeover. Angelica stood in front of the mirror naked and was looking like she had when she was twenty-one. When she finished getting dressed, other than her face, she looked the same, she had been doing a good job of hiding her body from everyone. Everyone except for Charlie who would see her every night and every morning. Tears began to form in her eyes as she stood there thinking.

"It's an early wedding present from me to you and Charlie," Hermione told her warmly.

"Thank you, thank you very much! It's amazing what you have done! I had put on so much weight with Raymundo, stress eating I guess. I didn't even know how much weight I had put on until I had lost so much weight. I just kept losing weight. I mean, I gained muscle mass, but I didn't know how fat I had gotten until I looked in the mirror one day and everything was just hanging there like I was a hundred years old!" Angelica's tears were tears of happiness.

Hermione hugged her and let her cry it out. The tears may have been tears of joy, but the sobs were sobs of frustration of a life that was wasted with someone that didn't appreciate the incredible woman she was. Now she was running every morning and working with dragons and dragon trainers. She had learned that sometimes, the dragons were easier to work with than the dragon trainers who could be so stubborn.

.

"If you don't lay still then I'm just going to cut it off! Do you want me to cut it off and just give you a claw?"

"No."

"Then just lay still while I heal it for you!" Angelica had told one of the young dragon trainers with an injured arm.

.

A few minutes after Angelica had finished crying out her frustrations, Hermione helped her with her puffy eyes, and they went looking for their family. If you weren't looking at her intently, you wouldn't see the changes because of the clothing. Everyone was still in the ballroom, sitting around talking. The dance instructors had left, and some of the teens were still working on their dance steps without the music. The two women found their men sitting off to the side talking animatedly.

Charlie stood up to greet Angelica, his face lit up, "Hey! Wow! You look great!" he exclaimed as he held her at arm's length. Then looking at Hermione, "What'd you do to her? She looks incredible!" he said as he twirled her around.

"Think of it as an early wedding present!" Hermione told him.

Cici picked up on Charlie's excitement and came over to see what was the cause of all of the enthusiasm. "Wow! Mom, you do look incredible!" she gushed at her mom.

Vic picked up on her wife's emotions and walked over to see what was making her so happy. "Wow! You look fabulous!" then she looked at Cici, "Do you want to take her shopping tonight?"

Cici looked at her mom, "Do you?"

Angelica looked at Charlie, he nodded for her to go.

"I think Madam Malkin's closes at nine," Cici told her mom.

Angelica got a small smile on her face, her cheeks grew a little darker, and she nodded and said, "Yes!"

It was an excited group of good-looking young women that walked through the doors at Madam Malkin's after they had seen their dinner guests off. Cici led them to the unmentionables to start selecting bras for her mom. Vic began looking for sports bras and the tight running shorts. After they had a hand full of bras in a variety of sizes, they headed for the fitting rooms.

As the three of them were headed into the changing room, the store clerk said, "Sorry, a maximum of, oh sorry, it's okay for you." She recognised Cici and Vic from yesterday when they had left a small truckload of galleons on the counter.

Cici looked her mom up and down and at the clothes that she had been wearing. She shook her head. As her mom peeled off her poorly fitting bra, she could see that her mom was still larger than she was in that department. She chose a larger bra for her to try on, the others were still too small to fit her. Her mother had done an excellent job of hiding her firm body. Even the larger bra that she had chosen was on the small side. Cici looked at Vic and Vic looked at Cici. Then Vic picked up all of the bras and the one that Angelica was wearing and headed back to the other bras to select an even larger bra. While she was looking for more bras, Cici had her mom trying on the different sports bras. She taught her mom how to check and see if the sports bra was fitted correctly. Vic had returned just as Angelica was stripping off the first sports bra.

" _Is this what we have to look forward too? I don't know if I want to get that big!"_

" _Me neither!"_

" _I think that what we've got is almost too big!"_

" _Naw, I think just a little larger, and then I'll be done. I don't want to get as big as my mom, that's for sure!"_

Angelica finished the bounce test, and all three of them were satisfied with the results. While Cici had her mom try on another regular bra, Vic went to get several more of the sports bras.

" _Has she tried on the running shorts yet?"_

" _No, finding a bra that fits her right has been a challenge! She's one of those in-between sizes."_

" _I hated being an in-between size! It was so frustrating trying to find something that fits!"_

Vic returned with a stack of sports bras for her mother-in-law. Angelica was stripping off another bra in frustration as Cici handed her the same size bra, by a different manufacturer.

"Ooo! I like the way this one feels!" Angelica exclaimed as she ran her thumb around the band to make sure that it wasn't twisted.

Cici looked at her, and Vic looked at her. "I think it fits!" Cici said excitedly.

"Here, have her put one of these back on, and put on a pair of running shorts. While I go and get some more of these." Vic said as they exchanged bras. She needed to see which brand of bra had fit her correctly. She slipped out the door and headed for the bra table again. She grabbed an armload of bras in different colours and styles, she chose front closing bras and back closing bras, she selected bras that would conceal her cleavage and some strappy bras. The one thing the woman didn't need was a bra to enhance her cleavage! Her boobs would be up under her chin! When she got back to the changing room, Angelica was admiring the way the running short made her bum look in the mirror.

"Wow! Hermione did an incredible job!" she told her daughter and daughter-in-law. Wow, that was so weird to think. She doesn't have a son, but she has a daughter-in-law. She had never seen them kiss like Ced would kiss Cici or he would kiss Vic.

"Vic's and my relationship isn't romantic in that way mom," Cici told her softly. She didn't want anyone to overhear anything. "Our relationship is mental, not so much physical. Yes, we seek comfort in each other's arms, but it's not a sexual comfort, it's an emotional comfort."

She smiled and hugged her daughter, then she hugged her daughter-in-law.

"Now, I've brought you a bunch more bras to look at. They're all from the same manufacturer, so hopefully, they're all the same size." Vic told her as she dumped the armload of bras on the bench.

Angelica started looking through the bras, yes this, no that. When the store clerk knocked on the door, "We're closing in fifteen minutes ladies." She warned them.

"Thank you!" the three women chorused out.

When the three of them were satisfied with the number of bras and the selection of bras, Angelica finished getting dressed. Cici told her to keep the last bra that she had tried on, on. She used a _diffindo_ and cut the tag off the bra to give to the salesclerk at the register. She made sure that that was the first thing she handed the clerk so they wouldn't think that they were trying to steal anything. As Cici paid for their purchase, Vic returned all of the unwanted bras to the display table. A flick of her wrist and it was all finished.

Angelica reached for her purse to pay for the bras, it had rung out at a lot more than she was expecting, but of course, she had never purchased so many new bras at one time in her life either!

"Mom! Don't worry about it!" Cici told her as she reached for her debit card in her bra. "It's our treat! Think of this as a late Christmas present from all of us."

The clerk swiped the card and handed it back to her, she dropped the card into her cleavage as she waited for the receipt. With the large bag of new bras and the running shorts, the clerk stuffed the receipt into the bag just before handing it to Cici.

"Thank you very much! Have a good evening!" don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Vic looked at her for that last thought.

"I'm sorry, I've worked a double, I'm tired, and I just want to go home." The clerk apologised.

"Have a good night." Vic wished her as the clerk locked the door behind them.

.

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 **A/N: Thank you all very much! Please review!**

 **Revised 03.03.2018**

 **And again 01.04.2019**


	33. Year Four Chapter 33

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 33

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Friday, a delighted Charlie and Angelica skipped playing dragon tag. It's not every day that you get to go out and buy an entirely new wardrobe. So, after breakfast, they stepped through the floo and into Diagon Alley to get Angelica's shopping done. Hermione had been more than generous in giving Angelica back the body that she had in her youth. Her daughter and daughter-in-law had bought her all new bras and knickers, and now her future husband was going to help her select all of her new clothes. Walking hand in hand, a huge smile on his face, Charlie knew that their first stop was going to be Madam Malkin's, it seemed as if the place had a monopoly on the clothing market for Wizarding Britain. After buying what they wanted here, they would head out into muggle London to finish off their day shopping.

They walked into the place, and it was as empty as it was last night. Angelica and Charlie walked around selecting different things for her to try on. She would hold up something and he would either nod his head yes or scrunch up his nose to show his dislike of the selected item. She would do the same to what he showed her. With a dozen different tops and bottoms, she headed for the changing room. She almost wished the girls were with her, it would go so much faster. She would get dressed, open the door and it would be a yes or a no, all of the noes went into one pile to get put back on the rack, all the yeses went to a different collection to go with them. Most of the stuff was going to need tailoring to fit correctly, her curves were just too extreme for off the rack clothing to look as good as she did. As they went to the counter, they had to look for a store clerk, to ask about getting her clothes tailored.

"Oh, that will take a couple of days." Was the response they got from the snooty salesclerk.

Something just didn't feel right to her. Cici and Vic could get their clothes tailored while they shopped, and here she was being told that she was going to have to wait?

Angelica turned to Charlie, "Can we go to that place called Glad Rags? Cici and Vic talk about it all the time." She asked him as she turned and left all of the clothes on the counter.

"What's wrong babe?" he asked.

"Well, Cici and Vic shop here a lot, and they have never had to wait two days to get their clothes tailored, and now here we are, and they're telling me that I have to wait two days to get my clothes tailored? And I just want to shop someplace else that's not here." The tears of discrimination hung heavy in her eyes, as she looked at him.

He led her to the door and once outside, he pulled her close to him and with a crack they were gone.

"Bloody American." Was all the salesclerk said as Angelica walked away.

They were at the apparition point for Hogsmeade station. He led her down the steps, and they walked to the Three Broomsticks to get a butterbeer and let Angelica calm down. Rosmerta served them herself, it was still early, and they looked like a cute couple sitting there holding hands across the table. With all that red hair he had to be a Weasley, but which one? She returned with their beers and then it came to her.

"Your Charlie Weasley! Correct?"

"Yes, how have you been doing Rosmerta?"

"Oh, fine, fine." She said. "And who might this lovely lady be?" she had never seen her before. So, she wasn't from around here.

"This is my future wife, Angelica. Angelica, this Rosmerta, she's the owner of the Three Broomsticks."

"Very pleased to meet you," Angelica said as she freed up a hand to offer to Rosmerta.

Rosmerta took her offered hand and shook it pleasantly. Ole Charlie boy scored himself a looker this time! "It's a pleasure to meet you too! Well, must be getting back to my business! Just leave it on the table, and I'll pick it up later." She told them as she headed back behind the bar.

They finished their beers, left their money on the table, and headed to Glad Rags. The bells chimed announcing their entrance into a very different establishment. It was a lot more welcoming to Angelica, it just felt friendlier, warmer. The salesgirl came right up to them.

"How can I help you this morning?" she asked cheerfully.

"I am in need of a whole new wardrobe," Angelica told her. "Everything I own no longer fits."

"I detect an accent there." She said.

"Yes, is that going to be a problem," Charlie said confrontationally.

"No, it's just that one of our better customers has an American accent too. You wouldn't happen to be her mum, would you? She's always hanging around with that good-looking Potter boy. What's his name, what's his name," she tapped her chin in thought. "Cedric! That's his name! Cedric." She exclaimed as it came to her.

"Yes, that's my daughter and her boyfriend," Angelica said warily.

"Oh, she's such a pleasure to deal with! She's such a looker, just like you! All of the other girls in school come here because of what she wears. She tells them that she bought it here and I give her a discount for all the extra business that she sends me. So, what is it that you need?"

"Well, the first problem is, that everything I get is going to have to be tailored." Angelica started.

"No problem there, we're slow, and besides, everything your daughter buys has to be tailored too. Now I see where she got her good looks from!"

The clerk walked them through the store helping them select the clothes that she needed. She showed them the new clothes as well as the used clothes. With two armloads of clothes, they headed to the changing room. This time, the salesgirl pushed Charlie into the room with Angelica to help speed things up. After whittling the piles of clothes down, she carried what she wanted to keep over to the seamstress to have everything fitted to her new curves. With two others working the sewing part of the process, it went a lot quicker than they could believe.

"Did you have a good selection of heels to wear with your new outfits or do you want to get some heels to go with some of your new clothes?" if you don't ask, they can't say yes!

Angelica looked at Charlie, "Why don't you get a couple of pairs of heels to go with your new clothes." He told her.

After the seamstress was finished with her, she changed back into her old clothes and followed the salesgirl to the shoe section. They looked, and they looked, and they looked. Finally, they had selected six new pairs of shoes. Angelica looked at the shoes and selected three pairs to put back on the shelf.

"Tell you what. Since you're my favourite customer's mum. I'll do buy four get two free, sale for you today."

Angelica handed Charlie the three boxes she was holding and went to get two of the three that she had returned to the shelves. "It's a deal! It's only galleons, and I live in Romania on a dragon reserve!"

"OH! Your Charlie Weasley! I thought that I recognised you!"

Then the clerk leaned over to Angelica, "You got yourself a looker there!" she elbowed her gently in the ribs.

"Yes, he is!" she agreed with her.

As the clerk finished ringing out their purchases, the seamstresses finished the tailoring of the rest of her clothes, Angelica was the proud owner of a new wardrobe. Charlie shrank all of the bags, and put them into another shopping bag, to carry all of their purchases. The couple walked hand in hand over to his brothers' joke shop.

"Hey! Fred!" Charlie called out loudly as they entered the joke shop.

"Hey, Charlie!" Fred called out to him loudly, as he came out from the back of the store.

They talked for a few minutes, "Where's George?"

"Oh, he's working with Remus on a project. Sirius will pay him overtime so he can get their savings built back up. Angelina only gave him a year to put the money back that he lost on that bet."

"Why'd all of you duel against Vic instead of Cici?" Angelica asked.

"Draco said that he wouldn't duel against Cici. Nev said that he's scared of her. Guess she blasted her way through an eight-metre-thick barrier or something like that. When she was angry or something like that."

"So, you decided to duel against her mate thinking that she was the weakest of them," Charlie said.

"Yeah, something like that." Fred looked away sheepishly.

Charlie just shook his head at how thick his brothers could be.

"Hey, come on! It was four against one! How could we lose?"

"But you did lose!"

"I know, but I think that she cheated!"

"And how do you think that she cheated?"

"She did something to mess with our minds! Because I hexed her and the hexes had no effect on her! Her robes just absorbed the hexes! And she just walked up to me and touched me between the eyes and I was out! Then when I get revived, Angelina is yelling at George, Toria is yelling at Draco, Susan is coming after me, and I think that Sirius slept on the couch or something like that I heard."

"You made a 10,000-galleon bet with each of them, you ought to be glad that Ced and Cici didn't take you up on that bet! You'd be sleeping on the couch too!

"You married into money, and George didn't. You ought to feel guilty about what you did to him."

"Yeah, I know, and I do. But I really didn't think that she could beat us, not the four of us anyway." Fred whined.

"Fred, she didn't even break a sweat! You provided her with a fifteen-minute distraction! Plus I was told that you made a double or nothing bet that you could beat her in ten minutes or less? How much had you had to drink?"

"Yeah, I know." He mumbled.

"The arguing lasted longer than the fight did! You ought to be glad that I didn't know about the fight because I would have bet against you too!" he was just almost yelling at his younger brother.

Fred mumbled something unintelligible.

"Have you called your brother and apologised to him and his wife yet? Because you need to get that done, and soon!"

"That's what dad said too," as he was checking his shoes for dust on the tops of them, he couldn't look his older brother in the eye.

"Well, we're going to head back and check on the dragons, then have some dinner. Call George and Angelina, tell them that your sorry for all the misery that you've caused them," he said a lot gentler than he had been talking before.

"I will. And I really am sorry for all of that too."

"Alright, we're flying out of here tomorrow. We're going to drop down into Spain for a day or so, then over to Italy to visit Bill and Fleur for a day or two, and then home to Romania. I'm sure the dragons will want to come back for spring break. Hermione is letting me take Susy on Car-baun, and she's really enjoying it. Angelica is taking Neville on Uasal, and he's having a blast too. So, yeah, I can see us being back here for spring break."

They said their goodbyes and went outside to apparate back to the Potter Mansion. As they were walking past the girls in the living room, the girls jumped up to see what Angelica had gotten on her shopping trip. She led them to her room, and then she re-enlarged the different bags so she could show them her new clothes.

Charlie stayed downstairs with Ced and Harry. They talked for a while before Charlie told them about what had happened at Madam Malkin's shop.

"That's weird, they've tailored the clothes for Cici and Vic while we continued shopping," Ced told him.

"That's what Angelica told me," Charlie told the guys.

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Saturday morning after breakfast, found the teens hugging Angelica, a woman from Tucson, Arizona, who a year ago, thought that she was a muggle, trapped in a lousy marriage. Now she was climbing on one of the most ferocious beasts alive getting ready to take a mini-tour of Europe by dragon. Cici had helped her transfigure her dragon riders uniform so that it fit her better. Where before she knew that she looked good, now she knew that she looked hot in the uniform. With Cici's help, the uniform hugged all of the curves of her new body that Hermione had given her the other night. The girls had also gotten the date of their wedding out of her, August the third was the planned date for their ceremony, and yes, Charlie knew about the date, he had helped select it. So, with hugs and kisses, Cici's mom and her boyfriend were gone with the dragons.

"Well, so much for another game of dragon tag." Moped Amber as she kicked the ground.

"Your mum cheats at dragon tag!" hissed Julia at Cici, albeit playfully.

"My mom cheats at dragon tag?" Cici said faking indignation. She ejected her wand and shot Julia in the arse with a stinging jinx.

"Ow!" she said as she rubbed her bum.

"Maybe that will teach you to move that skinny little ass of yours!"

"Not all of our mums blessed us with killer curves like hers!" she told her as she wiggled her arse at her. "Ow!" she said as she rubbed her other cheek.

"Your mum does cheat at dragon tag!" Vic told her.

"I know! It doesn't mean that she gets to rub it in my face though!" as she shot a stinging jinx at her.

Vic rolled to the side and came up firing a stinging jinx back at Cici. Cici deflected it easily, "Now if I could just get Julia to roll like that, I'd be happy." She said as she hit Amber in the ass with a stinging jinx.

"Ow! What was that for?" Amber snapped at her as she rubbed her arse.

"Constant Vigilance!" snapped Cici as she shot another jinx at her.

Amber jumped out of the way and shot one back at Cici, Cici deflected it too.

"Hey, hey! Not in the house!" Hermione said as she walked through the door that Harry held for her.

All the girls retracted their wands as they entered the house. All of them had been on the receiving end of Hermione's wand. The teens didn't know what to do with themselves. The last two weeks had been filled with training for their upcoming mission, and a large part of that training had been playing dragon tag to improve their flying. Now those two hours of dragon tag were suddenly open time. Yesterday it was structured time, and now it was free time. The kids were getting antsy waiting in the sitting room for lunch.

Ced got up and walked to the study, "Can we go to the bookstore to buy albums for Salsa dancing?" asked Ced.

"That's fine with me." His dad said, barely looking up from the papers he was looking over.

"It's okay with me. When will you be home?" asked his mum.

"Before lunch." He replied.

"Okay, we'll see you at lunch." She said to him as she went back to looking at business papers.

Ced returned to the sitting room, "I just got us permission to go to the bookstore to get some albums for Salsa dancing!"

All of the teens got up and summoned their heavy cloaks to them. The weather had turned cold and snowy.

"We'll be back!" Vic called to her adoptive parents. What a strange relationship she was in, her in-laws were also her adoptive parents. Her in-laws were also her mum and dad. Other than her marriage was a threesome, there was no blood there making her marriage illegal, the three of them were beyond the happiest of happies, they had a strong, loving marriage where all three of them got what they wanted out of the marriage. The roller coaster known as the floo network, spit her out into Diagon Alley. She grabbed hold of Ced's hand, and they started walking to the bookstore.

Unconsciously Cici traded sides and grabbed Vic's free hand. Just as automatically, all of their friends had formed a protective detail around the threesome. Fred led the way to Flourish and Blotts.

Just before they entered the store, Cici asked: "When we're done in here, can we go to the second-hand bookshop?"

All of the teens looked at her for a second, then they made some form of motion that said, "Sure, why not. It's better than hanging around the house and doing nothing all day."

Fred held the door for all of them, Julia waited just inside the door for her boyfriend/fiancé/lover/owner. And Vic thought that her relationship was complicated.

Rose headed over to the romance novels, she was getting tired of hanging around all of these people in relationships and having no romance in her own life, so she was going to at least read about it! Angel turned her nose up at her, then she read the back cover of one of the ones that Rose was holding, she bought four of her own. Julia found a book called 101 Useful Household Spells and Charms. George caught Amber looking at a book called How to Train Your Man in 90 days or less.

Ced found the albums he was looking for, while Cici stood at one end of the aisle, and Vic stood at the other end of the aisle. Both of them were watching a circling salesgirl that was watching Ced too intently for their liking.

" _Do you see her?"_ Cici asked.

" _Yes, tall skinny thing?"_

" _Yes."_

The salesgirl looked like a stalking wolf. She would move from one part of the area to another, never taking her eyes off of her prey. She was judging the two girls. She would watch her quarry, then check on the girls. She would move. Why hadn't the girls made a move on something that good looking? She would move and straighten something. She watched the light-haired girl, what was she doing? She hadn't moved on the guy either. She moved over and watched the guy some more. Godric, he looked good! What's that black-haired girl doing? That's not a very interesting section she's in. That other girl hasn't moved either. She refocused on the guy, that's a lot of albums he has there! I wonder what kind of music he likes? She checked the cash register, if she timed it right, she could check him out. Yeah, that's right, I'll check him out really good, and if he's as good as he looks, then maybe I'll come back for seconds!

After selecting a couple of dozen albums, Ced headed for the sales counter to pay. Vic and Cici fell into place as he moved. He was standing behind Rose and Angel when the salesgirl caught up to him.

"I can help you with whatever you need over here." She placed her hand on his shoulder to get his attention. Wow! What strong shoulders he has! I bet he could carry me all the way! "Here, let me take those from you." She said as she took the albums from him and looked at the titles, it was all Latin music, good, she liked a man that liked Latin music, it meant that they knew how to move on the dancefloor as well as in the bedroom.

Before she could turn around and walk to the cash register, "You touch him again," Vic started, quietly, just above a whisper.

"And I'll cut your arm off." Cici finished softly, almost in her ear.

The salesgirl stiffened with the surprise of being caught trying to seduce a customer. She had already lost a job at the bookstore in Hogsmeade for similar behaviour.

Ced looked up and at the salesgirl, "Hey! Didn't you used to work at the bookstore in Hogsmeade?" he asked cheerfully.

"Uh, who me? No, you must have me mixed up with some other girl. Will this be all?" she started speaking really fast. Time to get out of the danger zone!

"No, it is you," Cici said very calmly. This witch was trying to take her man, again! Her wand was out, snapping and crackling with her anger. "I let you go once, for trying to take my man. I think that I'm going to have to teach you a lesson about finding your own man."

The store owner came out of the back of the store, he had felt the magical disturbance caused by Cici's anger. "Treewood! What's going on here!" he demanded.

"Nothing sir! It's just a little misunderstanding." She said with a quiver in her voice.

"Your sales clerk is trying to put the moves on my boyfriend! This isn't the first time that she's done this. This is the second time! She's tried it up in Hogsmeade." Cici said getting a little hysterical at the end there. Nothing like good theatrics to sell a story. Cici looked down at a sizzling noise coming from around her feet, how did her wand get into her hand, she wondered?

" _It, sort of ejected when you recognised the salesgirl."_ Vic thought to her.

" _Hum."_

Angel, Rose and the rest of their friends stepped away from the sales counter. They formed a semi-circle, blocking other customers from getting in the way. They had never seen Cici this upset before, not even when she had been trapped in the married quarters and Ced was running around with Vic hooked to his arm. This skinny witch was not going to fare any better than that wall that Uncle Draco had conjured they feared.

"Is this true Treewood?"

"No! It's not true! I've never seen these people before!"

"Is that what you told the store owner in Hogsmeade?" Cici asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" she said in near hysterics.

"So, you do this so often that you don't remember your victims?"

"No! Yes! NO, I mean no!" she said hysterically, her eyes getting wet with the frustration and embarrassment of getting caught again.

"So, you don't remember the time that you pinned my boyfriend up against a bookcase when he asked you for some help?"

"Yes! No! Oh, Merlin! I mean no!" the tears of frustration hung in the corners of her eyes. "Just let me go!" she whined through her tears.

"So, did you and your sister learn this from your mother?" Vic took over the interrogation.

"Yes. NO! no no no, our mum doesn't know that we do this!"

"Do what?" asked the store owner.

"Seduce other women's men." She started crying, from the embarrassment of getting caught again. Her mum had tried to teach her to be better at this than she was.

"Did he say she was a Treewood? Because a Treewood took my Harold away from me! And when she was done with him, she just tossed him away! Sucked the life out of him. He hasn't shared my bed in twenty years!" a woman said loudly from the crowd of people watching. "You got to watch out for skanks like her and her mum! They come along and try and take all of the good men from you! And it looks like you got yourself a good man there, honey!"

"We've already had a run-in with this one!" said Cici loud enough for the crowd of people to hear.

"And her sister!" Vic said loudly.

"Well, you know what they say! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" another older woman said from the crowd of people watching.

"Go, turn in your apron! You're done here! I should've listened to Armina when she said that you'd be nothing but trouble!" the owner scolded her.

The embarrassed adulteress placed the albums on the counter and walked to the back of the store, her shoulders rolled forward in shame.

Ced and Vic placed their hands on Cici, her wand retracted into its holster. Ced pulled her into a hug, then he pulled Vic into a sandwiching hug of her, they opened their minds entirely to help Cici calm down. He looked up at the store owner, "Can I just get my albums so we can go? This incident has really upset my girlfriend, and we need to get her home."

Cici inhaled Ced's sent deeply, calming her, helping her relax.

The store owner rang them out quickly, he took the offered card and swiped it. Ced signed the receipt, shrank the albums to fit into his pocket, and the others were ready to leave the store.

They walked out the front of the store when they were ambushed by the disgruntled former employee. Cici's arms were wrapped around Ced's and Vic's waists. The curse was headed straight for her heart. With a wave of his free hand, Ced cast a _protego alavaris_ shield spell, reflecting the caster's curse back at her. She wasn't fast enough to dodge her own cutting spell. Vic's wand was in her free hand ready for action, as she watched the cutting spell slice across Treewood's face, opening a deep gash that started bleeding profusely. She dropped her wand and grabbed her face as she screamed in pain. The salt in her tears burned as they ran down into the open wound across her cheek.

" _Great! Mum's going to be mad because we're going to be late."_ Ced thought to his wives.

It wasn't long before the Auror that walked this beat was upon them, "Great! The lot of you again!" he growled at them.

"Lucy!"

"Maco!"

"Leo!"

Pop, pop, pop.

"Yes, Mistress Vic." Said Lucy with a deep bow.

"Yes, Mistress Cici," Maco said with a deep bow.

"Yes, Master Cedric," Leo said with a deep bow.

"Lucy, could you please bring Aunt Tonks here?"

"Yes, Mistress!" and she was gone with a pop.

"Maco, could you please ask Aunt Am to come here?"

"Yes, Mistress!" and she left with a pop.

"Leo, could you please bring my dad here please?"

"Yes, Master!" and he left with a bow.

Moments later Harry and Hermione were both standing at Ced's side.

Before Harry could ask what's going on, Kingsley Shacklebolt was standing next to Vic, and then Lord Black showed up next to Cici. All of the house elves came and went as fast as they could drop off their people.

King focused on the Auror that was standing there with his mouth hanging open. He had never been in the presence of the Heads of the Ancient and Noble houses before, and the fact that these hooligans had just sent their house elves after them didn't fit the mental image of who he had painted these troublemakers as.

Hermione had noticed that no one had performed any basic first aid on the girl holding her hands to her cheek with the blood dripping down on to her cloak. She also knew that any of her three could have fixed that with a flick of their wands.

As Hermione started to walk over to Treewood, Ced told her, "Let her bleed to death. It's what she deserves after what she tried to do to Cici."

It didn't take long before a crowd of spectators started to form around the group. There was plenty to see too, there was the Couple-that-Saved-Us-All, Lord Black the Head of the Wizengamot, and the Director of the D.M.L.E., all in the same place at the same time.

Hermione ignored her son and went over to heal the young woman's cheek. As she healed her cheek, taking much longer than needed, she began the interrogation process.

King looked around the crowd of people that was forming, and he frowned, "Why don't we take this downtown where we'll have more privacy?"

Harry and Sirius both agreed. Between them, they summoned enough house elves to transport all of the teens and themselves. Nobody here needed to know that the soul-bonded threesome could apparate on their own.

King looked at the Auror and told him to bring her with him, the Auror turned around and grabbed Hermione by the elbow in a death grip. Hermione looked down at the Auror's hand on her elbow, she looked up at him, and he had a stern look on his face.

"King," Hermione called out to Shacklebolt.

King turned around when he heard his name, his dark-skinned face grew darker at what his Auror was doing. "NOT HER! Let go of her this instance! How thick can you be? If you bruised Lady Gryffindor's arm, I'll send you back to Auror training!" he yelled at the Auror. "The other one!" he shook his head. How did this guy even make it past the screening process?

When King looked around, he saw that everybody was ready to leave. "We're going to the D.M.L.E., does everybody have that?" he asked as he looked at the Auror.

A bunch of pops and cracks later and they were all at D.M.L.E. Head Quarters.

King looked around, "Put her, in interrogation room three." He told the Auror holding on to Treewood.

"I want you three to go to interrogation room one. And the rest of you, we'll run through interrogation room two." King told the kids.

He then looked around the office, "I want you and you," he pointed at two aurors, "To get a note off to their parents. For these three that'll be Lady Bones, and for these three that'll be Angelina. Where is Angelina anyway?"

"She's with Tonks, and they won't be back for an hour or so." One of the indicated Aurors told him.

So that's how I got involved in this, King thought to himself.

King sighed heavily. "Okay, we'll have to wait until their parents are here before we can talk to them. Lady Bones should be here first. I'm going to go talk to the young woman in room three, and see what's her side of the story." He left the Auror to do his job of contacting the parents.

Sure enough, less than an hour later Lady Susan Bones came walking into the D.M.L.E., a place that she had spent many an hour in when she was growing up. Between Uncle Os and her Aunt they had changed the D.M.L.E. into a much more efficient operation, the décor was decidedly more cheerful, and the layout encouraged teamwork. The drab, dreary, worn-out look from the days of Minister Fudge was long gone, today, it was sleek and functional, and the colours were chosen to promote productivity. As she walked past interrogation room three, she saw King talking to some young woman that was crying, room two was empty, and Ced and his wives were in room one waiting patiently. They had Cici in the middle of them, and they were hugging her tightly, so something must have happened to Cici, that's why they had her in the middle of them.

"Hey, mum," Fred said to his mum.

Hermione and Susan exchanged hugs. She reassured her that her children weren't in trouble, they were just witnesses to what had happened. Just as George, Angel, and Amber were witnesses also.

"I think King wanted you here so they could get statements from the kids," Hermione told her. Susan knew more about this than she did, she had grown up in this environment.

"It's because they're underage." She told her. "Where's Angelina?"

"They said that she and Tonks are out together, but they should be here soon."

"Okay, can you tell me what happened?"

"I can tell you what the woman in room three told me as I was healing her."

"Okay."

"She said that Cici cost her, her job, and that she was going to get her back for it, and that her spell backfired on her and cut her across her face."

"She shot a cutting curse at Cici?"

"That's what she told me."

"Sounds like somebody used _protego alavaris_ to deflect the spell back at her and she didn't move fast enough!"

"Me too."

"So, what did the kids say to you?"

"Nothing yet, we had to get out of Diagon Alley. There was a huge crowd of spectators gathering. So, King had all of us come here by a house elf. He put that woman in three, Ced and the girls in one, and that is all that has happened. He hasn't assigned anyone to take statements yet."

"He's probably waiting on Tonks to get back. It's a sticky situation with Ced and his situation with the girls."

"That's what Harry and I are thinking."

A couple of moments later, King came out of the interrogation room. He spotted Susan, "Hey, Susan. Sorry to drag you down here on such short notice, on the weekend at that. There are no problems with your kids or Angelina's. I just got a signed confession out of the perpetrator saying that she attacked them without provocation. I'm going to go and tell Ced, Cici, and Vic now." Then he got a gleam in his eye just before he went into room number one.

Ced noticed the stern look on Uncle King's face when he entered the room, "Is everything okay Uncle King?" he asked worriedly.

"No, not really." Kingsley started off with a serious tone. "From what the young lady just told me here in her signed statement." He flashed the piece of parchment at them for just a second. "If what she is telling me is the truth, then the lot of you are going to be spending a long time in Azkaban!"

Cici let out a loud screech of frustration just before she disappeared. A second later they heard a woman's scream of terror from the other interrogation room. King rushed out of room one for room three. There he found Cici with her wand at Treewood's throat, her head tilted back, and a snarl on Cici's face. Treewood's face was pasty white from the blood that had drained from it, she was sniffling, and tears of fear were running down her cheeks dropping on to her cloak. Just as Cici jabbed her again with her wand, Treewood's bladder let go, and so did her bowels. As the puddle formed around her feet, the stench filled the room.

"Cecilia! Stop this at once!" King ordered in his best training instructor voice.

Cici turned her head around to look at him, "If you can't get a confession out of her I will!"

"Not this way." He told her more gently. "Put your wand away, and come back to room one where we can talk."

She looked at him, wondering if she could trust him. She saw Hermione just nod at her in encouragement. Her wand retracted into its holster, and she left the foul-smelling person, in the foul-smelling room, to sit in her own stench. She walked past King and gave him an 'I don't trust you right now,' kind of look.

When King saw the look on Cici's face it hurt him, it hurt him deeply, to know that he had lost the trust of this young woman that he had seen get married twice. He watched as her soul-mates made room for her to sit between them again. He closed the door behind him. "I want to apologise for a tasteless joke. Treewood made a full confession about what she had done, both in the store and out of the store. I just wanted to tease you for a moment before telling you the truth. Again, please forgive me," he asked humbly.

"What's going to happen to her?" asked Vic.

"She'll have her memory modified to eliminate any memory of you three, and spend a little time in Azkaban, for attacking a member of an Ancient and Noble House."

"What about her mum? She's the root of the problem." Ced asked his uncle.

"There's nothing we can do to her, she wasn't there when this happened."

"I'm sorry for overreacting, Uncle King," Cici told him. "Can we go now?"

"Yes, you're free to go. Again, I apologise for my poor attempt at humour."

"Thank you, goodbye," Cici told him. She just wanted to go do nothing for the rest of the day. This emotional roller coaster had taken its toll on her. _"Can we just go home and soak in the tub until we turn into prunes?"_

" _Whatever you want Mi Amor."_

.

The first month back after the start of the new term was very pleasant, it was getting close to Valentine's day. The clothing giveaway had been very successful, the fashion of the Gryffindor girls improved overnight, much to the chagrin of the other houses. Ced and the girls had reinstated common room night on Sunday nights, the thinking was that they would be able to help more of their fellow students with homework on Sunday nights than on Wednesday nights. Neither of the girls wanted to move their alone time. Julia and Fred had almost been caught a couple of times getting her back to the Slytherin common room right at or just after curfew, with Fred rushing back to the Gryffindor common room. She was spending more time in the Gryffindor Tower than she was in the dungeons with her housemates. Every morning after practice she would portkey back to Gryffindor and shower in the girl's shower with the other single girls in their group. And every night just before curfew she would return to her own common room.

As Valentine's day was creeping up on them, the boys had come up with a plan for Valentine's day. The three of them were going to fix dinner for all of the other girls in the group. Fred and George would help Ced with the cooking. He would be the Master Chef while the others would learn to work in the kitchen by slicing vegetables and making a salad, things like that. Valentine's morning, Julia didn't join them for their morning workout. She hadn't missed a morning workout since she had joined their group. At 5:30 in the morning, they had two choices, not good, and worse. The not good choice was to sit outside the Slytherin entrance and wait for someone to exit their common room and get in that way, or their second option, go wake up Professor Vector. So, the eight of them, all dressed in their winter workout clothes went to Professor Vector's office to wake her, at least there was safety in number's right?

It was a tired professor that opened her door to her students. "What can I do to help the lot of you at this hour of the morning?"

"Sorry to wake you, Professor. It's just that I'm concerned about Julia Berkshire." Fred stepped up to the pump, for his friends and his slave girl.

"And why are you concerned about Miss Berkshire?"

"She didn't show up for our morning workout, ma'am. She's never missed a morning workout." Fred was trying to implore her to help them now.

If this group of students weren't her favourite group of students, she would probably have just chosen to give them detention for being up and so bloody eager this early in the morning.

Once they got to the Slytherin common room, she told the group to stay in the common room. She would go and check on Miss Berkshire. As she entered the fourth-year girl's room, she needed to go from bed to bed pulling the curtains back to find the right girl. What she found was a girl that was covered entirely with her blanket. Upon first inspection, Professor Vector assumed the worst. Miss Berkshire was covered from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet like you would wrap a corpse.

"Miss Potter, Miss Ramos! Please come here! You boys go and get Madam Pomfrey! Do not enter the girl's dorm's or you will set off the wards. Go, now!" the professor's voice left no doubt to the urgency of the situation.

The four girls went down the hallway lead by the sound of Professor Vector's voice.

Fred started to run for the common room door when Ced called to him in a stern voice. "Fred! Come, here!"

Fred turned and looked at his mate.

Ced told him again, "Come, here," and he waved his arm to get him to come over to him. Once Fred was close enough, Ced grabbed George and Fred in a hug, he thought clearly of the entrance to the Hospital Wing, then he silently used _teleportus_ to take all three of them there instantly.

A dazed Fred rushed into the hospital ward yelling, "Madam Pomfrey! Madam Pomfrey!"

It was a tired and bed frazzled Mediwitch that scolded Fred for making so much noise.

Ced motioned for her to come towards him as he walked quickly towards her. "You two are going to have to run! Hold on tight," he told the ageless Matron as he pulled her up against him, just as she was about to get incensed, she was standing in the Slytherin common room.

"You need to go to Professor Vector," Ced told her loud enough that the professor would hear him.

Professor Vector stepped out into the hallway and called to her. "Poppy! This way!"

Cici, Vic, Rose, and Angel all hurried down the hallway to the fourth-year girl's room. There, they found the room done in the green and silver of Slytherin house. The other seven girls that shared the room with Julia were awake and standing on their beds trying to get a better look at their dorm mate. When Professor Vector had uncovered Julia, she was unconscious. Her face had been beaten and bruised severely, her eyes had swollen shut from the repeated assault on her face, her arms were also bruised, everywhere that was not covered by her nightgown, was covered in bruises. They could only assume that the rest of her was the same. With this much bruising, could she bleed to death internally, with no major organs damaged?

Cici ejected her wand and started to do basic diagnostics on Julia. _"If you want to start healing her body, I'll start healing her face. She'll probably need to go to Saint Mungo's if there's any brain damage."_

" _Do you want me to call for Lucy?"_ Vic asked her as she started with her own diagnostics.

" _Let's see what Madam Pomfrey thinks."_ With a flick of her wand, she repaired Julia's nose. _"I'm going to start on her eyes."_

" _I'm not seeing any broken bones, just a lot of bruising. Just, so, much, bruising!"_

" _I didn't see any signs of brain damage or haemorrhaging. They broke her nose, but I fixed that easily enough."_

" _What did Shaw call it when one of these things happened to a soldier that made everybody mad at them?"_

" _I think Winkelmann called it a blanket party."_

" _Yeah, where they would take a bar of soap, wrap it in a towel to form a kind of flail, and then a couple of guys would pull the blanket tight over the victim to hold them in place while the rest of them beat the guy with the improvised flails."_

Professor Vector watched as the two girls performed their diagnostic spells, and then started working to heal the girl as quickly as possible. She watched as they, would work for a moment, then they would look at each other then go back, and work at healing the beaten girl. It was evident that the girl wasn't safe, even in her own house. They really needed to get a full-time Head of House for Slytherin. As she watched the two young witches performing the healing spells, she heard Mr Potter speaking loudly in the common room. Hum, that was fast, she moved to the door and called down the hallway to the Matron.

Madam Pomfrey hurried down the hallway to were Professor Vector was waiting for her. She rounded the corner to see two fourth-year students performing healing spells on a third girl. She walked up to the bed and noticed that one of them, Miss Ramos/Lady Potter, was healing her eyes and face. The other girl Miss Potter/Lady Potter was treating her extremities. When she pulled her wand out, that caught their attention.

"I checked her for signs of brain damage and haemorrhaging, but I didn't see any, although she does have a broken nose from the beating she took. Could you please check her again for me?" Cici asked.

With her wand out, Madam Pomfrey used some more advanced diagnostic spells to check Julia's brain. "You see here, here, and here?"

Cici and Vic both said, "Yes." as they looked at the picture that was being displayed by the spell.

"With this much brain injury, she might need to go to Saint Mungo's."

"Do you want me to call for Hermione?" Vic asked.

"Lady Gryffindor?" asked the Matron.

"She's probably up and just finishing her morning run," Cici told her.

"It would probably …"

"Lucy! Please bring Hermione here as quickly as possible!" Vic called out to the air.

Less than a minute later, Lucy showed up with a soft pop, Harry on one hand and Hermione on the other.

"It's Julia, someone gave her a blanket party, only they didn't spare her head," Cici told her mother-in-law.

"Thank you, Lucy," Vic remembered her manors.

Hermione moved over to were Poppy still had her advanced diagnostic spell up. She and the ancient Matron agreed on the areas that needed healing, the ancient Matron probably had three times her age in practical experience. With a steady wand, Hermione began the delicate task of healing the injured areas of Julia's brain.

When Hermione took a moment for a short breather, "We haven't checked her torso over because we didn't want to remove her clothes in front of her dorm mates." Cici told her.

Hermione looked around at all of the different people standing on their beds and watching. "Wise decision." She said as she flicked her wand and closed the curtains around them, as the curtains closed around them, the curtain tracks expanded outwards to give them room to continue working in private.

Vic flicked her wand and removed Julia's nightgown, and they all gasped at the bruising all over Julia's body. "The only consolation is, there isn't any broken bones or severe internal bleeding," Vic said as she and Cici started work healing the injuries all over her torso. Her pasty white skin was turning yellow, brown, black, and blue from all of the bruising. It seemed as if they wanted to beat her bad enough that she would have died from all of the blood loss from all of the broken capillaries.

All over Slytherin House, people were waking up to a bunch of Gryffindors sitting in their common room, this was not their idea of a Valentine's Day present. Eventually, Professor McGonagall walked through the entrance to the Slytherin common room. She took in all of the different Gryffindors there, and decided to just address the highest member of society instead of having roll call this early in the morning, Lord Gryffindor, Professor Vector, "Could one of you please tell me what is going on?"

Professor Vector filled in the Headmistress on what had happened from the time that she was awakened until the Headmistress entered the common room. As the tale went on, the Headmistress's face took a harder and harder set to it. Her lips were pressed together to form a tight thin line that had all of the colour pressed out of them.

"Well, it seems that we need to expedite finding a permanent head of house for Slytherin." The angry witch told them, thinking out loud.

"You mean that there's no permanent Head of House for Slytherin?" Harry asked in amazement.

"No, not since that incident with Professor Slughorn. Nobody wants the job." She told him. "All of the professors that I've talked to have declined the position, loudly in some cases. I wanted to avoid having a former member of Slytherin house, be the head of Slytherin house. I was hoping to stop the downward spiral of the House. It was bad when you got here, then it started to improve for several years, and now, the house, all of the houses in Hogwarts are divided." The dejection at what was happening to her beloved school started to overtake his old professor.

"Let me talk to Os. He has the time, and I think the last person that you would want right now is Susan. Not after a member of her family has been beaten this bad, in this way." Harry told her with earnestness.

Ced walked up to the group of adults, cast the privacy spells around them, "They're finishing up with her." Then he looked at the two professors, "We want to move Julia into our spare bedroom. At least there we can give her protection from those that did this to her. Fred is talking a family feud between the four ancient houses and the Coldstones." He looked at each one of them as he said what he said, he finished by looking at his father as he told them about the family feud.

Minerva looked at Harry, "Talk to Lord Greengrass and see what you can do." The please, was implied.

She looked at Ced, "You have my permission to move Miss Berkshire into the spare bedroom of the married quarters." She looked at Professor Vector to see if it was okay with her. She didn't want to undermine the Head of House's authority. The professor nodded.

Ced looked at them, "They just moved her to the Hospital Wing." A moment after he said that, Hermione came walking down the hallway.

"She was badly beaten, there was hardly a square centimetre on her that wasn't bruised. She had several head injuries, many of those were critical. She should regain her eyesight, and should have no lasting repercussions from her different brain injuries." She looked at Ced, "The girls want you in the hospital ward." Then she looked at Fred Jr., "She is still unconscious but in good condition. It's a good thing that you got Professor Vector here in time." Looking at the other adults, "Cici and Vic did a wonderful job of healing her and knowing when to call for extra help. Without their help, or help getting here in time, she could have died. If she had recovered on her own, she could have been living with impaired cognitive abilities. The Cruciatus curse would have done less damage. If this goes to Wizengamot, and I'm called to testify, I'll push for those that did this to spend time in Azkaban, and depending upon their age, and attitude, maybe even lose their magic."

Fred and his group of friends, entered the hospital ward to find Julia's bed surrounded by curtains on metal frames. She was covered, and the bruising was still evident on her face, yellow and puffy, her eye sockets, black and blue, her once soft lips, swollen. Seeing his girl, the one that he had sworn to protect, looking this way, caused an overload of emotions to run through his head. Anger, hatred, sadness, depression, frustration, and love. He loved her so much, but he was angry at himself for not being there! He was sad for her because he would have willingly taken this beating on himself to protect her from the pain caused by those that he now hated. His frustration at being powerless to have prevented this from happening to her plunged him into a deep dark bottomless depression. Why would somebody want to take something so precious and valuable to him away? Didn't they know that he cherished her? That he loved her with all of his heart? That he would move mountains for her?

"Fred, Fred! FREd!" Fred snapped out of his gloom enough to look at his mate. "Take her hand in both of yours, let her know how much you love her!" Ced told him gently.

With Vic and Cici on one side of Julia, Ced on the other side with Fred, the threesome took each other's hands and closed their eyes. They drifted into each other's consciousness, where they could fully express their love for each other. Outside of their bodies, the girl below them, her fiancé holding her hand in both of his, inside the cloth barricades, a golden red glow filled the area, bathing the young couple in love with the power of the love of the boded threesome. The others inside of the curtains had never felt love so intensely, George pulled Amber to him and held her tightly, realising the fragility of what they had, and that it could be taken from them at any moment, for any reason, with no notice. No one came up to Fred and told him, 'Hey! Tonight, we're going to take away the love of your life in a brutal, senseless beating.' No! It just happened, for no reason other than, he had a love that someone else was jealous of! So, they were going to take away that love, so, another person could be in misery, and darkness, just like them. Misery loves company. But love spreads joy, peace, health, happiness, compassion, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But those that have no self-control; want to take. They want to take all of that from those that have it, just as they tried to take Julia from Fred.

Hours later, Julia's eyes opened to find her friends and her fiancé all around her. She wasn't in her bed, she was someplace where there were white curtains surrounding her. She looked up to see Cici, Vic, and Ced looking down at her. She looked down and found Fred holding her hand, Susan and Angel were at the foot of the bed. Amber and George were off to the side watching her. All of them had a warm smile on their faces for her.

"Where am I?" she asked in general.

"You're someplace where they can't hurt you anymore," Fred told her.

"Yes, but, where am I?"

"You're in the hospital wing," Ced answered the question for her.

"Why am I here?"

"What do you remember?" Vic asked her.

"Getting in bed after kissing Fred goodnight."

"Do you remember anything after that?" asked Cici.

"No, but I'm sore! I hurt all over!"

"I'll go get Madam Pomfrey," Ced announced.

"You were beaten and left for dead, in your bed, in your dorm room, in Slytherin," Cici told her.

Julia got a very confused look on her face. A look of why would anyone do that to me kind of look.

"Well, the good news is, that you'll be moving into our spare bedroom as soon as Madam Pomfrey releases you," Vic told her. "It's not safe for you to stay in the Slytherin dorms anymore. This just proves that."

"Who did this to me?"

"We were hoping that you could tell us," Fred answered the girl that he loved.

"What's today?"

"It's Valentine's Day."

"It is?"

"Yes, it's not very romantic, being in here. Us guys have something else planned for you girls, other than sitting around in here. But if we have to, then we'll move it in here!" Fred said upbeat and determined. He wasn't going to let them steal this from them also.

Madam Pomfrey came over and was very pleasantly surprised by what she saw, and what she heard. It was all a good sign that Miss Berkshire would be leaving soon. She pulled out her wand and ran a basic diagnostic spell, all of her vitals were back in the normal range. She changed to a more advanced diagnostic spell and scanned her head. All of the swelling was going away even as she watched, the areas that Hermione had healed were looking great. She developed a smile on her lips, it was amazing what these soul-bonded kids could do. She was glad that she had at least lived long enough to have known at least one couple, but to have actually lived long enough to have met the first threesome, filled her old heart with joy.

"Will she be able to have Valentine's dinner with us tonight?" asked a very hopeful Fred.

"If she continues to heal at this rate, then I think that it would be a good idea for her to spend Valentine's dinner with those that love her." She told the young couple with that smile on her lips.

Fred's smile stretched from ear-to-ear. Julia's would have also, if it didn't hurt so much.

"Now, why don't the lot of you take off so she can get some rest. Come back about 5:00 with some clothes for her and I will let her go with you." Then she looked at Vic and Cici, "If she has any relapses, bring her back to me as quickly as possible. But I'm releasing her under your supervision."

At that announcement, Julia lifted the sheet and blanket and looked. The blush on her face was all the others needed, to laugh a little at her embarrassment.

Fred gave her a real gentle kiss and told her, "I love you. And I'm glad that you're better."

"I love you too."

The eight of them returned to Gryffindor Tower to change out of their morning workout clothes and into clothes that were a lot less heavy. They met back in the married quarters where the house elves had fixed them a nice light lunch, even though they had missed breakfast and lunch. The guys had to fess up what they had planned for dinner, to keep the ravenous girls from eating their fill. The girls were used to eating what they wanted to replace the calories burned from their very competitive lifestyle. Between running every morning for thirty plus minutes, working out with weights, duelling, hand-to-hand combat training, aerial combat training, the girls easily burned as many calories as the guys, and maybe just a little bit more!

While they were sitting around the fireplace talking, Vic checked her watch to make sure that classes were still in session, "Lucy?"

"Yes, my Lady?" the elf said with a bow. Her Mistress had helped save the other girl's life.

"Could you please go and get all of Julia's belongings and bring them to the spare bedroom?"

"Yes, Mistress." And she was gone with a tiny pop.

"Let's move tonight's dinner to the chambers," Angel said. "That way we can add dancing to it after dinner."

"I like that!" Amber said.

"Me too," Rose added as she sat up straight in her chair.

"Okay." Said Cici.

The girls had made up their minds what they wanted to do on Valentine's Day.

"Go get your portkeys, and we'll meet you in the chambers!" Vic told them. She and Cici were disentangling themselves and slipping off of Ced's lap. They had a great idea and were going to act upon it.

As the others were leaving, Cici's portkey was already zooming into her hand, as the last person touched it the three of them were pulled in and then falling into the Chamber of Secrets. With a practised grace, the three of them landed in the chambers. They watched as the others joined them. The first order of business was to convert the sitting room into an elegant dining room. Vic and Amber worked to get the lighting just right, to match the décor that Cici and Rose created. Angel was busy conjuring a large round wooden table. As she stood there looking at it, she started adding wooden inlays of various species of wood to create a picture of hearts and different coloured roses. Having discovered an inner streak of creativity, she started conjuring the dining room chairs. In honour of her friends, on the back of each individual chair, she used the same technique to create nine unique pictures, representing the personality and traits of the individual to sit in that chair. Without thinking about it, she had also set the seating arrangement.

As their backs were turned to the table, placemats with gold lined, bone china place settings filled the table. Then lead crystal glasses with gold trimming was added, and finally, silver flatware with gold inlay was placed next to the dinnerware.

The guys, figuring out quickly where they were not needed, went out to where they would normally have dance practice to start transfiguring and conjuring decorations. Fred drifted off on his own and started working on the décor. George looked at what his cousin was thinking and started to create the correct lighting to match his cousin's thoughts. Ced watched as his two mates started working together to set the right tone for the evening. He looked down at the floor and he, himself felt inspired to create the most beautiful dancefloor he could imagine. His first thought was to start with a herringbone patterned parquet floor. Although it was pretty, it didn't express what he felt in his heart. He looked at it, and then he started creating nine different roses, he created the shading, the trim of the roses, and the base flower itself, all made from the many different species of wood. As he created the different roses, he added the stems and the leaves of the roses and laced them together. Knowing that they all weren't perfect, he added thorns to the roses, to represent their imperfections.

Time had gotten away from them, and soon it was time to go and collect Julia. Vic and Cici, chose just some running pants and shirt for her to come home in. They didn't see a need to go all out for the walk to Gryffindor Tower from the Hospital Wing.

They showed her, her new room. Lucy was kind enough to make the bed with Slytherin sheets and comforter. After about the fiftieth time of telling Fred that she would be okay and multiple kisses goodbye, Fred finally left the room and closed the door behind him so Julia could take her shower. After she peeled off the shirt, slipped off the pants, and stepped out of the shoes, Julia looked down at her body and saw the extent of the beating that she had taken that night. Everywhere she looked was covered in a fading bruise of one shade or another. Everywhere she ran her hand over her own skin, hurt.

There was a knock at her door. "I'm not dressed Fred!" she said loudly.

"It's not Fred! It's me, Cici."

"Just a moment!" she called back as she bent down to pick up her freshly discarded clothing.

"I just want to check you over. Make sure that everything is healing okay."

Holding the clothes to cover her modesty, Julia called out to her, "Okay."

Cici stepped through a crack in the door and closed it behind her. "How're you doing?" she asked her sympathetically.

"Fine, I'm still scared though."

"That's normal, you just went through a pretty traumatic event. Do you mind if I look you over?" she asked gently.

"No," and she tossed the two pieces of clothing onto the bed. "Everywhere I look at myself, I'm covered in bruises."

"Kind of reminds you of duelling or playing dragon tag over the holidays, doesn't it?" Cici said with a smirk.

"Kind of," she said with a small laugh. "Ow, that hurt!"

"Well, at least they didn't take your sense of humour away from you," Cici told her as she walked around the young girl. Everything seemed to be healing nicely. "How are you doing up here?" she asked her, tapping on her temple.

"I'm scared, I'm really scared that it will happen again!" and she burst out in tears. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before! Not even when they punished me!"

Cici pulled the sobbing girl into a hug, holding her there, rubbing her bare back. She called out mentally to Vic.

Vic slipped through a crack in the door and closed it behind her. She came up behind Julia, then she and Cici sandwich hugged Julia. With their minds opened to each other they were able to cover Julia in love.

"Do you want some help dealing with the fear?" Vic asked her.

Julia's head nodded between them.

"What I can do, is to help you put that fear into a compartment behind a door. At some point in the future, when you're stronger, you can open that door and deal with the fear. It's always going to be there, but this way, you can deal with the fear on your terms, not on its terms."

"Okay."

"I'm going to have to enter your mind to help you with this. Is that okay with you? I'm not going to go poking around in there looking for things. I'm there to help you put this fear in a closet."

"Okay." She said nervously. She had plenty of skeletons in plenty of closets, having been a play toy for an aggressive dyke for a few years. "I can feel you moving around inside of my head." She said softly.

Several minutes later Vic exited her mind. "How do you feel now?"

"A lot better. I know that the fear is locked away now and can't hurt me. I still hurt though!"

"We'll get you something for the pain before you go to bed tonight," Cici told her.

"Go to bed or go to sleep?" Vic teased.

Julia blushed.

"Bad joke Potter! Bad joke." Cici teased her back.

"It is Valentine's Day!" Vic told them in phoney shock.

The three of them shared a pleasant laugh. "But in all seriousness now. The same rules that were in Bones Tower apply here." Cici told their new guest.

"I understand." She told them seriously.

"Now, go get your shower!" Vic told her as she made a swing to slap her on the arse.

Julia dodged the swing and laughed as she headed for the shower.

The two bond-mates exited the room to confront Fred. About Julia's new living arrangements. "Like we just told Julia. The same rules that you had in Bones Tower, you have here. If we feel that you have violated those rules, we will ward the room, and you will not like us anymore." Then in a lot lighter tone of voice, "We're not going to betray your parent's trust. Speaking of parents, have you told your mum what's happened today?"

"No," a glum Fred told her.

"Here, come with me," Cici told him.

Fred followed her into the study where the communications mirror hung on the wall. Why was she showing him a full-length mirror?

Cici tapped the mirror to activate it. "Now, tell the mirror who you want to talk to, or just say Bones' Tower." She instructed him.

"Susan Bones." He said a little unsure of what was happening.

A moment later Susan's image appeared in the mirror. "Fred? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" the image sounded worried. Fred had never used the communications mirror at Hogwarts before.

"Everything's fine now, mum. It's just that they beat Julia up last night. They beat her really badly though. Cici, Vic, Hermione, and Madam Pomfrey, all worked on healing her. Professor McGonagall said that she can move into the spare bedroom in the married quarters." Fred rushed through everything.

"So, she's okay now?"

"Yes, she's bruised all over, and she says that she hurt's all over."

"Who did this to her?"

"She doesn't know. I think it was Candice Coldstone. But we don't know. I'm just glad that she's okay." Fred told her, the relief coming through in his voice.

"Okay, I'll try to visit you, well, here I'll just come now." She said as she called for Jasper her house elf. A moment later Lady Bones was standing in front of Cici and Fred.

"Mum."

"Aunt Susan!" Cici squealed. Just before they embraced in a hug.

"So, where's Julia?" she asked.

"She's in the spare bedroom taking a shower," Cici told her. As they started walking into the sitting room.

Susan walked on past to the spare bedroom door, it used to be Luna's room after all. She knocked on the door gently and waited for a response.

"Wait! I don't have any clothes on!" a frantic girl's voice yelled out.

While they waited the few moments, everybody and Susan talked about what they had planned for Valentine's Day dinner. A few moments later, Julia opened the door to the spare bedroom. She was barefoot, and her hair was falling down after she used the spell that she had learned when they had trashed her bed.

Susan and Julia went over what had happened to her, the more they talked, the angrier Susan became.

Ced came out of the kitchen with an apron wrapped around his waist, wiping his hands on it. "I told Professor McGonagall that I would ask Uncle Os if he would consider being the Slytherin Head of House."

"They don't even have a Head of House!" a shocked Susan exclaimed.

"No, Aunt Susan. When Professor Slughorn went to Azkaban, they decided that they didn't really want another Slytherin watching over the Slytherin House." Cici told her.

"I can see why!" she hugged both kids, "I'll talk to Os, don't you worry about it, if he doesn't do it then they will regret the day that I became their Head of House!" She looked at Cici and Vic. "Thank you for everything that you have done for Julia." Then she looked at Fred, her finger pointed at his nose, "If I find out that you've broken the rules when it comes to Julia!"

"Vic and Cici have already told us!" Fred whined. Julia snickered, she wasn't in a rush, to rush something that didn't need to be rushed. And she was setting the pace.

After Lady Bones had left, Vic and Cici escorted Julia back into her room. They spent the next several minutes teaching her some different grooming spells and having her test them out. It was a very well-groomed Julia that exited her bedroom several minutes later. She was wearing the blue dress, with red heels, that Cici had given Vic the first time that she had escorted Ced down to dinner. Vic had conjured a sapphire choker and long earrings to go with the dress.

Cici looked at Vic.

" _I'm not giving her my jewellery. Are you giving her yours?"_

" _No, I was just having flashbacks."_

" _Nostalgia? Aren't we a little young for nostalgia?"_

The two witches shared a private laugh.

It was after seven when they finally made it to Valentines' Day dinner in the chambers. It had been a long miserable day that had gotten better slowly, hour-by-hour. Julia was amazed at what all of them had done with the chambers, she loved the dancing area, and was amazed at the dining room. Angel guided each of her friends to their correct chair. Ced had broken down and asked the house elves to handle the serving of the food, which, being house-elves of the Potter family, they were more than eager to do. Ced and the guys had fixed steak and a variety of seafood for dinner, things like Rock Lobster tails, crab claws, shrimp, and scallops, with a simple garden salad as an appetiser. Dessert was also a simple affair, Ced had chosen to make trifle cups for dessert. The dancing after dinner was wonderful, Leo had slowed the tempo of the music down until it was just romantic songs. Ced, Cici, and Vic opted out of the romantic songs after just one dance each. They sat talking with Rose and Angel, as they watched George with Amber, and Fred with Julia.

Fred was holding on to Julia tightly, almost too tight to dance. As the song neared its end, Ced stood up and waited. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is late, and only getting later. We are going to head to bed." He announced at the end of the song. Fred kissed Julia for a long time, not wanting to separate from her for fear that somehow, she may get hurt again. George kissed Amber long and passionately. Angel told Rose to go ahead and head for the room, she would bring Amber with her. Ced and his wives waited for Fred and Julia to finish saying goodnight before Julia would go with them. Finally, the couples finished saying their goodnights, Amber disappeared with Angel, then George was gone. Fred and Julia separated, and she placed a finger on the portkey, and they were pulled in to land in the sitting room of the married quarters.

Cici summoned a pain relieving drought before Julia could ask for it, "Here, this will help you sleep better tonight, and we will see you early in the morning." She told her as she handed the vial to her.

They wished each other a good night and went their separate ways.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.05.2018**

 **And again 01.04.2019**


	34. Year Four Chapter 34

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 34

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The week after Valentine's Day found Vic sitting in potions class idly playing with Cici's hair, even though she was sitting at the table in front of her, for this class, Ced was the teacher's assistant. About every five minutes or so, Cici's hair would change hairstyles with a flick of Vic's finger.

After about thirty minutes, and half a dozen different and thought-provoking hairstyles, Professor Lively said, "Miss Potter, do you have to do that?"

" _Busted!"_ Ced thought to them.

Vic stopped and blinked, "I'm sorry Professor, I must've started daydreaming, and been doing it subconsciously." She lied. Then, "Is there any way that I could be your class assistant for the first years? Both classes?"

"Could I be your assistant for the second years, too?" Cici asked hopefully.

The young professor was taken aback by the sudden interest in being her assistant, potions were one of those classes that most of the students dreaded taking. "Talk to me after class." She told the two wonderful witches.

At the end of class, as the professor was checking the potions for correctness, she had stopped checking the cauldrons of Miss Potter and Miss Ramos, their potions were as good as hers and sometimes, maybe better. For Rose and Angel, who did the work under the guidance of one of them, it was an easy 'O'. "Okay, clean out your cauldrons, and I will see you, next class." She told them as she walked back to the front of the classroom. Ced was already cleaning the professor's cauldron at the front of the classroom.

Letting everybody leave before them, Vic and Cici approached the professor. "You said that you wanted us to talk to you after class," Vic told her.

"Yes, why this sudden interest in being my assistant?" asked the young professor.

"Well, we've been noticing how the other students just cut their ingredients just any ole way," Cici told her.

"And this leads to bad potions," Vic said.

"So, we figured, if we could teach the students from a young age how to cut their ingredients correctly," Cici told her.

"And, how to prepare their ingredients properly," Vic said.

"Then we could help teach them how to add the ingredients to their potions the right way," Cici said.

"We know that you don't even check our potions anymore. Rose and Angel are almost as good as we are because we've spent the time helping them. Ced worked with Fred and George, and now they're helping their girlfriends." Vic told the young professor.

"We figure that if we can get the students young enough, and teach them the right way, then they will teach the incoming students, and this will raise the level of education in the school."

"Professor Slughorn must have gotten bored teaching the same potions for all those years!"

"When he first started, he must have been enthusiastic about teaching! But teaching the same thing over and over and over must have led to complacency."

"And now here you are, young and fresh. Full of enthusiasm, but, I'm sorry to say, many of your students are abysmal at brewing a simple potion. And it's not your fault!"

"How many of your fifth-years could pass their O.W.L. in potions right now? And that test hasn't changed in over 400 years! They already know what's going to be on the test, and they still score a 'D' or a 'T.'"

"We just want to help, and the students that are ahead of us aren't going to be open to having two fourth years and what should be a third-year helping them," Vic said. "No matter how good we are."

"But the younger students would be more open to improving their skills. Skills that they can pass on, and skills that will help them and their children for the rest of their lives." Cici said pleadingly.

"I like the idea, but I'll have to ask Professor McGonagall. And what about your other classes?" Professor Lively asked.

"Our other professors will miss us because we're such a big help in their classes also. But we're not learning anything in any of our classes."

This revelation shocked the young professor. If they're not learning anything in their other classes, then what are they doing in them? "So, what do you do in your other classes?"

"Sit there and help our friends," Vic said. "Just like in your class."

On the following Monday, Vic's schedule was reworked to have her be the teacher's aide for both of the first-year's classes, and Cici was the teacher's aide for the second-year's classes. Even though Ced hadn't asked for it, he was the teacher's aide for the third-year's classes and his own fourth-year's classes.

.

"What's this kid thinking!" Vic said exasperatedly, late one afternoon as she was grading papers for professor Lively.

"I don't know, but I was wondering the same thing. Here, look." And Cici was thrusting a paper at Vic.

Then the two witches did a crunch as they sat with their legs across Ced, "Here look! Are they related?" and they put the two pieces of parchment side-by-side, so they could compare the handwriting and the names of the two students. Nope, they weren't related.

The three frustrated teacher's aides were walking into dinner, when they were joined by Rose and Angel, "What're we going to do for the Spring Fling dance?" asked Rose.

"Yeah, it's in three weeks. And we haven't even gotten any notices out for it." Angel reminded them.

"Or, talked to Professor McGonagall about a Hogsmeade weekend," Rose said. "And we," gesturing between her and Angel, "Need to go bra shopping again."

"Really? So soon?" asked Vic.

"It's been over a month!" Rose whispered to her as they sat at the table.

"Almost two!" Angel told them.

Ced sat both of his wives and received the customary kisses from them, this time he turned his head and kissed both of them on their lips. "I've been watching the Slytherins since the incident with Julia, and I haven't seen anything to indicate who could've done that to her. Nothing. Nothing at all." Then he looked at their group as a whole, "Do you think that it's possible that all of the dark Slytherins were in on it?"

"That's an awful lot of people to keep a secret, mate," George said to him. He and his cousin had redoubled their efforts in training so they felt they could better protect their girls if something were to happen again.

The four girls, for their part, had found a new focus in their training, to protect themselves. They had progressed from one-on-one training only, to two-on-one, and even three-on-one practice on occasion. The training had also taken on mixed-sex training, Wednesday's and Friday's they would have boys against girls sparing, either in duelling or in hand-to-hand combat practice. For the girl's part, they found that fighting the guys presented a larger, stronger, more challenging opponent, that thought different from the way they did. Saturday and Sunday mornings became devoted to knife fighting, just in case Richardson wanted to test them on it.

.

Cici and Vic put together an idea for decorating the Great Hall for the dance, they just needed to talk to Professor McGonagall about their plans, and when they could get a Hogsmeade weekend arranged before the dance, so the students that needed to could buy new clothes for the dance. With the clock ticking, the two girls found their chance to talk to Professor McGonagall the next morning at breakfast. Just as she was finishing her morning meal, they got up to go speak to her.

"Professor McGonagall, could we talk to you about the spring dance?" asked Cici.

"Yes, Miss Ramos?"

The two girls went over their ideas for the dance, and then they asked for the Hogsmeade weekend to happen the Saturday before the dance. Rose and Angel were watching what was happening like a couple of hawks. As the two girls were walking away from the old Scottish witch, they got big smiles on their faces, and they started to bounce and clap their hands quietly. Rose, Angel, Amber, and Julia all got excited as they watched them return to their seats.

"Well?" asked Rose.

The others were waiting impatiently.

"We got everything that we asked for!" Vic squealed excitedly.

The other girls joined in her squealing, and because nobody had refreshed the privacy charms, the other students heard the excitement too. This drew the unwanted stares from the dark Slytherins that Ced had been watching, one, two, three, four, five. Five unwanted stares, and oddly enough, they were all females. It wasn't Coldstone, but they looked to be her friends. Julia was facing the wrong direction to help Ced identify the girls, it would have been too obvious to have her turn around and name them all. But then again, maybe, just maybe, they needed to know that they were being watched.

"Julia," Ced started asking her, "Can you look at the girls that are looking at us and tell me who they are?"

Julia turned around in her seat, Fred turned in his chair also, to get a good look at whoever was checking them out, "There's Cathy Crabtree, Gabby "Grabby" Goyle, Karen Zabini, Louisha Lightfoot, Marsha McClumphy. Why?"

"When Cici and Vic came back over here and shared the good news about the dance, they were the only ones that didn't look happy about it."

She got a concerned look on her face, wondering if they could've been the ones to have attacked her in her sleep. She knew that she was getting better with duelling, she could lift almost as much weight as Rose or Angel, fighting one-on-one, she had a better than 50/50 chance of winning against Rose, Angel, or Amber. She had gotten cocky once with Cici, and Cici had put her on the ground in less than a minute. She could hold her own against two opponents in a timed fight. In a Wizard's duel, she was also respected, all she needed was a fair chance to defend herself, something that she wasn't given.

.

As the group left the Great Hall after dinner, Cici and Vic were hanging posters, almost as fast as they could conjure them, announcing the Spring Fling school dance and the Hogsmeade weekend, the weekend before the dance. The group took the long way to the Gryffindor common room so they could get as many posters hung as possible.

"How can you do that!" an exasperated Amber asked.

"Do what?" Cici asked her.

"Just conjure posters and stick them to the walls as if it were nothing! Most of the professors that I've known couldn't do it as fast as you two were doing it!"

After they had all entered the common room, Cici started to tell her, "Well, a lot of it depends on your ability to see it before you conjure it. Here like this." And she conjured a small marble statue of Ced holding Vic close to him, on the table they were standing near. "Now you try conjuring a statue of George or even myself."

Amber had her wand out, and she started to focus intently and then she managed to conjure a twisted image of someone. "Arh!" She let out a small scream of frustration.

Cici motioned for the group to follow her upstairs into the married quarters. As she entered the room, she rearranged it as she walked across the rug, now there was a table in the middle of the room, and the chairs had all been pushed to the sides of the room. Ced and Vic took a couch where they could watch what Cici was trying to teach. Vic was sitting across Ced's lap with a clear view of the table.

"Okay, let's try this, you can conjure a granite wall to defend yourself when we're duelling, correct?"

"Yes, but that's different!"

"How so? Conjure me a small granite block here on the table."

Amber did as she wished.

"Now, transfigure that block into something else, a bird."

Amber transfigured the block of granite into a hawk with its wings spread out ready to take flight.

"Nice hawk!" Cici praised her transfiguration skills.

"Thank you. But how does that help me conjure a poster?"

With a wave of Cici's hand, the hawk was replaced by a block of granite. "Remember I was telling you that a lot of it was in your imagination, being able to see it before you conjure it?"

"Yes."

"Same thing. Same thing as transfiguring that block of granite into a beautiful hawk."

"What?"

Cici waved her hand again, and the block of granite was gone. "Now, I want you to conjure the same hawk that you just made through transfiguration. You can conjure the block of granite, right?"

"Yes."

"You can transfigure it into a hawk, right?"

"Yes."

"Now, just do one of the steps in your head and conjure the hawk instead of the block of granite first."

Seeing the frustrated look on her face, Cici asked her, "Can you see the block of granite in your head?"

"Yes."

"Can you see the hawk in your head?"

"Yes."

"Okay, think about it for a second, now wave your wand and make it happen!"

Ced looked around, and he could see their other friends practising the lesson in their heads.

Amber waved her wand, and both the block of granite and the hawk appeared on the table in front of Cici.

"Well, you did twice as much work as you needed to, but you got the hawk on the table like I asked."

There was a little laughter, at the lefthanded compliment Cici had given her. Rose went next and managed to get a dove conjured on the table, then Angel tried, and she conjured a cat, and so on down the list of friends.

Vic slipped off of Ced's lap and stood up, "Okay who here cannot summon the bottle of shampoo to themselves in the shower?" Some hands went up. "Alright, who here can't dry themselves off after a shower magically?" Again, hands went up. "Now, which of you ladies, can't style your hair magically?" All of their hands went up.

Vic and Cici looked around, their work was cut out for them. The first thing Vic did was to teach them _accio_ , the summoning charm, she taught them _reditus_ to send the item back, and she had them practice the charms several times on their statues. Then she had them do it without their wands, then she got them to do it softly, then softer, and then softer, until they were doing it wordlessly, she did let them mover their lips, for now.

Ced got up off the couch, "Now, let's deal with drying yourselves off after a shower."

And Vic soaked them with her elemental magic. There was spitting and sputtering, as their friends stood there fully dressed and soaked to the bone.

"Like I was saying, the drying spell." and then Cici soaked him with _aguamenti,_ and it was their friends turn to laugh at him. "Now, for the drying spell." he taught them the spell, and the wand movement that went with the spell, had them practice saying it five times, then he dried himself off with a wave of his hand. "Now, you try it without your wands." When he got a bunch of shocked looks, he told them, "You just finished summoning your statues without a wand, why do you need a wand to dry yourself off?"

He saw a bunch of, 'Yeah, that's true,' looks on their faces.

Cici stood back up, "Practice on one leg first, then the other leg, and work your way up your body."

The group of friends were all making progress at different rates, but they all managed to finish about the same time. The three teacher's aides saw looks of satisfaction on their friends' faces as they succeeded at the task set before them.

As Ced sat back down, Vic crawled back into his lap. Cici looked at the girls, "Okay, now for the hair styling spell. Again, you have to see it in your mind, before you can make it happen. Let's start with a basic ponytail." She taught them the spell, the wand movement that should go with it, and had them practice five times. "Okay, now try it, see it, and then make it happen."

Amber was the first to tame her curls into a ponytail. A huge grin split her face as Cici gave her a hug of congratulations. "Now, make it a perky ponytail." She told Amber.

As each of the girls got the spell and tried different hairstyles with it, Vic looked at them and said, "Now, between these two spells that you've learned in the last couple of hours, how much time are you going to save in the mornings as you get ready? No more walking down the hall dripping wet because you forgot your towel and no one will loan you one. No more fighting with your hair trying to get it to do what you want it to do for an hour. And if you want one hairstyle in the morning and another after lunch, well, with a flick of your wrist." And Vic's hairstyle changed in front of them. "You've got to love magic!"

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The bonus Hogsmeade weekend was a smashing hit with the students. The mood in the castle had grown more and more excited as the weekend approached. Rose and Angel could hardly wait to go buy their new bras. There was also talk of getting a mani-pedi, maybe on Sunday when it wouldn't be as busy. But to just be out of the castle walls was almost freedom in itself. The group, being early risers, were the first ones out of the castle gate on the road to Hogsmeade. They had the town to themselves as they walked down the city street watching the shop owners open their stores for business.

"Hey! Let's go and get some books while we wait!" Angel said enthusiastically.

As Ced made to follow her into the bookstore, Vic and Cici both grabbed an arm and held him back. "If you want a book, you tell one of us, and we will go in and get it for you," Cici told him.

"All you ever do, when you go into a bookstore is get in trouble!" Vic told him. "The last time, we almost got arrested!" she told him, humour filling her voice.

The others in the group looked at him and laughed. They had been there when the girl had started to hit on Ced. They had also been there when the girl had tried to kill Cici too.

Ced got a big exaggerated frown on his face, his bottom lip stuck out as far as he could make it, "You don't ever let me have any fun!" he pouted, as he crossed his arms and sat down on the bench outside of the store.

"Oh, poor baby!" Cici mocked him. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" she cooed, as she bent over at the waist, giving him a full view of her womanly goods.

Ced's expression went from an overacting pout to one of exuberance in a flash as his eyes got big, and a huge devilish grin came across his face.

"Besides that!" Vic teased him.

They all burst out laughing as Rose, Angel, and Julia went into the bookstore. The rest of them sat outside and talked about the upcoming dance. The girls talked about what kind of dress or dresses they wanted to buy. As they talked, they decided that they wanted to get some makeup for the dance, some colours that they didn't have for eyeshadow. It was still cool in Hogsmeade, at the end of March, and the weather change could bring unexpected rain showers in the afternoons. As such, all of them were wearing their travelling cloaks to protect them from the coolness and the possible rain shower. Just as they were getting bored of waiting, their friends came out of the store and were ready to keep moving on. The street was starting to fill up, with other early risers from the school, as Rose shrank her package, and put it in the pocket of her cloak. It was a mutual consensus that they would buy their makeup after they had selected their dresses, so they could get colours that would work together. The group of friends moved on down the street to visit Glad Rags, their favourite clothing store.

"Good morning!" They were greeted enthusiastically by the same salesgirl as always. "Hey! I think that your mum and her husband were in here just after Christmas!" she said to Cici, energetically.

"Really?" Cici said. "I thought that they were going to Diagon Alley." She said almost to herself.

"Yes! Now I see where you get your good looks from!" she complemented Cici. "They seemed really happy that we were able to tailor her clothes for her while she continued to shop. I gave her a really nice discount, just because of you."

"Thank you for that, and thank you for helping her out. It's your excellent customer service that makes you stand out in your field." Cici complimented her back.

As they were talking, the salesgirl had led them over to the dresses that she had ordered for the Spring Fling dance at the school. This group of girls was the first in the store and would have the best selection of dresses. Vic had found a variety of floral print dresses that she was looking over. Cici had seen a design that she liked a lot. It was a Bird of Paradise print, but instead of being the same small print over and over, it was just a couple of very large prints with only two or three on the whole dress. She selected a long maxi dress with a dark blue background, a short spaghetti strap dress, and then another maxi dress with a halter-top style of top. Vic selected two maxi dresses and a spaghetti strap dress also. While Cici was leaning towards dark blues for her dresses, Vic was leaning towards yellows for hers. Amber had gone with oranges, Julia was going with red, Rose was going with white, and Angel had chosen lavender. All of the girls were headed to the changing rooms as a large group of girls from school were just coming in the door. Vic and Cici chose one changing room while the other girls all got separate rooms. Fred was dutifully sitting outside of Julia's room, George was sitting outside of Amber's room, and Ced was waiting on his wives. George liked what he saw when Amber opened the door for him, Fred was all smiles with Julia, and Ced was still waiting. Rose came out, and Ced told her she looked fabulous, which put a smile on her face, then Angel opened her door for Ced, and he said to her that she looked terrific, which put a smile on her face. And still no Cici or Vic. Finally, as the other girls had already packed up their regular clothes, Cici opened the door wearing a yellow floral print maxi dress with a halter top, and Vic was wearing a spaghetti strap sundress in dark blue. Ced smiled at his wives and told both of them they looked beautiful. All of the girls cut the tags off of their new dresses and took them to the counter to pay. Six girls, eighteen dresses, 25% discount, as more girls came into the store to buy more dresses for the Spring Fling dance.

"We made it just in time!" Angel said as they left between two groups of girls entering the store.

As they were walking to the beauty salon, they noticed that the chairs were empty, they had beaten the rush to the beauty salon also.

"Would the six of us be able to get a mani-pedi, today?" Cici asked the lead nail technician.

"Please! Come in! Do you know what colour polish you want?" the nail tech asked her.

"Well, I think that we're going to want to go with something that matches with our dresses. We also need to get eyeliner." Cici told her.

"Okay! Well, why don't you girls take a seat and we can get started."

Rose leaned to whisper in Vic's ear. "We forgot to get our bras!"

"You're going braless, now right?" she whispered back to her.

Rose nodded, "Yes."

"Then, can it wait until tomorrow? Or do you want to go and fight a crowd of people?"

"It can wait until tomorrow; the twins are happy to be free right now. That bra that I was wearing sucked."

"Oh! Those are some pretty dresses! You're probably one of the few redheads that can pull off wearing red, young lady! Are these for the school dance?"

All of the girls either nodded or said yes; Julia told her thank you for the compliment.

"So, the dance is on Thursday night?"

"Yes, and then we catch the train home on Friday morning," Ced told the lady.

The three guys sat in the waiting area and started looking through different women's magazines, both muggle and magical. There were articles like: How to Cheat and not get Caught, The Lovely Loo and You, Is it Love or Lust and What to do in each Situation, 21 Steps to a Better Relationship Tomorrow. It was three very confused guys that the girls collected after they had paid.

"You didn't actually read those, did you?" Angel asked as she studied the guys.

"No wonder their divorce rate is so high!" Ced said.

"The divorce rate would be higher in the magical world if people wouldn't lose their magic for getting a divorce," Rose told him.

"Why can't people be honest with each other? Why do they have to lie to make it better?" George asked.

"And when they do lie? Did it make it better?" Amber answered his question, with her own question, intended to make him think. She wanted a relationship built on honesty, not one built on lies and half-truths.

" _I am so glad that we don't keep secrets!"_

"No," he said as he pulled her into him and gave her a kiss. "I don't want a relationship built on lies." He told her, as he held her tight.

The nine of them pulled on their cloaks, cast a water repelling charm on themselves, it had started drizzling outside, thanked the nail techs, and headed out into the light rain. They checked their surroundings and saw another group walking to the beauty salon, and then they headed for the Three Broomsticks for a long lunch and light conversation over some butterbeers.

.

Thursday evening's, dinner was cut short at seven o'clock to give the nine teens time to get the hall ready for the Spring Fling dance. Cici and Vic gave general ideas of what they wanted to be done where and sent their friends off to accomplish their tasks however they saw fit. Ced conjured a massive mirrored ball and suspended it from the ceiling of the Great Hall, he then charmed it to spin at a nice slow speed to add some sparkle to the dance. All of the tables were moved to the sides of the hall to hold the punch bowls and the snack trays. Four of the girls were conjuring flowers up the sides of the hall. The colours were changed to be bright, cheerful spring colours. The fragrance of flowers filled the air. The big surprise was going to be that they had brought in a real DJ for the music. An hour later, a lot of conjuring of flowers and other things, more than a little transfiguration, a few colour changing charms, and the hall was ready for the students to have some fun, before heading home for a couple of weeks.

After greeting the students, receiving several compliments on the hall, the girls hurried upstairs to change. The guys stayed in the hall and made sure everything was going to plan, everyone was having fun socialising and dancing. Once the girls returned, the guys went to change also. As they were leaving, they saw a lot of the Slytherins coming to join in the fun.

" _You have several Slytherins coming to the dance."_ Ced thought to his wives.

Vic and Cici watched as the Slytherins entered the hall and broke up into twos and threes, going to different parts of the hall to stop and talk. They soon lost interest in following their movements.

The three guys returned to the hall and found their girls. The DJ stepped up to his equipment and started the dance with a waltz, The Blue Danube, all three couples began the Spring Fling dance, waltzing effortlessly, in the middle of the song, Ced, Fred, and George changed partners with the three girls standing on the sides of the dancefloor waiting. Each of the guys was now dancing with their sister. At the end of the waltz, as the three couples were bowing to their partners, the dark Slytherins made their move.

Candice Coldstone and Cathy Crabtree both shot cutting spells at Ced and Vic. Ced's robes absorbed the spell, but Vic went down in a lot of pain. She quickly put up her mental shields to keep her mates from being incapacitated by the agony that she was in.

Fred and Rose both went down when the cutting spells hit them across their backs. Ced looked in time to see Karen Zabini and John Johnson putting their wands away so they could avoid attention.

George and Angel were hit hard when the cutting spells from Louisha Lightfoot and another Slytherin that he didn't know hexed them.

Looking to the sides of the dance floor, Cici, Amber, and Julia were all laying on the ground bleeding. He looked up to see the attackers heading for the doors to the hall before they could get caught. He saw Cici move, and then he _teleportused_ to the entrance of the Great Hall to confront their attackers. His wand was out, and he was moving as fast as he could think. Crabtree went down, then, Lightfoot, he jumped across the hall, and stunned Coldstone, then back across the hall as the attackers were starting to push their way through the students. McClumphy was next, and then it was Zabini's turn as she tried to defend herself. Two Slytherins that he recognised but didn't know their names, shared the same fate as all of the rest. He looked around and saw Goyle and two others shoving students out of their way, knocking them to the ground, as they tried to get to the doors. Ced was moving faster than the professors, and he stunned the two following Goyle, but her, he petrified, watching as she fell face first, smashing her nose against the stone floor of the Great Hall. He turned and looked towards his fallen wives. Vic still wasn't moving, and he couldn't see Cici. He thought and was standing next to Vic. He knelt down and healed the gash across her back. He picked her up and rolled her into his arms. Then he carried her to their bonded. He lay her back down and healed the slash across Cici's back. He moved Cici next to her wife, so they were touching, then he cast a warming charm on the floor so they wouldn't get cold. He walked over to Amber and healed her bloodied back too. Madam Pomfrey was treating his friends on the dancefloor, so Ced walked over to Julia and treated the gaping wound across her back. He moved Amber and Julia closer to Cici and Vic, to the area that he had cast a warming charm on. He then walked over to Madam Pomfrey as she was finishing healing George and was about to cast a _rennervate_ on him and give him a blood replenishing potion. When she had finished, she looked up at Ced.

"I don't have any blood replenishing potions on me." He told her.

She stood up and walked with him to were the girls that he had healed lay next to each other. "That's okay." She told him as she rennervated all of the girls and pulled out four more blood replenishing potions. "You did just fine in healing them and keeping them warm."

As each of the girls woke up and sat up. She checked each of their backs to find the wounds fading away without signs of a scar forming. "You did an excellent job of healing them. There shouldn't be any scarring on any of them," she complimented his skills. He had done a truly remarkable job of healing.

As they were kneeling there, Fred, Rose, George, and Angel walked over to them. The music had stopped, and the crowd was full of nervous energy, Vic and Cici both got to their feet, and they were followed by Amber and Julia.

"I don't want the dance to end this way," Cici said solemnly.

"We can't let the bad guys ruin our night." Amber agreed with her.

"Madam Pomfrey, do you have any Vitamix potions in your medical bag?" Vic asked her.

"I think I might have enough for all of you." She said with a smile for the kids. Good for them! She thought, don't let the bastards get you down! As she handed out the Vitamix potions.

The girls formed a ring and repaired the dress in front of them. Ced fixed George's and Fred's shirts also. When they were all finished, it looked like the attack hadn't even taken place.

The three couples returned to the dancefloor as the professors levitated their attackers away. They looked at the DJ waiting for the next song to start. The DJ chose to up the tempo of the party and started playing modern songs for the kids to dance to. For the next few hours, the students at Hogwarts had a great time with very little conversation about what had happened at the start of the dance. As the clock in the foyer struck midnight, the last of the students were making their way to their respective common rooms. An army of house elves appeared in the Great Hall and began the cleanup process, even before the teens could get turned around.

An ancient house-elf stood before Ced and the group. He bowed deeply and told them, "Thank you for standing up against the evil that tries to plague our school. Please, go to bed now, and we will finish cleaning up. It is an honour to serve you," he finished.

"On behalf of my friends and me, we thank you for your service and your kindness," Ced told the house elf with a bow.

As the group of friends walked through the halls on their way to the Gryffindor common room, they took turns banishing the Spring Fling posters that had been put up, it almost became a competition to see who could do it with the most flair. It was a jovial group that stepped through the portrait hole and into an interrogation chamber.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LETTING THAT SNAKE INTO OUR HOUSE!" yelled Johnstone, a seventh-year.

Fred moved Julia behind him, protecting her with his body.

"That snake has a name, and her name is Julia Berkshire. We believe that the same people responsible for the attack on me and my friends are the same ones that almost beat her to death. She is under MY protection," Ced explained coolly.

"Why'd they attack you?" another voice called out from the sides.

"They attacked us because we are on the side of Light," Ced replied.

"Who are 'they'?"

"We don't know who 'they' are or why 'they' chose to attack us."

"How did you protect yourself? I saw you get hit, but the curse didn't have any effect on you."

"I used a spell that my father taught me." We'll leave that one right there, Ced thought. Family magic.

"What'd you do to them, to make them want to do this?" a familiar voice said from the back of the room.

Cici's head came up and focused on that voice. Vic's head came around at the emotions coming off of her wife. She followed her side-by-side until they were standing in front of Smythe. "I thought they expelled you," she told him coyly.

The rest of the people in the common room backed away, giving them space to fight if it came to that. So far, Smythe had been beaten twice, once by Cici and once by Ced. Was he going to go for a third time?

"I'm just asking what you did to them to make them want to attack you like that."

"If you paid attention, it was a sneak attack. Just like what they did to Julia when they attacked her in her sleep. The only thing that we could have done to them is that we saved her life. That is all." Ced answered his question.

Smythe snorted.

"Do you want us to send her back so they can finish the job? Is that what you want? Where's your sense of honour to do what's right, even when everybody else is taking the easy way? Where's your Gryffindor courage to stand up against injustice?"

With another snort, the crowd in the common room started to break up and go to their respective dorms.

"Let's sleep in tomorrow." With a look at his watch. "Wait, it is tomorrow, let's sleep in today," Ced said tiredly.

With goodnights all-around, kisses where needed, they headed for their beds.

.

Spring break had started, and Harry had the obstacle course ready for use. The variety of obstacles included a rope climb to a bridge, a 20m cargo net climb, monkey bars with increasing distance between the bars, a wooden wall to scale, combat crawl, rope swing, a repelling tower, and multi-height balancing bridge that started off at 1 metre, and progressed up to 5 metres. All of this would end with a 10K run back to the starting point. After Harry picked up the kids at the train station, he took them home to show them the new obstacle course. The teens were looking forward to running it in the morning.

The next morning, everybody showed up for the morning workout. As they exited the mansion, they could see the obstacle course and the different obstacles that they would have to do as they ran past it. This served to heighten their expectations and started the trash talking between Fred and George.

"You both are going to be so embarrassed when Rose and I kick your arses on it!" Angel told the boys.

"The only thing that you kick is the cat!" George shot back at her.

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face Angel with a death glare. The cat was one of Crookshanks and Katrina's kittens.

"I don't kick the cat! I swear to you that I have never kicked that cat!" Angel told Hermione with a shaky voice. She glared at her brother for saying such a thing.

With the passing of Crookshanks and Hedwig, both of them well over twenty years of age, it was a touchy subject for her. Hermione turned back around and started running again. At the end of the run, she led the group over to the starting point of the obstacle course, the repelling tower/cargo net climb.

Harry took over from here. "This is the rappelling tower, you will start at the top and rappel down the front of the tower. Let's go to the top, and I will have Ced demonstrate how to do it." He led off climbing the cargo net to the top of the 20m tower. At the top, he helped Ced get into a rappelling harness, with a pair of gloves on, clipped in correctly, Ced went over the side of the tower. "There are different ways to get down the front of the tower, you control your speed by how tight you grip the rope. The easiest way is to just walk down the face of the tower backwards. Cici here will demonstrate another way to jump down the face of the tower." He helped Cici get into a harness, she dawned her gloves and clipped on to the rope. She went over the side backwards, and then she kicked off as her friends watched her jump down the front of the tower in three short jumps. "Now, another way is to go down facing the ground, the Aussie rappel." Harry helped Vic into her harness, he handed her a pair of gloves, and she clipped on to the rope. Vic went over the edge of the tower face first and ran down the front of the tower much to the amazement of her friends.

Each one of the threesome held a rope for their friends. Harry and Hermione helped them into their harnesses and helped them clip onto the rope. With a pair of gloves, each newbie was coached as they went over the side of the tower. For some of them, their feet slipped off the face of the tower, for others, they didn't hold on tight enough, and the safety rope saved them. Either way, the six of them made it to the bottom in one piece and moved on to the next obstacle, the rope swing.

The threesome ran at the rope swing and glided across the pit full of muddy water. They turned to encourage their mates. Two of whom didn't have a good enough grip on the rope and fell into the muddy water. Ced and Vic helped them out of the pit and onto the next obstacle they went. The combat crawl. The trio taught their friends how to crawl on their bellies using their elbows and legs to slither under the barbed wire above them. On the monkey bars, the group learned to swing their weight to get to the next bar, the rope climb, up to a rope bridge, the balancing bridge was challenging to most of them, and then they came to the wooden wall to scale, the team building exercise. The three strongest would have to help the three weakest members of their team. Ced demonstrated how to climb the wall, he then turned around at the top and held his hand out to Vic to help her climb the wall as part of the demonstration exercise.

"The obstacle course is not complete until all members of your team have finished the course!" Harry yelled out to the kids, sounding like a Drill Sergeant.

Fred, George, and Angel all attacked the wall, fighting their way to the top, once there they turned around and held out their hands to the other members of the team. Then Julia, Amber, and Rose attacked the wall, grabbing the pro-offered hand to help them get to the top of the obstacle, then they all dropped to the ground on the other side of the obstacle.

"Good job everybody! Now the only thing left is the 10K run back to the starting point!" Harry told the group of kids as he took off at a nice slow jog.

There was a lot of moaning and groaning as they took off to follow him down the path back to the starting point of the confidence course. Once back at the starting point, it had taken almost three hours to demonstrate the obstacle course. They discussed the different parts of the course, and how to succeed at them as they walked to their showers.

Hermione paid close attention to the interaction of Amber/George and Fred/Julia. She was worried about how fast the relationships might be moving. She was aware of each girl's history and was looking for things moving faster than maybe they should. She watched to see if the girls could be trying to move the relationship along for acceptance reasons, believing that they're damaged goods, or the guys pushing the girls because the girls had already done it with somebody else, even though it had been against the girls' free will. What she saw now, and what she had seen on the confidence course, was the same thing, teamwork between the couples. She personally would have had Julia go to Angel at the wall, because Julia is the lightest of them. But the girlfriends went to their boyfriends, and Rose went to Angel, it all worked out for the good.

Before they headed up the stairs to their showers, Hermione wanted to inspect their hands. She knew that for the most part, the kids used magic for everything and that their hands would have little to no callouses to protect them. Sure enough, she found blisters on all of their hands. As she checked them, she would heal their hands and then let them head off to take a shower.

After breakfast, Harry went over rappelling technique and then after lunch, they went back out to practice. Ced went over the edge with Fred who wouldn't lean far enough back and kept having his feet slip off the wall. Then Cici went over the edge with Julia who didn't keep a tight enough grip on the rope and was saved again by the safety line. Vic went over the edge with Angel who had watched the previous two, she worked to keep good form, but her lack of experience came back to bite her when her feet slipped off the wall. Ced went over the side with George who had been watching the mistakes of the others and did a great job until his feet slipped off the wall. Cici and Rose were next, and then it was Vic and Amber. Harry didn't let the builders of the tower put in any stairs, to get to the top, you had to climb the cargo net each time. Each kid did the exercise seven times, some of them needed all seven times, and others got the hang of it after three or four tries.

Hermione inspected and healed their hands again, before letting them head upstairs to the showers, and then home for dinner. She wasn't going to have any angry parents come to talk to her about what the kids were doing.

The big discussion the next morning was how early everyone had gone to sleep.

Julia told them, "After we got home and ate dinner, I went upstairs and changed into my night clothes, and I was asleep before 7:30!"

"Yeah, she was! I didn't even get a goodnight kiss!" Fred complained good-naturedly. "I think that I was asleep maybe ten minutes after her!"

"Well, at least I got a kiss!" George teased him. "But I fell asleep in my clothes!"

"Yeah, he did!" Amber teased her boyfriend.

"I know that I was asleep before eight," Rose told them.

"Me too!" said Angel.

Hermione led them on a shortened morning run, more intended to get their muscles warmed up than for the endurance aspects of it. She ended the run at the base of the tower.

"Okay! All of you know how to strap on the harness. You all know how to hook up the safety rope! All of you know that the safety rope works! You've tested it! And all of you succeeded at this event yesterday. Ced, Cici, and Vic will hold the ropes for you, Hermione and I will inspect your harnesses once you have them on. I'll blow the whistle when we're ready for you to begin. Remember, safety first, you have to learn to do each obstacle first before you can build your speed." Once Harry had finished talking to them he and Hermione climbed the cargo net easily. Once they reached the top, Harry blew the whistle, and the six teens started climbing the cargo net.

Julia, Amber, and Angel reached the top first, they helped their team members over the edge and then they got into their harnesses. With the safety ropes clipped on, over the edge they went, just like they practised it so many times yesterday.

"You know, I'm pretty sure that all of the other students from school are still in bed," Julia commented on the way down the face of the tower.

"But look how much fun they're missing!" Angel replied to her sarcasm.

"This time last year I would have been watching cartoons," Amber said.

"What's a cartoon?" Julia asked.

"We'll get Ced to show you some cartoons," Angel told her. It was one of those things that were easier to show somebody than to try and explain it.

As the three girls stripped off their harnesses at the bottom, Amber looked at Ced, "You guys have a TV set?"

"No, we have a muggle entertainment wing that my dad is very protective of." He told her as she took off for the next obstacle.

"Hey! Are we watching cartoons today?" George asked about halfway down the face of the tower.

"We'll have to ask my dad when we're finished," Ced told him.

The last three stripped off their harnesses and Ced looked up just in time to see his parents coming down the face of the tower Aussie style. He dropped the ropes and took off to supervise his friends as they were moving a lot faster through the obstacles than yesterday. After Harry and Hemione stripped off their harnesses, Harry waved his hand, and all of the harnesses flew back to the top of the tower and hung themselves correctly. He and Hermione took off at a run to help encourage the kids on the different obstacles.

This time, when Fred, George, and Angel hit the wall, they scaled it faster. Their teammates were able to jump a little higher, and everyone got over it a little quicker. The run back to the starting point was also faster. Hermione checked and healed everybody's hands again, and noticed the small calluses starting to form. She watched as the two couples held hands on the way to their showers.

"My Lord," Charles started to address Harry, "there is a note for you from Auror Tonks waiting for you in your personal study."

"Thank you, Charles."

"Hey, dad?" Ced called to his father.

"Yes?"

"Would it be possible to watch some cartoons in the entertainment wing after breakfast? Some of the others have never seen a cartoon."

"Sure, that'll be fine, but we need to work on their rappelling after lunch though, they need to learn the other styles of rappelling."

"Okay, I'll see you at breakfast. Thanks!"

.

It was during their shower that the happy threesome had to get control over their desires quickly. Otherwise, they would've missed breakfast entirely. It started innocently enough, Vic and Cici were washing Ced first this time, when the kissing started to get too hot and too passionate too quickly. When the girls realised what was happening, it was too far gone for Ced, and they helped him with the release of his desire. They supported him after he hit his release and until he was able to stand on his own again safely. They quickly calmed things down in the shower so they wouldn't miss breakfast entirely.

After breakfast, Harry led the lot of them down the hallway to the entertainment wing of the mansion. "Now! There is no magic allowed in here, at all!" Harry said sternly. "Everything in here is brand new! Again." Harry told them.

Ced looked at his father.

"Neville had a bout of accidental magic a couple of weeks ago," Harry explained to Ced.

"So, we've selected four different cartoons for you to watch; Tom and Jerry, The Road Runner, Bugs Bunny, and The Jetsons," Ced told his group of friends. Cici and Amber were both familiar with all of the cartoons that he had mentioned, the others just had a blank look on their faces.

With everybody comfortable in their places, Harry dimmed the lights and pressed play for the first cartoon. Everybody snickered and laughed as they watched the mouse and the cat on the screen. Then they watched the graphic violence that was The Road Runner as the coyote always got hurt by his own schemes, and Acme products, as he tried to catch the roadrunner, beep-beep! Then they watched as the bald-headed little man with the funny voice, tried to catch the rabbit that was always outsmarting him. Then they watched in awe at the future of the muggle race, with video phones, cars that could fly and then fold up into a briefcase. Rosie the robot, and poor George Jetson who had to work so hard with his feet up on the top of his desk. As the credits played out on the screen, Harry raised the lights, and all of the couples separated to stand up and stretch, this included Hermione.

"Okay, after lunch, we need to go back out to the confidence course and practice some more rappelling," Harry told the lot of them.

He pulled Ced, Vic, and Cici aside to speak with them more privately. "Tonks wants to know if she can come by after lunch and speak with the three of you," Harry told them softly.

"Sure!" Cici said for them.

"Good, I told her that it would be okay for her to come by."

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.08.2018**

 **And again 01.04.2019**


	35. Year Four Chapter 35

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 35

.

.

As the six friends/cousins were practising rappelling. Assistant Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Auror Tonks was digging through stacks of files trying to connect the dots so she wouldn't have to do what she was about to do. Everything led nowhere, and everything pointed to just one thing. They needed help, of the kind they didn't have, they had tried using glamour's on their youngest recruits, but that had failed. So now, she had just one choice, and she hated having just one choice. She didn't really just have one choice, it's that the other choice wasn't a choice at all.

She stood up and pushed the chair back with the backs of her legs so she could walk around her desk, looking at the files on her desk, her hair changed colour for the hundredth time. She closed her office door as she left her office, she turned around and looked over the squad bay, at the empty cubicles, the team of Aurors was the best that the DMLE had ever had. They were highly motivated, and the best trained in twenty years. She walked to the apparition point in the office, next to the holding cells, between two guards. As she entered the area, she acknowledged the two guards and was gone with little to no sound.

"How does she do that?"

"She said that she had to learn or die."

"Wow! I'm glad that things aren't that way anymore."

"Me too. I've been trying, but my mum says that I'm just as loud now as I was when I first learned."

"Mine too."

"Then she starts talking about the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, and how she saw them one time, and then she just goes on and on and on."

"Yeah, I think that a lot of that Death Eater stuff is just made up to scare little kids at night."

.

As Tonks walked to the front doors of the enormous white mansion, they opened automatically for her, and she was greeted by Charles.

"Good afternoon Tonks, you are expected." The Head House-Elf greeted her.

"Good afternoon Charles."

"Please follow me to the sitting room." He told her as he started to lead the way. She had been there hundreds if not thousands of times, but etiquette required that she follow the ancient elf. After she was seated, a tray with snacks and a glass of water was on the end table next to her, the elf was gone. He only made as much noise as needed to announce his arrival or his departure.

Outside, the impeccably dressed elf appeared with a pop between Lord and Lady Gryffindor at the top of the rappelling tower.

"My Lord, Auror Tonks has arrived and is in the sitting room," Charles told him with a bow.

"Thank you, Charles, we'll be in shortly," Harry told him, and Charles was gone to take care of his other duties.

"Ced, Cici, Vic! Tonks is here!" Harry called down to the bottom of the tower. "Come on! Last three let's go!" Harry encouraged the final three to go over the edge.

With three short hops, the last of the teens were on the ground and had cleared the area. Harry and Hermione clipped on, and over the edge, they went. With one long hop they glided to the last metre of the tower, then they walked to the ground, with a wave of her hand, all of the harnesses were back where they belonged.

Once they were inside the mansion, Harry led them to the training room. As Hermione checked the teenager's hands for blisters, Harry started to lead the threesome to the sitting room. When Hermione had finished checking the teen's hands, she joined her family in the sitting room.

"Good afternoon Tonks." She said as she claimed her spot.

"Good afternoon," Tonks told her. "We were just getting started, and I was asking the kids if they knew legilimency." She looked between the kids and their parents. Was this such a good idea? What choice did she have? Then she focused on the teens, they were good kids! "The reason that I'm here is to ask for your help. Now, before you say 'Yes.' Let me tell you what's going on. For the last couple of years, there have been some kids, girls, that have disappeared. They have all been young girls, your age or younger, a couple that has been older."

"How many?" Vic asked her.

"We don't know for sure. We believe that there are close to a hundred young girls that have been taken. We really don't know how many have just run away and how many have been taken. All of the girls are runaways that have been reported by their parents, but we don't know how many haven't been reported by their parents."

"A hundred girls? Are they all dead?" Vic asked again in amazement.

"We don't know. What we do know, is that all of them had turned to prostitution to support themselves."

"And how do you know that?" Ced asked.

"Because we've talked to the different businesses that cater to that kind of thing."

"Why haven't you shut down these businesses?" Cici asked.

"Because it's the lesser of the two evils." Seeing the questioning look on their faces. "Life isn't always black and white. Unfortunately, there's a lot of grey area." Seeing that they didn't really like her answer, "Think of this, a guy goes to a bar, and a woman starts to flirt with him, things are said, things are implied, but when it comes time to fulfil those things that were implied, the woman backs out and leaves. Now you have a guy that is wanting relief, and he has two choices; A; he can go and attack the woman and take what he wants forcefully, or B; he can go and pay for another woman to help him. Most of the guys will choose option 'B,' because if they're caught, it only has a fine. Were as option 'A,' means that they will spend time in Azkaban."

Cici and Ced could hear Vic's thoughts, that her mother was 'Option B.'

"Where do these underage girls come into this?" Hermione asked.

"The underage girls get hooked up with one of these houses, brothels, for food and a place to sleep. Most of these girls don't sell their bodies willingly, at first, they are coerced into being prostitutes. If they do it on their own, on the street, then they have no protection. Evil doesn't change you all at once, it's done slowly, one step at a time."

"Why are you telling us all of this?" Harry asked.

"We need your help." The last part she looked at the two young girls sitting across their husband's lap.

"Okay, what do you want us to do?" Vic asked.

"This person likes underaged girls or girls that look young."

"So why don't you use a glamour on an Auror?" Ced asked.

"We've tried that, this guy can see through a glamour. Even our youngest looking Aurors was too old for this guy to take the bait. He was in the room with her, and then he excused himself to go to the loo and never came back."

"What's happened to the other girls?" Cici asked.

"We don't know. We don't know if they're dead or if he's holding them captive. The last girl disappeared two weeks ago. If he follows his pattern, another girl will disappear this week. That's why I'm here, I'm asking you girls to be the bait." There, she said it.

Ced knew that this was coming, but he still stiffened at the thought of his wives being put into this much danger. Vic and Cici looked at him, and they started having a long conversation. The others in the room could see the different emotions playing out on their faces. Ced pulled his wives in tight against him, then they shared a three-way kiss.

"Okay, we'll help you, but only if Ced is one of our bodyguards," Cici told her.

"You'll have a team of Werewolves watching hidden cameras!" Tonks told them with mixed emotions.

"I'd feel better if Uasal and Car-baun were there, but I guess that's not going to happen." Ced made a small joke. He wasn't happy, but his wives felt that they needed to help the other young girls, not just the Aurors.

"If we can start on this Tuesday, then we can start teaching you what you need to know, and help you with your wardrobe and makeup, you will also need to learn the lingo."

"Where do you want us to meet you? And when?" Cici asked.

"Tuesday at 2:00 in the D.M.L.E. I'll have a couple of the other girls that have done this type of work before help you with what you need to know and how to dress."

"Now, they're not actually going to be having sex with these guys, are they?" asked a nervous Ced.

"NO! No, no, what they will do, is invite the guy into their room, get his paid chit, and when they're sure that this isn't the one, they will stun him, modify his memory with a happy memory, wake him up and send him out the door."

"How will they know the right guy?" Ced asked.

"The other girl said that you can just feel the evil coming off of him when he's in the room alone with you. Him, you will stun and call for help."

"Are we doing this for free? As a volunteer, or are we going to get paid as a contractor? Like the other work that we've done." Vic asked.

"King has authorised me to pay you two, 10,000 galleons each, for the week, and you get to keep whatever you earn."

.

Tuesday afternoon rolled around, their friends had gotten a lot faster on the confidence course, they were now running it in less than an hour, and after lunch, they bid them all farewell as they got ready to go to the D.M.L.E. Silently they appeared at the apparition point between the two guards, startling them badly. With a nod of his head, Harry led the group to Tonks' office.

He knocked three times and then opened the door. "Busy?" he asked.

She nodded her head and pointed to the conference room.

Harry led them to the conference room, to wait.

Several minutes later, Tonks and a young looking Auror walked into the room. "This is Karri, she's the last one to be near the suspect, and she will be the one to help you with your clothing and makeup. I need to go take care of something." Tonks told them in a rush.

"Hi! I'm Karri, and you are?" she said brightly, bubbly, looking at Cici and Vic.

"I'm Cecilia."

"I'm Vicky." The girls answered more formally than usual.

"Well, I work vice a lot." She sounded real bubbly. "They say that it's because of my looks. The johns seem to like my looks, but whatever it is, I catch a lot of them." A bubbly little laugh. "Now we need to work on your costume, I call it a costume because it's not how I dress in my private life. Just like you dress up for a costume party, well, I dress up for work as a decoy prostitute."

Vic and Cici looked at her, she was so cheerful, upbeat, and bubbly, it was almost sickening. "Okay." They said together.

"The other thing that you will have to learn quickly is the street slang, the way the girls talk on the street. If you can't learn that fast enough, then the johns will pick you out as an Auror." She gave them a demonstration of the street lingo that they would have to learn to pass as an underage sex worker. She made them repeat it back to her a couple of times.

"Now, we need to take you over and teach you what to wear and how to do your makeup."

"Auror Tonks said that we would be working inside of a house of prostitution," Vic told her.

"Okay, it's called a brothel, then we need to get you some negligées, and heels to wear," Karri told the girls.

The three of them finished up a few hours later. Tonks walked in and checked on them. "Do you want to try your hand at this tonight?" she asked them.

"Sure, when and where?" Cici asked.

Tonks dismissed Karri so they would have some privacy before she gave them the address and the apparition point.

"A team of werewolves are setting up as we speak. The Madam that runs the house is being co-operative and will send any john that is looking for underage girls to you two. She said that she would set the price after she meets both of you. Come dressed and ready for work, I'll see you at 9:00 and we work until 3:00."

"Okay." They said together, their eyebrows furrowing in confusion. They weren't sure that they liked the idea of a price being set for them. Is this how Julia feels? They had a bad taste in their mouths.

They followed Harry to the apparition point, and they side-a-longed with Harry and Hermione back to the mansion. After dinner, the three of them headed upstairs for a nap before getting ready for work.

At 8:55 the three of them walked out of the apparition point and into the house of ill repute. The girls were wearing their costumes, heels, and travelling cloaks. Once inside they followed the sound of Tonks' voice to find her.

"Great! You're here. Let's go meet the madam, so she knows who you two are." She took off for the front of the business. Talking to them as she walked. "Cici your name is going to be Candy, and Vic, your name is going to be Dulce. Do not give them your real name!" She stopped in front of an old witch, that had a lot of wrinkles. "Madam Francis, these are the two that I have been telling you about. This is Candy, and this is Dulce."

The old witch looked at them, it almost felt like she was trying to look inside of them, to see what they were made of. When she smiled, the girls were surprised to see a full set of teeth. She sucked on her teeth for a moment, then she told them, pointing at Candy, "Well, I am sure that I can get 500 galleons for you." Then she looked at Dulce, "Yup, I can get 500 galleons for you too. And I could get 1,500 galleons for the pair of you if you're interested." She told them. "Now, when a trick comes in looking for something that you've got, he'll pay me. After he pays me, then I'll give him a chit with your number on it. You, you're going to be in room seven tonight." She told Cici. "And you missy, you'll be in room eleven." She told Dulce. "Now, if some high roller wants the two of you, then I'll tell him to take this chit," she held up a red chit, "To Larry at the end of the hallway on your floor. Larry will come and get the two of you as soon as you're available." She told the girls. "Now go, there's work to be done. The last customer is at 2:30 so we can be out of here by 3:00."

"The girls don't sleep here?" Dulce asked.

"Not unless they have to. Now, the shower is at the end of the hall by Larry. I expect you to freshen up after each john. I don't want my customers complaining about sloppy seconds! Do you hear me! Now leave!" the old witch snapped at them.

Up in Candy's room, Tonks pointed out the hidden cameras so the girls would feel more secure. She reminded them that they were not expected to have sex with the guys, just stun the john and implant a happy memory of their time with them.

"Dulce, you have your first customer," Tonks told her.

Dulce walked down to her room, to greet her first trick. She collected the pay chit, found out that he just wanted some head. She had him sit on the edge of the bed facing the door. She walked over and put the chit on her dresser, as she walked back to the man, she rubbed his back and stunned him. She undid his pants, and left them open, planted the false memory, then she started to shake him.

"Hey, mister! You need to go now! Larry's going to get really upset that you've been in here too long!" she rennervated him, as she shook the trick.

It went like this for the rest of the week and into the following week, with each of the girls getting between four and six customers a night. The late hours were starting to wear on the teens a lot, even though they would get a nap before showing up at the whore house.

It was Wednesday night, late, when Cici was standing in her doorway waiting for her next trick. This had become monotonous, and she talked to the other girls to cut the boredom. It was a big guy with a real gentle face and easy-going demeanour. She led him into her room when she felt something hit her across the back of her head. She landed face first, laid out across the foot of her bed.

Blackness.

Then she felt the man hit her hard in her ribs and she felt them crack, her chest hurt.

Blackness.

She woke up again when she felt her face hurting worse than it had ever hurt in any training accident.

Blackness.

She woke up again as she felt her other set of ribs hurting and she was having a hard time breathing, there was bubbling with each breath, and she could taste blood in her mouth.

Blackness.

She came to again and felt one of her kidneys burst with the blow he hit her with.

Blackness.

Her other kidney exploded in pain.

Blackness.

Then she felt the other side of her face get crushed from the powerful, repeated, blows, and she couldn't see clearly, all she knew, was that she hurt worse than she had ever hurt in her life.

"Ced," she thought, and then blackness again.

They had narrowed down their mental link, just barely keeping it open, more like background thoughts than what they would typically have. This let the girls focus on each client to see what they could pick up from them. It also kept Ced from going mad at all of the guys' comments. Most of their customers were just perverts that liked underage girls, borderline paedophiles. Still, they were going to pay for their crimes, underage is underage.

Ced and the werewolf were having a conversation about Quidditch, and the different teams, they had taken their eyes off of the wizarding security system that was watching the two girls. Ced glanced down, and he saw that Vic was doing okay and went back to their conversation. He glanced down again, and he saw Cici lead a client into her room, and they started to discuss some of the older teams, back when Victor Krum was a seeker and not an owner. He checked on Vic again and saw that she was rennervating her customer. The girls were enjoying the easy money they were getting. And they had felt almost guilty compared to the other girls in the house that actually had to go through with the sexual acts with their clients. Some of the girls they learned had a steady clientele of customers. Sometimes they would talk about the ones that had really strange fetishes, the freaks. Ced checked on Cici and saw her laid out across the foot of the bed and the man had his pants around his knees.

In a panic, Ced shifted to his wife and saw her bloodied body laying across the bed. He kicked the john in the ribs as hard as he could in anger, he felt the john's ribs collapse under his foot as the man fell sideways. Ced was on top of him beating his face with both fists as hard and as fast as he could, his rage driving him on.

"Don't kill him." He heard just above a whisper.

Ced stopped, did he actually hear that?

"Don't kill him." He heard again, he could hear the bubbles in her voice, she would drown in her own blood.

"Don't kill him, we need to know where the other girls are." She said to him.

The john lay on the floor beaten unconscious, bloodied, and bruised. Ced got off the top of him and moved quickly to the bed. His once beautiful wife lay almost naked there, twisted and contorted, bloodied and bruised. Her face was unrecognisable as a face, one eye layout of its broken socket. Most of her clothes had been ripped off of her body, showing all of the cuts and growing bruises from the blows that he had hit her with, her clothes lay there absorbing her blood, along with the blanket and sheets on the bed. Ced as gently as he could, rolled her into his arms. He scooped her up and held her tight against him as he apparated to Saint Mungo's Hospital.

He appeared in the emergency waiting room, and as soon as the other patients saw her, they started to scream. Ced looked around to get his bearings before he headed down a hall looking for an empty room to start healing his wife. The nurse followed him yelling something about forms and procedures. Rushing down the hall, he chose the first empty room he came across. The bed raised up and laid flat at his thought. He lay her down as gently as he could, then he began healing her.

"Leo, Maco, Lucy!" he called out desperately, his voice shaking with fear.

The three pops sounded like one.

Before the elves could greet him, "Lucy, go get my mum! Maco, go get Vic's mum, Leo, go get my dad!"

Three pops later they were all gone on their missions.

Ced focused on the emergency lifesaving problems first. The attacker had crushed her ribs, and they were preventing her heart from beating correctly, robbing her body of the needed oxygen.

" _VIC!"_ he screamed in desperate thought.

Vic's head snapped up upon hearing that scream. She planted the false memory in the trick that she had in her room and left him stunned. She closed her eyes for just a second and shifted to her bond-mates. She looked around and saw Cici laid out on a hospital bed, and Ced was healing her to the best of his abilities.

A couple of minutes after Lucy had left, she returned with Hermione in hospital scrubs. Hermione assessed Cici's condition quickly.

"I've released the pressure that her broken ribs were putting on her heart," Ced told his mum.

"Okay, that has helped her," Hermione said as she cast a basic diagnostic spell, everything was in the red.

"Heal her ribs Ced. Vic, as he heals her ribs heal her lungs so she can start breathing correctly, and then drain them, so she doesn't drown in her own blood. Her heart is returning to normal." Hermione told them as she started healing her head, she had to stop the swelling of her brain before that cause other more severe problems.

There was a pop that nobody heard, but they heard the gasp from Angelica as she saw her once beautiful daughter, bloodied, battered, and bruised, laid out naked on the bed.

"Start healing her kidneys, let's see if we can get them working again," Hermione told her.

Angelica's wand was out, and she started working fervently.

The last pop came as Leo brought Harry to the room.

"I need your magic if we're going to save her," Hermione told her soul-mate. "I was pulled out of an eight-hour surgery, and I'm exhausted!"

Harry walked behind the woman that he loved more than anything in this world and opened himself up to her to start the flow of magic. He could feel how drained she was, her other surgery must have been complicated to have drained her this badly.

Hermione could feel the flow of magic and strength into her, and she focused on Cici's head. She was getting the swelling under control, using her free hand to keep the high-level diagnostic up, as the kids were healing her ribs and lungs.

The three elves all stood in a corner watching and waiting, going into an almost silent meditative chant.

Angelica had finally finished healing her daughter's ruptured kidneys. She ran a basic diagnostic spell over her again. The kidneys showed to be recovering well and moving into the yellow. She changed spells to a much more advanced spell and ran it over her reproductive system. All of that was in the green, and she learned that her daughter was still a virgin after being married for over a year to one of the hottest guys that Angelica had ever seen, a small happy thought warmed her emotions.

The hospital room door burst open as Healer Nolan Ryan came charging into the room, "What's going on in here!" he demanded in a loud authoritative voice.

With a wave of his hand, Harry shoved the obnoxious healer back out the door and locked the door. He could look through the window until they were finished with his daughter-in-law.

When the two spouses had finished healing her ribs and her lungs, Hermione told them, "You two need to start transferring your magic to her. It'll give her strength."

Ced moved to the opposite side of the bed and reached across their spouse, he took one of Vic's hands in his, and he took Cici's hand in his free hand, Vic had done the same thing. They stood there and opened themselves up to their soul-mate. Cici's mind was closed off, but not entirely, they could feel her, but she was a long way away.

Angelica ran another basic diagnostic spell over her daughter and found that her lungs and heart were both in the yellow and climbing now.

Hermione had switched to rebuilding Cici's face, "Maco, go to the room that Cici was working in and find her missing tooth." Hermione told the faithful house elf, without looking. And Maco was gone on another mission.

Hermione had finished returning her eye to its rightful place, then she finished rebuilding the eye socket. She paused for a moment.

" _What is it, Mione?"_

" _He didn't break her nose."_

She began healing the other less damaged eye. Angelica moved to her daughter's head. When Ced had prepared the bed, he had moved it to the centre of the room so they could walk all the way around the bed in either direction. Angelica cast a high-level diagnostic spell to check on Cici's mind. She found that the swelling had started to go down, and her cognitive abilities were increasing.

With a crack, Maco had returned with the missing tooth. She held it out in her open hand.

With a flick of her wand, Hermione returned the tooth to its correct place and went back to repairing the damaged eye socket.

It was well after breakfast when Hermione had finished healing and checking on her daughter-in-law. She closed the curtain on the window of the door and collapsed into her husband's arms.

Ced quickly conjured a large bed for his parents and provided a curtain for some privacy. Vic transfigured Cici's bed into a large comfortable bed for the three of them.

"Angelica," Harry called to her. "don't let anybody but yourself into this room until we are all out of here," he told her. "You can come in and check on us, but don't use any spells or try to touch us," he warned her.

"Okay." She told him as he pulled the curtain around Hermione and himself.

Angelica heard the unmistakable sounds of clothes hitting the floor, then she heard them get into bed. She went to check on her daughter and found the three of them snuggled together, and a golden dark green glow was swirling, taking over their bodies. She pulled the curtain around them so that they couldn't be seen from outside of the doorway. She checked on Harry and Hermione and found a golden blue glow had enveloped and was swirling around them. She looked at Hermione again, she noticed that she had the body of a twenty-one-year-old woman, and Harry had the body of a twenty-five-year-old man.

Angelica looked around the room and saw the three house elves still standing in the corner of the room chanting almost silently. She knew that there wasn't anything she could do now, it was all up to the patients. She opened the door and found several people waiting outside the room.

Tonks was the first one to rush to her, the guilt of what had happened was tearing her apart, "How is she doing?" she asked apprehensively.

"Everybody has done all that they can for her, now it's up to her," Angelica told the blue-haired witch.

She looked up, and down the hallway, it was full of people that loved them. Angelica moved towards Sirius.

"How're they doing?" he asked the same question as all of the others would do.

"They're doing fine, Cici is recovering," Angelica told him.

"And Harry and Hermione?"

"They're sleeping now. Hermione was near exhaustion and Harry was able to give her his magic." She told him just above a whisper.

"What's the meaning of all of this! Why are all of these people sitting around in the hallway? And I want to know what was going on in that room!" Healer Ryan was trying to throw his weight around.

He started for the door and had it open before Angelica could stop him. She ran in after him and tried to keep him from opening the curtains on the two beds. He yanked the curtain on Ced and his wives and stood there with his mouth hanging open.

"This is not a frat house!" he yelled as he reached for the teens. As soon as his hand touched the golden green glow swirling around the kids, the glow hardened and threw him back across the room, slamming him and his head, into the wall, opposite the bed.

Angelica closed the curtain to hide the teens from view. Sirius, Os, and the other Heads of the Ancient Houses entered the room.

"Harry would make him swear an Oath of Loyalty," Sirius said.

"Is the idiot still alive?" Os asked.

Angelica knelt down and ran a simple diagnostic spell on him. "Yes, but he'll be out for a while. Harry told me not to let anyone in this room until they had left. He tried to barge in on us as we were healing Cici."

Os levitated Healer Ryan as Sirius went to find a nurse to take him away. They all left the room, but the three house elves still standing in the corner chanting softly. With the door closed, there was nothing to do but wait. Every hour, Angelica would go and check on the soul-bonded family. Eventually, Harry and Hermione's glow had changed from blue to a purple colour. She studied it intently, and she could see that it was the blue that had started, but now there was a red swirl that made it look purple. The glow that surrounded Cici and her mates was slowly changing to a teal colour, as more blue swirls were added to the green swirl. Angelica started taking notes of what she was seeing. She felt that nobody in recent history had the privilege of seeing what she was seeing.

Eventually, Tonks had assigned two Aurors to stand guard over the door with strict instructions that the only person that was to enter the room was Angelica. Angelica was grateful for the help to keep prying eyes out of where they were not wanted.

It was late that first night and Angelica was exhausted, she didn't know how to get to the Potter Mansion. Would it be okay if one of the house elves took her? She decided that she would go and ask one of them for some help.

"Excuse me," she started hesitantly, "Could one of you help me get to the Potter Mansion? I'm exhausted, and I need to get some sleep." She explained herself to them.

"Yes, mam," Maco told her. "I will help you get home and to bed."

"Thank you very much, Maco."

Maco held out her hand and then they were gone silently.

In the foyer of the house, Charles greeted them. As soon as Angelica let go of Maco's hand, Maco was gone again.

"The mansion is on lockdown until the Lord and Lady of the House return." He explained to her.

"So how can I get back to check on everyone?" Angelica asked in a more high-pitched voice than she had intended, the stress of the situation was getting to her.

"All you have to do is to ask Maco to help you," Charles explained to her kindly. "Only blood relatives are allowed in the mansion at this time. No others." He told her sternly. "The anti-intrusion wards are on maximum."

"Thank you, Charles. I'm going to go to bed now. Harry and Hermione are doing well, Ced and his wives," That still sounded so strange to her. "Are doing well also." She told the old elf.

"Thank you, mam." He told her.

She headed up the stairs and to her room. The mansion seemed so large without everybody here, so large and so empty.

After breakfast the next morning, Angelica asked Maco to take her to the hospital, "Can you take me straight to the room?" she asked her.

"Yes, mam," Maco told her. Then she held out her tiny little hand to her.

With a small little pop, they were standing in the hospital room. Angelica walked over to check on the kids, the glow had turned to a more turquoise colour, but the kids had not moved at all. She pulled the curtain closed around them and then she checked on Harry and Hermione, the glow surrounding them had changed to a magenta colour and continued to change to a red colour throughout the rest of the day and into the night. Late that night, she asked Maco to please take her to the mansion so she could go to bed.

It was after dinner, two days after they had cocooned themselves in the healing glow of the bond that Harry and Hermione woke up startling Angelica. Angelica heard a noise coming from their bed, and she rushed over, yanking the curtain open to find Harry and Hermione standing there in their undergarments.

"Hey! A little privacy please!" Harry said loudly, louder than he had intended.

"Sorry!" she said as she flung the curtain closed as she turned her back on them, embarrassed.

"What day is it?" Harry asked.

"It's late Friday night almost Saturday morning. I was just about to go to the mansion for the night." She told him.

"How are you getting there?" he asked.

"Maco helps me. Charles says that the mansion is on lockdown until you get home."

"Okay, that would be standard procedure. They probably disconnected the house from the floo network also, to help keep intruders out." He told her.

Hermione pulled the curtain back. "How are the kids doing?" she asked gently.

"The glow that is surrounding them went from dark green to a more aqua colour now."

"Really? The glow changes colour?"

"Yes, didn't you know that?"

"No, generally I'm on the inside of the glow with my eyes closed." She told her.

"Well, I made notes if you want to read them."

"I would like that." She said as she pulled the curtain open on their kids. The three of them were covered up to their shoulders with the blanket. The golden aqua glow was swirling around them. As Hermione looked, she could see that there was a green glow and a blue glow, swirling together to give the colour that they saw.

"Did anybody come in while we were sleeping?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Healer Ryan. He barged in while I was talking to Sirius. He pulled open the curtain on the kids, and when he tried to grab the kids, the glow hardened and threw him across the room knocking him out."

"That man does not want to listen," Harry said harshly under his breath. "Is there anybody else here?"

"I don't know, I haven't looked out in the hall for over an hour now. I think that they're waiting for someone to tell them something before they return." She said to him.

"Well, let's go home. I'm hungry." Hermione said.

"Maco, Lucy, could you please take us home," Harry asked the elves in the corner of the room. "Leo, do you want to stay or go home for the night. You are welcome to come back in the morning." He told his son's elf.

"Thank you, my Lord, but I would like to stay," Leo replied.

"Okay, goodnight Leo," Harry told him.

Two pops later, they were standing in the foyer of the Potter Mansion being greeted by Charles.

"Welcome home Lord and Lady Gryffindor." Charles and the other house elves greeted with a low bow.

"Thank you, Charles, thank you all," Harry told the elves. As the other elves disappeared, Harry asked Charles, "Would it be possible to get something to eat? We're both hungry."

"Yes, my Lord." The old elf told him with a bow.

By the time they got to the small dining room, three place settings were there with a light dinner prepared for them.

.

It was Saturday afternoon when the threesome came out of their cocoon. Ced left a note that they were going to their beach house. When he was finished with the letter, he scooped Cici into his arms and called for their elves., which were still standing in the corner of the room chanting softly.

.

With the three of them touching the portkey, they were sucked into the portkey network. Then they were falling out of the sky to the apparition point of the beach house. As they walked down the walkway of the beach house, the sun was much lower in the evening sky, casting a red glow in the predusk clouds. The doors of their beach home opened for them, the sconces, chandeliers, and the candelabras all sprung forth in light as they walked through the house. Vic dressed them magically as they headed for the small dining room. As they entered the dining room, Ced knelt down so Cici could stand up before he could seat her at the dining table. She rewarded him with a kiss, and he turned to seat Vic. As he sat down, she rewarded him with a kiss also. A few moments later, dinner was served.

After dinner, they went for a walk on the beach in the warm night air. Being this much closer to the equator, the weather was a lot warmer than it was in England this time of year. As they walked in the warm, humid air, filled with the scent of the saltwater, Cici wanted to know again what had happened to her, and then what had happened to her assailant.

"I don't know what happened to him. Everything that he did to you, he did so quickly and so viciously, within a couple of minutes. After I shifted to you, I was beating him to death in my rage, and you told me not to kill him. You told me not to kill him so they could learn where the other girls were." Ced told her. "Once I stopped hitting him, I scooped you up and apparated to Saint Mungo's. My mum, your mum, Vic and myself worked on healing you, and then we were in the cocoon of the bond. I don't even know what day it is!" Ced told her the last part with a little chuckle.

He was holding one of her hands, and Vic was holding the other. They walked past the cove that they liked to swim in, and they kept walking along the beach slowly, taking in the stars in the partly cloudy sky, looking at the different constellations, looking at how the moonlight was reflected off the waves in the sea. They walked farther than they had ever walked along the beach at one time. They came to a rocky cliff that they walked to the top of, as they looked around, they could see the lights of the small towns on the mainland of Greece. When they turned around, they could see the lights of the ships out at sea, and they could see the lights of their home off in the distance. Ced pulled his wives in tight against him, then he used _teleportus_ to appear on the roof of their home. They walked down the stairs on the outside of the house, then they walked around the corner of the house and up the stairs to the deck behind their bedroom. They rinsed their feet off before they stepped inside. As they entered their room, the magical clothing they had been wearing vanished as they got in bed for the night. As the three of them took their regular sleeping positions, Ced kissed both of his wives' goodnight, they opened their minds to each other entirely as they drifted off to sleep. A golden red glow of love engulfed them as they slept.

It was much later than normal when Ced's eyes opened, he still wasn't sure what day it was, but he could tell from the sunlight that it was later than he would usually wake.

"Mi Amor, Mon Amour, I need to get up!" he told them urgently.

The two women rolled off of him so he could get out of bed before it was too late. Once he was clear, they scooted next to each other and snuggled tightly. After he had finished using the loo, Ced noticed that the two women were still snuggled tightly together. He went about his morning routine of getting ready to go run by himself, even after he had tied his trainers they were still clutching each other. He left them there to comfort one another as he went out for his morning run. After his run, he checked on his wives, and they were still clutched together. He went downstairs to workout with the weight sets for another half an hour. After he had finished working out with the weights, he could hear the sounds of two women talking brightly, filling the emptiness that had been their home the night before. Those sounds brought a smile to his lips as he walked hurriedly to them. He took Cici into a huge hug lifting her off her feet, crushing his lips onto hers, then he felt her pushing away from him, he put her down in confusion.

"Still a little too early for that!" seeing his confusion still, "I'm still really sore, babe!"

"I'm so sorry!" he said in embarrassment. "I just got so excited when I heard the two of you!" he pulled Vic into a bone-crushing hug, he was just so excited that everything seemed to be okay. He kissed Vic passionately. He had the two greatest wives in the whole world!

"So, what's a girl got to do to get breakfast around here?" Cici asked in a silly voice.

"Well, I guess the first thing would be to get dressed!" Ced teased her.

"Well, judging from the smell, I would say that none of us has had a shower in days!" she shot back to him.

The three of them headed for the oversized shower, Ced stripped off his clothes as they walked. With a flick of her wrist, Cici started the shower warming up.

"And judging by the amount of hair on my body, I would say that it's been about four days!" Vic exclaimed.

As the bonded threesome took a long, long shower, the girls crested their peaks multiple times, their ability to share their thought, emotions, and their feelings helped the women reach their climaxes quickly and sometimes together. Then with both of them working together, the two women helped their husband to reach his peak also.

After their late breakfast, the three of them were laying out behind their home, on their beach, on their island, when Maco appeared next to them.

"My Lord, my Ladies. You have visitors." She told them.

It was three very confused teens that looked up at the elf.

"Miss Bones and Miss Weasley are here to see you." She told them.

The three teens got to their feet. Cici looked down at her and her wife's bare breasts, she waved her hand and covered Vic with a Union Jack string bikini, she covered herself with a Stars and Stripes string bikini. Then she looked over at her husband and down at the large bulge in his bikini bottoms, with a wave of her hand she transfigured his swimsuit into a pair of baggy Bermuda shorts. Holding out her hands, Vic took one and Ced took the other, then they walked inside to greet their friends.

With heartfelt enthusiasm, they greeted their friends. Cici protected herself from getting hurt too much from the enthusiastic hugs.

"I'm still really, really sore." She told them.

"What happened? The Aurors wouldn't let us see you!" Rose told her.

"Aurors?" Cici asked.

"Yes! They had two Aurors guarding the door to your hospital room until you disappeared."

"That really scared everybody, when you three disappeared," Angel told them.

"But I left a note for ours' and Cici's parents so they wouldn't get worried. How did you find us?" Ced asked.

"Your mum gave us this portkey," Rose said as she showed them the portkey.

"How long are you going to stay?" asked Vic. She was excited that they were there.

"Wait, what day is it?" asked Cici.

The two girls looked at them, confused. "You don't know what day it is?" asked Angel.

"No, we lost track of time while we were in the hospital," Vic told her.

"It's Sunday. We're supposed to go back to school tomorrow." Rose said.

"Want to play hooky for a week or two?" asked Cici, a smirk on her face.

If it was going to make Cici happy, then Ced and Vic were all for it. They could teach the girls whatever lessons that they would miss, so they wouldn't fall behind in class.

"And we have our parent's permission to do so!" Angel told them.

"Are we going to stand here all day? Or are you going to show us around this gorgeous house of yours?" Rose asked with some cheek.

"Did you bring your swimsuits?" Cici asked them.

"Yes, we did! And all of our other stuff too. It's all in our trunks." Angel replied to her, patting the pocket of her robes.

"Okay, for the grand tour," Vic started, "The dining room is that way, your bedrooms are that way, and the most important thing is that the beach is that way!" she told them pointing in the different directions.

"Let's go get you changed into something a lot more comfortable," Cici told them as she turned to go up the marble staircase.

On the third floor, they let the girls chose whichever room they wanted, and then they left so they could get changed into their swimwear. The two girls came back down the stairs in their bikinis and bare feet.

"You're going to want to wear some water socks." Ced told his two cousins, "There's a lot of rock and coral in different parts of the beach."

"Plus, in the water, there are sea urchins that have lots of sharp little spines on them," Cici told them. "Don't worry about it now, it's just that when we go for a walk, you'll want them."

So, with their towels in hand, they headed for the beach.

"OH! I forgot! Let's go get you some sunblock potion, so you don't get burned while you stay with us." Vic told her pail friends.

The group made a detour to the potions lab to get a couple of vials of sunblock potion. The two girls downed the potion and placed the empty vials on the counter.

"Hey, it's been a year already since you two have been taking the other potion." Cici looked at the girls inquisitively.

"Yes, and like you said, the only downside to that potion is having to buy bras, lots of bras! I thought my mum was going barking mad at how many bras I had to buy." Angel told her.

"Why didn't you ever talk to Julia and Amber about the potion, again?" Rose asked.

"I just didn't see a need to mention it to them again. Besides, if everyone that hung out with us started to develop like you two, can you imagine the line of girls that would want to be our friend?" Cici told her candidly. "Besides that, you two asked me not to."

Their two friends laughed brightly at the thought. They knew that it was true though. They laid their towels out on the sandy beach and laid down on top of them. The weather was co-operating with them today, it was warm but not hot, a slight breeze kept them cool, and the sun was out in a partly cloudy sky. They lay there, turning over every now and again. Adjusting their straps to avoid getting a tan line. Finally, laying on their tummies, Rose and Angel reached behind them and untied the strings holding their tops to them. A while later, nobody was really keeping track of time, they all decide to go inside for some lunch.

As they entered the dining room, Ced replaced the small table and three chairs with a larger table with five chairs. He chose to go with a round table again, liking that he had his wives on either side of him. As his wives kissed him, the clock in the foyer struck 2:00. Well, that would be just about right, late workout, late breakfast, and now, a late lunch.

After a light lunch, of sandwiches and crisps, the threesome took the other two and showed them around the house. As they were sitting in the living room talking, Ced excused himself to start preparing dinner for the group. He was going to fix the same Greek meal that he had prepared before. He would get a little more adventuresome in the future, but for tonight, it was going to be a tried and true favourite of his wives.

He fixed the meal, but he let the elves serve it to them, it just made things a little easier.

"This is fabulous!" Rose told him with her mouth full. She finished swallowing her food. "I'm glad that Charles isn't here!" she laughed a little, she'd gotten her knuckles smacked by his stick before too.

Angel swallowed her bite of food before she spoke. "It is good, it's really good Ced, you did a wonderful job."

"Thank you, ladies, for the compliments. I'm glad that you like it."

"I don't see how Vic and Cici aren't fat from eating all of this," Angel said.

"Me neither!" Rose added.

With enough compliments going through dinner to make Ced permanently blushed, they finished eating. After dinner, Cici conjured some water socks for their friends, and they went out for a walk along the beach towards their favourite cove.

"And you just wear these into the water?" Rose asked.

"Yup, and they dry quickly too," Cici told her.

"So how did you manage to get a tan without any tan lines? All we did all morning was to keep adjusting everything." Angel asked her.

"Do you really want to know?" she asked them.

Vic and Ced just looked to the sky, like they had just seen something fascinating.

"YES!" the two of them chorused.

"Like this." She said, and the next thing Vic knew was that her bikini top was gone and her bikini bottom was much smaller.

She heard their gasp and assumed incorrectly that it was because of her, but when she looked back down, they were staring at how dark Cici really was, all-over.

"Oh, my Godric!" Rose exclaimed. "You walk around naked?"

"I'm not naked, I just have a micro bikini bottom on, and the other thing is, we're the only people on the island." She defended herself.

Ced and Vic laughed quietly, they knew that this was coming when their cousins asked the question. Interestingly enough, Ced still had his Bermuda shorts on.

" _I can fix that."_ He heard in his head.

" _No, that's okay for now."_ He thought back to her.

" _Chicken."_

" _Yes."_

The group started walking again, in awkward silence. The two newcomers looking around at the island. After a while they came to the cove, Vic taught them the bubble head charm so they could go swimming underwater for short periods of time. The new girls were in awe at the beauty of the underwater life. They watched as starfish crawled across the floor of the cove, the colourful fish swimming in and around the rocky coral bottom. A small school of fish swam by darting this way and that. The group of teenagers watched the sunset as they walked slowly back to the beach house, a warming spell cast upon themselves. They got to see that point in time when the sun stretched from the sky, across the water, and to their feet. They watched as the clouds in the sky changed from white to yellow, and then to orange, and finally to a dark red before going into the different shades of blue, then finally into darkness, as the first stars appeared in the sky.

As the kids returned to the beach house, they rinsed off at the outdoor shower. They dried themselves off using magic, as they entered into the beach house, Vic and Cici were magically covered in a beachwear tunic. They went to sit in the living room of the house. Ced asked Leo for some butterbeers as they sat there talking some more. Once the beers were finished, they all headed to their rooms for the night.

The next morning, Ced's eyes opened right on time, Cici and Vic let him out of bed before they snuggled together. As Ced exited the water closet he was greeted with a kiss from Cici as she waited her turn, he went to brush his teeth and was greeted with a kiss from Vic who was just finishing brushing her teeth. As the two women changed places, they exchanged their kisses. Everything was back to normal in Ced's little world. The five of them let Cici set the pace for their morning run. She led the group in the opposite direction of the way they went the evening before. They covered a good amount of ground as they ran along the hard sand of the beach. She turned and led them down a path back to the beach house. Inside the training room, Rose and Angel were duelling against Cici when they disarmed her. Silence fell across the room, as they all fought to understand what this meant. Was this a fluke? Or did this have more profound ramifications? If they beat her in duelling, could they beat her in hand-to-hand combat? Neither Vic nor Ced could believe they could beat her with her sword, the sword was too powerful magically.

Ced walked over to the shelves and got out some martial arts style gloves and head protection for the three girls. They moved over to the practice mat. When Ced dropped his hand the three of them started sparring. With each hit that Cici took, Vic and Ced could feel her confidence waning. Vic started to encourage her telepathically. Ced tried to stay an impartial judge. He put up his mental walls to keep from distracting Cici as she fought her two cousins. The match should have been over a long time ago with Cici, the clear winner, but with each hit, her confidence faded, even more, she lasted the fifteen minutes, but just barely.

"Why don't you three go up and get your showers, we'll meet you for breakfast," Vic told the group.

As the three of them left the training room, in confusion at what had just happened. Vic and Cici sat down cross-legged facing each other, their legs touching.

Vic took Cici's hands into her own, _"Do you want me to help you lock the pain away Dark One?"_

" _I need help! The darkness is crushing me."_ The oppressive despair in her voice was crushing.

" _It's not all your fault, it's not all Ced's fault, it's not all the werewolf's fault, there's enough blame to go around! You got careless, I got careless! I just got lucky that the guys that I led into my room didn't attack me. You weren't that lucky. The last guy that I led into my room couldn't control his thoughts, he was going to attack me too, there were two of them, not just the one that was successful in attacking you."_

" _But you picked up on his thoughts. I DIDN'T!"_

" _Your guy learned some occlumency, my guy didn't. This is going to sound so cliché, but we have to work through this, learn from this, grow from this."_

" _It does sound cliché."_ A little chuckle in her thoughts. _"And; I know all of that, but the darkness is so overwhelming!"_

" _And, this is where I can help you lock it away, just like with Julia, and just like with Amber, and just like Luna did with me."_ Her tone was firm and filled with nothing but love for her spouse.

It was after breakfast when the two wives walked into the dining room for some food, they hadn't showered yet, but they were hungry nonetheless. After breakfast, they showered and put on their bikini bottoms and headed for the beach. Ced still had his mental barriers in place, so he really didn't hear them coming.

"UH-huh, just like I thought!" Vic started loudly in a threatening tone.

"We found that cheating maggot on the beach with two other girls!" Cici said in a scary tone of voice.

Rose and Angel rolled into a defensive combat position.

Ced tried to move but found his wife's foot on his shoulder, pinning him to the sand. He looked up and saw the two most beautiful women in the world smiling down at him. He lowered his mental shields and heard them laughing at him. He broke into a grin as they quickly jumped back so he couldn't grab their legs. The three of them pulled each other into a three-way hug, and a three-way kiss before the wives joined them in laying on the beach and doing nothing until lunch.

While the sun had little effect on Rose's milky white skin, it was almost reflective, Angel's slightly darker complexion had begun darkening quickly, she was now facing the same dilemma that Cici had, tan lines, or no tan lines? Angel didn't have the years of togetherness that Cici and her spouses had from living in the house in the bottle. She didn't have the rude introduction of showing her naked body to a boy that Vic had the first time she learned to take a proper shower. She could choose to just transfigure her bikini smaller and smaller until it became so small it would only cover the bare essentials. And if she chose to go that small, there would be grooming needs that she had to take care of also. A very age-old dilemma, her modesty, or her vanity? She knew physically that she looked as good as Cici or Vic, and Ced was more like a brother to her than a boy, a good-looking boy, okay, he was hot! The only person that would see her was Rose; Cici, Vic, and Ced were there true, but they were married.

"Are you going to do it or not!" Cici just almost yelled at her friend. "I can hear your thoughts all the way over here!" the mirth in her voice was overwhelming and the others began to laugh a little. Angel was on one end of their group and Cici was on the other end of the sun worshippers.

"Yes! But close your eyes! I don't want anyone to see me!" she caved into her vanity and the boldness of going topless for the first time in her life. That was just an invitation for everyone to roll over and look at her.

"WOW! You've got some tan lines girl!" Rose told her, shocked at how dark her cousin had gotten in just one day. Rose now felt like a light beacon at how white she was compared to her friends.

"Don't worry Rose, it just takes us a little more time to start getting darker. I was as white as you are when I first came here." Vic encouraged her.

Ced was ever the gentleman and didn't look at his cousin so she wouldn't be more embarrassed than she was already with the three other girls checking her out.

"Nice body!" Cici said.

"Thanks, I had some help with it from some friends." She replied as she lay back down. She could feel the slight sea breeze blowing across her nipples for the first time. Her nipples hardened at the new sensation.

Just before lunch, the group of teens went to splash around in the water to cool off. Angel fought to get her bikini top back on before she got in the water. She eventually threw it and her modesty to the side and joined her friends in the water, she didn't have anything that Vic and Cici didn't have. After they had a water fight, with everyone getting out of the water with silly grins on their faces, they picked up their towels and headed to the house to rinse off, get changed, and eat lunch.

After lunch, and after the food had settled in their bellies, they returned to the training room so Cici could spar again with her cousins. This time she showed more aggression and took the fight to her two friends. It wasn't the old Cici, but she was definitely not the Cici from this morning. After a break, Vic and Cici paired off against each other, it was a good fight lasting the full time allotted.

Another shower and another walk along the beach. Somehow Rose ended up between Angel and Cici as they walked towards the swimming cove.

"I feel like an Oreo! I've got Angel on one side of me, and Cici on the other. Look how dark they are compared to me!" it was a whine, a humorous whine, but a whine nonetheless.

The others had a sparkling laugh at her comment.

"It's only been one day! You have to give it some time." Angel told her. Then she realised that she really was the wrong person to tell her that.

"I'm so jealous of you!" Rose said harshly, it was a fake harshness because they could see the twinkle in her eyes as she said it. "Fine!" and she banished her bikini top wordlessly and wandlessly.

"We were teaching you wordless and wandless magic, but I don't think that it was for this purpose," Ced commented as he kept his eyes forward.

Just before they cast the bubble head charm on themselves, Ced told his wives, "I would like to get some muggle snorkelling gear."

"Why?" Vic asked.

"Because it will let us swim farther underwater, and the goggles will let us see clearly without the bubble head charm trying to take us to the surface all of the time."

"Where are we going to get some?" Cici asked.

"I guess we would have to go to Athens. I don't think that the little town that we visited would have a shop that sells that kind of stuff. I'll ask my dad this evening when we get back."

"I'd like to visit Athens," Rose said.

.

As the girls hung out and talked, Ced fixed another scrumptious dinner for them. Then after dinner, Ced called his parents on the communications mirror in the study.

"Hi mum!" he said.

"Hi! Ced, How's Cici?"

"She's doing great." And he motioned for her to come over to the communications mirror.

As she walked over to the mirror, Cici quickly transfigured her outfit to a loose-fitting dress.

"Hi Hermione!" she said cheerfully.

"How are you?"

"I'm doing fine. Thank you for sending Angel and Rose to us. They've been wonderful to have."

"You're welcome. Do you know when you'll be going back to school?"

"No, maybe in a month. Vic helped me deal with somethings this morning."

"That's good, what happened to you was very traumatic."

"Yes, and those were things that needed to be dealt with. Thank you for healing me. Ced told me that my mom was there helping also."

"Yes, she was a big help. You'll need to send her an owl and let her know that you're doing okay."

"Okay, I'll do that when we go into Athens."

"Oh? You're going to go to Athens?"

"Yes, Ced wanted to buy some muggle snorkelling equipment."

"Here, let me get Harry, I think that there are different portkeys in the house for that kind of stuff."

"Hi, Cici! Wow! You have gotten dark!"

"Thank you, Harry."

"What's this about going into Athens?"

"Here, I'll let Ced tell you what he wants to do."

"Hi, son."

"Hi, dad. I want to buy some muggle snorkelling gear for when we swim in the cove."

"That's a great idea. In the top left drawer of the desk is a storage box that is protected by a notice-me-not spell. Just use your wand to reveal it."

"Thanks!"

"How's Vic doing?"

"She's doing good, she's been a big comfort to Cici, and the girls have really helped her a lot too."

"That's good. Susan and Angelina have both given their permission for the girls to miss as much school as needed."

"Well, we've talked about that, and we've decided that we'll teach them here, so they don't fall behind."

"Oh, have Cici write a note to her mum, Angelica is worried about her."

"Okay, I'll make sure she does that when we go to Athens."

"And your mum says to have Rose and Angel contact their mums too."

"Okay, I'll tell them when we disconnect."

"Okay have a good night."

"You too, love you, dad."

"Love you too. Bye."

"Bye."

Ced told Angel and Rose to call their parents. "After you put some more clothes on. We don't want to get into trouble, and you have to go to school early!"

After the girls called their parents, they all went up onto the roof to look at all of the stars. Cici and Vic started to quiz the two girls on the different constellations and the different major stars.

The next morning after breakfast, Ced went into the study and opened the desk drawer that his dad had told him about. He used his wand to cancel the notice-me-not charm and found a file of portkeys to different cities around them, he found one for Athens, Rome, Venice, Jerusalem, Barcelona, and several other cities that surrounded the Mediterranean Sea. He pulled the one for Athens out and walked over to the waiting girls.

"There's a whole file of portkeys to the larger cities that surround us."

"Oh, do they have one for Rome?" asked Angel.

"Venice? I've always wanted to go on one of those boat rides where the guy stands back there and pushes you along with a pole." Rose said.

"Yes, and yes." He told them. "Are we ready to go?"

Everybody touched the portkey, and then Ced activated it. The familiar tug behind the navel pulled them forwards and then they were falling towards a large metropolis. The five of them landed gracefully, and they walked out of a grassy area and into magical Greece. As they walked the shops and spoke to different shop owners, Ced was able to buy the muggle snorkelling equipment that he was looking for. Then on the recommendation of different shop owners, they exited the magical world and hailed a cab to take them to see the Acropolis. They signed up for a tour in English and were amazed at all of the history, history that they weren't learning in Hogwarts. A tour of the museum was fascinating, and they stayed until late afternoon when they hailed a cab to return them to the entrance to magical Greece. With an early Greek dinner, they selected different sampler platters to share to get a small taste of Greek foods, and glasses of wine. They stepped outside and out of view, and then they portkeyed back to the beach house for the evening.

Everyone was eager to try the snorkelling equipment, so they changed quickly and headed for the cove before it became dark. They all liked how they could travel farther using the fins, and they could dive deeper, the goggles helped them see underwater, but they had to learn to hold their breath as they dove underwater to see more stuff. It was some joyous teens that walked back to the beach house under the stars.

.

Three days later the teens made another trip to Rome, there was so much to see and do in Rome that they decided that they needed to make multiple trips to see all of the sights. On one of their shopping trips to Magical Rome, the girls were trying on Italian designed robes and clothing when a woman walked up behind Ced.

"So, you are a soul-bonded couple." The older witch said in a breathless voice.

Ced turned around casually, a lot more casual than he felt, Vic and Cici both stopped what they were doing and stared at the woman. She was an attractive woman with long dark hair, deep brown eyes, and olive coloured skin.

"I'm sorry, were you talking to me?" he asked.

Seeing their friends watching the interaction of Ced and this older woman, easily their grandmother's age, Rose and Angel repositioned themselves to keep watch on her.

"Yes, I've seen you and your mate, in my store a few times, I have a gift of being able to see things that others cannot." She told him in her silky-smooth, breathless voice.

"And what makes you think that we're a soul-bonded couple? That's just something made up by romance writers to sell more books." He said with a chuckle.

"Well, I have seen how you and she respond to each other."

"Me and who?" he interrupted her.

"You and the dark-skinned one standing over there." She casually pointed to Cici. "Wait, this can't be, you have two mates!"

"And who are you again?" asked Ced.

"My name is Carina." She told him in her Italian accented English.

Although the girls had gone back to faux shopping, they were listening intently. Who was this woman, and how did she guess?

"Shouldn't you be back at Hogwarts?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Judging by your age, and your English accent, you should still be in school."

"What do you know about Hogwarts?"

"I used to go there. I met a boy and fell in love there. Then that crazy dark lord went and ruined everything! My parents called me back to Italy one night, and I've never seen him again." She had drifted off, down memory lane.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ced consoled her.

"Yes, well, we'll let bygones be bygones. It wouldn't have worked out anyway. He could never get serious about anything," with a chortle she added, "Even his name was Sirius! How humorous is that?"

"His name was Sirius?"

With a giggle, she said, "Yes. You remind me of another boy that I knew. But your green eyes, there was another that had green eyes like yours, but she is gone now. They're both gone now." Returning to the present, "Please, introduce me to your others." She told him.

"Before we can do that, there's something that I will need from you."

"And what might that be?"

"I will need an Oath of Loyalty from you. It's something that I was taught by my father to get, before entrusting anything to anybody. It's a form of protection in an evil world."

"Hum, please, follow me to my office, you and all of your friends." She waved her hand indicating all of the others as she turned, her brightly coloured dress flared out beneath her, and she led the group of friends to her large office.

"Sophia, I am not to be bothered." She told her executive assistant.

She opened the door and let the others follow her in. With a flick of her wand, she closed the door and conjured more chairs, so there were enough for all. All of the girls took a seat, but Ced remained standing.

"Now, how do you want this oath worded? I assume that you have specific wording." Her voice was stern.

"Yes, there is specific wording to prevent any other oaths from supplementing it, it will also override any other oaths." He told her solemnly.

Ced walked the older woman through the oath, "… so mote it be." And her magic bound her to them.

"Now, please introduce me." She told him with a little more force.

"Well, my name is Cedric Potter."

She gasped in shock, "Dite che non è così! It can't be! The boy I knew, he died! And the girl, she's dead too! How can this be?" she sat down behind her large ornately decorated desk. She ran her fingers along the edge of the antique desk in thought. The desk may have been from the nineteenth century, but the chair was twenty-first-century comfort.

"The boy I knew, he was named James Potter, and the girl was named Lily Evans. The other boy named Sirius, his name was Sirius Black." With another chuckle and a smile, "They were pranksters, always pulling their little pranks. I kept Lily safe from them because I would know." She smiled at the faraway memory. "So, Cedric, and your mates?"

"This is Cecilia, and this is Vicky." He introduced them to her. "And this is Rose Bones and Angel Weasley."

"Arthur Weasley? And Amelia Bones?" her eyebrows had shot up to her hairline. Here she was all these years later meeting the grandchildren of her old school friends. Names that she hadn't thought of in many years, taking her back in time.

"You know my grandpa?" asked Angel.

"Yes, but not that well, he and that other girl, I don't remember her name, but it raised quite the ruckus because she was betrothed to another boy. But they ran off and eloped before they finished school."

Rose stayed quiet, watching her. "Amelia, she could be a prankster too. The boys, the boys used to call themselves something. What was it, The Merchants, no that's not it, The Pirates, no not that either, The Marauders that's it! They called their group The Marauders, and sometimes we girls would help them with a prank or two. There was four of them, there were Sirius and James, Remus, Remus, Remus Lupin, and that other boy, he was short and fat, he really didn't fit in with them, but they accepted him anyway."

They stayed and chatted with her for another hour or so, then they bade her farewell. After they left her store, they went on down the line of shops, just window shopping, when they came across a shop selling brooms. Vic stopped dead in her tracks.

There was her new broom, it was bright red with gold lettering, Ferrargini 812. She dragged Ced and Cici into the shop with her, Rose and Angel followed along.

"May I help you, signora?" the salesclerk started flirting with her.

"Yes," she started turning on the charm, two could play this game after all, "I'm interested in the broom in the window."

"Ah, si. That is the new Ferrargini 812, a limited-edition broom. It comes in Rosso Corsa, Giallo Modena, Blu Tour de France, and of course Nero." He rolled the last 'R' seductively.

She looked at Angel and Rose, "Do you want a blue, yellow, or a black one?" she asked them.

"I want a red one," Rose said.

"I want a red one too," Angel told her.

"I'll take three Rosso Corsa brooms." She told the young man in a voice that she had practised in a whore house for over a week. It was either her voice or the fact that he had just sold three of the limited-edition brooms in less than fifteen minutes that made him start drooling.

"Just a minute." He told her, as he was getting ready to see if they had three of them.

"But, I don't want to pay full price." She stopped him in his tracks.

"But, signora, they're limited-edition." He whined.

"I understand that. I also understand that I'm buying three of them, right now." She cooed at him.

"But, signora!"

"I'm" she turned to her friends, "Sorry girls, he doesn't want to sell us any brooms today." She said sadly shaking her head. She took Ced and Cici's hand and turned to leave.

"Wait!" the young man said loudly. Louder than he intended anyway.

Vic turned around.

"I can take 5% off."

"I want 35% off." She started negotiating with him.

"Madre di Merlin! Do you want my mother's teeth too?"

Vic just stayed quiet and looked at him. She knew that the silence would crush him.

"Fine! I'll do 10%!"

She just looked at him, "No, that's not good enough." She told him, seductively.

"12½% that's as low as I can go."

"Why don't you just give me what I want? I always get what I want, so why don't you just give it to me?" the seduction was dripping off of each word as she spoke them.

I'll give you what you want you, little witch! He thought to himself. What he said was, "I'll have to go ask." I'm not going to go talk to that old fart, I'll just make them think I did and then she'll be happy. He smiled at them and then he headed for the back room.

"What do you want a broom for? You own the largest broom company in Europe." Ced whispered to her.

"You own a broom company?" Angel asked quietly.

"Yes, and because I want it. It's pretty!" she whispered back. She didn't need this guy finding out that she was rich.

"When did you buy a broom company?"

"Harry, Sirius, and Uncle Os gave me their shares of Cleansweep Brooms after the first of the year." She whispered to her.

"You own Cleansweep Brooms?"

"Yes. He's coming back."

They all straightened up from whispering.

"The manager says that he can do 15% and that is all."

Vic crinkled her nose like she just smelled something foul smelling. "No."

"No? No what?" he sounded incredulous.

"No, that's not good enough. I don't even know if you have three Rosso Corsa brooms back there. And I bet that you don't know either." Now she had put doubt in his mind, he didn't know if he had three Rosso Corsa brooms back there.

He didn't know, and how did she know that he didn't know? "I'm sure that I could get another one if need be in a few weeks." Did he just say that? This little witch was getting under his skin!

"Weeks!" she screeched at him. "I wanted to be out of her fifteen minutes ago! I told you," her tone turned to ice, "I always get what I want. So, you have a choice to make. You can either sell me the three brooms at a price I am offering, or I can walk out that front door and buy them someplace else. You choose."

"Madre di Merlin cosa farò a questa ragazza?"

"Lei le vende le scopa che vuole al prezzo che vuole." She told him in flawless Italian.

"Okay, you win. I can do 30% without getting fired."

"That will be fine." She told him gently. She originally would have been happy at 20%.

"Let me go get your brooms." He came back with a box containing one red broom.

"There's one." She said coldly.

"Plus, the one in the window." He told her.

"That makes two." Cold as ice.

"Let me go look again." He begged her.

Minutes later, he returned with another box containing a Paginlioni Huayra in Pearl Red. "This is an even more exclusive broom than the Ferrargini 812. I will sell it to you for the same price." He sounded like he had just lost his dog.

Vic stood there, like a statue, then she batted her long eyelashes at him, smiled, and said, "Okay, that'll be fine." She waited for the total, and before she pulled out her credit card, she asked. "Could you engrave our names and inlay them with gold inlay, please? I'll take the Paginlioni, and my two friends will take the Ferrarginies." She told him.

He sighed heavily, "Okay, that will take about an hour to do."

"Okay, thank you!" she told him brightly.

"Please write your names down like you would like them on the broom."

After they were outside the shop and the door was closed, Ced made sure the door was closed. "Why did you buy those brooms?"

"They're gorgeous! What are you upset about? I saved over 50,000 galleons!"

"I know you did." He sighed.

"Cleansweep needs to introduce a line of exotic brooms. The Nimbus and the Firebolt brooms are great and all, but they lack the sex-appeal of these Italian brooms! I wonder if I could get one of the exotic cars manufactures to help?" she finished in a mumble.

Rose and Angel kept their mouths shut. They knew that when they showed up at Hogwarts with exotic Italian brooms, the boys would go nuts for them, and these weren't just any ole exotic these were Ferrargini 812's!

An hour later, they returned to pick up their brooms. Each of the girls checked their broom to make sure everything was spelt correctly. The clerk totalled it all up, the price came out to the agreed upon amount, Vic reached into her cleavage and pulled out her credit card. The clerk swiped the card, held his breath, and then handed her the receipt to sign.

"Grazie signora, it was a pleasure doing business with you."

"Grazie signore it was a pleasure doing business with you."

Once outside, the three girls mounted their broom and were gone in three red streaks.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.08.2018**

 **And again 01.04.2019**


	36. Year Four Chapter 36

C O Potter

Year Four

Chapter 36

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The new brooms gave the teens the freedom to go exploring around their island home. Ced had asked Leo if he could bring the house in the bottle and his and Cici's brooms. With disillusionment charms on themselves, the five of them went to explore passing cruise ships, freighters, and tanker ships. They could also explore the different cities and towns around the island. As much as they wanted to land on the cruise ships, they were always so busy on the decks that they couldn't find a safe place to land, where they wouldn't get caught.

They spent their mornings teaching Rose and Angel three lessons per class period on each subject. This would give them time to lay in the sun in the afternoons, and go for a walk and a swim in the late evenings. The days were getting longer, so they had more and more time to swim in the cove. On one of the trips to Venice, Ced purchased a large barn owl named Ignazio and used him to carry Roses' and Angel's school work to their Head of House. For one of their potions lessons, Cici had them brew a new batch of sunblock potion, another time she had them brew blood replenishing potion, and for a third lesson, she had them brew Vitamix potion. All three useful potions.

On one night, the threesome went into the house in the bottle for a twenty-four-month span of house time. The purpose of spending so much time in the bottle was for Cici to practice against the simulations in the bottle. She was more than capable of holding her own against overwhelming odds, but she seemed to have lost her aggressive nature, and this was something that worried Ced. On one of the mornings working with Toll, Ced asked him to make the simulation extra difficult, so Toll made it twenty on one, or sixty against three, it was going to be a mixed simulation, hand-to-hand, duelling, and with their swords. They had to clear three floors, starting with hand-to-hand.

The three of them walked into a modern hotel lobby when the violence spilt out of the hotel bar. The combatants looked just like their terrorist had, they quickly subdued Vic and took her into the elevator. This wasn't part of the plan. Ced was currently engaging six opponents, with Cici engaging only two. Ced kicked one guy in the knee and busted his knee, a kick to the head, and he was out of the match. Ced took a blow to his ribs but was able to turn enough to keep them from cracking. A roundhouse kick to the head dropped another opponent. Cici was still fighting the same two opponents, while Ced was taking down another two. A blow to the back of his knees dropped him to his knees and placed him in a vulnerable position. Cici watched her mate go down, and took a blow to her jaw, whatever clicked, clicked. She used the momentum to spin around, and roundhouse kick the simulation on the side of the head knocking him out of the game. Ced twisted on the floor sweeping the legs out from under two more opponents, grabbing the hair on their heads, he slammed their heads into the floor knocking them unconscious. Cici's newfound ferocity helped her engage six opponents at a time. With vicious kicks in private places, she was able to drop two more opponents into submissive positions. With a final kick to some guy's face, they had cleared the first level.

"It's good to have you back." Ced panted.

"Let's go find Vic. She shouldn't get to take a nap while we do all the work." She said between heavy breaths.

" _I heard that!"_

" _Good! Where are you?"_ Cici asked her.

" _I don't know. In a dark closet, somewhere."_

" _Can't you blast your way out?"_ Ced asked her.

" _I tried that, it is magically shielded somehow."_

As the two teens moved for the stairwell, they ejected their wands and charmed their clothes to act as shields. The stairway opened into a large gymnasium. As soon as they opened the door, an alarm went off announcing their presence to the whole world it seemed. With a combination of shield spells and conjured walls, they moved their way across the floor of the gymnasium.

"Nothing like being stuck out in the open!" Cici chided her husband.

"Thank you, Mi Amor, it's nice to have you back!"

With her first clear shot on the new level, Cici hit the bad guy with a triple pack of spells.

"Well, that's one down and an army to go!" she teased Ced.

Ced had a clean shot and hit the guy with a twin pack of spells dropping him to the ground.

"That's two, and we still have an army to go!"

Cici stood up and blasted through a conjured wall with another triple pack of spells, but she got hit with another spell that her clothes absorbed.

"That's three."

And they kept moving for the doors across the gym. Blocking and casting as they went. As they got to the door and went to back through the door. Cici took a wicked cutting spell across her chest cutting her deeply. She hexed the guy that cut her and rubbed her free hand over the cut, healing herself.

"That wanker cut me across my tits!" she yelled as the guy dropped.

" _And they're such beautiful tits too!"_

"Can we finish cleaning up here? Please?"

"Don't get your undies in a twist!" and she hexed another guy.

Ced took out the last two of the bad guys so they could move on. As they progressed down the hall towards another stairwell, they retracted they wands and enlarged their swords.

" _Wait a minute, I hear you walking!"_

They turned around and started tapping on doors.

" _That's me!"_

Ced and Cici tried a variety of spells before finding the right combination to open the sealed room. With hugs and kisses, Vic was freed to join her mates in battle, the three of them together as nature had intended.

Stepping out of the stairwell they walked into a large room of office cubicles.

" _Wonderful."_ Ced thought.

"We're going to have to split up," Cici said.

"I'll go down this side of offices and cubicles," Ced told them quietly.

"I'll take the centre," Cici informed them.

"I guess that leaves me with the other set of offices and cubicles." Vic joked.

Ced and Vic got bogged down fighting multiple bad guys while Cici worked her way quickly through the centre of the office. She had just finished killing the last of the bad guys when a big guy walked through the double doors. Toll had reached into her memories and pulled the nightmare out of her mind and made it real. Here it stood in front of her, gentle face and all. Cici bared her teeth and snarled. He raised his sword to block the blow, but the superior quality of Cici's sword broke the inferior quality sword that her nightmare possessed. The follow through on her swing cut his upper arm to the bone, rendering it useless. Her opponent tried using magic on her, but she was able to use her sword as a wand and block his clumsy spell. Another swing across his chest sliced him deeply. He looked down to see his wound. Cici's sword came back up to complete a figure eight slicing him in the opposite direction across his torso forming an 'X.' "'X' marks the spot," she thought to herself, and she plunged her sword into his chest, " _reducto_ " she said softly. She used her free hand to cast _protego_ to keep the blood splatter from getting all over her, and her nightmare ended right there in front of her.

As soon as Cici beat her nightmare, Ced and Vic defeated their opponents. As they walked up to their bond-mate Vic cleaned and returned her sword to its scabbard. She ejected her wand and banished Cici's shirt and bra.

"Hey now!" Cici complained in good humour.

Vic started to heal her earlier wound correctly so that it wouldn't scar. As she finished treating her wound correctly, she told her, "Like I said earlier, you've got nice tits, and a scar will keep us from getting more jobs from McMillian."

"Well, since you put it that way," Cici told her with so much sarcasm that she would have been in jeopardy of being accused of overacting.

"Oh, shut up and give me a hug, Dark One."

"The simulations not over!" Ced told his wives as he looked around.

"It's not?" Cici looked confused.

"No, it's not. The training scenario hasn't returned us to the room yet." Vic looked around for the threat.

Cici covered herself magically as they moved out into the hallway to seek out the last of the bad guys. Vic pulled her sword back out and enlarged it. They walked with Ced up front and his wives on either side of him. They came to another large room of cubicles to clear. Ced went up the centre of the cubicles, while Cici and Vic went up the sides. It was too simple, too easy, the ease of it was making Ced jumpy. As the three of them reached the end of the cubicles, Cici entered one glass office to fight her opponent, Vic entered the one opposite of hers. Out of the office at the end of the aisle stepped Ced's opponent, easily two metres tall and over a hundred kilos of muscle, swinging a long-broadsword similar to Ced's. Cici and Vic easily defeated their opponents but found themselves sealed in a glass prison, to watch their mate fight a massive and strong opponent. Ced's opponent had longer arms on him, so he had a longer reach than Ced, longer legs on him, so he could close the distances quicker, and much larger muscles on him, the guy's arms were bigger than Ced's thighs. His opponent was swinging his sword with a practised ease. Ced assumed a defensive stance and let the guy bring the fight to him. It was crushing blow after crushing blow like a hammer drives a nail into a piece of wood. Ced backed down the row of cubicles that he had just cleared, Ced blocked each of the powerful blows to his sword, a lesser sword would have failed by now, and that is what Ced thought that his opponent was looking for. Finally, after Ced didn't know how many blows to his sword and his arms, he was able to get inside the man's personal space and he sliced him across the torso deep. As he stepped through the slice, Ced was putting his back and his leg muscles into cutting his opponent in half. As Ced was twisting, he caught his groin on the corner of one of the cubicle desks. As he fell, the sword of Potter sliced through the man's intestines and his liver also. Ced fell one way, and his opponent dropped the other way. Ced held onto his sword as if his life depended on it, his free hand cupping his family jewels. In the glass prisons, all Cici and Vic could see above the cubicle walls was Ced fall and not get up. The two crazed women backed up and started to fire hex after hex and curse after curse at the glass walls of their prison, the curses got darker and darker as they tried to get to their fallen spouse. When the opponent died the simulation ended, and they rushed to Ced's side wondering why he didn't just get up. As they looked down at him, they could see that he was cupping himself and they figured out that he had injured himself. They didn't know how, but they figured out where he had hurt himself. Cici knelt down as Vic pulled his hand away so Cici could cast a numbing spell on Ced's privates. As the spell took effect, they could see him relax and the colour returning to his face. Eventually, Ced stretched out and was able to get to his feet. He walked gently over to the seats in the training room and carefully sat down for the post-training debrief.

"All in all, it went very well," Toll started, "Cici found her ferocity again, and that's good, that's what this one was about. Vic did an excellent job once she was freed, and I think that Ced has learned to be a little more aware of his surroundings. It looks like the corner of that desk did a job on you mate." Toll told him with a grimace.

Ced just nodded.

"It was good to see all of you again! Don't be gone so long next time!" Toll told them as he left the room with a smile.

Ced and his wives headed for their bedroom to get a shower and relax the rest of the day. As Ced got undress for their shower, the girls checked him out, and they could see that he was severely bruised, and his equipment was getting darker by the minute.

"Ade?" Cici called out.

"Yes, Cecilia?"

"Could you get me a vial of anti-bruising potion please?"

"If it's for Ced, Althea says that it will take at least four. Two a day for the next two days."

"That will be fine Ade, thank you," Cici told her.

"I'm glad that we have a week left in here," Ced told his wives. "I don't know how I would explain this to Rose and Angel." He said.

.

It was the end of May when the five students walked through the gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and towards the front doors of their school. With their trunks shrunken and in their pockets, the five of them climbed on their brooms and zoomed to the front doors of the school. It was lunchtime, so they carried their brooms into the Great Hall to sit with their friends and family. The two girls squealed with delight at seeing their return. Ced, Vic, and Cici gave hugs and kisses to Daphne as they passed her at the table. Fred and George saw the bright red brooms, and they gushed over them for the rest of lunch, which is precisely what Vic had intended to have happened. Julia and Amber were amazed at how dark Rose had gotten and really surprised at how dark Angel had become. As the boys drooled over the new brooms, and as the girls got caught up on the latest happenings at the school, Ced walked up to the head table to talk quickly with Professor McGonagall. He had a huge smile on his face as he walked up to her, it was good to be back home.

"Good afternoon Professor," Ced told her happily.

"Good afternoon Mr Potter. Is Miss Ramos doing better?"

"Yes, mam she is. My sister and I were very worried about her for a long time. Having friends that cared helped a lot also."

"I'm glad to hear that. I am also glad that you were able to help Miss Bones and Miss Weasley stay caught up on their school work too."

"Thank you again for letting them miss so much school. They were very helpful in keeping Cici's spirits up and in helping her recover from such a traumatic event."

"I am glad to hear that. Please resume your class schedule starting after lunch."

"Thank you, Professor." He told her just before he returned to the Gryffindor table.

By the time he got back to the table, the whole Quidditch team was there looking at the exotic brooms. All three girls were like, 'Silly boys, exotic brooms are for girls!'

Their first class after lunch was D.A.D.A. with Uncle Draco. It was Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, and the 'Claws had become less than pleasant to their friends in their absence. Ced and the girls joined Fred, George, and Amber, after making a trip to their room, in the hallway outside of the classroom. The 'Claws had already started the taunting when they got there. Fred and George weren't backing down to the bullying, and the bullies didn't see Ced and the girls coming because they had their backs to them.

"Hey Fred, Hey George, making new friends I see." Said Ced, unsmilingly.

"Warrensley here was just saying that he wanted to challenge me to a duel, he says that he could beat me with both hands tied behind his back," Fred told his friend.

"I didn't say that!" the fourth-year student in need of dental work said.

"Oh, so now you're calling me a liar?" Fred said in mock surprise.

"That's not what I said!" the bully was now trying to back out of what was going to be inevitable.

"Making new friends Potter?" Professor Greengrass said in faux disgust. He had been watching Warrensley for the last few weeks.

"Good morning Professor! Warrensley wanted to challenge Fred to a duel. I just thought that I would ask you if they could settle their differences here or out behind the school." Ced pushed the challenge forward.

"That sounds good, we didn't really have much to cover today." Draco was saying as he unlocked the door to his classroom. As he walked in, he was flicking his wand this way and that.

As the students entered the classroom, there was a regulation duelling platform, and all of the desks had been rearranged down the sides of the platform.

"Gentlemen, this duel will be for your wands. Warrensley, you're on this side." Professor Greengrass told the Ravenclaw student as he pointed to his right.

Hesitantly he walked up the steps to the top of the duelling platform and stood where the professor told him to.

"Now, who's your second?" the professor asked him.

"Jackson." The nervous student told the professor.

"Bones, take this side." The professor said emotionlessly.

Fred walked up the stairs confidently and stood where he was told.

"And who is going to be your second?" Draco asked him. He wanted to see if it would be Weasley or Ced.

"George, would you be my second?"

"Sure mate!" and George took the duelling platform eagerly.

Professor Greengrass went through the rules of duelling, had them bow to each other, did the countdown, and waited to see if Warrensley would cheat. Professor Greengrass didn't even have the final number out of his mouth when Warrensley was casting the first hex. He jumped off the duelling platform to stay out of the way.

Fred was ready for the coward to cheat, he already had his shield going up silently as the hex was just being cast. He just stood there blocking the hexes and jinxes that were being thrown in his direction. A lot of them he would just sidestep and let them hit the wall behind him. Sometimes he would conjure a thin wall of concrete to absorb the curse being thrown his way. He watched and waited for his opponent to burn himself out magically.

Ced was watching from the front row of desks, he had checked his watch when the match first started. He wanted to see how long Warrensley would last. He was glad that Fred wasn't showing his full abilities, he hadn't conjured any decoys of himself yet, and it didn't look like he would need to either.

"What's wrong, Warrensley? I thought you were going to kick my arse!" Fred started taunting the bully.

It served its purpose, the simple taunt, Warrensley cast some more jinxes quicker.

"I thought that you could beat me with both of your hands tied behind your back!" Fred taunted him again.

This time it was worth about three more hexes before Warrensley was spent magically.

" _Stupefy/expelliarmus,"_ Fred said in a normal voice. He held his free hand out, and the captive wand flew into it like the obedient servant that it was. He thrust it into the air in victory, a huge smile plastered on his face.

"Give him back his wand!" Jackson said just before he cast his first curse at Fred

Fred sidestepped the curse and hit him back with another twin pack of spells. Jackson's feeble shield was effortlessly overcome by the strength of Fred's _stupefy/expelliarmus_ hex. And he collected his second wand of the afternoon. He held both wands in the air, daring anyone else to challenge him to the spoils of his victory.

"Miss Potter, Miss Ramos, would you please levitate Jackson and Warrensley to the Hospital Wing for me?" Professor Greengrass asked blandly.

"Yes, Professor!" they said in unison. Springing to their feet and giving Fred a big hug as they headed for the platform.

After the two duelists were off the platform, Professor Greengrass banished the platform and returned his classroom back to normal. "Now, if you will please open your books to page 348." The class is going to be so dull for the next couple of days, Draco thought to himself.

Ced stood up and congratulated Fred on his victories. Then the three of them quickly took their seats as Professor Greengrass glanced at them. Julia gave him a quick kiss on the lips, George and Amber used the opportunity to exchange kisses also.

" _Why is Julia in class with us?"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Oh, they changed her classes for her protection. She was attacked again, in-between classes, and George, Fred, and Amber rescued her from some Slytherins."_ Cici told him.

" _Oh, okay. Well, I'm glad that they're able to defend themselves!"_ He thought back.

" _They thought she was alone, so three of them attacked her in the hallway, on the way to potions,"_ Vic told him more of the story. _"She held the three of them off for about five minutes down by the dungeons."_

" _That's good! I think that we should start pushing hers and Amber's magical cores harder, get them to build up quicker."_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _I agree."_

" _Look how far Rose and Angel have come."_

" _Let's ask and see what they think of training after dinner also. That way they have all night to rest. We can push them hard for an hour or two, that still gives them time to do their homework, snog with their boyfriends, and then get some sleep."_ Ced was planning out his friend's lives for them.

" _Well, I for one, am glad to see that you gave them time to snog! You, old romantic you!"_ Cici teased him.

Ced heard the girls start talking to Madam Pomfrey. After they had placed the two stunned boys on some beds. The Matron _rennervated_ them both and ran a basic diagnostic spell over them, after learning what had happened. She told Jackson that she was going to keep him in the Hospital Wing overnight. She told Warrensley she was going to keep in there until it was time for him to go home on the train, and she was going to send an owl to his parents suggesting that he remain on bed rest until the start of July. She told him that he had severely depleted his magical core and that he was a fool for having done so.

While she had both of the girls with her, she guided them over to another couple of beds, and conjured some curtains for them, then she cast some privacy charms so they would have some privacy. With the girls seated on the beds facing each other, Madam Pomfrey talked with them about their time away from school as she checked on their physical and emotional wellbeing. She was still amazed at how large their magical cores were. She was very glad that Cici had suffered no permanent damage from the attack. She was about to offer both of the girls the birth control potion when she ran a higher level diagnostic spell over them and was also surprised that both of the girls were still virgins.

"Okay! Off you go! Back to class." She told them brightly as she banished the privacy curtains and with them the privacy charms.

"Bye! Madam Pomfrey!" the two girls said together gleefully.

.

Finally, the last day of school was here, Ced had made sure that they were the last to leave the castle. He had other plans for getting home than the train. He had been talking to Cici and Vic about flying home on their brooms. Everyone in their group could cast a _disillusionment_ charm on themselves, they had all learned how to shrink their trunks so they could carry them in their pockets, all he needed was for everyone to agree to jump out of their carriages outside of the gates to the school.

Just as they were getting in the last two carriages, Ced asked the group, "What do you think about flying home instead of taking the train?"

"How much trouble are we going to get in?" Angel asked.

"I don't know, but why do we have to take the train?" he asked.

"I think that the train is for students that can't apparate," Vic said. "Notice how we don't see any seventh-years on the train?" She was ready to get back on her broom.

"How are we going to do this?" Fred asked. He was all for it, he was tired of being a sitting target on the train.

Fred and George had bought their girls new brooms for Christmas, and this would be a great chance to get some long distance riding in.

"We get on the carriages, and when they go through the gates, we jump off." Cici was ready, she was tired of the train too.

Fred looked at Julia, "Hey, I'm going to blame you!" she told him, then she started rubbing herself up against him, "You're my master after all, and I have to do whatever you tell me." The suggestiveness of her tone was unmistakable, the other girls just started to giggle at her antics. He might be her 'Master', but she was running that relationship.

"Let's do it!" the troublemaker in Amber was coming out now.

Even Rose was looking forward to riding her new broom home. And the way she figured it, it would take less than half the time to get to Bones' Tower than to ride the train all the way to London. She personally had had her broom up over 450kph, and the train she guessed could go maybe 100kph, at best.

The nine of them got in the last two carriages, and as soon as they waved goodbye to Hagrid, they waited for their chance to escape the ordinary for the extraordinary. Ced, Vic, Cici, and Rose were in the lead carriage, and as soon as they cleared the gates, they jumped out of the slow-moving carriages. The other five friends followed suit, they all had their trunks out, enlarged them, got their brooms out of the trunks and enlarged those too. They shrunk their trunks back down and slipped them into their pockets. The group waited for the train whistle to blow loudly, signalling that it was time for the stragglers to get on the train so they could leave. A few minutes later and the train whistle blew a couple more times as they heard the old steam engine starting to huff and puff as it slowly accelerated away from the train station.

With mischievous grins on their faces, the lot of them mounted their brooms and took off for the skies. Rose was the first to flatten herself on her broom and leave the others in her wake. Two more red blurs were chasing after her.

"WOW! Look at them go!" George yelled, envious of his sister and her new broom.

"Well, if we don't hurry up, then the train is going to beat us home!" Ced told the group, laughter filling his voice. He was happy for his mate and her new broom. He admitted that he had problems with her splurging initially like she did, but seeing how happy she was, riding her new broom, he was over it quickly. He and Cici both had big smiles on their faces, they could feel the joy that Vic was experiencing through their link.

The other six of them all speed up, the first three had at least a two-minute head start on them, and they knew that they would never catch them now. Not even Ced and Fred with their Firebolts could catch them now.

Vic was flattened out on her broom giving chase to one of her best friends. She could see Angel laid out flat on her broom also as they raced through the sky with their eyes squinted against the wind. Whenever Rose would change course a little, the other two would follow her lead. For thirty minutes, she stayed tucked in tight against her broom, her robes flapping and snapping, the hem of her robes shredding in the air as it flowed over her body and out behind her. She knew that she was going to need new robes once this flight was over, she and her two friends would all need new robes. Then she watched as Rose slowed down gently, at these speeds you didn't do anything suddenly, that was suicidal, and they may be out having fun, but they weren't going to do anything stupid that could kill them. Eventually, the other two girls caught up with her as she hovered in the air.

"What's wrong?" Vic asked.

"I just realised, I don't know where I live!" she laughed at them. How daft could she be? She had no clue as to where she lived! She had always either used the flue, or she would side-along with one of her parents if they went anywhere, or on special occasions, she would use a house elf. But to know exactly where in England she lived? Now that was a good question. She started flying again, nice and slow so the others could catch up to her.

"Let's head for Potter Mansion," Vic told her as she took the lead. Vic knew where the Potter Mansion was. To apparate, you needed to know the surrounding area, you needed landmarks to coordinate and pinpoint where it was that you would reappear. How could you go someplace that you didn't know where it was? She let her spouses know that they had changed course and were now heading for the Potter Mansion.

With the new destination in mind, Ced and Cici both flattened out on their brooms and were racing away. The other four followed them, close on their heels. Cici fell in behind Ced and began to draft him so she could go as fast as he could. The others seeing what she had done joined in and found that the ride was more comfortable because of the lack of wind in their faces. Fred was bringing up the rear and realised that he had never flown this fast, as he could hear his robes snapping and flapping behind him. Ced kept his changes in direction slow and smooth so all of the others could follow him easily. About fifteen minutes later, the six of them blew past the three girls like a bullet train.

The three girls on their exotic brooms fell in behind Vic using the same technique as Ced. As fast as the Firebolt was, the International Standard Quidditch broom was no match for the Italian exotics that caught up to them quickly. Eventually, Vic led the girls in front of Ced, and Ced closed in behind Angel. With Vic leading the train of brooms, they were all able to fly faster than they had been able to do so individually. Finally, Vic cast a _disillusionment_ charm over the whole lot of them as they raced through more populated areas towards the Potter Mansion. As they crossed less populated regions, Vic started checking for her landmarks to find her home. An hour and a half after leaving school they were landing in the back garden next to the confidence course. There was yelling and screaming, fist pumps into the air as the excitement of what they had just done ran through the group of them. It was now the start of the summer holidays!

As the group of them walked into the mansion, the happy threesome was greeted by Charles.

"Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter" he greeted them with a bow. "Your father wishes to speak to all of you in the main study."

"Thank you, Charles," Ced replied for all of them. "We'll see all of you later!" he told his friends.

There was a little trepidation as they walked to the main study of the mansion. Each of them carrying their brooms still.

"Hi, dad! How are you?" Ced greeted him happily.

"You're home early." Harry started somberly. "Why didn't you take the train?"

"A couple of reasons really, but honestly? We feel like sitting ducks in our train compartment, always wondering who is going to come by and say what. Or try to do something stupid. Every ride home has always had a least one fight since Cici, and I bonded."

"Plus, I wanted to ride my broom," Vic told him.

"So, let me see your broom." He said as he held out his hand to her.

Vic handed him her broom, a little fearfully.

" _He's not going to break it,"_ Ced thought to her.

"Oh, this is nice! A Paginlioni Huayra, the god of wind. I like the colour! Cleansweep needs to introduce a line of exotic brooms. How does it handle?"

"It corners like it's on rails." She told him smiling goofily.

"How fast does it go?"

"I've had it over 450kph! Maybe faster when I was chasing Rose this morning."

"Oh? What kind of broom does Rose have?"

"I bought her and Angel a pair of Ferrargini 812s."

"Ooo, nice brooms too. Why didn't you get one?"

"The salesman thought that he had three of them in red and we made a deal, I saved 50,000 galleons, and he didn't have the third red one, so he offered me the Paginlioni for the same price as I negotiated."

"That was nice of you. Now, the next time the three of you want to do something like this, please let me know. Oh, and Vic, you have a board meeting on Tuesday at 10:00."

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, sir."

"Yes sir, thank you, Harry."

"Sirius, myself, and Os will be going with you to the meeting."

"Thank you!"

"Now go start enjoying your summer holidays! Oh! McMillian wants to meet all of you on Wednesday at 9:00. I think that he's going to want you to join the S.A.S. guys starting on Thursday."

"Okay, we're going to head upstairs and put our stuff away. Then I don't know what we're going to do, relax I guess." He told his dad.

"Well, all of you beat the train by almost five hours. That's pretty good. If you want, we can go run the confidence course before lunch."

"That's a thought, if we take our time, that could kill an hour, then that would be just before lunch." Ced looked at his wives. They shrugged their shoulders, it was better than doing nothing.

"Okay, I'll be done here in an hour," Harry told them.

As they left, Hermione was walking through the front doors of the house. "You're home early!" she said happily.

"Yeah, we kind of cheated and flew our brooms home instead of riding the train," Cici told her.

"Oh! Is that your new broom Vic?"

"Yes! Do you want to see it?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure!" she answered brightly, holding her hand out for the broom.

Vic handed over her broom to her mother-in-law.

"Oh, this is pretty! Italian made huh? I love the colour! I wonder if I could get some nail polish in this colour."

"Ooo! I like that idea! When do you want to go shopping?" Vic asked her.

"After lunch?"

Now both girls were getting excited.

"I need to get my hair trimmed!" Cici said. "Ced does too, look at him! He's getting a wild man hairdo working there."

"Let's get a mani-pedi too. My nails are getting atrocious." Vic told them.

"Okay! I need to get mine done again too!"

With all of the gleeful talking coming from the foyer of the house, Harry exited the study to find his wife talking animatedly with her two daughters-in-law. The sight brought a smile to his face as they stood there talking about going and getting their nails and hair done that afternoon.

After a bit, the three teens headed upstairs to put their things away and get ready to run the confidence course.

.

As they were walking out to the confidence course, Hermione was talking to Cici about how remarkably well she was doing. Cici explained that Vic had helped her lock the bad memories away, but they were still affecting her performance. Cici told her that Ced had talked about asking Shaw and Winkelmann to help her get her confidence back. After Vic bought her broom, Ced had asked Leo to bring their brooms and the house back to the beach house. They had spent two years in the house and that on one of the training missions, Toll had reached into her mind and pulled out her nightmare for her to confront it and kill it for good, which she did.

"And ever since that time, I have been enjoying life to its fullest!" Cici yelled in elation. "In fact, I bet that I can beat Ced through this confidence course!"

"Oh, you're on!" Ced accepted the challenge.

With Harry at the top of the tower, Hermione would tend the ropes at the bottom of the tower, she yelled go! And Cici hit Ced with the jiggly-legs jinx just as he was about to start climbing the cargo net.

"Oh, you're a cheater!" He yelled at her, hardly able to stand up and not daring to take a step. "You cheat as bad as your mum!" he yelled.

"I'm not that bad!" she looked down at him still standing on the ground with his legs wobbling all over the place. A smile came to her and Vic's faces as they looked down at him.

He tried to take a step towards the cargo net, but by that time the girls had already gone over the top and were getting strapped into their harnesses. Ced wobbled over to help his mum tend the ropes. She looked down at his wobbly legs and started to laugh, she couldn't help it, it was funny, seeing him walk like a toddler taking its first steps, arms stretched out to the sides for balance, each step planned for and executed precisely. He felt the tug on the rope as one of his wives started to rappel down the face of the tower. Both girls took one long fast slide to get to the bottom of the tower. Their 'A' type personalities taking effect now. Hermione and Ced both helped them out of their harnesses, and they were off to the next obstacle. About thirty minutes later they crossed the finish line together, side-by-side. Ced pulled them into a three-way hug, and they shared a three-way kiss.

With his arms wrapped around their torsos, holding them tightly, Ced and his wives headed up the stairs to their shower, talking and teasing animatedly as they went. His parents were walking arms wrapped around each other too.

Living up to their promise of not making any more work for their house elves than they needed to, stripping their clothes off as they walked, the three teens put their sweaty clothes in the laundry hamper with a wave of their hands just before they stepped into the large shower. Their shower was long and loving, but not exceptionally long, there was still plenty of rubbing, touching, and kissing to meet their physical and emotional needs, but they also made it downstairs at the same time as Harry and Hermione, for lunch.

.

Cici's hair was past her waist, and Vic's hair was below her shoulder blades. Both girls wanted to cut a few centimetres off their hair, Hermione had decided to get her hair trimmed of the dead ends also. With the four of them sitting in the stylists' chairs, they put Ced on one end and Hermione between Vic and Cici so they could talk some more. As the girls chatted away, the young stylist that was helping Ced started to pay a little too much attention to Ced, she started massaging his tight muscular shoulders a little too lovingly. Ced's discomfort was steadily increasing until it tore Vic and Cici away from their discussion with their mother-in-law.

"Excuse me!" Vic said loudly in the direction of Ced's stylist.

She didn't hear her, she was so engrossed in taking care of this gorgeous young man.

"Excuse us!" Cici said a little more insistently.

By this time, Hermione was watching this scene, in the play called life with some interest. She had never experienced this with Harry.

Cici's and Vic's stylist were now watching their coworker intently as she was rubbing up against her client, and short of jumping out of the chair and making a scene, her client was trapped.

" _Ced, just jump out of the chair before we hex her,"_ Vic thought to him sadly.

"Stop!" Ced said loudly as he got out of the chair quickly. Drawing unwanted attention to himself and the stylist who was 'taking care of him.'

"Is something wrong?" she asked innocently, her eyes wide at what her client had just done.

"Yes, you don't need to be rubbing against me to give me a scalp massage before you cut my hair." He tried to say as politely as possible.

"But your muscles are so tight!" and so big and so strong, with those big broad shoulders, she thought.

By this time the shop owner was paying attention to what was happening and had started walking to the scene of the commotion.

"May I help you sir?" she asked.

"Yes, I just want to get my haircut. I want it cut short, I don't need it shampooed because I just washed it less than an hour ago. All I want is to get my haircut." Ced told the old witch, gesturing with his hands.

By this time, all of the stylists were watching what was happening, there was no sounds of the snipping of scissors, no idle chatter between people. Yes, he was a good-looking young man, but not good enough to lose your job over.

The old witch sized the situation up, "Here I'll finish cutting your hair. You, go and watch the front desk while I finish this." She told the young witch. Fifteen minutes later Ced was sitting in a chair waiting for his wives and his mum.

It was a few moments later when the women were moving across the salon to get their mani-pedis, and Ced walked over there with them. As he sat there in the chair, he had looked through the last four issues of Witch Weekly, he saw that his Aunt Daphne had made the cover of one of them, and his Uncles Fred and George had made another.

"I'm going to go to the bookstore." He said flatly.

"No, you're not," Cici said sternly.

"No, you're staying where we can keep an eye on you," Vic told him.

"You really can't take him, anywhere can you?" Hermione said with a little laugh.

"No."

"We can't!" the two younger witches said.

Ced tossed the magazines back on the table and waited. He got bored again and picked up another old magazine. When he looked up from it, he noticed that all three women had chosen to go with the same red colour as Vic's broom. When the polish had dried, they were free to go pay for their services. At the front counter, the old witch apologised again for the behaviour of her young stylist.

Ced graciously accepted her apology and told her that it was water under the bridge.

At home, the girls told Ced to go find something to do. They were going to change for dinner tonight.

"Go play a game of wizard's chess or something!" Cici told him.

Ced went to find his dad, he saw him in the main study looking over more papers.

"Hey, dad! What are you doing?"

"Just going over some company reports. Here, let me show you." And Harry showed him what he was looking at, how to tell if a company was doing better or worse than the last report, he taught him how to know if this was a trend or if it was just a onetime thing. Ced and Harry got so engrossed in what they were looking at and comparing different companies that both of their heads snapped up.

When the guys weren't sitting in the living room playing a game of chess the girls called to them telepathically.

Both of them rushed out to see their wives.

Hermione was wearing a knee-length white dress that hugged her curves with a scoop neckline, she was wearing a large sapphire double row necklace with earrings to match and red heels.

Cici was wearing a knee-length blue dress with a plunging neckline that was hugging all of her ample curves, a large diamond multi-row necklace that dropped down into her cleavage with earrings and bracelets to match and white heels.

Vic was wearing all red, a red knee-length sparkling dress with a plunging neckline, a ruby necklace that dropped between her breasts, three strand ruby earrings that hung low and red heels to match, with a matching ankle bracelet.

All three beautiful women stood out against the polished marble staircase, and all three women were wearing lipstick to match the red nail polish. Their husbands met them at the bottom of the stairs to walk them to the ballroom, there was still a couple of hours before dinner.

"Did I ever tell you what the passphrase was when your mum and I lived in the married quarters?" Harry asked Ced as he twirled Mione around in a circle.

"No, what was it?"

"Waltzing Angel. Because of your mum. I love to dance with your mum, it means that I get to hold her close and not worry about anyone else. She's the reason that I learned to dance." Harry told him as he started to lead her out onto the dance floor.

With a wave of Hermione's hand, the old phonograph sprung to life and began to play a beautiful melodic waltz. Harry was in a different land as he started dancing with her, he only had eyes for her.

Ced held out his hand to his wives, and Cici pushed Vic forwards to have the first dance. It was Friday, and she would have Ced to herself tonight, and she was more than willing to share their husband until after dinner. As Vic took his hand, Ced pulled her in close, and they began to move around the dance floor in graceful and flowing whirls and twirls, dips and spins. When the music ended, Vic and Cici exchanged places. Vic put another waltz on the phonograph, and the two couples continued to dance. Hermione sat the third dance out as Harry took Cici into his arms, and Ced took Vic into his. Then Hermione joined her son as Vic danced with her dad. It was in this way that everyone was dancing and happy until dinner was ready to be served.

.

Saturday morning found everybody together for their morning workout. Ced explained to his father that they had started working on expanding Amber and Julia's magical core, they had excellent skills but lacked the staying power for an extended fight. That was their preferred fighting style, let their opponent wear themselves out magically, and then finish the fight. Harry agreed that building their magical core was important, so after their morning run, he had Amber and Julia dual against Ced for twenty minutes. Ced pressed the fight making them fight both magically and physically. Amber thought that she had landed a good hex on Ced only to watch as it was absorbed by his clothing.

"How do you do that!" she said in exasperation.

"How do I do what?" Ced asked confused as to what she was asking.

"How do you block the spell? I watched it hit you, and it had no effect on you!"

"OH! I charmed my clothes to be a shield. It's kind of like a shield of last resort."

"How can we do that?"

"It's not hard, it's more complicated than it is hard." He told her.

"Will you teach us?"

"Sure, but we need to finish this duel, first." He told her.

They needed to push the two girls as far as they could without overdoing it, so two or three times a day they would push them until they would get tired, then they had all night to rest to do it all over again the next day.

After breakfast, they went out and ran the confidence course.

"You only have until Tuesday to get as fast as you can! Because on Wednesday, McMillian wants us all to meet in his office!" Harry pushed them. "Oh, speaking of offices, Mask wants your sister to start work with her on Monday!" he told Ced and the girls.

"Wow! That's great!" Ced responded joyfully.

"Yeah, so your mum and I are going to go with her on her first day."

"That's amazing! She must be the youngest worker ever!" Cici said.

"So, what's she going to be doing?" Vic asked.

"Mask said that they will have her do different things but that she will be like a curse breaker. You know the Unspeakables, all hush-hush."

"She's good at that," Vic said, speaking from experience.

Charles popped in, "My Lords, my Ladies, Auror Tonks is here for you." He said with a bow.

"Thank you, Charles. We'll be in in a moment." Harry told his Head Elf.

Looking and seeing that his friends were only about halfway through the obstacle course, Ced told the others that he would go and watch them while the others went inside to speak with Tonks. Cici and Vic both gave him a sweet kiss on the lips before they joined Harry and Hermione on the walk inside the house.

Ced encouraged his friends to push harder where it was safe because a blown-out ankle was the last thing they needed to deal with when going to do a job for McMillian.

Inside of the house, Harry, Hermione, Cici, and Vic joined Tonks in the sitting room.

"Sorry to drop by unannounced." She started. Etiquette dictated that she says it.

"That's fine, what's going on? Aren't you supposed to be off today?" Harry asked her.

"Yes, and no. I was closing some cases at work, and I wanted to bring the girls their money for the work they did for us." She handed Vic and Cici a deposit slip for 10,000 galleons each, into Gringotts' Bank. "Then I also have the money that you earned from the brothel." She got up again and handed each of them a bag full of galleons. "Amazingly enough, you both earned the exact same amount, another 20,500 galleons, each. It's a small amount considering what happened to you, and I'm glad that you're doing okay." Tonks thanked them and apologised for Cici getting hurt.

"We've interrogated both of the suspects, and on the one that Vic caught, we were able to rescue three girls and learn the whereabouts of fifteen more graves. He turned out to be a copycat killer. On the one that attacked you, we used veritaserum, and we learned where he had buried close to a hundred different girls of all ages. He buried so many girls that he forgot where he buried all of them so we won't know. But we did manage to rescue another five girls that we, with the help of your mum/Hermione, brought back to health. The mind healers at Saint Mungo's are working with them to help them deal with their ordeal. They're working with the parents also. It's silly you know," she let out a little chuckle, "But some of the girls ran away simply because their parents told them to clean their rooms and make their beds." Tonks shook her head in a 'what is this world coming to' way. "None of the girls were abused in any way!"

"So, did they both get the veil?" Cici asked in a grave tone.

"Yes, about two weeks after they were captured."

Somewhere in all of this Ced joined his wives. The others just stood silently at the doors to the sitting room eavesdropping on the conversation. They hadn't heard the whole story, they only knew that Cici had been attacked. They didn't know that it was by a serial killer that had already killed so many people that he couldn't remember them all.

"It's a good thing that Ced didn't kill the guy for attacking you if he had, then we would never have found where he hid the other girls. You two did a good thing in helping us, Thank you." She told them sincerely.

"Thank you." They said in unity.

A loud, high-pitched squeal came from the other room followed by a soft thump.

" _Wotcher Tonks!"_ the voice boomed in their heads.

"Wotcher Cathaoir!" Tonks said brightly and enthusiastically.

"Wotcher Tonks!" Daphne said exuberantly.

"Wotcher Kitten!" replied Tonks equally. "Hey! Congratulations on getting that summer job!"

Harry and Hermione were waving their hands and shaking their heads "No."

"Oops, sorry!"

"What summer job?" Kitten asked excitedly.

"Mask has asked if you would be willing to work with her over the summer. You would be doing a bunch of different things, but you would be breaking curses with her." Hermione told her daughter.

"Really!" she squealed with excitement. "Do I get to wear the robes of the Unspeakables too?"

"I don't know honey," Hermione told her gently. And truthfully, she didn't know.

"When do I start? Oh! I have to tell Willow that she can't spend the summer with me now. She can spend it with Solaria, they'll have lots of fun together!"

"You start on Monday at 8:00 in the morning. I don't know if Mask is going to make you work all week or not." Harry told her.

"Wow! Maybe I'll see you at work! But for now, I need to go." Tonks told the group.

Everybody said their goodbyes and Tonks flooed out of the house.

On Monday, while Harry and Hermione took Daphne to work for her first day, the teens ran the obstacle course twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They had gotten their time down below forty minutes for all six of them to cross the finish line.

On Tuesday, Vic had her board meeting for Cleansweep Brooms. She strode into the meeting with Harry, Sirius, and Uncle Oswald. Dressed in Magical Business attire, she looked the part of a young executive. Since there wasn't any stock for the company like there would have been for a muggle business, she owned the whole business when the three men gave her their portions of the business. She walked into the boardroom and sat at the head of the table. She looked around the table at all of the ancient men that had been running the company, she had also been briefed on all of the different aspects and areas of the company. As the last member of the board walked into the room fifteen minutes late, she brought the meeting to order just as she had been taught.

"Good morning, now that we are all finally here," she looked at the old man that walked in late. "I would like to introduce myself. My name is Victoria Potter, and I am the new owner and Chief Executive Officer of Cleansweep Brooms and all of its subsidiaries. If you will please stand up, introduce yourselves to me, and tell me what it is that you do here. We will begin with this gentleman on my right and continue around the table. Please begin." She told him as she sat back down.

As they went around the table she sat there and took notes on each one of them when they had finished, she thanked them.

"Now, whose idea was it to come out with the Nimbus Mach 1 and the Firebolt Afterburner?" she asked, and she got a deer in the headlights look as none of the old men answered her.

"We, do still own Nimbus and Firebolt brooms, don't we?" she looked around the table and then over her shoulder at her dad and uncles. They nodded. She got no response from any of the old men.

She stood up and started walking around the table, "Could someone please tell me how many of the Nimbus Mach 1s' or the Firebolt Afterburners that we've sold?" she was running her fingers across the tops of the chairs as she walked slowly around the table.

As she reached the head of the table again, she looked down at her notes, then she looked directly at the Head of Sales. "So, according to my notes, you're the Head of Sales, and you can't tell me how many brooms we've sold in the last year?"

The ancient wizard wouldn't look at her, and he wouldn't answer her.

Looking at her notes again, she looked at the Head of Marketing. "Could you please tell me how much has been spent on marketing of the Mach 1 and the Afterburner brooms?"

He looked away from her, he refused to speak to her or even acknowledge her existence.

Again, she looked at her notes and then she looked at the Chief Financial Officer of the company. "Could you please tell me how many galleons has been spent on the Mach 1 and Afterburner brooms?"

He also wouldn't look at her or speak to her, he even went as far as to turn his nose up slightly.

"Is anybody in this room going to speak to me? Or even acknowledge that I exist?" she asked gently.

They all looked away from her. Was it pride? The good ole boy's club? Guilt? The fact that she was the only woman in the room? An outsider?

"Well let me tell you how much I have spent on the company in the last three months. I have spent 30,000 galleons on a forensic accounting firm to come in and investigate this company and all of you! As of this morning, ALL of your vaults have been seized, all of your homes have been searched, and ALL of you are going to face trial for embezzlement because all of you received money from your schemes." What she had told them was fact, backed up by numbers, their numbers, from different sets of books that they kept over the years. They had gambled on the Heads of the Ancient houses being too busy with their other interests to notice a small company like theirs, and it had paid off until today.

Vic walked to the doors of the boardroom and opened them to let the Aurors in. One by one all of the members of the board were arrested and taken away. If any of the former board members cared to look, all of their assistants were standing there also ready to take their places. As the last of the old men left the room, the assistants began to file in. Vic summoned all of the paperwork on the table to herself and stacked it neatly at the head of the table. When the last man took his seat, she walked over and closed the doors.

"Let me introduce myself," she said as she walked back to the head of the table. "My name is Victoria Potter, I am the new Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Cleansweep Brooms and all of its subsidiaries. If you will be so kind as to introduce yourselves to me and tell me about what it is that you do for the company. We will begin with this gentleman her on my right."

Again, they went around the table, and she took notes on all of them. This time, however, she cut to the part where she had spent 30,000 galleons and then she had five more men arrested for embezzlement. Their assistants were standing outside the doors ready to take their places.

Then she dealt with corporate espionage and five more men were arrested, three of them from the group that had just entered the room. Their assistants were standing outside the doors ready to take their places.

Once again, introductions were made, and the meeting was finally moving forward.

"The corruption in this company astounds me! This is your bread and butter! Everybody wants a pay raise, I understand that, but when upper management is stealing all of the money, there is no money for pay raises. So, I am going to institute a profit sharing program. Everybody from the lowest employee to the highest executive will share in our quarterly profits if the business does not make a profit, then there will be no bonuses. I will work it out with my advisers as to how much each person will receive." She told them. As she looked at her dad and her uncles they smiled and nodded at her.

As they were getting close to lunch, Vic sent a piece of paper around the table for them to write their name and what they wanted for lunch, on. She then called for her executive assistant and gave the piece of paper to her for her to take care of getting them lunch.

As the meeting moved forward, she told them. "I want to cancel the Mach 1 and Afterburner program. Recall all of the brooms, which shouldn't be too hard considering we haven't sold any of them. Make up an excuse if you have to, say that it's a safety recall for instability in excess of mach1 if you have to. Just get all of the brooms back. There's a lesson to be learned here, and we need to learn from it. Next, I would like it if someone would start doing a little market research and see what kind of market there is for an exotic type of broom. We need to cover our market! From the cheapest broom to the high-end brooms. Comet Brooms have made significant inroads into our market share. We need to focus on our best sellers and give our consumers the best value for their galleons!" when she had mentioned exotic and high-end brooms there were mixed emotions around the table. She had expected that there would be, just not this divisive. When they stopped for lunch to be served, Vic had Lucy bring her, her broom. Vic levitated her broom to the centre of the board table for all of them to stare at, and there were plenty of 'oohs' and 'ahs' about the broom, as they ate their lunch, and carried on with the meeting.

"So, why did you buy this broom instead of one of ours?" the head of sales asked her.

"Two reasons, the first of which is, I was sexually molested when I tried to buy one of our brooms." This revelation sent gasps of astonishment around the room, and one individual who couldn't control his thoughts, thought to himself, 'I'd like to molest you!'

Vic's head snapped around, and she stared right at the middle-aged man. "You're fired!" she told him as she pointed him out.

There were looks of astonishment flying around the room at the sudden dismissal of the new Head of Department.

"When my own board members would like to sexually molest me, I have a problem with that." She told the group of middle-aged men, coldly.

She summoned her executive assistant and had her go and get the next person in line for the job. "No, better yet. Bring me a woman for the job, I'm killing the good ole boy's club here and now. It dies today!"

Fifteen minutes later a younger woman entered the room timidly. She had been passed over for promotions to lesser qualified men, and now here she was sitting in the boardroom with a young girl sitting at the head of the table. Also, there was a really gorgeous broom floating in the middle of the table. She loved the colour.

Vic waited for her to get seated, "Hi, my name is Victoria Potter," she said for the umpteenth time that day. "Please introduce yourself to us and where you work."

The young woman in her twenties introduced herself and what it was that she did for the company.

"Congratulations, you are now the head of your department. If you need help, ask any of these gentlemen, and I am sure that they would be more than happy to help you. If not, send me an owl, and I will make sure that you get the help that you need to get the job done. I am committed to your success." She told her firmly so that the others in the room knew that they were now playing on Vic's team, no more going off on your own and trying to sink someone else

Vic's head snapped around again when she heard 'Yeah, you need to be committed.'

"You're fired too," she told the man that had the stray thought. "Patricia! She called out." When she opened the door to the room, "Bring me another woman to replace the gentleman that is leaving us."

"Yes, mam." And she waited for the man to leave before she closed the door.

Shortly, another young woman in her twenties entered the room quietly, found the empty seat and took it.

"Hello, … " Vic went through the introduction again. Learned the young woman's name and what she had been doing at the company since she was hired.

"Excellent," Vic started as she stood up. "Now, I am going to require you to take two different oaths of loyalty…"

And she was interrupted by another middle-aged man when he got up and started yelling, and he pulled his wand out to hex Vic. Before Sirius or Os could get their wands out, Harry had his in his hand, but Vic was blocking his shot, he was fast, Vic would give him that, but she was faster. Just as his hex was leaving his wand, Vic had her wand in her hand, she was moving sideways, and casting a triple pack of spells at the attacker. The man's hex missed her, but Harry had a shield up to protect himself, Vic's curses hit true, _reducto/stupefy/expelliarmus_ , as he was flying backwards through the air, his wand was flying to Vic's outstretched hand.

"My wand! I won it through the rite of combat! Do I have any other traitors in my company!" she demanded harshly. "If I do, you had best leave now! Because the next step will cost you your magic! Patricia!" she yelled again.

"Yes, mam!" the haggard looking middle-aged woman answered.

"I am going to need another female replacement for what's-his-name over here, and the Aurors also." She told her assistant kindly.

"This is Lord Gryffindor, my dad, he will be administering the Oaths of Loyalty," Vic told the stunned board members.

When Harry was on about the third or fourth new board member, the newest member of the board came walking into the boardroom. The stunned body of the latest unemployed board member was still laying on the carpeted floor. Vic walked up to her and introduced herself, learned her name and that she was in her early thirties with two children. She had been working for the company for ten years and had stopped moving up in management five years ago as she got passed over by underqualified men. Many of whom had gone to work for Comet Brooms.

After the last board member had taken the oaths of loyalty, Vic asked to be given a tour of the facility. She asked questions about where they sourced the different materials for the brooms and was shocked to learn that they only had one supplier for each part of the brooms.

"Do all of the other broom manufactures in the world get their twigs from the same place?"

"No, but that's how we've always done it."

"So, if they wanted to raise their prices, then we would be stuck paying those inflated prices, or if they didn't want to sell to us, then we would go out of business." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes."

"Where do the French, the Italians, the Germans, or the Chinese get their twigs from?"

"I don't know."

"Find out! If we are going to compete on a global scale, then we can't be stuck with just one supplier! Get purchasing on that today."

"Yes, Mam!"

"Where's research and development?"

"Who?"

"New product development?"

"We don't have that department."

"Then who is in charge of introducing new brooms?"

"That was Wallace, I think you fired him."

"So, there was only one guy that thought up new brooms?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"That's how we've always done it."

He stepped away from her as he felt the magic building in anger.

Vic closed her eyes and re-centred herself, "Is there an engineering department?"

"I think that you fired all of them too."

"Then who is the replacement person?"

"That would be me, mam." And a young woman stepped through the group of people.

Vic looked at her.

"Jamieson," she said, "Jessica Jamieson."

"Well, Jessica, it looks like you are now the new Head of Engineering, and Research and Development. How much experience do you have in any of those departments?"

"I've been working with engineering for about four years."

"Have any of your ideas been implemented on a broom?"

"No, and yes. The no is that I was told that it wasn't a good idea, and yes when one of the men would steal my idea and the boss would then like it."

"What did you think of my broom that was in the boardroom?"

"It's beautiful! It's so sleek and sexy!"

"Do you think that Cleansweep can build a broom like that?"

"YES! We could build a broom like that. That's what the Mach 1 and the Afterburner were supposed to be. But that wanker stole my idea and sold it to the boss over one too many glasses of Firewhisky."

"Good. How many people do you need to build a good R&D/Engineering department?"

"Three, four more." She said hesitantly.

"Hire the best that you can, pay them what they're worth. Don't just hire anybody, hire the best."

"Yes, Mam!"

"Where's my Head of Marketing?"

"Here, Mam." And a younger man stepped forward.

"What did you think about my broom?"

"It's beautiful!"

"Do you think that we have the ability to build one?"

"YES!"

"How many of them do you honestly think that we could sell in a year? Honestly, don't lie to me, either."

"Well, it's going to depend upon the price for sure, and how much we hype it up." He was thinking out loud

"Well, that broom upstairs sells for 100,000 galleons."

His mouth fell open in shock. As Vic looked around, she saw everybody's mouths hanging open. Not a good sign.

"How many brooms like that do you think they sell in a year?"

"A hundred."

"You're right they sell just about a hundred of them. Why do you think they do that?"

"To keep the price up."

"You're correct again. But how about exclusivity? Is that the first Paginlioni you have ever seen?"

"Yes."

"So, do you think that there's a market for Firebolt to build an exotic, exclusive, sexy broom like that?"

"Yes."

"Good, I want you to find out if we could sell a hundred of them, two hundred of them, or even a thousand of them. And I want you to start thinking up names and see what people think of those names. Just like the muggles have Jaguar, Lotus, and Aston Martin cars, we need to have an exotic broom division too."

"Okay!' he said getting excited for once in his job.

"We're not going to neglect the brooms that put the food on our plates! Like I said in the boardroom, we need to work on giving our customers the best value for their galleon! Our customers need to know that when they buy a Cleansweep broom, they are getting the best broom for their money! We need to be selling brooms to kids for their first broom at Christmas. When they think of a broom, they need to think of Cleansweep Brooms!"

That last part brought shouts and cheers. People clapped in enthusiasm.

"We need to offer entry-level brooms for the budget conscious buyers, and we need to offer brooms for families, we need to offer brooms for young professionals! We need to have a broom for every price range! We also need to make sure that when a business needs to buy brooms for their employees, they think of us first!"

More cheering and more clapping.

"I am going to want weekly updates, and I am going to want them by 10:00am Monday mornings. If you are having problems, ask someone for help. If someone refuses to help you, I want to know about that immediately! You have my permission to hire people as needed. I do not want to see bloated departments! If you hire somebody, it needs to be an equal opportunity hiring, if I even suspect that you hired somebody because they're your friend from school, we will have words. Hire the best person for the job. I will be checking up on all of you. I would much rather reward you for success than discipline you for catastrophic failure. Are we going to make mistakes? Yes, but we need to learn from our mistakes and move on."

She took the opportunity to answer questions from her new Board of Directors. She assured them that they would all be getting the old Directors salaries. There were a lot of smiling faces at that announcement.

"If you have any further questions, write them down and give them to my assistant. She will make sure that I get them and I will get back to you on them. It's getting late, and I have other appointments that have been put off, thank you for your time."

She answered a couple of more questions and then she referred the rest to her assistant. With Harry, Sirius, and Os following her she made it back to the boardroom to collect her broom before apparating home.

Inside the study, with a couple of butterbeers, they went over everything that had happened that day.

"I didn't realise how deep the corruption went inside that company," Os said between sips of his beer.

"It's amazing that it was still running!" Sirius agreed.

"Well, it looks like it was money well spent. If the new board can get the company turned around, we should be profitable by the end of the third quarter." Vic said.

"When I started looking into things, the numbers just weren't adding up. That's when I suggested that Vic hire that accounting firm and the investigators, to look into how their trade secrets were getting out." Harry told them.

"I liked the idea of having the women as part of the board. The ole good ole boy's club was getting tiring really quick. They would resist giving me the information that I was asking for." Os told the group.

"I couldn't believe the nerve of that wanker pulling his wand on me! Did the Aurors pick him up? I forgot to look." Vic said.

"I think so, I didn't see him when I walked in there with you," Sirius said. "I'll make sure to charge him with attacking a member of an Ancient House."

"How much money will you recover from the seizure of their vaults and the money recovered from their homes?"

"The accounting firm thinks that we can recover two thirds to three-quarters of what they took, we might get back even more if we sell their houses and all of their belongings," Vic told them. She sat down her empty bottle. "I'm going to head upstairs and get changed for dinner in a little bit. I'll see you later."

The guys raised their beers to her, and she went upstairs to seek some badly needed physical contact with her mates. In their room, she found them relaxing in the oversized tub, she went back to use the restroom, strip out of her clothes, and then joined them in the tub. Cici moved off of Ced's lap to let Vic sit there, then she sat in Vic's lap, so she was sandwiched between them getting as much physical contact as possible.

"How was your day?" Ced asked her.

"Long." And she opened her mind to her husband and wife entirely so they could see her memories of the day.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.10.2018**

 **And again 01.04.2019**

 **And again 03.29.2019**


	37. Year Five Chapter 37

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 37

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The eleven of them walked into the Secret Intelligence Service building and took seats in the atrium as they waited for Sean McMillian. They talked softly amongst themselves as they looked around to see if they would see a super spy, or an assassin, licensed to kill. Soon enough McMillian came and collected the lot of them, leading them to a conference room, to talk for a few minutes.

Addressing the six new members of their group, he asked. "Are you ready to go?"

This is what they had been training for since Christmas, and they all responded enthusiastically.

After a little more talking, he led them down and out the back of the building, to a couple of blacked out Ford vans, to take them to meet the unit, and run the obstacle course. Hermione and Ced rode in one van while Cici, Vic, and Harry rode in the other van. One couple and one single rode in each vehicle. This way they could communicate between the two vans easily. A long while later, the vans pulled up behind the same training facility they had used for Ced and his wives. The group got out of the vans and moved quickly into the gymnasium. Inside they found sergeants Shaw and Winkelmann with SGM Richardson.

"More children!" Richardson grumbled.

Winkelmann and Shaw barely nodded their heads in acknowledgement of Ced, Vic, and Cici.

"Well, let's get this circus, out to the confidence course and see if these kids can at least do that!" Richardson said sourly.

The other teens clustered around the happy threesome.

"Is he always this pleasant?" asked Angel softly.

"Only when he's in a good mood," Vic told her humorously.

The group followed Richardson and McMillian out the side doors of the building, as they made their way to the confidence course. The teens were relieved to see it was just like the one they had been training on every chance they got.

"I'll have sergeant Shaw show you how to do each of the different obstacles. Once he is finished, then you will be required to complete each of the obstacles and the 6.5 kilometres run back to the starting line here, in less than one hour! Are there any questions?" SGM Richardson asked them loudly.

"Do you want us to run the course in our dress clothes?" George asked curiously.

All of the girls were wearing dresses or skirts, and heels.

The pain on SGM Richardson's face, was evident for all to see at George's question. But the SGM couldn't deny the validity of his question. "No, son, I do not expect you kids to do the confidence course in your Sunday best. We will get you some uniforms to wear."

He looked around for Winkelmann, "Winkelmann, get these civilians some clothes!" he barked at him.

"Yes! SGM!" Winkelmann told him loudly.

"The lot of you! Follow me!" Winkelmann told them as he turned, to lead them to the quartermaster's office.

Thirty minutes later, they were in the guest quarters changing clothes.

Cici and Vic were with the other girls, "You can do real low-level magic to make things fit better, and put the spell on your bra because the bras they give you suck." Cici told them in a hushed voice.

Ced was with the guys telling them the same kind of things.

They all met with Shaw and Winkelmann in the squad bay when they had finished getting changed. With SGM Richardson not there yet, Winkelmann and Shaw got a chance to catch up with the three that they had worked with a couple of times. Shortly afterwards, Richardson came to collect them, and get them back over to the confidence course, to make sure none of them cheated.

With Winkelmann and Shaw at the top of the tower, Richardson blew his whistle and started his stopwatch. They were off to the races. With Ced, Cici, and Vic running the course with them the other teens felt they could beat their best times. They rappelled down the side of the tower in one long slide, they freed themselves of the harness, and then they turned and ran for the next obstacle. Thirty-six minutes later they were crossing the finish line. Much to the chagrin of the SGM.

"Humph," he grunted. "Follow me," he told them roughly. And he led them back into the training facility.

As the last of them finished walking into the training facility, they could see that six sets of mats had been placed on the floor, three on each side of the room.

"You will each be tested in unarmed combat! The six newcomers will each take a mat!" he commanded.

After they had spread out.

"I have six volunteers to test each of you!" he told them loudly. And six combat veterans walked into the training facility stripping off their outer shirts, so they were wearing just t-shirts. Each man squared off against one teen. "The rules are simple, whoever gets their opponent to submit first, wins."

At the sound of his whistle, the opponents started grappling with each other. The girls, trained by Cici and Vic used the techniques they had learned in fighting larger opponents. For the guys, they used similar methods, also. The girls each let their opponents get overconfident, and when the soldiers thought that they had the girls pinned, the girls were able to use what they had learned, and before the guys had it figured out, they were getting choked unconscious. The viciousness that Amber and Julia showed was worthy of Vic or Cici. They could even hear snarls of rage as the two girls choked the guys, mercilessly. Rose and Angel beat their opponents just after Amber and Julia rolled theirs off of them. Rose and Angel's opponents were next. Hermione was over checking on each of the soldier's health. Fred was the next to subdue his opponent using a different choke hold, while George was still exchanging bare-knuckle punches with his opponent. Then out of nowhere, George kicked the soldier in his knee, shattering it, and dropping the man to the mat, a hard kick to the face finished the task.

Cici and Vic rushed to the injured soldier to heal him as quickly as possible, while Hermione tended to George's wounds.

The sour look on SGM Richardson's face said it all. "The next task will be on knife fighting. You have fifteen minutes to get ready."

Each of the teens took a Vitamix potion, and it should start kicking in just before they would start their next test. After the teens took their mats, six fresh volunteers entered the room for the knife fighting test.

"The object of this test is to get your opponent to submit without killing them! You have fifteen minutes! Begin!" he commanded loudly.

George was in a foul mood and pumped up on Vitamix potion. He and his new opponent exchanged punches, kicks, jabs, and knife swings. George's opponent made a jab at him, and he caught the soldier's arm with his free hand and sliced him across his upper arm cutting him to the bone, rendering the arm useless, the knife fell to the mat. He raised his one good arm in surrender. Hermione rushed over to heal the soldier quickly. With a blood replenishing potion and a Vitamix, Harry helped the man to the sidelines to watch the others fight it out.

With Julia's opponent ready to deal a death blow to the girl on the mat in a defensive position, he drew back and started his swing, Julia moved inside of his swing arc and sliced the soldier up his right inner thigh causing him to stumble and fall. She quickly kicked the knife out of his reach, and he surrendered to her. Cici and Hermione rushed over to start healing the soldier's leg. Cici pulled another blood replenishing potion out, she lifted his head and helped him drink the potion. When Hermione was done treating his leg, Cici gave him a Vitamix potion to help him get his energy back. He rolled over and got to his feet on his own.

As Julia's opponent was walking to the sidelines, Rose had slid between her opponent's legs and cut him on both hamstring muscles as she passed through, causing him to land on top of her, she got her knife hand free and put the knife to his throat, he raised his hands in defeat. Vic was the first on the scene to levitate him off of Rose and start healing him while Hermione was treating Fred's opponent. Cici was the first on the scene for Amber's opponent that had been stabbed in the lung, and Angel's opponent was laying on top of her with her legs wrapped around his waist, an arm around his chest, and her knife to his throat. Ced went to help Rose's opponent to his feet and give him a Vitamix potion. Vic went over to check on Angel's opponent, he had just minor cuts and bruises. Vic healed both Angel and her opponent, she gave a Vitamix to the soldier before he went to the sidelines. Harry and Ced both helped Amber's opponent to his feet and down both a blood replenishing potion and a Vitamix.

All three tasks had been completed successfully, much to the irritation of SGM Richardson. "Congratulations. Shaw, introduce them to the rest of the unit." Was all he said as he turned and left the building in a sour mood.

"What a sourpuss," Fred mumbled.

Ced leaned closer to him. "He's the only one that's that way." He told him just above a whisper.

A few minutes later, Shaw came walking back in with a large group of soldiers. Winkelmann had the teens form a straight line, while Shaw had the soldiers come through in a single file to shake their hands.

"Oh, did you see that one?" Rose asked Angel. "He's cute!"

"Did you see that other one? He's cute too!" Angel told her, motioning with her head in the direction of the guy she liked.

McMillian pulled his group aside, "They want you to start training tonight." He told them.

"Will this be at the same base that we did our training at?" Ced asked him.

"Yes, we'll drive you over there in a few minutes. They still need an hour to get ready. Richardson wasn't expecting for the new people to pass all of the tests."

"He expected us to fail?" Amber asked amazed.

"Yes, don't read too much into it, he expects everybody to fail," McMillian told her.

Sean walked back over to Winkelmann, and they talked for a couple of minutes. Then he came back to the kids.

"I told Winkelmann that we were leaving and that he could meet you at the secure facility."

.

At the secure facility, McMillian showed everyone around the base. He showed the newcomers to their barracks, the four girls would be sharing two rooms, the two boys would be sharing another room, while Ced and his wives would get the same room they had used before. The soldiers would get the entire floor above them. As the group of soldiers arrived, McMillian moved the kids inside the building to reduce their exposure to other people. He explained to them that even though everyone had signed the blood contract, it was just better to reduce the chances of someone talking to the wrong person.

Shaw and Winkelmann sent their guys upstairs to find a bed and get unpacked. As they filed past, nine of them dropped off a duffle bag in front of the teenagers.

"McMillian rushed you out of there so fast that we had to collect your duffle bags for you," Shaw told the kids. "I'm not sure whose is whose."

"Thank you." Each of the kids told him.

"We'll figure it out," Ced told him.

"Why don't you kids grab a duffle bag and head to your rooms. You can figure it out there." Harry told them.

As the kids headed for their rooms, Harry told Ced. "We're going to go home." The parents and the kids exchanged hugs, and then Hermione and Harry headed for the hidden room to apparate home.

Each of them hefted a duffle bag and headed for a room. As they started going through the duffle bags, it was pretty quickly that they discovered the sex that the bag was intended for. The piece of paper that had the intended owners name had been thrown aside as they dug in. Ced walked in and found Angel modelling either Fred's or George's boxers.

"This is your duffle." He told her handing her the piece of paper with her name on it.

"There's a name on them?" she asked in shock.

"Yeah, it was folded up in the side pocket with the window in it." He told her. He didn't see it at first. It was Cici that discovered the clear pocket.

Angel and Rose both laid their bags over to find the pocket.

"This one's Fred's," Angel said.

"This one's Amber's," Rose said as she started stuffing everything back into the bag.

After finding George modelling Vic's bra's, the group of friends got together and exchanged duffle bags.

"Remember, you have to put everything away by hand," Ced told them. "No magic!"

About a half hour later, Winkelmann knocked on Ced's door.

"Come in!" a female's voice told him.

He opened the door to find the kids finishing putting their stuff away. "Hey, let's go get some chow! It's lunchtime, and my guys are getting hungry." He told them.

"Okay, let me tell the others," Vic told him, as she put what she was holding down on the bed. "It's good seeing you again!"

"It's good seeing all of you too."

Vic left to tell Rose and Angel.

"Hi!" Cici said as she went to tell Julia and Amber.

"How's it going?" Ced shook his hand as he headed for George and Fred.

With the nine of them grouped behind Winkelmann, he led them to the squad bay to collect some more of his troops. They picked up the rest of them, and they formed a loose column of troops, four across, as they walked to the mess hall.

Ced, Cici, and Vic explained to the others that everyone that they would have contact with, had all signed a blood contract, but that did not give them permission to discuss details about their mission or who they were. "You can exchange pleasantries, you can talk about the weather, but you cannot talk about why we are here." The newcomers watched as the soldiers formed a single file line. They each picked up a plastic tray, they picked up a fork, knife, and a spoon. Then they would tell the man behind the counter with the glass on it what they wanted from the selection provided. He would then pass the plate to the next cook in line. When the plate was full, that cook would hand the plate to the soldier, and the next cook would start on a smaller plate for what was left to choose from. The desserts were on a rack at the end of the serving line. Then they would pick up the tray and either move to the drink stand or carry it to a table and return for a drink. With only thirty-six of them, it went quickly.

Shaw motioned for them to sit with him and Winkelmann at the largest table in the chow hall. And they still stared in amazement as Ced seated each of his wives. They didn't know for sure that Vic and Cici were his wives, but they had begun to suspect it from the first mission. They were just too well trained to ask. Need to know, kind of training.

"You girls need to remember that your hair can't touch the collar of your shirts." Winkelmann started to inform them.

"Like this?" Amber asked as she waved her hand and all of the lights in the chow hall flickered. "Oops! Sorry!" she said sheepishly.

"Yes, but you have to do it without magic," Shaw told her.

As they sat there eating, a couple of the other troops came over to join them for some light conversation. Then as they were just about finished. Winkelmann informed them that after lunch, they would have primary parachute training for the rest of the afternoon. The next morning, they would have free rappelling training. It would go this way until next week when they should get their five jumps in. After that, they would get their oxygen equipment training. With a successful high altitude jump, they would head out, for in-country training with the brooms, by the end of next week.

Rose eventually learned the name of the guy that she thought was cute, his name was Oscar Ozona. They started talking more and more, he would even sit at the table with them.

Angel learned that the guy she liked, they called him Davie Davis, even though his name was Daniel. It just kind of stuck he told her. She learned that he was the unit medic.

After almost two weeks of training and their high altitude jump under their belt, the group found themselves with a down day.

As the group of magicals were sitting on the sidelines watching the soldiers play an impromptu game of rugby, the boys were invited to join in and play for a while. The game got a little rough when a crack was heard, and a yelp of pain came from one of the soldiers.

Cici and Vic had to push their way through the circle of guys looking at the guy on the ground.

"Give me some room!" Vic said loudly in a commanding voice.

Cici turned and looked at the guys that had barely moved. "Back up! Give us some room!" she told them again in an authoritative voice.

Vic had started running a mid-level diagnostic on the man's arm and found where the break had occurred. Cici saw it and nodded as she ejected her wand and began healing the broken arm. Several minutes later the guy was flexing his arm and smiling.

"It's as good as new!" he said excitedly, "And there's no pain! Now which one of you buggers broke my arm?" he asked with a devilish grin on his face.

.

At oh dark hundred the next morning, found them boarding the transport plane headed for a friendly country in Africa. The soldiers boarded the aircraft after the wizarding kids were driven on in the blacked-out vans. Shaw took Ced and his wives up to the front of the cargo hold to show him some crates that had arrived the night before. Ced broke the seal on the topmost container and opened it to find three large brooms, with four seats and a cargo compartment underneath. He found a piece of parchment stuck to the broom in the centre.

 _Dear son,_

 _Here are nine new brooms that we had custom built while you were in training. These are modified Cleansweep MPB-4 HC brooms. The HC stands for Heavy Contractor. As you have probably noticed already these are larger than the brooms you and the girls used the first time. They all have the special modification that was done to the first brooms that you used. These also have the optional seats to make them that much more comfortable for you and your passengers. The under-broom storage is large enough to hold all of the equipment that they may bring with them._

 _Stay safe and Constant Vigilance!_

 _Love,_

 _Dad_

Winkelmann came forward and looked the brooms over quickly. Then he told them that they needed to take their seats, the plane was getting ready for takeoff. They could check them out more in the air or when they got to their destination.

"How long is the flight?" Ced asked him as they walked to the other side of the vans.

"About fourteen hours or so is what I was told." He knew that Ced hated to fly and he wasn't one to rub it in.

Ced and his wives strapped themselves in and waited. As they sat there, they held hands and waited for the inevitable sensation of sliding sideways meaning that they were no longer in contact with the ground. With the earplugs in his ears, he checked on his friends, then he closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. It was the way he had figured out how to make the time go faster. He woke up a few hours later with Cici and Vic kissing him awake.

"I wish that I could get woken up like that!" one of the soldiers said teasingly.

"Find yourself a good woman, and your wish just may come true, Johnson!" Cici told him sarcastically.

Johnson took the ribbing good-naturedly and smiled back at her.

Their brown box lunch consisted of a plain sandwich with condiments in little plastic bags, a bag of crisps, and a can of soda. They could get a plastic bottle of water if they wanted something else to drink.

After lunch, a trip to wait in line for the loo, Ced willed himself back to sleep. For dinner, the same routine happened. But instead of going back to sleep, he got the other teens to help him with the new brooms. He wanted the owner's manuals from the brooms so they could read them and make their time productive.

After a long day of flying, the lights in the cargo hold turned red, signifying that they would be landing soon. Shortly afterwards, the whirring and banging noises Ced associated with landing started to happen, another slip sideways and then the thump and the jerk of the plane hitting the ground, the roar of the engines as the plane slowed down to turn off the runway told him they were at their destination. Shaw and Winkelmann ushered the teens into the vans to wait for the loading ramp to open, they were in Africa. The loading ramp opened, the vans started, and they backed out into the African night. With the lights out, they drove into a hanger that had the lights turned off also.

An hour later found the teens doubled up carrying the shipping crates into their rooms for the night. Winkelmann helped Ced carry the fifth crate to his room.

"Are we running in the morning? Or are we moving to a more secretive base?" Ced asked once they had set the crate down.

"We're going to be moving to a more secure facility tomorrow before breakfast," Winkelmann told him.

"Okay, I'll inform the others."

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks for the help."

"Night."

"Night."

Ced and his wives gathered the others into their room.

"Winkelmann just told me that we will be moving again early tomorrow, before breakfast."

"Why?" asked Fred.

"We will be moving to a more secure facility. I think that there is where we'll practice with the brooms and stuff like that."

"Where are we?" asked Amber.

"I don't know, and I didn't ask either." He told her gently.

"We want to give you what's in the last two crates that we brought in," Vic told them.

Cici started handing out the dragon scale body armour.

"This is the armour that Ced was wearing when he got shot," Cici told them. "It saved his life."

"Amber, why don't you go ahead and put yours on," Ced told her.

George helped her slip into her body armour, then she pulled the boots on, then the gloves, and lastly, she pulled on the balaclava.

"Wow! You can hardly see her!" Rose exclaimed.

"Wait until she speaks!" Vic told her excitedly.

"Fred, if you keep sneaking into Julia's bed at night, you're going to get all of us in trouble!" Amber told him.

Ced's head snapped around to look at Fred. Cici and Vic's heads snapped around to look at Julia.

"Are you on the potion?" Cici asked her directly.

"It's shite like that, that will cost us this mission!" Ced scolded him.

Fred didn't know who he was more afraid of, Ced or the voice that the suit gave Amber.

"We're not doing anything!" Fred told the group.

"Well, are you on the potion?" Vic asked Julia again.

"No! We're not there yet." She told them, embarrassed at all of the negative attention she was receiving. "We just sleep together. That's all."

Now the three of them were looking at Fred. "We just sleep together, it helps with her dreams." He told them, sorry that he had just revealed one of her secrets.

Now they were all looking at Julia again.

"Do you have bad dreams?" Vic asked her, kindly.

"Yes, they've come back." She looked up into her eyes.

"Do you want some help locking them away again?" Vic asked her.

"Could you please? I'm sorry to ask." Julia looked away, ashamed that she wasn't as strong as Vic or Cici.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, we've all needed a little help from our friends," Vic told her. "Here, let's go to your room so we can have a little privacy." She told her as she led her to the door.

They sat on Julia's bunk, shoes off, legs crossed and Vic was holding her hands. Julia closed her eyes, then she could feel Vic moving around in her head. Julia gave her permission to lock away the bad memories behind a door. Julia pulled forward a memory that had haunted her for many years. It was the one where her father had traded her, with papers, in exchange for the relief of his gambling debts, it was the memory that made her feel like she was not worthy of being loved, that she was just a thing, like a galleon was a thing. Vic saw that she and Fred hadn't had sex yet, Fred wasn't even pushing for it, he was moving at her pace, and not trying to go faster. Vic let her know that she was happy for her and that she was glad that she and Fred had found each other. Then she pulled out of her mind.

The next morning, before sunrise, the unit moved to a more secure facility about ten kilometres from the air force base where they had landed. Winkelmann wanted the move to happen while it was still dark. They loaded the shipping crates into the back of one of the big military trucks the soldiers would be riding in, and the teens got into their vans. An hour of bumpy roads later, they were free of the vans. Shaw showed them to their tents, they decided that the shipping containers would be kept in Ced's tent because it was the largest. The teenagers had their own shower facilities, but they would have to share amongst themselves.

After a light breakfast, the teens pulled out the new brooms and took them for their first flight. They practised engaging the aerodynamic shield, disillusioning themselves, and in general getting used to a much larger and heavier broom. After lunch, they would start teaching the soldiers how to ride on a broom, then they would be giving the soldiers rides so they could get used to flying on the brooms. The next day, they started loading the brooms to capacity, three soldiers and all of their gear, so the teens could get used to flying them while they were fully loaded and heavy. All of the extra weight really affected the handling of the brooms. After that, they would need to practice flying them out of the back of the C-17 at altitude. They still had about a week of practice before they would be ready for the mission. The good thing was, at this remote camp, after their morning physical fitness training with the troops, the kids could practice duelling again. The base ran on generators that were turned on and off, and during the off times, the teens could use as much magic as they wanted. Most of the soldiers were duly impressed with the magical skills of the teenagers. Watching them conjure walls out of thin air and their opponents blowing them up as fast as they could be conjured. Watching how the kids would cast and move, never staying in the same place, throwing up decoys, always on the move, cast and move. On some of the mornings when the generators were running, some of the soldiers would spar with them in hand to hand combat. They were really impressed at how good the girls were at defending themselves. The girls for their part enjoyed having someone other than their usual sparring partners to practice against. The guys enjoyed having several larger opponents to practice against, also.

It was decided that the first practice flight out of the aircraft would be just the teens on the brooms so they could get used to the turbulence and the sensation of flying out of the back of the aircraft. Plus they would get a little practice on the timing of the aerodynamic shield. The second time they practised, it was with the troops and all of their gear on the brooms and flying in vics of three. The third practice, which was to be the high-altitude practice with the oxygen equipment, was scrubbed when they received updated intelligence that the terrorists were planning on moving the girls in the next couple of days.

The night before the mission, Ced pulled all of their friends into their tent. They all sat down and started practising their occlumency, they needed to relax, and a combination of occlumency and meditation helped them. After an hour of meditation, Ced pulled out the special wizarding long underwear. Cici explained to them that it was super slick, so if they had to fight in it that their opponents wouldn't be able to get a good grip on them. She also told them how it would keep them warm when they were at high altitudes like they would be tomorrow, and that it would help keep them cool when they were down on the ground and in the heat. They handed all of them the long underwear and their wizarding body armour for the next morning. Vic told them to put the body armour in their backpacks so they would have it in the aircraft.

"Relax, clear your minds and get some rest, 02:00 is going to come early," Ced told them. Now, he just had to practice what he was teaching them.

Ced, Vic, and Cici lay in bed, naked to the waist, Ced had done a good job of clearing his mind, they discussed the performance of their friends. They all felt, they had all done a superior job in flying the brooms with the troops on them. It was a lot of extra weight that none of them was used to.

02:00 rolled around right early the next morning. Ced got up and put a t-shirt on before he headed to the loo. As he entered the restroom, he found Angel starting to exit one of the stalls.

"Sorry." He said tiredly.

"It's okay." She told him with a yawn.

Cici and Vic both heard the conversation Ced had with Angel, so they pulled one of Ced's t-shirts on before they left their tent.

"Morning Angel," Cici said as she entered the restroom.

As Ced exited the loo, Rose was entering. "Sorry," Rose said.

"Morning," Ced told her.

He found Vic brushing her teeth and got a good morning kiss from her. As Vic and Cici crossed paths, they exchanged their good morning kiss.

"Blimey!" George said. "That's the first time I've ever seen you two kiss!"

"What'd you want them to do? Shake hands?" Julia said from behind him.

"But. Well. No. It's just that." George said turning as red as his hair.

"Just what?"

"It's just that. Well, I've never. I don't know!" now his skin was changing shades of red from an embarrassed red to an angrier red.

"It's okay George, Vic and I do not have a sexual relationship like your imagination is wanting you to believe, it's a way for us to express our love and appreciation of each other," Cici told him.

At 02:30, the teenagers met the other troops in the common area. They loaded up the brooms into the big military truck, the vehicles all formed into a convoy and headed for the air force base by 03:00. An hour later they were pulling in behind the C-17, the two blacked out vans pulled into the cargo hold of the aircraft as the troops carried the crates into the cargo hold. When the loading ramp was closed, Winkelmann told the kids they could exit the two vans. The kids filed out of the vans and took their seats on the sides of the aircraft and buckled in for the flight. All the pilots had been waiting for was the loading ramp to be closed. As soon as they had the green light for the door, they released the brakes and accelerated to the taxiway. They performed their preflight checklist, pulled out on to the active runway and accelerated down the runway into the air. When they had the permission of the loadmaster, the teens got up and started to put on their wizarding dragon scale body armour. None of the troops, but Shaw and Winkelmann had ever seen the wizarding dragon scale body armour. Seeing nine visions of shimmering death walking towards the shipping crates, scared the troops plenty bad. They removed the brooms, and as Ced called out each friend's name to come and get their broom, the troops heard the closest thing to death speaking that they would ever hear. With all of the brooms handed out, they formed up to wait for the loadmaster to tell them to don their oxygen masks. The troops loaded their equipment and mounted the brooms. Time seemed to slow down to a crawl, if the team medic had taken their pulse he would have found it to be racing. At 13,500m they would need the oxygen to survive. The loadmaster waited for the signal from the pilots before he gave the signal to don their masks, the pilots started to decompress the plane once the loadmaster informed the pilots it was safe. One last check of the equipment and the loading ramp was lowered, it was loud before, but now the noise made talking all but impossible. This is why Ced and his wives were so crucial to McMillian and the success of this mission. They waited for several eternities before the jump light turned green, then it was like everything had happened in the blink of an eye. Ced, Rose, and George shot out of the back of the aircraft, just as the tips of the brooms cleared the end of the ramp, they activated the aerodynamic shield of their broom. The teens fought for control of their brooms in the turbulence of the aircraft and then they were free from it. The second group of brooms was out of the aircraft, Vic, Fred, and Amber fought for control of their brooms. Then it was Cici, Julia, and Angel shooting out of the back of the cargo plane. Ced told his wives to disillusion the brooms, he selected the correct heading, and they shot forward. The sun was just rising as they headed north towards the mountaintop in Nigeria where the terrorists were keeping the captured girls.

From the jumping off point, it was a thirty-minute flight to the terrorist camp. Ced had the brooms dropping like a rock, when the altimeter showed it was safe, they stripped off their oxygen equipment. When the troops saw their pilots removing their equipment, they followed suit, letting it fall to the ground below. Surprise was the cornerstone of this mission, so they shot forward as fast as they could urge the brooms to go. Twenty-five minutes after leaving the aeroplane they were circling the enemy's base, staying high enough to stay concealed but low enough to look for guards. The three bonded mates motioned for the others to stay in the air and wait, flying slowly around the base.

" _Do you see them?"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Yes, they're more awake than the other terrorists."_ Vic thought to them.

" _I count eight guards on duty,"_ Cici said.

" _Shaw says that he saw two roving patrols."_ Vic thought.

" _Winkelmann says that he saw two also."_ Ced thought to them.

" _Shaw's ready to put his night vision goggles on. He wants me to land now!"_ Vic said.

" _Winkelmann's ready too."_ Ced thought to them.

" _Let's do this then."_ Cici thought.

The three of them landed and dropped off their troops. As soon as the troops were off the brooms, the three pilots shot back into the air and away from the area to keep from killing the night vision goggles.

The circling pilots kept an eye open for the chemlights, one green chemlight, two, three, six, ten, green chemlights. The soul-bonded threesome motioned for the others to land their troops at the designated spots around the enemy camp. They rejoined their troops to help find the girls and get them moved to safety. There were an estimated ninety girls and an unknown number of infants. As the designated teens waited for their passengers, the others started looking in the various tents around the base. There were plenty of screams as the girls woke up to the sight of death staring them in the eye and telling them to follow. They would lead the girls to the waiting brooms to take them to another hilltop across the border to be evacuated by helicopter to another military base.

Ced and Winkelmann were searching for the command tent. They were after laptops and computer disks. Winkelmann's silenced assault rifle would spit out death every now and then as they hurried for the tents in the middle of the compound.

"Three o'clock!" Ced whispered to Winkelmann.

He turned and phittt! phittt! And two terrorists went down.

Whiz whiz! As a hail of bullets flew in their direction.

"Ten o'clock!" Ced said louder.

Phittt, phittt, phittt, click. Winkelmann changed magazines on the fly.

" _It's getting dangerous out here!"_ Vic thought to them.

" _Getting dangerous? It's been dangerous! These guys better hurry it up, or they're going to lose their night vision goggles!"_ Cici yelled through the link.

"Can the guys step up the pace? Vic and Cici are getting ready to cut loose with some magic really quick here!" Ced told Winkelmann.

"Alpha leader to alpha team. Hurry it up, or there's not going to be anything left!"

Ced could hear various radio replies.

"How are we doing on evacuees?" Winkelmann asked.

"Eighteen so far."

They had been making their way to the biggest, nicest tent in the hopes that it would be the headquarters tent for the terrorists. It turned out to be a lucky guess. Winkelmann used a snake cam to look under the side of the tent, he counted four terrorists with their guns at the ready.

With all of the screaming, the sun was rising, and they were losing the element of surprise. There was an estimated terrorist count of thirty terrorists.

"Go help with the evacuation. My guys will finish with the mop up. It's getting too light for night vision goggles anyway." Winkelmann told Ced as he lifted his goggles.

Ced nodded to him as he headed off for the nearest tent, wand at the ready.

" _Let Winkelmann pass the word to his guys to turn off their night vision goggles, and we are free to use magic,"_ Ced told Vic and Cici.

Not even thirty seconds later Ced heard two different explosions from where he would have guessed Cici and Vic to be. He checked the tent cautiously before he entered the tent fully, there were six girls in the tent with six infants. As soon as they saw him, they started to scream.

"If you want to live, come with me." The scary nightmare of a voice told them. As the girls started to get up and grab their children, he told them. "Put some shoes on."

They quickly slipped on some rags that used to be shoes.

"Come with me." He told them as he led the way to the evacuation point. Ced kept his eyes open and his head on a swivel, trying to look everywhere at once to protect the girls. When he reached the evacuation point, he saw one other broom there loading up. They needed more brooms. He summoned his broom to him. When it arrived, he mounted his broom.

Vic told three other girls that had been waiting. "Get on the broom, hold on to it tightly, and hold your child tightly also." After the three girls got on, she checked them and then said, "You're clear to go."

Ced lifted off gently and accelerated smoothly to the landing point ten minutes away. He landed and lowered the broom to help them get off easier. As soon as they were off of the broom, he launched himself as fast as the broom would go, to get another load of hostages. Flying back to the terrorist camp, Ced could see others flying towards him. It was turning out to be a steady stream of brooms coming and going as quickly as they could. With all nine brooms in the air, they were hauling twenty-seven hostages at a time, plus their children.

When Ced got back to load up more hostages, he saw Shaw looking stressed, not in a panic, but definitely worried. He got off his broom.

"Get back on your little broom and fly, punk." One of the soldiers told him.

Just as Ced called to Shaw, the soldier grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. As Ced was spinning around, Shaw was spinning around to see who had called him. Ced spun around and grabbed the soldier by the throat, he put his foot behind him and tripped him to the ground. Then the sound of death told the soldier, "Don't you ever touch me again!"

"What's going on!" Shaw yelled at them.

"I was coming to see what it is that you needed when this soldier told me to 'get back on my broom and fly, punk.' When I ignored him, he grabbed me by my shoulder and was spinning me around. I guess you saw the rest." Ced told Shaw.

"Yes, I did, and I will deal with him back at camp. The medic needs Cici or Vic. Ozona has been shot and is bleeding badly."

"Take me to him, and I will let Vic and Cici know."

They took off at just short of a run.

"Thanks, Ced. With that body armour, it's hard to tell you all apart."

"They're both on the way."

Once there, the medic was applying pressure to keep the young soldier from bleeding out. Ced ejected his wand and ran a higher level diagnostic spell to find the bleeding. He had been shot multiple times. Ced started with the worst of the gunshot wounds. He removed the bullet, then he healed the injury, he did this again to the second wound. At this point, the two girls showed up.

"He's going to need a lot of blood replenishing potions." He told them.

Vic slid her pack off and pulled out a vial. She helped him swallow the potion.

"He got shot five times. He's lucky to be alive." The medic told them.

Cici had removed another two bullets and healed the wounds, while Vic got the last bullet out. Ozona didn't seem to be responding to the healing. Cici ran a high-level diagnostic spell over him, one of the bullets had broken a rib, and it was pressed up against his heart. She healed the broken rib, and his heart rate and blood pressure started to climb.

Vic gave him two more blood replenishing potions and a Vitamix potion to help him gain some energy. She conjured a stretcher for under the soldier, to keep him off of the ground. "He should be better by the time we're done with the evacuees." Then she looked at Shaw, "When are the helicopters going to start taking the hostages from the landing area?"

"They should have been there waiting for you!" he exclaimed. "Let me ask Winkelmann." He walked some ways off to use the radio. When he came back to the group of teens, "He's checking on it."

"Okay, we'll keep transporting people over there. We've been here too long for my comfort," Ced told him. "I'll transfigure my broom to have a red cross on it so you can find me easier."

After about four more trips, Shaw and Winkelmann pulled Ced aside. "The air force is saying that they never got the message the operation got moved up. They're saying that it will be about four hours before they can get the first helo there for pick up."

"What do you want to do? It almost seems like they would have been better off over here than where they are!" Ced replied.

"Can you and your crew fly some food and water over to them? We'll gather the food and water, so all you have to do is fly it over to them, then I'll leave half a dozen men to stand guard also." Winkelmann told Ced.

As the soldiers started to gather food, water, clothing, and supplies, Ced and his crew finished transporting the last of the hostages. Vic and Cici took the medic over to where they had taken the hostages to start healing the sick and injured. There were so many young children and infants. Thankfully, all of the hostages spoke French and a little English so the medic was able to help with the triage. As Vic and Cici healed the girls and their children, they learned that they had been taken in the night from a few different villages. The terrorists had come in and taken all of the girls over the age of four and force-marched them to a base not far from their homes. All of the children had been born in captivity without the help of a nurse or a doctor. Some of the other girls had died from the complications of childbirth, others had died after they had repeatedly been raped, and gotten infections that weren't treated. "The weak will die, and only the strong will survive!" is what the leader of the terrorists had told them on several occasions, mostly when one of the girls would die. The terrorists would just dig a hole and throw the dead girl's body in it without any kind of ceremony.

Cici and Vic would take turns healing the girls and their children. The children would require less magic to repair most times, but sometimes the girls would have two children.

When most of the girls would come into the tent, that they had conjured, they would say things like, "I don't want to die now!"

Vic or Cici would tell them, "Today is not your day. Lie down here so I can heal you." They would hear the voice of death say.

"NO! Don't take my baby!" the young girls would cry out.

"Today is not your child's day to die. Let me heal your child." And they would reluctantly hand their child to one of the girls dressed in shimmering death.

They learned that she was a girl who was only thirteen and had two young children under the age of three.

The oldest girl was now eighteen years old, she had been taken on her fifteenth birthday. She didn't have any children, she told them that she had lost the first child and even though they kept raping her she never got pregnant again. They asked her if she would ever want to have children again, and she told them yes but from a man of her choosing. When they asked her how she was able to survive what they had done to her, she told them that when they would come, and it was always more than one, she would turn her mind off and go someplace else in her mind. If she came back and they were still doing those things to her body, then she would just leave again until they were done with her body. Vic was able to heal the girl's reproductive system and told her that from now on she would be able to have children and to be careful.

"How much more careful could I be? I was in my bed asleep when they came and took me!"

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When they heard the sounds of the helicopters approaching, hours later, Shaw had the two other soldiers get on the broom with Ced so they could leave without being seen. As soon as the guys were on the broom, Ced disillusioned the broom, and they left as fast as Ced could get the broom to go. Less than an hour later they were landing at their camp.

Ced looked at his watch, and it was still early, "I'm going to get a shower, and I'll see you at the chow hall for some food." He told Shaw.

"Winkelmann's going to want to do a post-mission debriefing this morning also," Shaw told him.

"Okay, we'll all be there!" he said to him.

The post-mission debriefing went well. For such a large mission, surprisingly little went wrong. The only conflict was when Emerson got mouthy with Ced and Ced was willing to let it be. Winkelmann told them that they were scheduled to fly out the day after tomorrow.

"I think that we would be willing to take the guys that want to go, out and see if we can see any of the animals," Ced told Winkelmann. "We could do it tomorrow, and that would be a good way to kill a few hours."

All of the guys looked at Winkelmann, "Could we do that Sarge?" one of them asked.

"How many of you would be interested in taking a sightseeing flight over the Savanna?" Winkelmann asked in a loud voice.

Over half of the guys were interested in going on a sightseeing adventure. It turns out, Shaw and Winkelmann were interested in going sightseeing too.

"If we pack some MREs we could make a day trip out of it," Shaw suggested. "With as fast as the brooms will fly it would be about an hour to the largest national park to see the elephants."

"Get with Ced and his crew and get it planned out, so we don't get lost," Winkelmann told him.

"Little wizard is sucking up to the sergeants again I see," Emerson said as he hit Ced with his shoulder, leaving the tent.

Ced looked at Shaw and Winkelmann, they just looked back at him with a 'what are you going to do about it look.'

Ced turned around and addressed Emerson's back. "You got a problem with me, Emerson?" Ced challenged him.

"No, I don't have a problem with the sergeants' little pet."

"Seems to me that you do."

"What are you going to do about it? Cast a spell on me and make me fall in love with you? Like you did with those two whores of yours?"

"If you've got a problem with me, let's take it outside."

"Why? So, you can run away?"

"No, I was thinking so everybody could watch me kick your arse once and for all."

"Big talk for a little punk."

"Let's go! Or are you afraid that I'm going to embarrass you in front of the other guys?"

"I'm not afraid of you or anybody else!"

"Well, stop talking and start walking! Coward!"

"Don't you call me a coward! I'll kick your arse!"

"Well, let's go outside and get this over with! I'm waitin' on you!"

Emerson wouldn't move. He wouldn't open the door and go outside, in the open to fight Ced.

"All talk and no action," Ced said harshly as he turned his back on him to walk back over to Shaw and Winkelmann.

That's when Emerson made his move. Ced had about three steps before Emerson was on him and hit him in the kidney. When Ced's back arched, Emerson grabbed him in a chokehold. Ced stomped down with his combat boot as hard as he could, breaking the arch of Emerson's foot. He let go and hobbled away a bit. Ced healed his kidney some, so it didn't hurt as bad, then he took the fight to Emerson. Emerson did a good job of blocking most of Ced blows, but he still landed a good kick to his ribs, and they all heard them crack. Emerson got a couple of good body blows in on Ced, but Ced swept his knees out from under him, and Emerson went down hard. Ced backed up so Emerson could get back up on his broken foot and bad knee. Ced started to dance around him, landing several hard jabs to his kidneys, a couple of more hits to his cracked ribs to make sure that they were fully broken. Emerson did his best to keep moving to always face Ced, but Ced was much faster than the handicapped Emerson. Ced started to focus on his face, hitting Emerson in between the big slow punches that he would throw desperately wanting to beat the little punk that was dancing nimbly around him. Ced was able to land a couple of solid blows to Emerson's left eye causing it to swell shut. All Emerson had left were big, slow, wide, punches that hit nothing but air. Ced dropped and spun around sweeping Emerson's feet out from underneath him again, causing him to land hard on his back. Ced got up and dropped down on his torso, driving his elbow deep into Emerson's midsection forcing all of the air out of his lungs. Ced got up and straddled Emerson's chest and hit him with a powerful right hook, he put all of his back muscles into the swing so that he would knock Emerson out. Emerson's head snapped to the side and his one good eye closed. Ced got off of him and stood up.

"Medic!" Shaw yelled.

A couple of moments later Davis came running into the command tent with his medical pack.

"What happened?" he said loudly as he looked down at Emerson.

"He tripped. Right guys?" Winkelmann said.

"Well, I'm going to need a stretcher and a couple of guys to carry him to the medical tent. Then he'll probably need to go to the hospital at the base until he's cleared to fly. That could be a month." Davis told Winkelmann.

"You heard the man! Somebody go and get the stretcher!" Winkelmann said authoritatively.

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Early the next morning, just after sunrise, it was nine very excited teenagers that were helping the soldiers load up MREs and water in the storage compartments of the brooms. Davis had taken Emerson to the base hospital the afternoon before and after checking him in returned to their secure facility. Shaw was riding with Ced and reading the map for him. Just after they lifted off, all of the teens disillusioned themselves and their passengers. Ced pointed his broom in the direction that Shaw had indicated and they shot forward. With the aerodynamic shield in place, the ride wasn't half bad, it was definitely better than trying to drive it. An hour later, they were flying into the national park. They kept their altitude high enough not to draw any attention to the ripples in the sky. When they spotted their first elephants, they flew around the herd slowly, not wanting to spook them. Shaw got Ced to land about a hundred meters away from the herd so the guys could take some pictures.

Back in the sky, the group of flyers went looking for more watering holes to see the most animal life they could. It was amazing to see the different species of animals all drinking from the same watering holes. As the group flew around slowly, they were able to spot lions and cheetahs. They could see the gazelles being very cautious as they left the watering hole to go eat their breakfast. They headed up into the hills to see if they could see any of the different gorilla species that Cameroon played host to. They found a spot to stop and look around. After an early lunch, the group headed south towards another of the national parks, this one had been devastated by poachers that had killed almost half of the elephants that lived in the park in a single year, all for the ivory trade. As they were flying, Winkelmann got Cici to slow down and tell the others to slow down also. He had seen some black rhinoceroses down below them. Cici led the group in a large circle so they all could look at the rhinoceroses. Large, powerful beasts that the poachers would hunt, just for the horn on their noses. With the coast clear, the group landed so the guys could take some more pictures. While the guys were taking pictures, Ced opened his peanut butter and his crackers to eat them. He squeezed some of the peanut butter from the MRE on to the large cracker and took a bite. It almost glued his mouth shut! He was looking for a canteen or a bottle of water to help wash it down.

Shaw caught him trying to eat the peanut butter and crackers, "What are you doing?" Shaw asked him innocently.

Ced held up the peanut butter and the crackers.

"That stuff will glue your mouth shut!"

Ced nodded at him vigorously.

"Have you found any water yet?"

Ced shook his head 'no.'

Shaw looked in one of the other brooms and found a bottle of water for him.

Ced took a big drink of water, "Thank you! It tastes good, but you need some water to wash it down with!"

.

That night after dinner, all of the teens put their brooms in the shipping crates to carry on to the aeroplane. They packed all of their stuff except what they would need in the morning. After packing, all of the teens drifted back to Ced's tent where they sat and chatted for a while. It had been an exciting and adventurous trip for all of them.

At way too early the next morning, Ced's eyes opened up, "Mi Amor, Mon Amour, it's time to get up!" Ced told the two most beautiful women in the whole world.

"Just five more minutes." Came the tired responses, as they rolled off of him. As soon as he was out of the way, the two wives scooted close together so they could snuggle each other for a few more minutes.

It was a tired bleary-eyed Ced that walked into the shower tent wearing just his boxer-briefs.

"Geez, Ced, put some clothes on!" a tired Angel told him as he walked past her.

"Oh! Sorry!" a tired bleary-eyed, embarrassed, Ced told her, as they passed each other.

As Ced exited the stall, he ran into Rose. "Geez, Ced, put some clothes on!" Rose told him in faux annoyance.

"Sorry," Ced told her. As she slipped into another stall.

As he rounded the corner, Julia was coming from the other direction. "Geez, Ced, put some clothes on!" he just almost missed the smirk on her face.

Then he could hear his wives laughing at him in his thoughts. _"Geez Ced, put some clothes on!"_

" _Oh, ha-ha!"_ he thought back to them.

Cici was leaning up against the dividing wall of the shower tent. She shoved off of the wall and gave him his good morning kiss, as she continued on her way to one of the toilets. He found Vic brushing her teeth and she gave him a kiss after she had rinsed her mouth out.

"Geez mate, put some clothes on!" Fred and George said together as they entered the shower tent.

"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Ced told them, the joke was getting a little thin.

As he exited the shower tent, he ran into Amber who was leaning against the light pole in the middle of the tents. "Hey, sailor, want some company?" she said in her best seductive voice. Just before she burst out laughing.

Ced started to laugh too, there wasn't anything else he could do, "Alright! I'll put some clothes on!" he said loud enough for them to hear.

Amber went on inside the shower tent to do her business. She told the others what she had done to him, and they all started laughing again.

After all of them had their clothes on, they met up in the largest tent to carry all of the shipping crates out to the common area of the camp. As the generators died, the teens levitated the containers into the back of one of the large military trucks. Then they climbed into the two blacked out vans for the bumpy ride to the air force base for the trip home.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.10.2018**

 **And again 01.05.2019**


	38. Year Five Chapter 38

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 38

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Ced had never been so happy to get off of an aeroplane in his life! His way to short, of a life. It had started about thirty minutes into the flight. Well in his mind, it started the instant the plane slipped sideways as it left the firmness of the ground. But according to his wives, both of them, the turbulence began about thirty minutes after takeoff. And the plane bounced and shook, and a couple of times, if they hadn't been buckled in, they would have gone weightless. Ced knew, and he would tell you that he knew because his stomach was in his throat on several occasions. Cici pulled him over so he could lay his head on her shoulder.

What he didn't know was that just after he laid his head on her shoulder, Vic reached over and touched his head casting a sleeping spell on him so he would sleep for the next fourteen hours.

What Ced knew was that he woke up with his head on Vic's shoulder and him drooling on her shirt. Well, a _scourgify_ would clean that up easy enough.

"Did you sleep okay, babe?" Vic asked him. It was a bad enough flight for her, they had turbulence the whole way home from Cameroon.

It was a bad enough flight that Winkelmann had asked her if she could do the same thing for about half of his men.

"What'd you do to Ced?" Winkelmann asked her.

"I cast a sleeping spell on him, so he will sleep all of the ways back to England." She told him.

"Can you do that for some of my guys?" he asked her hopefully.

She nodded and said, "Yes."

"Ask them, and the ones that want to sleep the whole way home put them to sleep then." He told her.

Vic carefully unhooked her lap belt, and she held on to whatever she could get a grip on to keep from being thrown around inside of the aircraft. She asked each of the guys how they were doing and if they wanted her to cast a sleeping spell on them so they would sleep all of the ways to England. She pointed to Ced so they could see that he was sound asleep. Over half of the soldiers took her up on the offer of sleeping the whole way back to England, especially if it was going to be this bad of a flight the entire way. Some of the guys told her no, they wanted to be awake when the wings were ripped off of the plane, and most of those, their eyes were already the size of saucers.

.

The plane thumped down, and Vic woke Ced up to the sound of the engines screaming in full reverse thrust as the pilots tried to stop the hurtling aircraft from running off the end of the runway. Soon enough the plane had slowed enough to make the turnoff at the end of the runway and onto the taxiway. And then they were outside of another dark hanger. Vic and Cici went through and woke up all of the guys that had chosen to sleep all of the ways home. As the last door closed on one of the blacked-out vans, the loadmaster started to lower the loading ramp of the aircraft so the two vans could drive out of the cargo hold and into the dark hanger. In the hanger, there was a bus waiting for the soldiers, to take them to their home base. Ced and his friends would be heading to the secure facility for the night and then the debriefing with McMillian tomorrow sometime, hopefully in the morning after breakfast. Shaw and Winkelmann went with them to the secure base. The mess hall was opened for them, they knew that they had not gotten fed on the aeroplane, and someone higher up had gotten the mess hall opened up for a late dinner, pizza was just fine with the kids. The kids were happy, they would get to take some nice long, hot, showers, and sleep in some comfortable beds, instead of folding cots.

The next morning, they all got up and went for a nice long run, a lot longer than they would usually run, it felt good to be out and about, even if it was on their little base. Another hot shower, they all put their civilian clothes back on, the girls all let their hair hang down past their collars, and they were walking to the mess hall for a hot, fresh, breakfast. Not something that was cooked on one base and then transported for an hour by a truck to them. No, they got to watch as the chefs prepared their eggs like they wanted them. Shaw ordered an omelette with sausage, onion, bell peppers and jalapenos. This caught Ced's attention, Cici might be Mexican by heritage, but she told him to stay away from the jalapenos for his own sake.

"Can I try the jalapenos on the side?" he asked the chef.

The chef was kind enough to put a spoonful on the side of the plate for him. So, in place of the jalapenos, Ced had the chef put some tomatoes in his omelette. With a side order of hash browns, biscuits and gravy, Ced was watching his wives order their food. The group headed for the largest table in the chow hall for breakfast. Ced started to watch Shaw as he ate his omelette, wanting to see what would happen.

Shaw caught him watching, "Why don't you try one of the jalapenos that the cook gave you?" he suggested to the young man watching him intently.

Ced stabbed about four of the sliced jalapenos with his fork and was just about to put the whole lot in his mouth when Cici stopped him.

"Cut a piece off of one of them. Jalapenos can be very hot to someone that has never had one before." She cautioned him.

Ced looked at her.

"A small piece, babe. If you like it, then you can always have more. If it's too hot for you, then it is only a little burn all of the way down." She cautioned him again.

Ced cut one in half and stuck it in his mouth. It seemed okay at first, but then as he chewed on it, it got a lot hotter quickly! He downed the glass of water in front of him and started to look for a second. Vic donated her glass of water to the cause. Ced had gotten very red from the heat of the piece of jalapeno, he had little drops of sweat on his forehead, his face and ears turned red, and his nose started to run.

"Now, aren't you glad that you didn't try and eat all of them at once?" Cici chided him.

Shaw looked at him, a small smile on his face, "You should try a habanero pepper! But I hear that the ghost peppers are really hot!"

"That's okay!" Ced gasped out. That was one of the most painful experiences that he had ever had. He had never eaten anything that burned like that before. Slowly he began to return to his regular skin colour.

"Where did you learn to eat them?" Cici asked Shaw.

"I was on deployment in Central America for a few months." He told her.

She didn't ask because she suspected that he couldn't tell.

"So why was everybody telling Ced to put some clothes on the other morning?" Winkelmann asked.

Ced blushed a bright pink colour.

"Because he didn't have any clothes on!" Angel teased him again.

"So, why didn't you have any clothes on Ced?" he asked, teasing him some more.

"I got up, and I was tired. So I headed for the loo in my underwear, not thinking that the others might be up also." He explained.

"And then my girl tried to pick him up when he was walking back to his tent!" George exclaimed good-naturedly.

Amber snuck around behind Ced and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I really enjoyed our time together sailor, come see me again, next time you're in port!" she said in a husky voice. She jumped back before Cici or Vic could hex her. The others had another good laugh at Ced's expense.

Ced just hung his head and shook it, he joined in on the laughter. "Next time, I'm leaving all of you at home!" he faked a pout, sticking his lower lip out as far as it could go, and crossing his arms over his chest.

"There's another mission? When?" George asked exuberantly.

They all looked at Shaw and Winkelmann.

"Hey! Don't look at us! We find out about them at the same time that you do!" Winkelmann told them with a light chuckle.

After they had finished eating, the group turned in their trays to the wash window, and they headed back to the guest quarters to meet up with McMillian. They lounged around in the squad bay talking about their last mission. What they liked, what they didn't like, and what could have been done differently. They talked about getting to fly over the Savanna and see all of the different animals.

"I thought that I sent you to go rescue hostages! Not go on safari in Africa!" McMillian teased them as he snuck in through the door.

Shaw and Winkelmann jumped to their feet at the sight of him. He waved them back down.

"So, whose idea was it to go on safari on the government's money?" Sean asked.

"Mine," Ced told him. "We had an extra day since the mission got moved up. So, I asked if we could take some of the troops to go see some of the animals."

"Sounds good, did anybody see you?"

"No, we were disillusioned the whole time."

"Good. Now, why did the mission get moved up a day?" he looked at Shaw and Winkelmann for an answer.

"We were told that it was moved up a day because the captors were getting ready to move the hostages again," Winkelmann told the spy.

"Who, told you that?"

"Richardson."

"The mission was supposed to be delayed a day, not moved up a day. But I'll take that up with Richardson." Sean said displeased at this error.

"I understand that we have a soldier that is in the hospital in Cameroon?"

"Yes, Emerson tripped and fell. He busted a couple of ribs, and he needed to be hospitalised."

"The reports say that he has broken ribs, black eyes, ruptured kidneys, a broken knee, and a broken foot. What'd he fall off of, a cliff?" Sean asked knowing he was going to get a bogus answer.

The two sergeants just shrugged their shoulders. Well, he was their troop, so he was their responsibility.

"How many hostages did you rescue?"

"The best estimate is about 140 hostages and their children," Vic said.

"And how did you come up with that number?" he asked her.

"We tried to keep track of them as Vic, and I healed all of them." Cici stood up for her wife.

"Well, that explains why they were all in excellent physical condition despite their circumstances," Sean told them.

"We had four hours to wait," Ced told him.

McMillian went around and continued the debriefing. When he asked if there were any more questions.

George asked him, "Are there any more missions that we can do?"

"There might be something around Christmas time, we will have to wait and see," Sean told him.

"Please turn in your uniforms and your duffle bags. The underwear you are free to keep or dispose of. It won't be reissued for hygiene reasons. The trainers you can keep, but the boots need to be turned in, you can keep the backpacks for the next time. Turn in the towels also I think, no just keep the towels for the next time also. Bring your duffle bags out here, and Shaw and Winkelmann will return them for you. Your money will be credited to your accounts by the end of next week." Then he focused on Ced, "Tell your dad that I will have the brooms turned into his downtown office in a couple of weeks."

"Thank you, Sean!" and Ced stuck his hand out to shake his hand.

Sean shook his hand, and everyone else said thank you to him also.

As McMillian went out the front door, the teens went to get their duffle bags and bring them to the squad bay. They stuffed their towels and their trainers into their backpacks. The girls all decided to donate the military issued undergarments. They said their goodbyes to Shaw and Winkelmann, then each of the married threesome took two friends and apparated to the Potter Mansion.

.

It felt good to be home, Vic thought, as they walked towards the front doors of the mansion, their backpacks slung across their backs, and as if on cue, the front doors opened up, and there stood Charles, as regal as ever.

"Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter." He said with a deep bow of respect.

"Thank you, very much Charles," Ced told his first etiquette teacher.

As the group walked past the sitting room and the study, Ced looked for his parents. As they approached the floo, Ced, Cici, and Vic moved off to the sides so their friends could floo home.

"Will we see you in the morning?" Cici asked as Angel started to floo home.

"At oh-dark-hundred!" Angel said jokily.

"Us too!" Said Fred with a smile at her joke.

"I'll be here!" Rose told them.

"So, will we!" George said happily.

"Good, we'll see you in the morning. I think that I'm going to do as little as wizardly possible for the rest of the day!" Ced told their group of friends.

They all laughed and said their goodbyes as they stepped into the floo to go to their different homes. Amber's parents had signed a blanket release statement, so she wasn't planning on heading home until just before school started, if then.

Hand in hand the happy threesome headed up the stairs to their room. At the second floor landing, they detoured towards their parent's room to check up on mum and dad.

Ced knocked on the open door to announce their arrival. "Mum? Dad?" he called into their room.

"We're in here!" Harry called to them as an excited Hermione ran around the corner to hug her kids.

Cici braced for the impact when she determined Hermione's trajectory, then the two of them hugged tightly. As suddenly as it started, it stopped, and Hermione was on Ced as tight as she had been on Cici, then she moved quickly to Vic and held her the closest of them all, and the longest.

"We missed all of you so much! You were gone for a very long time! Couldn't you owl us or anything?" Hermione said with tears of joy in her eyes.

While Hermione had been hugging the kids, Harry had walked around the corner and hugged each of them too, just not as tight or as long. "Welcome home. We missed you." He told the kids. He pulled an emotional Hermione up against him as they stood there and talked for a while.

"Why don't you finish putting your stuff in your room and then join us for lunch?" Harry told his kids.

With 'okays' they continued on to their room to put their stuff away. As they laid their backpacks on the bed, each of them, with a flick of their wrists emptied out, and put their belongings away. The dirty clothes went into the laundry hamper, and they were done.

"I love magic!" Ced told them.

"I've missed using magic!" Vic agreed.

"That was so nice to do that." Cici sighed contentedly.

Then, together, they latched hands and walked to the small dining room. Ced seated each of his wives and was rewarded with a kiss on the lips, they were glad to be home. The elves in their exuberance had gone overboard in preparing lunch in honour of the returning warriors. The teens, sitting across from Harry and Hermione, told them about the different things that had happened on the mission, without going into mission details. They talked about what it was like to fly the large brooms. They told them about the others learning to parachute, and then about jumping out of the plane at the different altitudes. They told them about flying over the Savanna and seeing all of the different animals. They left out the parts about Ced getting into a fight with Emerson, and the part about Ced going to use the loo in just his underwear.

"I'm glad that you had fun," Harry told them warmly.

"We are too!" Ced answered for them.

As lunch was winding down, "Why don't we go and talk in the sitting room?" Harry suggested.

After pulling the chairs for the different women, the two men both received their kisses.

" _What do you think they want?"_ Vic asked.

" _I don't know,"_ Ced answered.

" _I was wondering the same thing."_ Cici thought.

They followed Ced's parents across the large living room and into the sitting room.

"Now, you're probably wondering what it is that we want." Harry started as he sat down and wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist.

"The thought did cross our minds," Ced told him as his wives took their positions on the couch.

"What I want to know is, how each of the others fared on this mission. They are trained now on opsec, being a paratrooper, and special operations procedures. So, what is each one of them like? Do you trust them? Would you want to go into battle with them again?" Harry asked.

"They all did a good job," Ced started answering his dad.

"Each of them has their own strengths," Vic said.

"Each of them is unique in their own way, too," Cici said.

"We didn't have any problems with any of our friends," Ced told them.

"Let's start with George. George did a great job. He was always where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be there." Vic started to describe their experience working with George.

"He followed instructions and helped out where he needed to, willingly," Cici said.

"Fred was more aggressive in some respects than George was," Ced started describing what it was like working and living with Fred.

They went through all of their friends and saved Julia for last. They all liked Julia but knew that she was going to need more help than what Vic was able to give her.

"Julia was a pleasure to work with, she's a strong willing worker, that was always willing to lend a hand," Cici started talking about her.

"The only problem that came up with Julia was, she started having nightmares again," Vic told her parents.

"Do you think that this is something that Luna could help her with?" Hermione asked.

"I helped her as much as I could, but yes, I think that Luna could help her. I think that Julia opened that door too soon, and wasn't able to put things back in there, and close the door again." Vic told her.

"Okay, I'll talk to Luna and see when she can come over to help her. Will everybody be joining us tomorrow for our workout?" she asked them.

"Yes, they all told us that they would see us in the morning," Ced told her.

"Great! Now, are you three ready to take your Master's level testing? We scheduled it for the end of July, remember?" Harry asked them.

"I think so," Ced started saying as he thought about it. It had been a year since they had done any kind of work like that. The last time was when they were helping Vic last summer. "We can always spend a little time in the house to get brushed up on it though," he said.

Vic thought about it, "Wow! It was last summer that I took my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s!" she was surprised that it had been so long ago!

"Will it be the same gentleman that tested Vic?" Cici asked. "I liked him, especially since Kitten healed his heart," she finished with a smile.

"I will ask him if he'd be willing to test you three," Hermione said. The man had gotten a new lease on life, and he seemed to have gotten an idea of what was important in life and what wasn't as important. Kitten had given him many more Christmases with his family.

"Okay, thank you," Vic said.

"You know, all of our friends did really great jobs. Yes, Amber needed more guidance than Rose or Angel. Julia was a hard worker. But the differences were minor. They're a good team!" Ced told his dad just before they chose to go upstairs to their rooms.

They had about two to two and a half weeks before they would be taking their masters tests. But the pressing choice on Ced's mind was, did he want to spend the afternoon soaking in the large tub with his wives, or did he want to go into the house, or did he want to go to their beach house.

" _Let's go to the beach house after we take our tests,"_ Cici said.

" _We can go into the house in the bottle the day before we take our tests,"_ Vic told them.

" _So, I guess we're spending the afternoon soaking in the tub with a couple of butterbeers,"_ Ced answered.

" _I need to send my mom and owl to let her know that we're home."_ Cici thought.

" _Do that while the tub is filling. And then you can send it later, at dinner time,"_ Vic told her.

As they entered their room. The doors closed and locked behind them. Ced cast the privacy charms as Vic started to strip on her way to fill the tub. Cici stripped off her dress and bra as she walked to the study to write out the letter to her mom. As Ced turned around, he watched as everybody's clothes were flying to the hamper in the restroom. He made a detour to the loo, and as he exited, Vic was waiting her turn. They exchanged kisses as Ced went to watch the tub filling with hot water for a nice long soak. Vic and Cici exchanged kisses as they swapped places. When Cici exited the loo, she flicked her hand, and everyone's shoes flew to their correct places. As she approached the tub, Ced shut off the lights, and the lighting from the enchanted walls filled the room as the tub seemed to be in the forest that surrounded the mansion. The teens noticed that the green they saw here at home, was a different green than what they had lived with for a week in the rainforests of Cameroon. They sat there, side by side, Ced's arms around their shoulders, his lower back was off the wall of the tub so his wives' arms could go behind him. They sat that way for a long time as they discussed everything that they had experienced for the last month and what was coming up.

"Maco!" Cici called to her house elf.

"Yes! My Lady?" the happy house elf greeted them with a bow.

"May we have six butterbeers please?" she asked her.

"Yes, my Lady!" she told her enthusiastically. And she was gone with a small pop. A moment later there was another pop as she returned with the beers on a tray. With a bow, she sat the tray down next to them.

"Thank you, Maco," Cici told her sincerely.

"It is a pleasure to serve!" and she was gone with another little pop.

As they sat there in the tub snuggling, eventually snuggling turned into snogging and snogging turned in to three very happy lovers that exited out of the tub in time to get dressed and go down for dinner.

At dinner, they were able to catch up with Kitten and her new summer job. She was very excited about her job, and they even let her wear the robes of the Unspeakables. She told them that she had gotten to break about four or five different curses, and also one that was on an object intended to hurt someone that touched it.

"That one was the hardest!" she told them.

"Why was that?" Cici asked her, her brow furrowed in thought.

"It was just really dark magic! And just before I broke the curse, it tried to attack me!" she told them in amazement.

"Wow! I didn't know that you could have a curse on an object attack, someone." Ced told her.

"Yeah! It was super dark magic! Mask said that it reminded her of the old days." Kitten told them.

"Do they have any idea who did that?" Vic asked.

"No, they think that it could have been the UAA. But they're not sure."

"These people are starting to annoy me," Vic said.

"Yeah, they are," Cici said.

All of them talked some more, then it popped in Ced's mind, Neville was going to start school this fall!

"Nev! Are you excited to start school this fall?" Ced asked his younger brother.

"Yes! Dad said that we would go and buy me my wand the next time we went to Diagon Alley!" he was genuinely excited!

"That's great!" Ced told his little brother. "Are you going to try out for the Quidditch team?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Why not?" Cici asked.

"Well, I don't get to play much around here. Everybody's so much older than me, and I just don't get to play much."

"If you want, we can start playing some tomorrow morning or afternoon," Cici told him.

"Have you been practising on a broom?" Vic asked him. She hardly ever saw him and spoke to him even less. The same with Suzy!

"Some, but mostly I just stay in my room and read or talk to Cathaoir. He tells some fascinating stories."

"Well, if you want, we can play some tag on the brooms too!" Ced told him.

"Can I play dragon tag with you?" Nev asked hopefully.

Everybody turned and looked at Harry.

"I don't see why not, but let's play some regular tag first." His dad told him. The magic had just shown up in Neville a little after Christmas.

For Daphne, it had shown up by the time she was one. By that age, she was summoning her favourite toys to her.

"After dinner, would you like to go fly around on some brooms for a little bit?" Ced offered his little brother.

"OKAY!"

After dinner, Ced summoned his broom to himself and walked with Nev out to the broom shed by the Quidditch pitch. He watched as Nev tried to get on the broom. He started giving his little brother some basic pointers. From just getting on the broom, to controlling the speed and direction. They flew around the mansion a few times getting a little higher each time they went around. Ced taught him how to hover the broom and even how to make it fly backwards a little.

"Okay, let's play a game called follow the leader," Ced told him.

"Okay, how do I do that?"

"Well, you have to do everything that I do, and then I have to do everything that you do!"

"That sounds like fun! What do we do first?"

"Just follow me!" he told him encouragingly.

And Ced took off flying not too fast, but a little faster than they had been flying. He turned left and decreased his altitude, then he turned right and gained some altitude. He flew in a clockwise circle, then he flew in a figure eight. After that, he flew in a spiral upwards and then back down to the ground.

"You did great!" Ced told him ecstatically.

"Thanks! But I almost fell off of my broom back there!"

"But you didn't! And that's what counts! Now, I have to follow you!"

"So, what do I do?"

"You do whatever you want. And I have to do the same thing that you do."

"Okay." So, he took off, and he flew in a straight line, then he turned to the right and climbed and then dove really quick for him. After that, he did some whoop-de-doos. He did some figure eights. Then he stopped.

"Can we go fly over the House Elf village?"

"It's a long way off, and it could be after dark before we get back. See the sunset?"

"Yeah, it's pretty."

"You'll never see another just like it, they're always different," Ced told his brother.

"Where did you and Cici, and Vic go this last time?"

"We went to a country that is far away from here to help some girls that had been taken from their homes by some bad guys."

"Yeah, but where did you go?"

"It is a country called Cameroon, it's located in Africa."

"Where's that?"

"It is a long way away. In," he looked around to get his bearings, "That direction." He said as he pointed to the south.

"Oh, did you have fun?"

"We did when it was over. We got to fly around and see some different animals. Some of them were huge! And some of them where small. We got to see some lions, and some elephants, and some rhinoceroses."

"What are those?" he asked innocently.

"Let's go back inside, and I can show you some of my memories. How would that be?"

"Okay, I'd like that."

"Let's put your broom away and then I can ride you doubled up to the door of the house."

.

Ced and his little brother walked to the sitting room where Ced was able to project his memories of the animals onto the wall for his little brother to see them. Ced realised that his magical education, while good in some areas lacked in many other areas that were equally important. Magical children didn't go to school until they were eleven years old. Cici said that muggle children started school as early as four years old. That's a seven-year head start! If the magical child had parents like Vic's mum, then those children were years behind their other classmates.

"Let's go to the library and see if we can find a book on them." Ced encouraged Nev to read so he would learn.

Ced looked around the library and found an old tome of a book call Non-Magical Creatures of the World. He opened it up and found a section on Africa. Then he leafed through the book to find the elephants, and he showed them to Neville. The book even had sections on creatures of the oceans. Ced walked Neville back to his room and gave him a hug.

"Hey, I want to go with you when you go to get your wand!" he told him.

"Okay, I'll tell mum and dad," Neville said to him as he got on his bed to read.

.

"How'd it go?" Vic asked him when he walked in the door.

"It went well. He needs a lot of practice, and I think that I'll practice flying with him until we have to go back to school." Ced told her. She was laying up against Cici on the couch, as she read a book. Cici had her arm wrapped around her torso. Cici also looked to be asleep, but he knew that she had her mind opened fully to take in what Vic was reading.

.

The next morning everybody met at the bottom of the stairs. Fred, Julia, and Rose came through the floo one after the other, then a couple of minutes later, George, Amber, and Angel came through the floo.

"I was going barmy! With nothing to do!" George started saying.

Fred agreed with him, "Me too! There was nothing to do at home! I was going crackers!"

Their month in the military had kept them so busy that they didn't know what to do with themselves! Every minute of their day had been planned for them, from the time they would get up in the morning until just after dinner at night. To go from a schedule that strict, to having nothing but free time, overnight?

"Well, right now we have a run to get in!" Hermione told them as she came down the stairs. Then she led the way out of the back of the mansion towards one of their running paths. The brisk walk served to help their muscles to warm up, then she set a brutal pace on their morning run. Those that were more out of shape than the others suffered the most.

When they got to the training room, everyone noticed immediately that it was different, it had been enlarged.

Then, "I need four volunteers." Harry asked.

Fred, Julia, Amber, and Rose jumped up and stood next to him.

"Okay! This is going to be a more advanced training simulation. It will be two phases. The first will be unarmed combat, and then you will face magical combat. The object will be to clear a small building. You each will face two opponents at a time. Any questions?"

"How are you going to do that?" asked Rose.

"Room, this is going to be a training simulation for four people, two opponents each in both unarmed combat and then magical combat. They need to clear a small building."

Then the room became all fuzzy, and the four contestants got really dizzy. When their minds cleared, they were standing in an office building with a large open room. Those on the sidelines could see what was happening. They watched as the simulations moved into the room and became aggressive towards those that were standing around lost. They watched as the simulations tried to grab the four teens and twist their arms behind their backs to subdue them. Rose stomped down hard on her simulations foot, causing him to weaken the grip he had on her arm, then she was able to twist around, using his arm for leverage, she jumped up and kicked it in the head freeing herself from the hold, letting her turn offensive on her opponent.

Fred's simulation had put him in a sleeper hold, and he was working hard to keep the grip from tightening around his neck.

Amber tried kicking backwards to catch her opponent in the danglies with her heel, and from the sounds she heard, she knew that she was successful. His grip on her loosened at once and let her become the aggressor. Now, instead of the simulation having a hold on her, she had a hold on it and used it for leverage to start kicking it in the face.

At this point, the room added the four, more skilled opponents to the simulation.

Julia watched as the four new opponents walked into the room. As one of them walked towards her, she jumped up and used the front of the simulation as a way to walk up and over the top of the opponent that had her arm twisted behind her back. She just failed at getting enough momentum to complete the complex manoeuvre she was trying, she landed on top of her opponent. It served to loosen the grip that he had on her, and she was able to give him an elbow to the eye.

Fred was fighting valiantly but was losing slowly, as he watched the other four simulations walking into the room. What had Harry done to them? As his second opponent got closer to him, he had an idea. He continued his struggle against the first opponent and then when the second got close enough he walked up the front of the opponent, wrapped his legs around its neck and then he went slack dragging both opponents down with him. He was finally able to get a lung full of air.

Rose watched as her brother went down with the two simulations and this helped fuel the viciousness inside of her. Her subdued opponent received a crushing blow to his neck from her foot, as she turned to face her new opponent with a snarl on her face.

Amber wrapped her legs around her opponent's neck and rode him to the ground. She looked up to see the new opponents entering the room. An elbow just below the ribs and she rolled off of the first opponent and spun around on the ground sweeping the legs out from under the second opponent. She rolled over on top of the second opponent with another elbow below the ribcage she kept rolling up onto her feet, with a savage kick to the simulations head she returned to her first opponent to crush his windpipe with her heel.

Julia had managed to dispatch her first opponent and had engaged the second opponent savagely, she managed to kick one of the simulations knees from the inside out, causing it to fall forwards. As it went down, she used her knee to crush its nose sending blood everywhere, a hard elbow to the base of the skull caused it to fall forwards. A heel to the back of the neck finished the job. Then she was able to go and help her lover/boyfriend/master/owner. She ran over and kicked the first opponent viscously in the ribs, but it wasn't hard enough to break them, but it did set Fred free to fight the second simulation while she worked on the first.

With only two simulations up the wizards entered into the room and started casting spells. The young teens found a new level of ferocity that they didn't know they had, Amber helped Rose finish off her second opponent by holding him while Rose kicked him in the side of the head. Fred and Julia finished off the first opponent and was able to use his body as a shield for the hexes that were cast in their direction.

Amber and Julia were both casting double spells, while Rose and Fred were only casting single spells. Their coaches on the sidelines noticed that immediately. Ced, Vic, and Cici turned to find George and Angel staring slack-jawed at the combat simulation.

"Hey! Snap out of it!" Ced scolded them.

Their heads snapped around with a where did you come from look.

"When you're casting your spells at your opponents, you need to be casting two spells at once! Just like we've been practising for months!" Ced scolded them.

"Watch how Amber and Julia are casting spells and then look at Fred and Rose!" Cici scolded them.

Those on the sidelines watched as the second set of opponents entered the room while the first set was still up and hexing the teens. It was now eight against four, and the eight were more aggressive. The teenagers would need to take it up some to beat the simulation. Then Rose blasted the ceiling of the office, causing the ceiling tiles, the light fixtures, and the substructure to come crashing down on their opponents. It gave them just a second to regroup their thoughts, then she turned aggressive casting two curses at a time. She was putting a lot into the curses to overpower the simulation's shields. She brought down three of the simulations by herself. As the last opponent dropped, the room turned fuzzy and disorienting for the combatants and then they were back in the training room of the Potter Mansion.

The four teens were drenched in sweat and panting. Hermione summoned vials of Vitamix to help them. Then the debriefing started, what went wrong, what went right?

"Fred! Why were you only casting one hex at a time? You know how to cast two at a time! We've worked on it for months, mate!" Ced scolded him. He needed to learn, and it was better to learn here, than where he could get killed.

"I just got off on the wrong foot! When that first guy put me in a sleeper hold, and I saw Julia in trouble, I just lost it, and I couldn't think straight!"

"The best thing that you can do for her is to keep your head on your shoulders, and keep practising so that you get better," Harry told him kindly.

Then Harry looked at George and Angel, "The same thing for you two?" he asked them.

They nodded at him and moved to the centre of the room. They felt that they had an advantage because they had seen the first training simulation.

"Room, this is going to be a training simulation for two people, I want three opponents for each of them in unarmed combat and magical combat." Then Harry stepped out of the simulation, and the room became all fuzzy and disorienting for George and Angel.

As they looked around, they were in a warehouse with pallets of product all around them. Their opponents moved in on them quickly, two from the rear and two from the front. George and Angel went back to back. At least that's protected for now. The two of them knew from watching the first group that they needed to hurry it up and finish this group of simulations before more of them showed up. They weren't fighting as creatively, but they were fighting more efficiently. The wizards showed up in pairs also, but they showed up before the last two opponents where down. George and Angel were able to use the last two combatants as human shields against the first of the hexes cast at them. They watched as the two simulations were cut in half in front of their eyes. This provided the needed motivation to remember constant vigilance.

At the end of the simulation, Hermione and Cici were out on the floor healing the two teens of their wounds, Vic summoned a couple of Vitamix potions to help them get their strength back.

Next up was Ced and his wives, this time Harry told the room that he wanted three opponents for each of them in unarmed, melee, and wizarding at the master's level. The room fuzzed and disoriented them, then the married trio found themselves in a large open room with doors on all sides. Six of the doors opened, and six opponents rushed inside like they had just been alerted to intruders in their building. Ced, Vic, and Cici moved to engage their opponents instead of waiting for themselves to be surrounded by them. They moved out to divide and conquer their opponents. About fifteen minutes later they were fighting with their swords. Harry and Hermione had never gotten to see them fight like this before. There had never been opponents of this skill level to challenge the teens. They had fought the unarmed combatants swiftly and efficiently. Just well-placed hits and kicks. Now with their swords, Harry was getting to see how fluid the girls were with their swords. Ced was showing his speed and strength using a clone of the sword that Harry had. And like the kids had all told him, the swords seemed to be intuitive in the battles. Soon, all three of them had finished their last opponent as the wizards entered the room casting spells at them. With the last slice of their swords, the teens blocked the spells with shields and put their swords away, before ejecting their wands and conjuring walls and decoys. Soon enough they all turned offensive and took the fight to their enemy. Like Harry and Hermione, none of their friends had ever seen them fight this hard. If one of them conjured a wall and it was blown to pieces, one of the others would use the debris as a distraction by throwing it at their opponent. All of them were casting triple packs of spells at the simulations, and they weren't holding back on the power they were expending either. More later than sooner, there was only one opponent left, and all three of them in their excitement cast a triple pack of spells at it, overpowering the simulation's shield. As it hit the ground, the room fuzzed out, and they returned to the training room.

Hermione started checking them over and healing all of the little cuts and bruises that they had all received.

"Dad, when did you convert the room into a simulation room?" Ced asked excitedly.

"We did it while you were gone. I got Fred and George Sr., Remus and Sirius to help me build it. We actually found some of the spells in the books that Angel bought a while back." He told him.

"This was exciting! It will definitely take our training to the next level!" Rose said.

"Could you do this to the Chamber of Secrets?" Angel asked.

"We've talked about it," Harry told her.

"Wow! I've never seen the three of you work so hard! You've always made it look so easy." George told them, in awe of the skill level that they had shown.

"We've just trained hard, that's all," Vic told him.

"Let's get our showers, so we're not late for breakfast," Hermione told all of them, motherly.

All of the teens talked excitedly about the simulation room. It was a lot like the Room of Requirement, only in this room, you got to tell it what you wanted it to do.

After breakfast, Ced took Neville out to practice flying some more. Vic and Cici joined them, and they had a small game of tag going. Then Cici conjured a Quaffle for them to throw between themselves. After Neville got better at catching the Quaffle, they moved to the Quidditch pitch to play some more. This gave Neville a chance to practice throwing the Quaffle through the hoops. After he got the hang of throwing the Quaffle through the hoops, then Ced became the goalkeeper to block his throws. As they flew back to the house, Neville asked if they could play some more after lunch.

"Sure!" Ced told him. "I'll ask the others if they want to play with us."

Lunch was a lively affair with everybody still there, and it became more lively when Ced brought up playing a friendly game of Quidditch.

"And to keep it friendly, we're not going to have any Beaters!" Ced told them.

Rose and Angel both flooed home to get their brooms. Harry was elected to be the referee, Hermione would be the scorekeeper, and everybody agreed that none of the threesome could be working together! They made Ced a Keeper, and let Vic be a Chaser on one team, and Cici would be a Chaser on the other team. They also decided that Angel and Rose would be the two Seekers because their brooms were equally matched.

On one team, we have Ced as a Keeper, Vic, Neville, and Fred as Chasers, with Rose as their Seeker.

On the other team, we have Amber as a Keeper, Cici, Julia, and George as Chasers, with Angel as their Seeker.

When Harry opened the chest that contained the Quidditch balls, he kept the Bludgers chained in place. He tossed the Quaffle into the air and set the Golden Snitch free. They were off to a game of Quidditch! Vic and Cici fought for the Quaffle viciously, and it landed in Neville's hands. Neville was off to the races wanting to make the first score of the game. What he didn't count on was the number of 'A+' personalities on the Quidditch pitch that afternoon. We're not talking just 'A' type personalities, we're talking 'A+' or even 'A++' type of personalities. The aggression level was high and climbing fast. Neville had the Quaffle tucked under his arm and was flying fast! Vic was doing a good job of keeping Cici off of him, but that left him open for Julia, a puppy in a shark tank. Something told Neville to look over his shoulder, and he looked back to see Julia closing in on him fast. He urged his broom to fly faster than he had ever flown in his life! He started to zig and to zag, but she was on him like stink on a dog. Neville looked, and he needed to make a choice on which hoop to throw the Quaffle through so he could score. He went high and changed his mind at the last instant and tried for the middle hoop. Amber blocked the throw, and they were racing for the far end of the pitch. Vic was on Julia like white on rice. Cici was taking it easy on Neville, just bumping him every now and again, well in her mind maybe. Neville was fighting to stay on his broom and get to the far end of the pitch in one piece, to try and stop Julia from tossing the Quaffle. Vic succeeded in knocking the Quaffle out of Julia's hands, and it was falling. Cici and Neville were both diving for the Quaffle when Fred flew in and scooped it up and headed for the other end of the pitch. George was all over Fred trying to knock the Quaffle out of his hands. Julia was there waiting and bumping Fred, hoping to upset his balance.

Angel and Rose were cruising around above the game watching as their friends and relatives fought over the Quaffle. They were both looking for the Snitch, a glimmer of the snitch, maybe just a flash of gold in the air somewhere. Then Rose dropped the nose of her broom, and they were off as fast as they could go! Then Rose threw on the brakes and just came to a stop, laughing at Angel.

"Oh, you little witch!" Angel yelled at her.

Rose just kept laughing, and Angel joined in, at getting faked out like that. Then Angel really did see the snitch and shot off under Rose. Rose turned to see where Angel was going and if this was another fake. She was behind and needed to make up the distance. Lying flat on her broom, all tucked in to be as small as possible, her chin was almost on the broom handle, Rose was accelerating like she had never accelerated before. Angel had to stay focused on the snitch, her broom was faster than the snitch could fly, but at those speeds, she knew that she couldn't change directions very quickly. She could more sense Rose's presence than she could see it, but she couldn't turn to look. The Snitch was bobbing and weaving and leading them on a merry goose chase, just staying out of reach of the two girls.

George had managed to score the first points of the game, and Cici was looking to score the next set of points. Vic was on one side of her and Fred was on the other. Neville was down below watching how hard they were playing. Then finally the Quaffle was knocked free. Neville knew that Julia and George were close at hand, he shot forward to be bumped out of the way by George, who in turn was bumped by Fred, who got hit by Julia, who got hit by Vic, and the ball landed in Neville's lap. While they were all fighting, he took off flying as fast as he could for the goals. He had a good lead on the others and was shooting for the lowest goal when he went high and made his first loop without thinking about it, and scored on the highest hoop!

Neville's dad went wild with the stunt that his son had just performed! Hermione was screaming at the tops of her lungs and clapping as hard as she could!

Rose and Angel were oblivious to anything but capturing the Snitch. They were neck and neck, side by side bumping and pushing each other, reaching for the little golden ball. It led them down low just above the grass, the two girls stretched out on their brooms to try and catch the sneaky little bugger. They were overreaching for the ball, they had their heads and shoulders past the front of their brooms as they streaked along the ground oblivious to anything other than the Snitch.

Hermione had caught sight of what they were doing and cautioned Harry to look at them. Harry saw the danger that they had put themselves into for just a 'fun' game. Harry summoned the Snitch to himself wanting the two girls to slow down and be safe again.

When the Snitch changed directions suddenly, both girls almost overbalanced on their brooms and realised just how low to the ground and how fast they were flying.

As everyone landed near Harry to find out why he had stopped the game, he explained to them, "I stopped the game because things are getting a little too aggressive for a friendly game! If we were competing for the House Cup, then that would be something different. But when I have two young women that are overreaching on high-performance brooms, and they are so low to the ground that they have the grass stains on their knees to prove it, well, that is just a recipe for disaster! Having been there and done that, I swallowed the Snitch." He told them.

"You swallowed a Snitch?" Vic asked him in amazement.

"Yes, it was my first Quidditch game, and I got out on the end of my broom, just like you two were, to catch the Snitch when the tip of my broom caught the ground. Well, I caught the Snitch as I went head over teakettle and I had to vomit it up," Harry told the group of kids.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Ced told his dad.

"So, if you think that we can keep this game a little more fun, then let's play some Quidditch!" Harry yelled.

All of the teens roared their happiness, Harry threw the Quaffle back into the air, and he let the Snitch go again.

With the score tied, and no one having caught the Snitch, Harry called the game so they could go inside for lunch. There was a lot of trash talking amongst the teens as they put their brooms away and headed for the mansion to get another shower before lunch.

.

As Ced and his wives were starting their shower. Cici asked, _"When did we get married to Little One?"_

" _When did we bond, or when did we have the wedding ceremony?"_ Ced asked.

" _Yes, either one."_ She had started to think about this.

Ced looked at Vic, _"When did we get married?"_

" _A year ago, last summer sometime."_ She told them.

" _We had just gotten back from Iraq when George had set up the wedding for us."_ Cici thought.

" _Well, we bonded just before we left for training."_ Vic thought.

" _It seems as if everything happens just so fast!"_ Ced thought.

" _It's been over a year!"_ Cici thought in shock.

" _We missed our anniversary? We've missed our anniversary! The day that we got home on the train, we went dress shopping because your parents were going to announce my adoption."_

" _Yes, then on Sunday afternoon, Mask came over to perform the ritual to tie you to the family, and that's when we bonded. The Sunday after we got home from school."_

" _Oh, that was so miserable! It hurt so much!"_

" _But what was the date?"_

" _Then we spent all that time in the house."_

" _Yes, but what was the date?"_

" _And then we went to Iraq for a month. Well not really a month, but we did all of that training, and then we went to Iraq."_

" _And then mum and dad gave us, should I call them mum and dad, or should I be calling them my mother-in-law and father-in-law?"_

" _Anyway, my parents gave us the beach house."_

" _They gave us the beach house for a wedding present. But what was the date of the wedding?"_

" _But somewhere in there, mum started working with us on our elemental magic."_

" _That had to have been just before we went to train with the military."_

" _Because you saved all of those women and girls with your elemental water magic."_

" _But when we got back from Iraq, George was planning the wedding, remember?"_

" _I think that you could call them mum and dad. They did adopt you after all, and it's not illegal for an adopted sibling to marry their brother or sister because there's no blood tie there."_

" _But it's illegal for three people to get married."_

" _But not in Iraq!"_

" _Yes, I remember because that was the first time I got to ride on a dragon!"_

" _So, we just have to go back to Iraq and find a friendly priest to marry the three of us!"_

" _So, I don't think that we've missed our anniversary!"_

" _Really? Why not?"_

" _Because George wanted it to be in the middle of the month! I think that it is on the eighteenth of July!"_

" _I think you're right!"_

" _So, we still have a few days before our anniversary!"_

" _What do we want to do for our anniversary?"_

" _I don't know."_

"Are you rinsed off yet?"

"Did we shower?"

"I think so."

"Did we use soap?"

"Did we wash our hair?"

"I don't remember washing my head."

"I don't remember washing your back."

"I don't remember you washing my back either."

"Do you have any stubble?"

"If you have stubble, then we didn't wash each other."

"I don't know, can you see any stubble?"

"I don't feel any stubble."

"I don't feel any stubble either."

"OH! That feels so good! Did you have to touch me there?" Vic said in a low heavy moan.

"I don't think we've washed up."

"We've been in here long enough."

"I don't think so, not now," Vic complained.

"Help her out Ced!"

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.11.2018**

 **And again 01.05.2019**


	39. Year Five Chapter 39

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 39

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The runes stopped their glowing as the three teens stepped off of them. They had just spent two years in the house in the bottle and were ready to take their Master's Level testing later that day. Hermione had gone and spoken to the Head Proctor the day before, he was very willing to come and test the teens. The time had been set for 9:00 in the morning.

Each of them summoned their summer workout clothes to them. For the girls, that was a black sports bra and black skin-tight running shorts. For Ced, he was wearing a muscle shirt and running shorts. At the bottom of the stairs, they met up with their parents as the floo flared to life and George, then Amber, and then Angel came out. Just a moment later, the floo flared to life again, Julia, Rose, and Fred stepped through. All of the girls were wearing the same workout clothes of a black sports bra and black skin-tight shorts. Angelica and Charlie joined them at the bottom of the stairs for their morning workout.

"Charlie and I have set a date for our wedding!" Angelica told them excitedly.

All of the girls started squealing with joy! Cici and Vic both hugged her, then all of the other girls joined in the celebration.

"So, when's the date?" Cici asked.

"We've set it for the Friday before you go back to school!"

"Where's it going to be?" Vic asked.

"Well, Charlie wants to have it at the Burrow because that's where he grew up." She told her.

"Have you started working on the guest list?" Hermione asked her.

"No, but we want it to be a small wedding. Just family." Charlie told them.

"Okay," Hermione said with trepidation.

"You and Harry would be invited for sure!" he told them. He just realised that he had almost disrespected them. "But people that we haven't spoken to in say ten years, we wouldn't want to invite. We would like to keep it as small as possible."

"Are you inviting Uasal and Car-baun?" Cici asked.

Charlie hadn't thought about that. That would undoubtedly present a problem.

"You are more than welcome to have your wedding here," Harry told them.

"I think that you should make out your guest list first," Hermione suggested to them. "You need to see how many people you're going to invite."

"I kind of worry about my brothers, Percy and Ron," Charlie told them.

"They could present a problem," Harry told him.

"What's wrong with Percy and Ron?" Angelica asked him, she had never met either of them.

Charlie frowned for a minute, how was he going to tell her? "Well, Percy can be very obnoxious, and a major prat and my brother Ron blames all of his problems on Harry."

All of the Potters kept their mouths shut.

"My Uncle Percy blames Harry for him losing a high paying job at the Ministry a lot of years ago," Fred told her.

"And he has raised his son to hate the Ancient Houses," Angel told her.

"And our Uncle Ron is even worse. He still believes that he should have been the one to marry Aunt Hermione." Rose told her.

"His son, Ron Jr., is the one that Kitten was going to freeze his heart because of what he said to her," Ced told his mother-in-law.

"Kitten was going to freeze some boy's heart?" Angelica asked in dismay.

"And since he got expelled, Uncle Ron blames Ced for him getting expelled from school," George told the group.

"It doesn't matter that he was supporting a terrorist organisation," Vic told her.

"Can we go run? This is getting overwhelming!" Angelica said. Maybe she would go talk to Uasal later.

After their run, they entered the training room and worked on their combat simulations. Charlie and Angelica were working on fighting two combatants at a time. Angelica had no experience fighting in hand to hand combat, or with a sword, so it was strictly a magical fight.

"When can we start learning to use a sword like you three?" Angel asked them.

Ced looked at his dad.

"Today if you want," Harry told her.

"You'll have to try several different styles of swords before you find one that is the correct sword for you," Ced told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked in confusion. After all, aren't all swords the same?

"Let's wait until Charlie and Angelica are finished with their simulation. Then you can see what I'm talking about." Ced told her with a smile.

Any pairing of the teens would have finished the simulation within a few minutes. Charlie did a good job, having fought in the last wizarding war, Angelica finally managed to wear her opponent out, and then she was able to deal the finishing blow. She may not have any combat experience, but her magical core ran deep from all of the healing magic that she had been practising for the last couple of years.

Harry had the room produce an extensive variety of the more common swords. As the teens came out on to the floor, they could pick up the different swords and give them a swing. For the next several minutes, they all tried a wide variety of swords, then Harry got their attention and had them put them all back. The room had produced training swords for them to practice with. The four of them walked around and helped the students learn to take the correct stances and to hold the training swords correctly. They learned the proper ways to swing the swords and to block the incoming swings. After a few moments, Harry had them pair off against each other and practice what they had just learned. There was a lot of 'ouches' and hands that got shaken out as their knuckles got hit, but there weren't any fatal blows given with the wooden swords, just bruised egos, and arms, and legs, and, and.

As they stopped to go get their showers, Harry explained that the family had an appointment after breakfast and that all of the teens would need to go home for the day, but they could meet again in the morning for their regular routine. After healing a lot of bruised knuckles, Hermione passed out several vials of anti-bruising potion and the usual morning 'pick me up' of a vial of Vitamix potion to everyone who wanted one.

"Something else we need to start working on is basic first aid. All of you should be able to heal simple scratches and cuts." Cici told her group of friends.

"If you're going to start working with swords, then it would just make good sense to learn how to heal cuts and other wounds that will come with them," Ced told the group.

The group remained quiet. It seemed like they were deep in thought over what they were being told. But it also seemed as if they were thinking about why they hadn't learned any of the healing arts earlier. Was it because Cici and Vic were always there to heal them? Cici and Vic were both very competent, they had even healed the soldier with the broken arm. Was it because they had just never asked to learn? This growing up stuff was getting kind of overwhelming. But if they had only known how grown up, they were compared to Muggle children. Here they were, only fifteen years old and they were learning to fight with swords. They had already carried soldiers into battle, rescued hostages, and jumped out of an aeroplane at high altitudes with just a parachute.

Ced, Vic, and Cici discreetly watched as their friends went into their own rooms to get their showers. They watched as George and Fred kissed Amber and Julia goodbye for now, then turned and entered their rooms. They may have been protected from the full power of teenage hormones by the bond, but they could still feel the urges of being young and in love.

"We still need to talk to Julia and see if she wants Aunt Luna to help her or if she's doing okay," Vic told her bond-mates as she finished getting undressed.

"I'll mention it to Hermione and see what she thinks too," Cici told her.

"I hope that the old man that Kitten healed will be the testing proctor today. I really don't want to deal with some old fart that doesn't think that we can't do magic because we're still so young." Ced told his wives.

"It's good that other people underestimate us, it gives us a tactical advantage. GEEZ! I'm fourteen years old, and I sound like SGM Richardson!" Vic said exasperatedly.

It gave the group a good laugh, they were still so young, but they had so very little in common with other wizards and witches their age. They really didn't understand that they were stepping into the gap to protect the innocent from the ones that wanted to cause the innocent harm.

As Cici was rinsing her hair, she leaned her head back to let her black hair flow under the water to get the last of the shampoo out of it. Vic saw that her hair was down below the bottom of her bum.

"Your hair has gotten so long Dark One!"

"How long is it?" she asked in surprise.

"Right now, it's at your waist!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Vic shared the memory of her hair hanging below her bum just a moment ago.

"WOW! It's never been that long before! Do I have any dead ends?"

"I'll check when we get out of the shower. Look how long Ced's hair is again!"

Ced got down on his knees so his wives could wash his hair for him. He could feel them running their fingers through his hair and enjoying the feeling of how long his hair was. They caressed his scalp as they shampooed his hair. Just standing there enjoying running their fingers through his too long hair. One of them leaned his head back into the stream of water to rinse out the soap, then he could feel them putting the conditioner on his head. The feeling of four hands rubbing the conditioner into his hair, the contentment emanating from his two wives as they loved on him. After they had rinsed the conditioner out of his hair and he was standing up, he kissed both of them passionately. He had helped both of them reach their peaks earlier in their shower, just as they had helped him achieve his release. With all of their heads washed, someone turned off the water, and they stepped out of the shower. By the time their feet had hit the shower mat, they were dry. With a simple flick of her wrist, Vic dried Cici's hair.

She reached over and took a handful of hair and started to look at the tips of her hair. "It's all looking healthy, but we should get it trimmed to make it even," Vic told her.

Cici took a handful of Vic's light brown hair, all of the time in the sun had sun-bleached her naturally curly hair, to look at it. "Your hair is past your shoulder blades; do you want it that long?" Cici asked her.

"No, I think that I'll get it trimmed to my shoulder blades. Are you going to get yours cut to your waist or are you going to let it grow out some more?"

Cici pulled her hair around to her front, it covered her bare breast as it hung down to her navel. She looked at how long and full her hair was Then she got an evil look on her face, and she took and split her hair so that it went over both of her shoulders and hung down in front of her, covering both of her breasts. "Oh, Ced, do you like my hair like this?" she teased their husband standing there naked before him.

As Ced stood there appreciating the view that his wife was giving him, Vic turned around with her hair the same way, but her shorter hair broke at the tops of her ample breasts into four different parts. Two going down into her cleavage and the other two framing the outsides of her honey coloured breasts.

"If you two girls keep this up, we're never going to make it down to breakfast!" Ced scolded his wives.

The two girls smiled at him mischievously, then they shook their heads to get their hair to lay down their backs. Vic looked at Cici and then she waved her hand and Cici's hair braided itself starting at her forehead and worked its way back covering her whole head in an intricate braid. This shortened her hair considerably. Cici chose a different style of braiding for Vic's hair. What would have taken a long time to do by hand, was done with the flick of a wrist. They were all just having fun. The girls chose conservative dresses and shoes for their testing today, Ced dressed in traditional wizarding robes and loafers.

They entered the small dining room holding hands and smiling, just being happy teenagers. Breakfast was a lot of fun, they talked about how much progress Neville was making in his flying, he had only gotten hit twice with the tails of the dragons, both times were accidents. Hermione saved him once with her elemental wind magic and Ced had saved him the second time with his elemental wind magic. Neville had a good scare both times, but he learned that you had to watch out for the tail of a dragon too. They talked about the simulation room and how useful it was in their training. There was also a lot of talk about the different swords.

After they had seen all of their friends off through the floo, Hermione went to bring the testing proctor to the mansion. It took a while longer than they had thought it should, but eventually, she came back with the old wizard. He was looking harried, Ced guessed that it might have had something to do with grading all of the tests done at school.

"Good morning sir, how are you?" Ced greeted the old Proctor.

"I'm busy! I'm too busy to be doing this!" he said.

Ced's and Vic's brows furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong? The last time we saw you, you were doing great! Our sister had just restored your heart." They chose to remind him.

"Yes, yes, and I am eternally grateful to her for that, but we've had four people out for the last two weeks, and it has made it hectic around the office."

"A lot of tests to grade?" Cici asked.

"Yes, and some of these kids' penmanship is terrible! Just unreadable!"

"Well, we can all relate to that! We're teachers' assistants at school, and we have had to grade papers too." Vic told him.

"Well, we should get started. Who all is going to be testing today?" he asked kindly now that he had started to settle down.

"All three of us are going to be taking our Masters' level testing today," Ced told him easily.

"All three of you? At the same time?" he asked a little apprehensively.

"Yes, will that be a problem?" Harry asked the elderly wizard.

"No, no. It's just unusual that's all."

"Well, if it is any help. The three of us want to take eight of the same tests, and then from there it gets a little more confusing." Ced told him.

"Yes, I want to take the test in Muggle Studies, and the Healing Arts," Vic told him.

"And I want to take the tests on the Healing Arts and on Divination," Cici told him.

"I want to take the test on the Healing Arts also, plus Astronomy," Ced told him.

"Okay, so we have one Divination, one, Astronomy, and one Muggle Studies. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir." They said.

"And everybody wants to take the test on the Healing Arts, correct?"

"Yes, sir." They said again.

"Okay, when can we get started?"

"Right this way." Harry indicated that he should follow him.

Once inside the study, the threesome sat on the couch touching, but not on top of each other. Harry indicated that the tester could use his desk. The Proctor thanked him, and then he reached into his bag and pulled out a stack of tests. Each of the teens stood up and conjured a desk for themselves.

"Okay, if I remember from last time I was here," he looked at Vic, "You wanted to take as many tests in a day as you could. Is that still the case?"

They all told him, "Yes," 'let's just get this over with.' But they didn't say that last part out loud. But they all heard it.

"Let's go ahead and start with Charms, and I'll make a stack of tests up here for you to take. Next will be Transfiguration and so on." He told them. "Do I need a timer?"

"No."

He handed them their tests and let them begin. Twenty minutes later they were handing in that test and collecting the next test. They finished the eighth test just before lunch.

"Will you be joining us for lunch today?" Vic asked him as she stood up.

"No, I'm going to go home and have lunch with my wife. Ever since your little sister removed that curse from me, I've always gone home and eaten lunch with my wife. She really helped me figure out what is important in life. I was always striving for the next best thing to come along and forgot about my family. Is she here?" he asked as he made his way towards the floo.

"Kitten? No, she's at work at the Ministry for the summer."

"But she's too young to be working at the ministry!"

"Are you going to tell her what she can and can't do?" Ced asked him with a laugh.

"Oh, NO! Not me! Shall we meet again in, let's say 1:30? That way we can get started on all of the practical's."

"That sounds good. We will meet you here at 1:30." Cici told him.

The old tester threw some Floo Powder into the floo and was gone in a puff of green flames.

Over lunch, Harry and Hermione were glad to hear that they all had Outstanding's on their written tests. They were surprised to learn that they had taken eight tests that morning.

"How much time did you?" Harry trailed off when he remembered Suzy and Neville were at the table with them.

Ced held up two fingers discreetly.

"Wow!" was all he mouthed at them.

The kids all smiled back.

At 1:25 the kids were all standing in front of the floo. A few minutes later it flared to life and spit out their tester.

"Well, now we have to do the hard part, the practical side of the tests." He started to tell them.

"If you would like sir, we can start on the Potions practical, and while it is simmering, we could move to the training room for the other portions of the testing," Ced told him a little formally.

"That would make good use of our time. The potions practical takes close to four hours by itself." He told them.

"Yes, sir. And it does not need constant attention despite what most people think." Cici told him.

"Interesting observation there, young lady, interesting."

"Please follow me," Ced told him, as he led the way to the potions lab.

After getting all of the ingredients mixed together, the proctor looked into their cauldrons. He was impressed with what he saw. "If you want, from what I've seen, your potions are going to come out at the Outstanding level. If you want, we can stop here and start on the next test." He offered to hurry up the testing process.

"Okay," Vic said, and all three cauldrons were cleansed by three waving hands.

"Please, follow me to the training room." Ced waited for the man to follow them.

"We're going to need three tables, young man." The wizard told him.

With one wave of three hands, there were three tables in front of them. The proctor produced the necessary items for the rest of the testing. Two and a half hours later a laughing proctor was leaving the training room headed for the floo. If only all of the tests were this much fun, he thought to himself.

"I will see you three tomorrow at 9:00!" he told them just before flooing away.

"Well! That sounds encouraging!" Harry said from behind them.

"Yes! We are eight for eight on the Outstanding's!" Vic told him when she turned around.

"Great! Because tomorrow, for your Healing Arts test, Hermione will be your proctor under the supervision of Healer Ryan at Saint Mungo's. He wants to make sure that you don't receive any favouritism. Oh, if it's okay with you three, Angelica wants to take her Master's test with you."

The three of them looked at each other kind of surprised. "Okay, I thought that she wouldn't need to do that," Ced told his dad. She was a doctor in the muggle world already after all.

"Yes, but she wants to advance to being a full Healer at the Dragon Reserve," Harry told them.

" _I'm scared of showing up my mom."_ Cici thought.

" _Don't be, your mum has a lot more experience than we do,"_ Ced told her.

" _You'll be just fine."_ Vic thought to her.

After doing the individual tests the next morning, they arranged a date and time for the Astronomy testing later in the week. Once the proctor had left, Hermione administered the written portion of the Healing Arts test, then she and the rest of them flooed over to Saint Mungo's, using the employee floo network, to take their practical testing under the observation of Healer Ryan.

"Good morning Lady Gryffindor!" the witch behind the desk said cheerfully as they came through the floo.

"Good morning Hanna, how are you?"

"Doing fine, and yourself?"

"Fine thank you. How are your kids?"

"They're doing fine! I can't wait until they go back to school!"

"Okay, we'll talk to you later!" Hermione told her as she turned to lead them down the hallway.

They walked quickly down the various halls until they came to a bank of elevators. They took the elevator up to the top floor to go to the Head Healers office.

"Morning Sarah, is he in?"

"Yes, he's in, and he's in a right fine mood this morning too. Complaining about having to test a bunch of kids or something like that."

"Well, that would be us, do you want to get him, or should I?"

"No mam, I'll get him for you. Please have a seat."

The five of them chose to have a seat as far away from the office door as the area would allow.

In a quiet voice, not wanting to be overheard, Ced asked, "What's his problem mum?"

"It goes back many years to when I was in Hogwarts. Your Uncle Ced had just had a brush with the killing curse, and Healer Ryan was the foremost expert at the time on the killing curse. Well, when I asked him about his theory of how the killing curse worked, his theory and what we were observing, in reality, didn't match up. His theory was that the killing curse interrupted the electrical signals between the different cells in the body. This would lead to the different parts of the body dying off, and we weren't seeing that with your Uncle Ced. Your dad and I had made a couple of friends in Singapore, that are very well respected and very well-educated doctors in Asia. They had a different idea of how we could heal Ced. He called their methods, and them crackpots. Well, their methods worked, and we got Ced back by reconnecting the pieces of his soul. The one side effect is that Daphne and Cedric can now communicate telepathically."

"Are you finished Lady Gryffindor, so we can get this over with? I have work that I need to get back to." Healer Ryan said in a very condescending voice.

Hermione stood and turned to face the small man with the receding hairline. She looked down at him. "It's a pleasure as always Healer Ryan."

"Follow me." Said the rude little man. He began to lead them through the hallways to a healing area for the testing to begin.

He stopped outside of a door labelled 'Authorized Personnel Only.' "You can change clothes in there." He told them in an irritated voice.

Angelica and Hermione led the kids into the room. Inside they found a clothing rack with clean Medi-Wizard robes hanging on it.

"Find an empty locker, and hang your clothes in there, then you will have to transfigure the Medi-Wizard robes to fit," Hermione told them.

After the five of them had changed, Hermione donned a lab coat with her name on it, they reentered the hallway to follow the irritating man to the central healing area. For the next ten hours, he grilled them on all the different areas of healing, not stopping for lunch or dinner. It had been almost two years since Angelica had worked this way and she found that she didn't miss it at all. True, she had been called up in the middle of the night to heal someone that had woken a dragon, but for the most part, she got to sleep through the nights and spend time with her new man. Gone were the one hundred plus hour weeks and the forty-eight-hour shifts.

They covered the different parts of the Healing Arts from removing a splinter, antidotes for poisons, bedside manner, to severe injuries. They even helped out during an actual emergency when five construction workers were brought in because of an explosion. Healer Ryan watched as they applied Burn Paste to the areas and watched as they quickly and confidently used the different levels of diagnostic spells. He watched, and even tried to intimidate them at various times with different coughs or the clearing of his throat, as they healed all of the different patients brought to them. In the end, he could find no fault with any of their healing work, he even kept his mouth shut after Angelica bound a patient to the gurney after he grabbed one of her breasts. He was going to say something until four angry witches looked at him with an 'I dare you to say something' look.

In the end, Hermione awarded them all an Outstanding on the practical portion of the test. She showed Healer Ryan her scores, and he had no choice but to agree and sign off on the forms because they had all done an outstanding job in the hospital that day.

.

With Angelica's wedding approaching fast, there was a lot of different things that needed to be done. All of the kids helped her address the envelopes to all of the guests. Including spouses and children, the guest list was capped at one hundred guests. Bill and Fleur Delacour were the first on the guest list. Charlie had gone to visit his two brothers to see if he would be able to get them to behave.

Charlie visited Percy first, "Why are you here?" Percy asked him sourly, looking him up and down.

"Well, I wanted to invite you to my wedding," Charlie said cautiously.

"Why do you want to do that?" he asked snobbishly, challenging his older brother.

Ever so Percy, Charlie thought, "Because you're my brother and I was hoping that I could get you to celebrate it with me." He told him sincerely.

"Who else are you inviting?" Percy challenged him.

"I'm inviting friends and family. We're trying to keep it a small ceremony."

"Is this that American woman that's been hanging all over you?"

"Yes, Angelica and I have chosen to get married. We're going to have the wedding at the Burrow." Charlie let the remark about Angelica slide for now.

"Why are you going to have it there? Why not at the Potter mansion, that's where you stay all the time anyway."

"Yes, I spend a lot of time with the Potter's." Maybe, this wasn't such a good idea, he thought to himself.

"Did you invite the almighty Lord Gryffindor and his heathen offspring?"

"Yes, they are on the guest list, and I am pretty sure that they will be attending." If Percy was this snide, what would Ron be like? I'm glad that Angelica stayed at home and let me do this on my own.

"Well, I will think about it." The snob said with his nose turning to the ceiling.

"This visit wasn't to invite you to the wedding. It was to tell you to be pleasant if you chose to come to the wedding because Harry and Hermione and their children will be attending the wedding. And Percy, get off of your high horse and realise that the only person that's responsible for your problems, is you."

"Yeah well, don't let the door hit you on your way out!" Percy told him, his words filled with malice.

"Have a nice night Percy. Penny, have a nice night also," Charlie told them as he left.

Between Ron and Percy, he was hoping that Percy would have been the more personable of the two. The door closed to the flat, and he walked to the apparition point, with a small crack, he was gone and walking to the door of Ron's flat. Using the door knocker, Charlie tapped on the door three times.

"Somebodies at the door!" a male's voice screamed.

"Well get the door!" a shrill female's voice yelled back.

Charlie could hear heavy footsteps walking across the second story flat. Then he could listen to the different locks being unlocked.

The door opened with a squeak. "Scharlie! How aresh you?"

Charlie had to take a step back from the door, Ron smelled like a distillery. "Fine Ron, how have you been?"

"Goodsh, goodsh. Wellsh not really but heysh, who am I to complain?"

"Ron! Whoshe at the door!" the woman's voice screeched.

"It'sh my bruvver Scharlie!" he turned his head and yelled.

"Wellsh aren't you going to invite him in?" she screeched at him.

Ron stepped aside to let Charlie enter the flat. As clean as Percy's house was, Ron's house was filthy. Ron was dressed a mess. His shirt was holed and stained, his pants had holes in them also. His big toe was sticking out of his sock!

"Yoush wans a 'rink?" Ron offered his older brother.

"No, I'm not going to be staying long. I'm just here to let you know that I'm getting married and that if you want to come to the wedding you can, but, you need to promise me that you will not make trouble for the other guests." Charlie rushed through his short speech.

"Yoursh getting married? To whosh?" his voice was even more slurred now than it was when he opened the door.

"You will get the invitation in about a week or so." Charlie was secretly hoping that his youngest brother wouldn't make it to the wedding.

"OhHkay! We loohk forehward to getting itsh! Congratshulashions!" Ron said as he hit him on the shoulder.

"Bye Scharlie!" Wendy yelled from across the room.

Charlie waved to her so she wouldn't get up. He wasn't sure that she could get up without falling down. He needed to make his exit quickly. Then he heard a bottle fall and the thump of a body hitting the floor. He turned to look, he shouldn't have, Wendy was face down with an empty Firewhiskey bottle lying next to her. Ron looked at her and made a noise of some kind as he waved his hand at her as if to say 'lightweight!'

"I've got to go, Ron, I'll see you later."

At the door, Charlie turned one last time to say, "Bye." Then he was walking to the apparition point for this set of apartments.

.

Lying in bed with Angelica snuggled up against him.

She asked, "How did it go with your brothers?"

"Not well. Percy is so full of hatred. And Ron. Ron's crawled inside of a bottle and can't even hold a conversation. His wife, Wendy, she passed out in a chair and fell face down on the floor. He seemed content to just leave her there!"

"Did Harry really do all those things they say he did?"

"As with anything, there are two sides to the coin. Did Harry break Ron's arm and bust his new wand? Yes."

"OH!"

"Harry was trying to save my little brother's life when that happened though. There are these vile creatures called Dementors that live on peoples' misery. Well, some Dementors got on the train as it was going to Hogwarts and my little brother in his panic went running towards the Dementors instead of away from them. Harry knocked him out of the way, and when he did that, Ron broke his arm, and his wand got broken when he fell on it."

"And Percy?"

"Well, Percy blames Harry for him losing his job as an assistant to the Minister of Magic."

"And how did Harry do that?"

"Percy was believing everything that the Minister was saying about Harry and that Harry was spreading rumours about the dark lord being back to gain popularity to take the Minister's job. Well, the Minister was already sentenced to go to Azkaban for wrongly impassioning Sirius."

"But you've told me that the dark lord did come back and that Harry was right."

"Yes, and Percy was supporting the Minister with everything that he had. To the point that my dad had to stun him in his own flat."

"Okay so?"

"So, between what happened with Ron, Ginny, and the Ministry, Percy's never forgiven Harry or the four Ancient Houses."

"Whose Ginny and what happened to her?"

"You've never met Ginny? My little sister? Willow's mum?"

"I think that I've seen her. But I don't think that I've ever met her, I know that we've never been introduced." She adjusted herself to look him in the eye.

"Well, when Ginny was a first-year student, she fell under a curse from the dark lord, and he was going to steal her life force to regain his life. Anyway, she discovered how to get into the Chamber of Secrets at school, and without her knowing, she set loose a Basilisk, a big Basilisk, which can kill with just a look at you, plus it's very poisonous. Harry managed to kill this 20-metre-long Basilisk, and then he managed to kill the diary that the dark lord had enchanted to suck the life out of a person, thus saving Ginny's life. A year or two later. While Hermione is attempting to capture my little brother's pet rat, which isn't really a pet rat, but an animus person that has been spying on my family for years because of Percy. Ginny catches Hermione trying to steal the rat to turn over to the Ministry of Magic. When Harry shows up, Ginny has her wand pressed against Hermione's throat telling her that she's going to kill her so she can have Harry to herself."

"Wow! And we let our kids go to this school?" the concern was written all over her face.

"Is it really that much different than a muggle school? So, Harry shows up and sees Ginny standing there threatening Hermione with her wand in her throat, and he stuns her. To save Hermione's life."

"What's so bad about that? He didn't try to kill her."

"When Harry and Hermione are levitating my little sister and a friend of theirs to the hospital wing, Percy gets all upset and challenges Harry to a Wizard's Duel which Harry accepts in his anger. The next morning Percy and Ron start to threaten Harry at breakfast, accusing him of stealing the pet rat, tarnishing Ginny's name, and some other stupid thing that I can't remember right now. So, they have a formal Wizard's Duel in front of the whole school, during breakfast because of Percy. At the start of the duel, Percy reveals to Harry that Percy's girlfriend has a crush on Harry and Percy's jealous because of it. And that is the real reason that he wants to have the duel with Harry, he thinks that he can put Harry back in his place and his girlfriend will start to 'love' him again."

"And I take it that that didn't go as planned."

"Nope, Harry humiliated him during the duel by not really taking it seriously and letting my brother wear himself out magically. But the worst part of it all is after the duel was over, and after Harry had left the platform, Percy took one last cheap shot at Harry's back. The Heads of the other Ancient Houses got wind of this, and they demanded a formal written apology in the Daily Prophet for all of the wrongs that my family had done against Harry. The list of things that they had done against Harry was a full page in length."

"But your family and Harry seem to be okay with each other now. I mean, your dad was here for the first Christmas! With Emmeline."

"Emmeline is my step mum. My real mum was killed in the battle for Hogwarts."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"My real mum had been teaching Ginny that she should be the one to marry Harry. That she should do whatever it took, to be Harry's wife. She had been teaching her that from the time she was a little girl, that she should be the one to marry The-Boy-Who-Lived. And Ron got it in his head that Hermione would be his wife by default because Ginny would be the one to marry Harry, nobody else."

"Wow! That's kind of mental."

"Yeah, so when Harry and Hermione show up at school holding hands, it triggered my little brother's jealousy, and he saw Harry saving his life as Harry getting him out of the picture so he could have Hermione all to himself. When Ginny saw them holding hands, it triggered something in her, to want to get rid of Hermione so she could have Harry. My little sister spent months in the mental ward at Saint Mungo's. But Ron and Percy have never really forgiven Harry for what they think that he's done to hurt them.

"Parents do some nasty things to their kids. Not just physically nasty stuff like breaking their bones, but mentally sick things to them like teach them racism, sexism, prejudices, and hatred because someone is different than they are. It's the mental things that take the most to heal. Boys learn from their dads, that it's okay to hit girls, and they grow up being wife abusers.

"So, how is it that you're not affected by your mum in that way?"

"Bill and I got out as soon as we could, and nothing seems to affect the twins! And Percy is just a pompous arse who thinks that he's better than all of us. If he had just listened to his family… but he swallowed everything that the Minister was saying, without checking things out for himself, and he sided against his own blood."

"They say that blood is thicker than water."

"The thing is, when the dark lord was finished with the Minister, he killed him. The Minister was being manipulated by one of the servants of the dark lord, whom he wound up possessing the body of, to try and kill Harry and Hermione, and that servant of the dark lord died too, all of the close servants of the dark lord got the veil in the end."

"The veil?"

"It's an artefact in the basement of the Ministry, that witches and wizards who have been given the death sentence are pushed through. Once you go through the veil you can never come back to this existence, you go on to the next life."

"Are these two brothers of yours coming to our wedding?"

"I don't know, I don't think so, and I hope not."

"That's sad."

"It is, but they brought it on themselves. They're just so full of hatred and bitterness."

"Kind of like my ex-husband."

"Whatever happened to him?"

"Last I heard was that he was moving to Africa. Sorry, but I'm glad that he's gone. Since Cici bonded with Ced, my life has done nothing but get better."

"Mine too," he said as he rolled her on top of himself. He pulled her down so he could give her a kiss and a kiss progressed into private adult time together.

.

"I don't want to go to Madam Malkin's!" Angelica told them with no leeway in her voice. "The last time that I was there, they treated me like I had the plague or something! That other place was a lot friendlier, I liked her."

"Glad Rags in Hogsmeade?" Cici asked her mom.

"Yes! She was really friendly and that Rosmerta she was nice too!"

"Well, we can floo to the Three Broomsticks and then walk over to Glad Rags," Hermione told them.

"I need to buy some more bras," Julia added in.

"It's not about you today," Amber told her.

"I know, it's just that while we're there, I could get some more bras."

"So, it's settled then. We're going to The Three Broomsticks and from there we're all getting all of our shopping done." Hermione was trying to get everyone on the same page.

It was a small army of people that exited out of the floo in The Three Broomsticks.

Hermione waved at Rosmerta and told her, "We'll be back for lunch! Just a heads up for you!"

Rosmerta waved back at her and told her, "Thank you!" at least she would have time to call in a little more help.

At Glad Rags, the slow process of selecting a wedding gown began. What colour? White? Off-white? Some other colour completely?

"Well, I've been married before."

"There is nothing stopping you from wearing a white dress, it is a celebration after all."

"What else do you have?"

"Here, follow me." Their favourite salesclerk told her. She led her off to the side, in a separate room entirely. So, she could just look at all of the choices. They walked around and looked at all of the different colours, and styles. After running her hand down all of the dresses she stopped.

"Can I see this dress please?" it was a white dress, but not a pure white dress, an off-white dress, an eggshell white dress.

The salesgirl pulled the dress out so she could see it. She liked the colour, but not the style.

"Do you have another dress in this colour?"

And all of the girls started the search for dresses in that colour or close to that colour. Soon enough, she had five more dresses to look at, and then a sixth, and then the seventh dress to choose from. Each of the girls opened up the protective plastic bag that the dresses came in so they could see them. As they stood there and looked, some of the dresses were rejected immediately and returned to their spot on the rack. With a bunch of I like this, and I like that's, along with some I don't like that, the selection was whittled down to four dresses to take to the changing room.

"One at a time! There's not enough room in there for you, two helpers, and four dresses!" the salesgirl teased them.

Hermione looked at the other girls, "If you need to go shopping for something for yourselves, now is your chance!" she told them with a smile.

Cici and Vic went into the changing room with Angelica and the first choice of wedding gowns. They managed to get the wedding dress out of the bag and hung-up on the hanger on the back wall of the changing room. While they were doing that, Angelica was getting out of her own clothes.

"Mom, why are you wearing mismatched bra and nickers?"

"It's what I found this morning after our workout." She told her a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it, Angelica," Vic told her mother-in-law.

The next challenge was to try and fit Angelica into the dress.

"Well, this dress wasn't made to fit curves like mine!" Angelica complained about the dress stuck at her breasts.

Cici stepped back and looked at her, with a flick of her wrist the dress almost fit.

"You're going to have to do that again!" Angelica told her.

"Sorry, I didn't realise just how large you are up top there, mom."

"Well, we hardly see each other, mija!"

Cici waved her hand again, and then the dress slipped into place. The three women looked at the dress, frowned and then opened the door, so the others could see. They all gave the same frown of discontentment.

"Nope, not this one," Angelica said as she tried to get the dress off. "Vic, would you unzip me please?"

They managed to get the dress off of Angelica, Cici restored the dress to its correct size again, and then they fought to get it back into the plastic bag. Vic took the dress out of the changing room and to the salesgirl.

"Next dress please." She said to the woman.

The clerk handed her the next dress and Vic carried it into the room. As small as the first dress was, this dress was a tent on Angelica, Cici had to shrink it down so that it didn't drag on the floor. She had to transfigure it to fit her mom's curves. After all of that, it only earned another frown.

Angelica opened the door to see the expressions on the other girl's faces, all of them had one look or another of disapproval. She pulled the door closed behind her. This time Cici reversed all of the work that she had done to make it easier to get the dress off of her mother.

"Next!" Vic said loudly.

The salesclerk carried the next dress to the changing room and collected the second dress.

This time, the people outside of the changing room heard 'Oos and Ahs' from the other side of the door. When she opened the door, Angelica got the same responses from her friends and family members.

"Do you want to try on the last dress?" the clerk asked helpfully.

"I think you should, mom."

"Me too, that way you have a choice between the two dresses, and you can choose the one you like the most," Vic told her.

Angelica looked at the clerk, "Please?" she asked her. Then she closed the door to strip out of the dress.

When they exchanged dresses, the salesgirl told her, "I'll set this one off to the side."

"Thank you," Angelica told her as she took the last dress.

Inside the changing room, there were more 'Oos and Ahs' and a couple of 'I like that's.' The door opened to show the rest of the girls the last dress. Outside of the changing room, there were more 'Oos and Ahs' as they liked the last dress the most.

"Now we just need to get you some shoes, unless you have a pair that you were planning on wearing with your gown." The salesgirl suggested, always the professional.

"No, I'm going to need new shoes too." She told the salesgirl.

"Well follow me!" and the woman led the cluster of women to the shoe department. Angelica hiked up the front of the dress to help it keep from dragging across the floor on their way to the shoes.

"Do you think that I should buy new bras and panties?" she asked Cici softly.

"It couldn't hurt." She whispered back to her mom.

Then Vic had a thought, _"Can your mum walk in heels?"_

" _I don't know!"_

"Mom? Are you comfortable walking in heels?" Cici asked her.

"It's been a long time since I've worn heels. I really haven't had a need to wear heels in several years!"

"Why don't we try them and if you're not comfortable in them, then we should consider getting a pair of flats, or just by both of them now and be done with it, your choice."

"Let's look and see." Ever the practical mother said.

After selecting a pair of heels that weren't too tall, a pair of flats for just in case, and a pair of new shoes to dance in, the saleswoman led Angelica over to the fitting area to get the dress fitted to Angelica's curves.

All of the other girls went looking for new dresses and shoes for the wedding. And yes, Julia bought new bras. With Amber modelling new dresses for George, Julia modelling new dresses for Fred, and Cici and Vic modelling new dresses for Ced, Rose and Angel were bouncing their thoughts off of Hermione.

.

As they sat down for lunch, Angel sat down next to Hermione so she could talk to her with a little more privacy.

"I wanted to talk to you about those books I bought a while ago, the ones by Merlin?" Angel told her cautiously.

"What about them?"

"Well, I wanted to start reading them."

"Okay, they're your books. We're just keeping them safe for you."

"Do you think that it would be okay for me to take one of them home with me to read it?" she had remembered what Hermione had told her about the books.

"Yes, as long as you don't go telling everybody about it, I think that it would be safe for you to do that. But remember what I told you, you need to read his journal and the book at the same time."

Seeing the questioning look on her face.

"The two of them together will let you 'see' inside of Merlin's mind when he was doing what he was doing. It will help you understand what he was thinking as he was creating the spell." Hermione explained to her.

"Okay?"

"Once you understand what he was thinking, it will help you understand the spell and how you can use it for your benefit." Still seeing some confusion on her face, "Have you seen how Cici and Vic can move around Hogwarts like they're apparating?"

"Yes, but they can't be apparating because there are anti-apparition wards in the school."

"Have you ever wondered how they could do that?"

"Yes, all of us have."

"Well, they are using one of Merlin's spells. The more advanced witches and wizards use the spell to move objects, they're using the spell to move themselves because they understand what Merlin was thinking when he created the spell. The diaries and the books together will give you that insight."

"Okay! I understand what you're saying now! I've just never thought of it that way!"

"And neither has anybody else. Heed Merlin's warnings in his diaries and don't try any of his spells without somebody else there just in case something goes wrong!" Hermione cautioned her. "I'm not saying don't have any fun, but I am saying, don't do anything stupid either."

Vic had ordered lunch for her mother as she talked to Angel about the books. There really wasn't much need for the privacy spells with as loud as the group of friends were, but ever cautious, Vic had cast them over Hermione and Angel, better safe than sorry. When Hermione was done speaking with Angel about the books she turned to join the others in conversation, as she turned she just waved her hand like it was normal and the spells were cancelled.

"Thank you." She told Vic for casting the spells.

And when her food arrived, she told her, "Thank you again!"

For close to an hour and a half the group stayed, ate, and talked about what was happening in Angelica's life. What it was like living in Romania. What it was like working on the Dragon Reserve.

"The dragons aren't the problem! It's all of the men! Other than the cook, I'm the only woman there!" Angelica told them. "When I first got there, you'd think they hadn't seen a woman in years! I think that most of them were more scared of me than I was of them, but it was downright scary for the first few weeks. Even Charlie was getting worried there for a bit, but then after I was able to hex one of the guys after he groped me, they started to leave me alone. Uasal and Car-baun were a big help too."

After lunch, the group headed for the salon to get more beauty products. Some of them bought some shampoo and conditioner, some bought nail polish, and some of them purchased makeup also. They skipped the mani-pedi this trip because the wedding was still over a week off, and with their active lifestyle the nail polish wouldn't last that long.

.

Emmeline woke up early with Arthur, the big house had been filling up with guests the last couple of days. Bill and Fleur had come in the night before last, to help with the wedding. Some of the out-of-town guests had come in last night. All of them, whether they said it or not, would be looking for breakfast in a while. Charlie and Angelica would be showing up around 8:00 to keep working on the preparations. It wasn't even 6:00 yet and Bill and Fleur had coffee brewing in the kitchen. The aroma was starting to fill the house, and it was making it easier to walk to the kitchen.

Emmeline had worked hard to take the old house with all of the old furniture and all of the old fixtures, honestly, the reminders of Molly Weasley, and remove what she could without being disrespectful of Arthur's feelings and the feelings of the children. But with all of the kids living on their own now, now was the time to replace the worn out and hand me down furniture with newer and more beautiful furniture. It was time to replace the old out of date curtains with something that was more her. Dark and dingy had been replaced with lighter and more cheerful. Heavy and durable had been replaced with sleek and sheikh. Browns had been replaced with yellows. Not everything had been gotten rid of no, the large and inviting kitchen table and chairs had stayed, but the couch and chairs in the living room had been replaced. The lopsided chest of drawers in the bedroom had been gotten rid of, and eventually, the bed in the master bedroom had been replaced, it was no longer Molly Weasley's bedroom, it was hers.

"Thank you, Bill, for putting some coffee on," Emmeline told him as she poured herself a cup.

"Ah, it was Fleur who beat me to it this morning." He told her. With the invention of the scar removal potion, he could have gotten rid of the scar a long time ago, but he kept it as a reminder to always practice constant vigilance.

"Thank you, Fleur."

"You are welcome, Emmeline. I would fix breakfast, but alas I do not know how!"

"That's okay. I'll start on breakfast in a bit. I just want to wait until more people are awake." She told her.

"Oui!"

"So, what do you think of this girl that Charlie's marring?" Bill asked her

"Angelica? I've only met her a couple of times. I know that Kitten, I mean Daphne, removed a family curse from her a couple of Christmas' ago."

"Kitten?" Fleur asked in her French-accented English.

"Daphne, her nickname is Kitten. She's Harry and Hermione's oldest daughter until they adopted Vic."

"And this Kitten removed a curse from this Angelica?"

"Yes, she did it a couple of Christmas' ago. When Ced and Cici had their wedding?"

"Oui, but who is she?"

"She's the little blonde headed girl."

Fleur just shook her head slowly. She didn't remember any blonde headed little girls.

"Anyway, I know that Angelica has been working at the Dragon Reserve with Charlie as a healer."

"When did they meet?" Bill asked his step mum.

"They met that first Christmas. Charlie was over at the Potter's taking care of the dragons, and they met while he was checking on them. I guess that it was love at first sight."

"Not too many women like the dragons," Fleur commented. She was really good at hiding her emotions.

"She and I have never really talked. This is all that I know." Emmeline told them.

As more of the guests smelt the coffee, more of them made their way down the winding staircase to the kitchen. With the wedding being this evening, the caterers would be showing up later in the day. Charlie was the last of the Weasley boys to get married, the only one left was Ginny. Arthur heard the floo flare to life, and a moment later a flaming redhead of a woman came walking into the kitchen.

"Morning Dad! Morning Em!" Ginny called to them.

"Where's Willow?" asked Arthur.

"She's with Kitten. They should be here in a while. I let her spend the night."

"What do you think of this woman that Charlie is marring?" Bill asked her.

Ginny just kind of frowned and shook her head, "I don't know, I know that she's a healer at the Dragon Reserve in Romania with Charlie. But we've never really spoken. I mean that I've seen her at dinner over there, but I've never spoken to her. Why?"

"Well, I don't know anything about her, and I was just wondering," Bill told her.

"Charlie likes her, and she's hung in there with him. That has to count for something.!"

"She's a damn good healer too." One of the guests told them as he approached the kitchen from behind them.

"Yeah, she is, she doesn't let nothing get to her when she's got to heal some bloke that done got his arm ripped off by a Welch or a Chinese Fireball." Said another one of the guests that were walking across the living room in search of a morning cup of coffee.

"Well, I guess that you can ask her all of your questions when she gets here. She should be here in about an hour." Ginny told her oldest brother.

"Well, the real problem is going to be your other brothers. Ron and Percy." Arthur was saying.

"The Potters are coming?"

"Yes, Charlie has been living with them off and on for the last couple of years," Arthur told him.

"Did Ron and Percy actually say that they were coming?" he asked again.

"No, they haven't. But we need to make contingency plans."

"Oui! I can't believe that they are still holding a grudge." Fleur said sourly.

"You'd better figure out what you're going to do. Because if they do something to Angelica." The first dragon rider stopped to shake his head in disbelief.

"Uasal and Car-baun are going to burn them to the ground." Another of the guests told the group.

"The only person that I've ever seen ride Uasal is Angelica, and those two are inseparable." The first guest told them. "If she could figure out how to sleep in the bedroom with them…"

"Uasal would." Finished another of Charlie's guests.

It was after breakfast had finished, and they were all finishing up the latest cup of coffee when they heard the screech of the two dragons flying over the Burrow.

"You wanted to meet Angelica, she's here now." The Dragon Trainer chuckled.

"So, which one is Uasal?" Bill asked.

"The mean one!" two of the trainers told him simultaneously.

With the sound of two soft thuds hitting the ground outside, the group of people inside started to file out the back door of the house. Bill got outside in time to see a platinum blonde girl and a short dark-haired woman sliding off of a Hungarian Horntail dragon, while on the other dragon he could see his brother Charlie and a small strawberry blonde girl sliding off of another Hungarian Horntail.

Charlie and the dark-haired woman kissed for a moment then they started to make their way to the group of bystanders. She turned around and flicked her wand, the four saddles all disappeared.

"Yes, you can go hunt if you want to." She told the two dragons. The dragons turned and took flight, the breeze from their wings blowing her hair into her face. She just shook her head, and it was out of the way as she approached the group with a smile.

In the meantime, Willow had run up to give her mum an excited hug. "Mummy! I got to fly on Car-baun! He's so fast! And we flew so high! I could see everything forever! And we flew over the House Elf village, and they all waved at us!"

.

Then there were the introductions that needed to be made, "Daphne, this is Fleur, Fleur, this is Daphne Potter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Daphne said.

"The pleasure is all mine," Fleur told her. She was already sizing her up.

As Emmeline watched she saw Kitten's brows furrow, then there was that too familiar cocking of her head. Shite! What's wrong now?

"You're part Veela," Daphne said.

"Yes, I am, is that a problem for you?"

"No, is it a problem for you?"

"No, I kind of enjoy it. My mother is Veela." She told her haughtily.

"And my mother is Hermione."

"Oui, I know your mother and your father. From a long time, ago."

"Kitten! Come meet my Uncle Bill!" Willow yelled from across the group of people.

"Bye!" she said as she left.

"Au Revoir," Fleur said softly. "So, that is the Kitten?"

"Yes, she is special."

"Yes, she is, she is very special."

Across the group of people, Kitten walked up to Willow and a tall man with red hair and a scar across his face.

"Kitten! This is my Uncle Bill! Uncle Bill, this is my friend Kitten!" Willow introduced them enthusiastically.

"Hi, Kitten, how are you?" Bill stuck his hand out to shake hers.

"I'm fine, and, how are you?" Kitten looked at his hand, did she want to touch him? She could feel that something was off with him.

"I'm fine…" was this little girl not going to shake his offered hand? Was she going to leave him hanging?

"You were attacked by a Werewolf a long time ago. It wasn't enough to change you at the time, but the curse still runs in your blood." She looked at him. "It's getting stronger as it multiplies."

"What are you talking about?" Bill said as he looked around frantically.

Emmeline caught the frantic look on Bills face. She looked around for Kitten and found her standing in front of Bill. Where was Angelica? She was still with Charlie talking to the other Dragon Trainers.

"Angelica!" she called to her. When Angelica looked at her, she motioned towards Bill and Daphne.

Angelica's head snapped around looking for Daphne. Shit! She was in front of Bill and Charlie had told her what had happened to Bill several years ago.

Emmeline rushed as fast as she could without attracting a lot of attention. Angelica was doing the same, Charlie was following close behind.

"Kitten! How are you doing?" Emmeline was trying to distract her.

Without taking her eyes off of Bill, she said, "I'm doing fine, but Willow's Uncle Bill was attacked by a Werewolf years ago, and the curse is multiplying."

"No, it's not!" Bill said desperately not wanting to be the centre of attention.

"Yes, it is. You like your meat almost raw now." She contradicted him.

Fleur was looking at them, she knew that Kitten was telling the truth. Bill did like his meat almost raw now. In the beginning, he was content for the meat to be cooked to a medium rare level, but now, body temperature was his preferred level of cooking.

"That's not true! Why are you doing this to me?" he looked at her pleadingly.

"I can remove the curse from you." She told him.

There was silence, you could have heard a pin drop in the grass it was so quiet.

"You can?" a heavily accented French voice asked her.

"Yes, it's not too far gone." The little girl's voice told them.

"Can she do this?" Bill asked Emmeline. He had never heard of someone being able to reverse these kinds of things.

"If she says she can do it, then she can do it," Emmeline told her oldest stepson.

"What do I need to do?" he asked Kitten.

"Do you want to do it out here, or in the house?" she had never been in this house before. Willow talked about it, she liked it, she liked it more than the flat that she and her mum lived in.

"What's the difference?"

"One's inside, and the other is outside." Obviously!

"I know that! But what's the…"

"Don't antagonise her Bill, you really don't want to do that," Emmeline warned him.

"Do you want to do this?" Kitten asked him.

"Yes, but wh…"

" _Stupefy."_ She thought, she just stunned him where he stood.

Arthur caught his oldest son. Charlie had never seen anything like this. Is this what Angelica had gone through? He was watching in fascination as this little girl, a second year, well, soon to be a third-year student just stunned his older brother, without a wand, and without saying a word, like it was nothing.

Angelica leaned over to Charlie and took his hand, "I wish that she would have stunned me." She whispered to him.

"I had never done it before! You were the first time that I had ever done this!" Kitten said as she looked at Bill.

She held out her hand, and the others just looked at her like 'What are you doing that for?' a second later Synthia appeared in her outstretched hand.

She looked the outstretched Bill over, she looked at him from head to toe and from toe to head, this was the most challenging case she had ever done, the curse was everywhere, this was worse than Amber. She was going to need help, oh well, they can be mad at her later.

"Ced, Vic, Cici." She said, and then she waited. "Come." Then the three of them were there with her.

" _At least we have clothes on."_ Cici thought.

"What's wrong, Kitten?" Ced asked his younger sister.

"I'm going to need your magic to remove the werewolf curse from Willow's Uncle Bill." She told them.

"You can do that?" Vic asked her in amazement.

"For him, I can, but for Uncle Remus, I can't. It's too late for him. It's going to take a lot for Willow's Uncle."

"Okay, what do you need us to do?" Ced asked her.

"Just stand next to me, like that time we did with Amber." She told them. She had already started to figure out how she was going to do this, she just didn't know how long it was going to take.

Emmeline looked around at all of the people watching the little girl intently. The Potters were going to be adding a lot of people to their circle of trusted friends before today was over, or there were going to be a lot of obliviated memories. She conjured a tent to provide shade for her coworker. Kitten had never asked for anyone to give up their magic to help her before. This must have been a very trying curse for her.

Kitten had knelt down next to Bill, and just picked a point, and started trying to clean up Bill's blood. The curse had moved into the bone marrow, so it was self-replicating, just cleaning his blood wasn't going to be enough. She started with his fingers, then his toes, when she had enough of the curse she conjured an unbreakable jar to begin placing the curse in. The brown/grey/black curse swirled angrily inside the jar as Kitten kept adding to it. For the threesome, they just kept holding hands and letting her draw on their magic.

Hours later, Kitten started the whole process over again, this time she began to whisper, "Kratíste tin kardiá sas me káthe epiméleia, giatí apó aftín eínai to pigádi tis zoís." She had to get the last of the self-replicating curse, leaving any part of it would be like reinfecting him again. The second time over his body went faster than the first, then, just to be sure, she checked him a third time.

"Sorry for taking so long, I just had to be sure that he was free of the curse, once and for all." A tired Daphne told the group.

It was well past lunchtime when she finally stood up and _rennervated_ Bill.

Angelica walked over to him and ran a basic diagnostic spell on him. "Well, he could use a couple of blood replenishing potions and a couple of Vitamix potions, but other than that he's in good health. How do you feel?" she asked him after she checked him over.

"I feel great! It feels like all of the anger inside of me is gone!" He told her.

"Well, we're going to floo home and catch a kip before the wedding. It took a lot out of us." Ced told the group of people. "Could somebody show us the way to the floo?"

"Yeah, here, let me show you," Charlie said.

He led them into the ramshackle old house. The additions had additions, that had additions. They just kept adding to the home as the needs arose, and now, most of the house was unused.

As they were walking in, "We're going to need to collect oaths from all of the people that saw what had happened today." Ced told him tiredly.

Vic tossed some floo powder into the floo and stepped in.

"I'll make a mental list for you," Charlie told him.

The floo flared to life again as Cici stepped into the floo.

"Please, we'll see you at the wedding," Ced told him.

"Thanks for helping, it was getting worse than anyone wanted to admit."

"Sure," Ced told him as he stepped into the green flames. As he entered the Potter mansion, he looked around for his wives.

" _We're in bed already."_ They thought to him.

" _Let me tell my parents what happened this morning so they'll have a heads up on what to expect when they get there."_

" _Just don't take too long."_

"Dobby!" Ced called to his father's elf.

"Yes, Master Cedric?" the faithful elf replied with a deep bow.

"Where's my dad?" he asked tiredly.

"He's not here. He and your mother have gone to help with the wedding." Dobby answered cheerfully.

"Please tell my dad that he will need to collect loyalty oaths from most of the people there. We will be joining them later for the wedding." Ced told him.

"Yes, Master Cedric!" Dobby said with a bow.

As Dobby disappeared with a small pop, Ced shifted to his wives for a well-deserved nap.

.

.

.

 **A/N: 12.31.2017**

 **Revised again: 03.18.2018**

 **And again 01.05.2019**


	40. Year Five Chapter 40

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 40

.

.

If it weren't for magic, Ced, Vic, and Cici would have missed the wedding. It was three teens moving as fast as they could think. Ced woke up about fifteen minutes before the start of the ceremony. The girls didn't even give him the 'just five more minutes' line. When they realised how late in the day it was, they were all up and getting ready. Once the three of them were dressed, Ced pulled his wives in tight against him and _teleportused_ to the apparition point of the mansion, from there they apparated to the Burrow's apparition point, and then _teleportused_ to the wedding party with minutes to spare. They walked in on the wedding just as calm and collective as they could be, as one guy said, 'No worries mate!' With Cici and Vic being part of the wedding party, it was important to them that they be there for Angelica, so they went looking for her. For Charlie, he had Bill as his best man and the twins as part of the ceremony. Uasal and Car-baun were not part of the wedding ceremony, but they were up front on either side of the platform, just as they had been for the threesomes' wedding.

For Harry, Hermione, and Ginny, they took a trip down memory lane. All the way back to the summer after their first year at Hogwarts. The first summer that Harry could get away from the Dursleys, one of Harry's first happy memories. They walked up the stairs to Ginny's old room, the room that Ginny and Hermione shared that summer, the room, were they stayed up late talking. Talking about this and talking about that, talking about what school was like, and talking about boys. Ginny asking Hermione if there were any cute boys in school.

"I'm sorry for what I did," Ginny confessed. The guilt had been eating at her for all of these years. And now, here these people were taking care of her own daughter for her while she worked to put a roof over their heads.

"It's okay, you were forgiven many years ago," Hermione told her. "It wasn't your fault then, and it's not your fault now." Hermione pulled her into a hug, as soon as Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione she started sobbing heavily.

Hermione held her there so she could let all those years of guilt and self-hatred come out of her through her tears. It took a long while before Ginny was ready to let go, but finally, she released her, and started to wipe at her tears, Ginny began to blush at what she had just done.

"There's no reason to be ashamed," Hermione told her.

"That one incident has affected my whole life! My whole life started a slow downward spiral, crashing at the bottom when I got pregnant with Willow. Oh, Godric! I am so glad that I didn't marry him! Thank you for being so forgiving and so understanding. I wish that I could do so many things over in my life, but if any of them would mean that I wouldn't have Willow, then I wouldn't change a thing."

"Emmeline has done a nice job on the house," Harry said, changing the subject some.

"I need to go and check on Angelica. Why, don't you go, and check on Daphne. Healing Bill took a lot out of her." Hermione told Harry.

"Daphne healed Bill? What was wrong with Bill?" Ginny asked, concerned for her oldest brother.

"Kitten is what the Unspeakables call a curse breaker, and what Charlie told me earlier, was that she removed the werewolf curse from Bill. Fleur told me that Ced, Cici, and Vic let her draw on their magic for close to five hours."

"Wow! That's a long time! Most witches and wizards that I have had to fight are good for maybe ten minutes, at the most!" Ginny told him, in shock that the kids could last for five hours.

"Okay," then he looked at Ginny, "where would Willow go if she were here?"

"She likes to stay all the way up in Ron's old room. She says that she likes that she can see forever without any other buildings in the way." Ginny told him with a smile on her face.

The two of them started up the stairs together, Harry let Ginny lead the way.

"I loved staying here that summer. Everything was so amazing to me. How your mum would use magic to do everything. At the Dursley's I had to do everything by hand. I had to cook and clean by hand, I had to iron the clothes and tend to the flower beds all by hand. Then I come here, and she's got the spoon stirring the pot by itself, she has the brush in the sink washing the pans by itself, and then the laundry is doing itself too. It was all so amazing to me. I'm sorry about your mum." He told her sincerely.

"I remember all of us coming up here and talking until she would yell at us to go to bed!"

"And then Ron and I would stay up and talk about Quidditch!"

"Hermione and I would stay up and talk too!" she blushed at finally telling that secret to someone all these years later.

"Our friendship didn't end, it just got put on hold for a while. We're able to rebuild it." Harry told her earnestly.

"I think that I would like that, I think that I have finally forgiven myself for what I did, and what I thought that I wanted to do. I know that it wasn't me that wanted to do those things. The bad girl phase, was me rebelling against my mum, even though she was already dead, I needed to, to, to not be under her control anymore!"

Ginny knocked on the bedroom door before she opened it. Both of the girls were asleep on the beds. Ginny woke Willow up gently, then she lifted her up into a loving hug until she finished waking up. She turned to start waking Kitten.

"You might want to let me do that." Harry rushed over. Sometimes Kitten would wake up in less than a pleasant mood. Harry walked over to Daphne, "Kitten, Kitten, you need to wake up now. Daphne, you need to wake up." Harry shook her gently. He finally got a tired grumble from her. "Come on, you need to get up, the wedding…" Harry threw his shield up as fast as he could.

Ginny watched as the curse bounce off of his shield and hit the wall. Kitten is grumpy in the mornings! Ginny thought.

"No, I'm not! Well, maybe I am. I don't mean to be." Kitten told her tiredly.

"You could hear what I was thinking?"

"Yes, you almost yelled it," she told her sleepily.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Harry lifted Kitten out of bed and held her next to himself. "You know, the summer that I got to stay here? I slept in the same bed that you were sleeping in."

"You and Willow's Uncle Ron used to be friends?"

"Yes, but then a big misunderstanding caused us not to be friends anymore," Harry told her.

"What kind of misunderstanding?" she asked drowsily.

"It was just something that happened a long time ago before you were born." He told her. Harry looked at Ginny, then Ginny headed for the door to lead them down the stairs.

About halfway down the stairs, Willow slipped out of Ginny's arms and started walking on her own. At the next landing, Kitten did the same thing, holding on to her daddy's hand as they walked down the stairs together.

"Let's go check on Angelica," Harry suggested to Ginny.

" _We're in Charlie's old room."_ Hermione thought to him.

" _Thanks."_ Harry thought back to her.

"They're probably in Charlie's old room," Ginny suggested. She knocked on the door once they got there.

Angel opened the door cautiously, not wanting to let Charlie see the bride before the wedding and all. She let them all in, then she closed the door and locked it again. The room was definitely overcrowded with all of them in there, thank Merlin for the cooling charm, Harry thought.

Angelica was all set, all that was needed was for another thirty minutes to pass by before the wedding was to start.

"Has anybody seen the kids? Where's Cici at?" Angelica asked Harry, worriedly.

"I haven't seen them. Let's give them a little more time before we send out a search party to look for them." He suggested teasingly.

"I couldn't believe it, they just stood there like statues for all of that time while Kitten just kept going over and over on Bill." She told them.

"I had to make sure that I got all of it or it would just come back." She told them.

"They're not being critical of you sweetie. They're just commenting on how long your brother and sisters could stand there and let you draw on their magic." Harry told her.

"Oh, okay, sorry for getting a little too sensitive," Kitten told them.

"I'm going to go check on Charlie," Harry told the girls.

"Okay bye!" one of them said to him.

Angel let him out of the room and then she closed and locked the door again. Harry turned to go back up the stairs to Bill's old room. Once he got there, he knocked on the door, and Fred Jr let him in.

"Hey! Harry." Charlie called out to him, as he entered the room.

"Hey, Charlie. Hi Bill. What happened to your scar?" he asked in surprise.

"Your daughter, what's her name? Kat, Kitten?" he looked around, and nobody was laughing at his lame joke. "Anyway, she removed the werewolf curse from me, and I guess that the scare has faded away too."

"So, how do you feel?"

"Honestly? I feel; I don't know, less angry? I guess that I just got used to the growing anger that was filling me. Fleur says that I'm back like I used to be when we first met. I mean, I don't feel all of the anger that I used to feel. It kind of took me by surprise!"

"Yeah, she has that effect on people!" Harry chuckled.

"Yeah, she does!" Charlie said, "I didn't know what was happening at first. I saw Kitten standing there staring Bill down, and I'm just glad that Bill kept it under control! One of them would have wound up hurt and, sorry brother, I don't think that it would have been Kitten."

"What?! Really? I could have taken, what is she a second-year, third-year student? I could have taken her!"

"So, you think that you could take Kitten in a Wizard's Duel?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I think that I could take her in a duel."

"So, let me get this straight. You think that you can beat the little girl that just removed the curse of Greyback from your body in a duel." Harry asked the question one last time.

"Yeah, I think that I could take her with one arm tied behind my back!"

"Would you be willing to put your money where your mouth is?"

"What are you thinking? Fifty galleons? A hundred galleons?" Bill asked him condescendingly.

"No, I was thinking a little closer to 10,000 galleons."

"10,000 galleons!"

"I'll take some of that action!" George Weasley Sr. said.

In fact, all of the guys in the room wanted in on this action.

"So, Bill, do you think you can cover 100,000 galleons?"

"What do you mean 100,000 galleons?" he asked in shock. Was everybody in the room betting against him? All of his brothers? And his dad? He looked around the room in shock that they would all bet against him. She's only thirteen!

"If you win, you'll be 100,000 galleons richer." Harry played the devil's advocate.

"Bill, she stunned you and didn't even bat an eyelash at you."

"Son, she stunned you, and she did it wordlessly and wandlessly. She didn't even have her wand until she started to remove the curse from you. It took her five hours to remove the curse from you. Do you think that you can last for five hours in a duel?"

"If you really want to duel against her, I will ask her for you," Harry told him. "But just a warning, when she beats you, she's the only one that can _rennervate_ you. Your little nephew Ron Jr. found that out the hard way when he was left petrified for a week at school before he was expelled."

"What do you mean she's the only one that can rennervate me? Why can't my dad do it?"

"I don't know. It's just her magic."

Harry could see that Bill was certainly having second thoughts about picking a fight with Daphne.

The fact that everyone in the room was betting on her and not him, upset him, but it also gave him reason to think it over. And she did stun him without even blinking, and he didn't remember her having a wand when she did it too. Maybe this was one of those times that you had better pick your battles.

There was a knock on the door, and George Sr. opened the door to let Ced in.

"Hey, Uncle George! What's going on? Why isn't Charlie down at the altar?"

"Is it that time already?"

"Yeah!"

"We got distracted, Bill seems to think that he can take your little sister in a duel."

"Kitten or Vic?"

"I said your little sister, not your wife!"

"Bill thinks that he can take Kitten in a duel?"

"Yeah, your dad just spent the last half hour talking him out of it. I guess when we were all betting against him, that didn't help his confidence any."

"He wants to duel against Kitten? Is he daft? Did anybody put any money on this?"

"Yeah, your dad had him at 10,000 galleons."

"Sounds familiar. Did you ask Angie if you could take that bet?"

"No, and don't let her catch you calling her Angie if you know what's good for you!"

"So, when's the duel going to take place?"

"There's not going to be a duel. Bill has come to his senses!" Harry told him.

"That's good because the only one that could _rennervate_ him is Kitten, and you know what she's like when she gets mad at someone, she could leave him stunned for life."

"Come on Charlie, we need to go!" Harry told him.

"Well, if everybody will get out of the way, we can go!" Charlie told him.

All of the guys rushing down the stairs sounded like a heard of hippogriffs as they headed down to the altar. Those that were part of the wedding party took their places. Harry and Ced took their assigned seats. Ced saw that the rest of the four Ancient Houses were there too. Angelina was sitting with Susan, Rose was sitting with Angel. Cici and Vic were up at the alter as bridesmaids.

Then the orchestra started the wedding march, Susy walked down the aisle as the flower girl, spreading flower petals as she went. Then she joined Harry and Hermione. Of course, Angelica looked fabulous in her wedding gown, she radiated a glow of young love as she did the slow walk down the aisle to join her husband to be. Mask had enlisted the help of another of the Unspeakables to perform the ceremony so she could be in the audience with Arthur to watch one of her children getting married. The couple exchanged their 'I does,' and as the Unspeakable was getting ready to seal the marriage with their magic, and the 'I now pronounce you man and wife,' the two dragons got up and spun around clearing the platform with their tails and everything on it as they faced the intruders. The roar of the dragons was near deafening as they faced down the intruders headed for the wedding ceremony.

Ced and his wives, Harry and Hermione, all of the teens, and all of their parents, had their wands out and were spreading out to confront the intruders that the dragons were holding at bay. As of yet, the dragons had not started spitting fire at the intruders. They were holding a position about a hundred metres from the wedding party and had not moved. Their bodies were blocking the view of who the intruders were, so the group of wizards and witches closed in to see who was crashing the ceremony. They had spread out and moved slowly towards the intruders. As they got closer, they could hear people whimpering and crying. Then, as they were able to get past Uasal and Car-baun, they could see that it was Ron and his family, and Percy and his family. As soon as Percy saw Harry and Hermione, he started to lash out at them in a verbal tirade. He started attacking the dragons with his tirade too. Then, he started to call the dragons things like dumb beasts of burden, stupid pets, should get rid of them all. When he turned his focus on Uasal and let loose with another round of insults, Car-baun roared his displeasure, took a deep breath and let loose with a stream of fire singeing the top of Percy's head.

" _How dare he disrespect my mother that way!"_ the young dragon roared just before letting loose with the stream of fire.

If Car-baun had wanted him dead, Percy would have been roasted extra well done. But the dragon had aimed high, intending to scare the one that was insulting them. Percy coward before the roar and fire of the black dragon, he didn't know it, but his bladder had let go, and his pants were now wet with his own urine. But ever the pompous arse, he pulled his wand on the dragon and started to threaten the dragon again.

As Uasal was taking a breath to burn this two-legged that was threatening her offspring, Angelica wearing her wedding gown, rushed in to start calming her down.

Angelica stood between Uasal and this idiot that would threaten a dragon. As Uasal lowered her head to look at Angelica, Angelica took her head in her arms and hugged her, she rubbed her snout and worked on calming her down. She looked over to Charlie who was trying to distract Car-baun from his intense focus on Percy.

Fred and George Sr. were trying to get Percy and his family, and Ron and his family out of danger. They couldn't understand what the dragons were saying, but they did understand their body language. Penny and Wendy were sobbing in fear. Percy Jr. and Ron Jr. were terrified, and Ron Sr. was drunk off his arse. While Percy Sr. was incensed that the dragon would dare attack him, a worker for the Ministry of Magic, and a pureblood to boot. With the help of the rest of the Weasley family members, they managed to get them out from in front of the dragons, and into the living room of the Burrow.

"So, who were those idiots?" Angelica asked Charlie as the dragons started to calm down.

"Those two idiots are my younger brothers. The one that was threatening Car-baun and Uasal with all of the fancy words and pompous attitude is Percy. And the one that can barely stand is Ron." Charlie said.

"No wonder you didn't want to invite them." She said knowingly, her ex-husband would have been just like them. "Shit!"

"What?" Charlie asked fearfully.

"We've got to keep Kitten away from them!" Angelica said suddenly. "Are you going to be okay, girl?" Angelica asked Uasal.

" _Yes, go and take care of Kitten,"_ Uasal told her.

"Thank you." Now she just had to find Kitten before Percy started in on her. "Hermione!" Angelica yelled, hoping to be heard above the noise of the wedding guests. "Cici! Vic! Harry! Ced!" she yelled.

"What's wrong?" Ced asked her a moment later.

"We've got to keep Kitten away from Percy!" she told him excitedly.

" _I see her!"_ Vic thought to Ced.

"Vic sees her," Ced told Angelica.

" _I've got her."_ Vic thought to Ced as she took Kitten's hand and walked away from the house.

"What's wrong?" Kitten asked Vic.

"Those people in the house are not nice people, and I don't want them to start being mean to you," Vic told her.

As they got away from the house and looked for a place to walk to, the Weasel came out from the shadows.

"Oh, look, if it isn't the slut and the whore holding hands." He started in on them. "Looking for someplace to be alone together?" the malice in his voice was thick.

Vic leaned down to whisper in Daphne's ear, "Go to Ced, I'll be there in a minute." She told her.

Kitten just disappeared from Vic's side.

"Oh, look! The sperm bank can apparate!"

Vic turned and walked towards the Weasel.

"Oh, you want some of this?" he asked her.

When she got close enough, he pushed himself off of what he was leaning against and took a step towards her. He opened his mouth to spew out another insult, and Vic's hand shot out and grabbed him by his throat. The Weasel struggled against her hold on his neck. He tried using both hands to pull her hand off of his windpipe. Then he reached for his wand.

"No, you really don't want to do that." She told him kindly.

Ron Jr. could feel the blood starting to run down his neck and on to his chest. What was this crazy witch trying?

"Now that's no way to talk to a lady." He heard in his head.

"Get out of my head you …"

"Tisk tisk. You shouldn't talk that way to a lady now. It may only make me more upset with you and your behaviour." He heard in his head.

What was she doing in his head?

"What am I doing in here? Well, it really is a mess inside of here, and I think that I'm going to clean it up some. Get rid of all of this nastiness going on in here. Let's go see if we can't find some of your memories, you know, the ones that you seem to think, give you permission to be this subhuman filth that you take so much pride in."

Vic moved through his head, looking at different memories and moving on quickly, then she found the one that triggered all of his behaviour problems, the one memory that he didn't want her to find. It had happened before his magic had even manifested itself. He had gone in when he heard his dad yelling at his mum. His mum was crying, and the more she cried, the louder his dad yelled at her to stop crying. He had slipped into their room and was watching from behind his father. His father was standing naked in the restroom facing towards the bathtub. His mother was curled up naked in the corner of the tub, and the bathroom wall, hiding her face and sobbing hysterically. His father was yelling all sorts of obscenities at her, telling her that she wasn't worth anything, that all she was good for was a place for him to dump a load of sperm. She was nothing more than a life-support system for a pussy. He was yelling at her that she was a failure as a woman, she was a failure as a mother, and she was a failure as a wife. And then he started to urinate on her, and he told her that she wasn't even worth the piss coming out of his dick. That was when his father had turned around and saw his son cowering there watching the whole thing. Ron Sr. grabbed his son and drug him out of the bathroom and started to teach him hate women. This was the memory that Vic had been looking for. The sad thing was, there were no loving memories that she could use to replace this disgusting memory. You could reset a wand, why couldn't she reset a child? Yes, he was fourteen, but why couldn't she erase the last six or seven years, and then let the mother raise her son? She just needed to get rid of the father. She needed help, she pulled out of the Weasel's mind.

" _Cici."_ She thought.

" _Do you really want to do this Little One?"_

" _I think so. From what I could see, he was a great kid up until that point. We get rid of the father and let the mother raise her son as a single parent, and maybe the kid turns out okay."_

" _We need to get to the mother. See if this is something that she wants."_

" _Do you want to go ask her or do you want me to?"_

" _Stun him, and come and talk to her. I want to see what you're going to do with the father. I might be too close to kicking him in the balls."_

Vic stunned Ron Jr. and felt the weight of his body pulling his throat out of her bloody hand. She looked at her hand and then she _scourgified_ it clean. When she got inside of the house, she changed her walk to a very slow, seductive walk. She didn't know how much or how little she looked like her mother, but she knew that Ron Sr. was the scum of the earth and would make a play for her. She walked into the living room with her hips rolling and every male eye in the house undressing her.

"Hey, shsexy, wanna have a party?" Ron said in front of his wife.

Vic looked at him, she just barely avoided hexing him where he sat. "So, which one of you poor women are married to this piece of shite sitting over here?" she asked.

"Hey! Yoush can't talk habout me thash way!"

"Shut up before I put you down like a rabid dog." She told Ron.

"I'll ask my question one more time. Which one of you two women are married to this piece of shite sitting here." and she pointed to Ron Sr.

A small mousy woman said, "I am."

"Come with me, I have a question for you."

"Shtay where you are!" Ron yelled at her, and she cowered back into the corner of the couch.

Vic turned around to look at Ron again. "So, you like to humiliate and abuse women, how about you go ahead and try that with me, tough guy."

When Ron tried to lunge at her from the chair, Vic's wand was in her hand, and she used _expulso_ so hard on him that she blasted him through the back of the chair he was sitting in. Ron Sr. was out cold.

"Now, as I was saying," her wand disappeared, "come with me."

The small woman nodded nervously, she knew that when Ron woke up that he was going to be in a right foul mood. And want to take it out on her. She was his punching bag for everything that went wrong in his life. But she had just watched this very attractive young witch blast him through the chair without a hair getting out of place. Maybe she could help her, she just wanted to get away, her husband had turned her son into a miniature of himself, and he had started to hit her also. His father had taught him that it was okay for him to hit his mother. For her, she was stuck, if she divorced him, she would lose her magic.

When they had gotten away from the house, they could still hear the yelling happening from one of the other floors.

Vic turned to her and asked, "What's your name?"

"Wendy."

"Wendy, are you happy in your marriage?"

"No.," she said shaking her head.

"Do you love your son?"

"Not anymore."

"Why?"

"His father taught him that it's okay for him to hit me like he does."

"What if there was a way for your husband to go away forever? Would that make your life better?"

"No, because Ron Jr. would still be there yelling and kicking and hitting me. His father took my wand, and I never finished school. I'm a lot younger than he is."

"What if I could erase all of your son's memories, all the way back before the memory that started all of this? And what if I could make your husband want to go away to a faraway country and never return?"

"No. Ron Jr. still goes to those secret meetings that got him kicked out of school. They would just find him and restore him to the evil thing that he is now. No, I would rather be the one that goes away to a faraway country and never comes back."

Vic hadn't planned on this response. She needed Tonks. She needed to get an oath of loyalty from this woman.

"Do you have your wand on you?"

"My wand? Ha! Do you think that he would let me have a wand? I haven't had a wand in fifteen years! He broke and then burned my last wand, just after we got married saying that he would take care of everything and that I wouldn't have to do anything. What a bunch of shite that was."

" _Ced, I need Hermione."_ Vic thought to her husband. This was getting so much more complicated than what she had thought it would be.

" _It always does Little One. Hermione is on her way down."_

" _Oh, Dark One, you made it seem so easy."_

" _It wasn't as easy as it seemed. I still love my father, but I don't want him anywhere near me, or us."_

"The other night when I woke up, I found Ron Jr. trying to get into my knickers, he had pulled my shirt up and was trying to get my pants off! He said that his dad said it was okay, and that I was to take care of his needs as a man! I don't want to be anywhere around them anymore! If I have to lose my magic, then so be it."

"What's all this talk about losing magic?" Hermione asked as she walked up.

"Mum, this is Wendy, Ron's wife."

"So, you're the one he's been whining about all these years." Wendy looked at Hermione from head to toe and back up again.

"I was going to ask her for a loyalty oath, but she doesn't have a wand. She says that Ron broke her wand and then burned it."

"Have Lucy bring you one of the wands that you won, and we will have Ced, and your dad reset it for her until she can buy herself a new wand," Hermione told her.

Vic nodded to her mum and walked off a bit, then she decided to go and check on Ron Jr. "Lucy." She called out softly.

A faint pop announced the arrival of the elf. "Yes, my Lady?"

"Could you bring me one of the wands that I won, please?"

"Yes, my Lady." She said just before leaving.

Vic walked over to were Ron Jr. was, and stunned him again, just because of the veil evil thing he was. Plus, she didn't want him waking up anytime soon.

The soft pop announced the arrival of Lucy and the wand.

"Thank you, Lucy," Vic told the elf.

" _I need Ced and Harry now."_ Vic thought to her mates.

" _We'll be down in a few minutes."_ Ced thought to her.

As she waited, she started to walk slowly towards Hermione and Wendy.

As she was walking, from the door of the house a male's voice yelled, "Why, you ungrateful witch! You will never leave me! I'll kill you before you lea…"

Ced had walked up behind Ron Sr. while he was yelling, and touched him in the back of the head, and stunned him. Ron fell face first on the ground. Harry and Ced just stepped over him on their way to Vic and Hermione.

" _Ron really should have taken some anger management classes as a child."_ Harry thought.

" _He has always had anger management problems."_ Hermione thought back to him. _"Even if you had married Ginny, I would never have married Ron. He's just so thick, and thick-headed, he was always verbally abusive to me. Going all the way back to our first year in Hogwarts together."_

" _What's going on over here?"_ Harry asked her.

" _I need you and Ced to reset a wand, so I can have Wendy take an Oath of Loyalty."_

" _So, this is the girl that Ron took her wand away from?"_

" _Yes. She would rather leave him, than have us send him away and keep her son. She told me that her son is still part of the UAA."_

Harry walked up to the young woman, "Hi, my name's Harry."

"Lord Gryffindor!" and she curtsied.

"Please, call me Harry." Harry turned to Ced, "Ced, could you and Vic go over there and reset that wand for this young lady?"

"Sure dad."

Vic and Ced walked over to where Ron Jr. was still lying. They found a spot on the garden wall to lay the wand while Ced set about resetting it. A few minutes later, Ced levitated the wand and brought it back to Wendy.

"Here you go. It's probably not going to be as nice as a new wand from Ollivander's but it will do for what we need, and you will get to keep it." Ced told her.

As expected, the wand didn't do anything when she took hold of it out of the air. Harry led her through the Oath of Loyalty, and she became bound by her magic.

"That's the first magic that I've done in fifteen years." Commented Wendy emotionlessly.

As they were all standing there talking for several minutes. Tonks and a team of Aurors came walking up.

"Wotcher Harry."

"Wotcher Tonks."

"Where's the piece of filth?" the redheaded witch asked.

"Which one?" Ced asked her with a chuckle.

"How many have you got?" Tonks asked humorously.

"Counting her husband?" then he looked at Wendy, "Wendy, did your husband know that Ron Jr. was going to those secret meetings?"

"Yes, why? He would take him sometimes and then they would come back late at night." She told Ced.

"Secret meetings?" Tonks asked interested in this conversation now.

"Yes, they were the secret meetings that got him and his son kicked out of school for," Wendy told the redheaded witch. Hadn't she seen her before?

"So, Ron Jr. and Ron Sr. have both been going to these secret meetings that caused Ron Jr. to be expelled from school?"

"Yes. And those stupid red robes are in their closets too!"

"So, you're telling me that they wear some red robes at these secret meetings?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I can hold them indefinitely now. How did the wedding go?" Tonks asked in a much better mood than when Hermione's patronus had shown up at her home.

"It hasn't happened yet. Percy and Ron showed up just before they were to be bound together." Harry told her.

"We're trying to get things back on track, and then this happened. We've been trying to keep Kitten separated from Ron Sr. and Ron Jr."

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea. Did Mask tell you what happened the other day at the ministry?"

"No, why, what happened?" Hermione asked.

Ced and Vic both opened their mental links fully so Cici could hear what Tonks was about to say.

"Some wanker at work said something to Kitten, I don't know what he said, but she froze five floors of the Ministry before Mask could get her calmed down. I think that he's still in St. Mungo's with frostbite, and he hasn't regained consciousness yet. Healer Ryan wants to start running tests on him."

"Well, I think that would be a good thing for him to do. I wonder why Mask hasn't told us about this yet?" Hermione looked at Harry., then she looked over to Tonks, "Why don't you stay for the wedding and let your men take the two of them down to the Ministry?" Hermione suggested to Tonks.

"Okay, I'd like that!" Tonks said.

Hermione looked at Ced and Vic, "Could you two go and repair the platform then check on Uasal and Car-baun?"

"Yes, mum." the two-bonded said.

"I saw the dragons when I walked in. They seemed pretty relaxed.

"Those two monsters! Relaxed! I thought they were going to eat us!" Wendy started to shake and cry some.

"Well, in any case, Ron Jr. is over there on the ground." Vic pointed in the direction that the Auror should walk.

"And Ron Sr. is over by the door to the house, and he's on the ground too." Ced pointed in the direction of the house for the second Auror.

Tonks just pointed for her men to go and recover the unconscious bodies, to take down to the DMLE holding cells.

Ced and Vic headed off to repair the stage, fix the chairs, and they put up some lighting. They found the dragons sleeping in a circle. They just left them be, they were smart enough not to try and wake them.

" _Okay, you can tell your mum that everything is ready again."_ Vic thought to Cici.

" _Okay, I'll tell Charlie also. My mom has calmed back down. She was really upset at Charlie's bothers. That one is a pompous ass, and the other is a male chauvinistic pig! You know he even tried to grab my mom's boobs?"_

" _You know if any of these guys try to grab your boobs? I'll cut their hand off and feed it to the dragons!"_ Ced thought.

" _Yeah, well, he fell down when he tried to grab my bum."_ She told him.

Both of his wives could feel Ced's temper flair at that news. If it weren't for the fact that the Aurors had left with the unconscious bodies, Ced would have gone over to Ron Sr. and crushed his hand under the heel of his shoe.

The guys upstairs decided to bind and gag Percy until after the reception. He was just so full of himself, and there wasn't any room for anybody else but him. It got to the point that he sounded like a singer warming up before a performance, you know, memememe, meee! Fred and George Jr. took a page out of Harry's book and bound him with chains instead of ropes, then they used an industrial strength gag on his mouth. They got down to the wedding in time to hear the Unspeakable make a joke about 'so much for the practice ceremony!' then they quickly slipped into their seats, and a few moments later, the orchestra switched from background music to the wedding march again. Susy was excited because she got to throw the flower petals all over a second time, and then Harry scooped her up so she would be high enough to watch Angelica slow walk down the aisle. With a quick look around, the Unspeakable started the ceremony again, the happy couple said their 'I does' and then he bound them together for all eternity with their magic.

"You may kiss the bride." The Unspeakable told them.

Charlie lifted Angelica's veil caringly, she turned her face up offering her lips to his. He pulled her in closer and tilted his head down to meet her lips. With her much younger body pressed against his much harder body, he held her there as they kissed for the first time as man and wife. The group of family and friends clapped and cheered for the newlyweds.

Once they had separated, the Unspeakable said, "I present to you, Charlie and Angelica Weasley."

The crowd of friends clapped and cheered some more. Wendy and Penny were both all in tears over the sincerity of the joining of the newlyweds. A little bit later, Angelica turned around and tossed the bridal bouquet. Julia was the lucky girl to catch it, again. Fred was okay with that, and all of the ribbing that his uncles gave him had no effect on his happiness. He would marry her tonight if his mum would let him. Get married and tell no one, sounded like a good idea to him. Maybe he could run it past Julia and the Unspeakable.

Everybody moved up the grassy slope and towards the house to the catering tents. It was later than anticipated, the wedding was supposed to have been a sunset wedding, but with all of the excitement, it was now about two hours past that point in the evening. Charlie, Angelica, Arthur, and Emmeline occupied the head table. Dozens of toasts were made, some good-natured ribbing occurred, and all had a good time. Ginny asked if she could join Harry and Hermione at their table with Ced and his wives.

"Sorry about my brothers and my nephew. It was sad to see them taken away like that." She told them.

"Nothing for you to be sorry for. It wasn't you're doing." Harry told her.

"I know, but the sad thing is, is that Percy is still the same as he was in Hogwarts! He hasn't changed at all. It was all about him then, and it's all about him now. He came here to ruin this for Charlie." She looked at Cici, "He doesn't even know your mum, none of us really do. But it looks like she makes him happy, and the fact that she likes dragons is a definite plus."

"Another sad thing is, is the way that your brother Ron was treating his wife, Wendy. Did you know that he took her wand away from her after they got married?" Vic asked her.

"He took her wand away? Why did he do that?"

"Maybe so she couldn't hex him," Hermione said. "Ron never really was all that good with magic. When he stopped being friends with Harry and me, his class standing fell quickly. Do you know how many O.W.L.s, he passed?" she asked her.

"No, I didn't pay much attention in the end there. I got really focused on me, and rebelling against my mum, even though she was already past." Ginny told her solemnly.

"It probably didn't help that he may have gotten another secondhand wand." Harry started to take the guilt on himself again, after all of these years.

"Well, he was the idiot that chose to run towards the Dementors instead of away from them!" Ginny smiled at the memory of being told what Ron had done. The sad thing is, is that she could see it all happening in her mind. Harry really did save his life, and Ron repaid him with malice, jealousy, and hatred.

"The Dementors did a job on Harry too," Hermione told her. "It was Professor Lupin that saved Harry's life, and Ron's too. All of the noise that Harry made woke Professor Lupin up, and then he went into action when he felt the Dementors." Hermione looked at Ced and his wives, "The dementors have the ability to reach into your mind and find the worst memory you have, and then they can use that memory to paralyse you into inaction, you fall into misery which is what they feed on, people's misery."

"As soon as you feel that cold feeling and you feel that misery creeping up on you, you need to find the happiest memory that you have and cast your patronus to protect you. The Dementors surprised me, they found a memory that I didn't even know that I had and used that against me. It's what caused me to stumble and fall, my patronus never formed, and I was pulled into that memory and lay there. If it wasn't for Remus, the Dementors could have kissed me." Harry told them with that faraway look in his eyes.

"Well, this is a wedding! Let's focus on happy thoughts!" Cici told the others at their table.

"Very true!" Ginny said. "It's a time to make good memories. Your mother and my brother look very happy together," she told the younger witch.

"They are."

"How'd they meet?"

"They met at our first Christmas together. Your brother came over to check on the dragons, and that's when he met my mom. She wasn't terrified of the dragons, and they started spending time together. He's been hanging around ever since."

"But isn't your mum a muggle?"

"No, our family was placed under a curse, seven generations ago. It ended with my mom, so I'm not a muggle-born witch like everybody thinks, but we let everyone go ahead and believe that."

"But I haven't seen your mum do any magic."

"She has to be whipping up some magic somewhere, to keep a good-looking guy like Charlie!" Cici ended the conversation about her and her mom.

They all laughed at the small joke that Cici had made. If Ginny wanted to know more about her mom, then she could ask her mom.

Ginny had to admit that Angelica was an incredible looking woman, she may not be very tall, but she had curves that most women would pay for.

Eventually, the newlyweds moved around the tables thanking everyone for witnessing their ceremony. In the end, they made their way back to where Harry and his family were sitting. Without thinking, Vic waved her hand and conjured two more chairs for them to sit in. This didn't go unnoticed by Ginny, who didn't say anything at the time.

"Where are you two going on your honeymoon?" Ginny asked.

"That's something that we really hadn't discussed," Charlie told his little sister.

Ced and his wives quickly discussed loaning them the use of their house on the beach.

"We would like to offer you the use of our house on the beach. It is very secluded, so you don't have to worry about anybody coming over at the wrong time." Cici told her mom.

"Really! You would do that for us?" Angelica asked.

"Yes. Maco!" Cici called her house elf.

"Yes, my Lady?" she greeted her with a bow.

"Maco, would you please bring me my portkey to the beach house?"

"Yes, my Lady." And the elf was gone with a pop so soft that you couldn't hear it over the noise.

Pop was the soft arrival of the elf, "Here you go, my Lady." The elf told her.

"Thank you very much, Maco," Cici told her.

"It is a pleasure to serve." She said with another bow and little pop.

Cici handed the triangular shaped piece of gold coloured plastic to Charlie. "Here you go." She told them.

.

.

Portkey travel was Angelica's least favourite way to travel, but with Charlie steading her she made a graceful landing outside of the kids' beach home. As the couple walked up the gravel walkway to the front doors, the doors opened for them and inside stood Lucy.

"Welcome, Master Weasley, Mistress Weasley." She said with a bow. "My name is Lucy, and I will be here to serve you for your honeymoon."

"Thank you, Lucy. Aren't you Vic's elf?" Angelica asked sincerely.

"Yes, Lady Potter is my Mistress, and she has asked me to serve you for your honeymoon," Lucy told her.

"Thank you, Lucy," Charlie said. "Could you please show us to our room?"

"Please, follow me." She said to them. Then she led them to the second master bedroom. As far as the elves were concerned, Lord and Ladies Potter's room was off limits to anybody but them.

The room that she led them to was as opulent as any room in the main mansion. All of their clothes had already been put away, and the bed was already turned down for them.

"Is there anything else that I can do for you tonight?" she asked very pleasantly.

"No, thank you again, Lucy," Charlie told her.

"Have a pleasant evening." She said before she disappeared.

"It was very sweet of the kids to loan us their house," Angelica told Charlie.

"Yes, it was," Charlie told her as he stepped closer to her.

She moved to him. She had changed out of her wedding gown about half way through the reception. They both had changed into something more comfortable to dance in. Afterwards, they had danced for about two hours, long enough for all of the guys that wanted to dance with the new bride, to have a chance to dance with her. She came to the conclusion that there was a definite difference between the way someone was raised and their ability to dance. Sorry guys, but most of the dragon trainers could hardly dance. She learned to hold them a little farther off to protect her feet from their boots. Somewhere after midnight, the party started to break up, the older guests had left around midnight, the youngest guests had fallen asleep. But, somewhere after midnight, Angelica and Charlie had waved goodbye to their family and friends, and activated the portkey.

As Charlie started to undress his new bride, Angelica let the dress slip off of her shoulders, she gave it a little help to get past her more than ample breasts, and it hit the ground. She stepped out of the dress and started to undo her husband's tie and shirt buttons. Charlie removed the cufflinks and put them in the pocket of his pants if he just let them fall on the floor, and his new wife was to step on them, well that would kill the mood that they were working to build. With his shirt off, Charlie slipped his feet out of his shoes, and Angelica started to undo his pants. As she slid the zipper down she let the pants just fall around his feet, she held them there as he stepped out of them, dressed only in his underwear and socks, Charlie reached over and pulled Angelica tight against him. He kissed her with a soul-searing kiss, his hands found the clasp to her bra, and undid it with his one hand, as he held her against him with the other. Angelica's 160cm frame was helped a lot by her four-inch heels, Charlie's 180cm frame towered over her when she wasn't in heels. He quickly learned that sometimes, good things come in small packages. Angelica stepped back from him and rolled her shoulders forward to help her bra fall to the floor between them. Charlie slid his feet forward, and then he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her panties. With a practised ease, he pulled and slid his hands around her hips and bum, and then back forward again to help remove her knickers. He went down to his knees, to finish removing her matching panties, it placed his head at the near perfect height to start paying attention to her magnificent breasts. A moment later he stood back up, and Angelica slipped her thumbs into the waistband of his underwear, she needed to be careful to stretch the waistband far enough to clear his swollen manhood. Once she had cleared his arousal, she was able to effortlessly slide his underwear to the floor. She helped him remove his socks, and while she was at the right height, she paid attention to his aching member. After his release, they moved to the bed to ensure the complete satisfaction of the new bride.

.

.

At the end of the reception, Hermione took Wendy by the arm and apparated to the apparition point of the Magical Women's Shelter. She explained to her that they had programs to help her finish her schooling, and get her apparition license. The shelter welcomed her with open arms and thanked Lady Gryffindor for all that she has done for the shelter.

.

.

Arthur and Emmeline were both a little worried about the dragons spending the night, but when Harry had suggested that they could go and wake them, they said that it would be okay for the one night. Their other problem had quieted down considerably when no one had come to unchain him until most of the guests had left for the evening. Eventually, Arthur walked up the stairs to release his son.

With a wave of his wand, Arthur removed the chains. "I'm sorry that it came to such drastic measures, Percy."

"Well, I will be filing a report with the DMLE first thing in the morning." He told him as his nose aimed for the ceiling.

"That will be fine, and I understand. I would suggest that you take the long way to the apparition point of the house."

"And why can't I just walk to it directly?"

"Because the dragons are sleeping there."

"I will be filing a complaint about those nasty beasts too!" he said as he got up and headed for the door. "And Penny?"

"She's waiting for you downstairs," Arthur told him kindly.

"Humph! As well she should."

Without saying goodbye, Percy headed for the apparition point, then Arthur watched as he veered suddenly to go around the dragons, giving them a wide berth to keep from waking them.

.

.

Ced, Cici, and Vic walked down the path to the front doors of the mansion. Ced had one arm around each of his wife's waists, they each had one arm around his. They were a smiling, happy, threesome, the revelry from the wedding festivities was still a glow on their faces. The doors opened for them magically.

"Good evening Lord and Ladies Potter." Gareth greeted them with a bow.

"Good evening Gareth," Ced replied to the Second in Command House Elf.

Ced watched as Gareth turned and started to walk away, in about four steps he was gone. He pulled Cici and Vic in tight against him, and then they were at the top of the Grand Staircase. He changed direction and headed for their room. In their room, each of the girls, in an almost synchronised movement presented their backs to him so he could unzip their dresses. Then they sat on the edge of the bed to remove their heels, then they slouched their shoulders letting the dress fall off and around their feet. Bare-breasted they each stepped out of the pile that the dress formed around their feet. With a flick of their wrists, the shoes went one way and the dresses headed for the laundry hamper in the restroom. Both wives sat down at their dressing table to remove their jewellery. While they removed their jewellery and hung it up in their jewellery boxes, Ced used the loo. He kissed Cici as she headed to the loo next. He stood behind Vic and began to brush her hair out for her. He had learned how she liked her hair brushed, and could feel the contentment radiating off of her, as he stroked her hair, flooding their mental link when he had finished, she stood and turned around to give him a kiss. She exchanged kisses with Cici as she took her turn in the loo. As Cici sat down, Ced picked up her brush and began to brush her waist-length hair, the feelings of love and joy began to radiate off of her also, filling their mental link. As Vic exited the restroom, the three of them slipped into bed together. With several minutes of kissing and petting all around, they snuggled in tight against each other to go to sleep. They opened their minds fully so they could analyse what had happened that day, and then share their dreams with the others. The shared dreams had deepened their love and trust for each other. They hid nothing from each other, and jealousy never got a toehold in their relationship, because there was nothing to be jealous of.

.

.

The next morning after breakfast Harry was going to take Neville to Mr Ollivander for his first wand. This still gave them a week before school was to start, and a week for Neville to practice with his wand.

Neville is a first-year, Daphne is a third-year, and the threesome is fifth-years. Fifth-years that have already taken their Master's Level testing.

As breakfast was coming to an end, Charles walked in carrying envelopes with the Hogwarts crest. He handed the envelopes to Harry. Harry shuffled through the envelopes and had them passed out to the correct recipients. Neville got his, Daphne got hers, Cici hers, Vic hers, Ced his, and there was one addressed to him and Hermione.

Harry opened the letter addressed to him and his wife. He read over the short handwritten note quickly and then handed it across the table to Mione.

.

 _To Lord and Lady Gryffindor,_

 _I would like to request a meeting this week, between you, Lord and Ladies Potter, and myself about an idea that I have for the coming school year._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Headmistress Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

.

After Hermione read the note, she handed it to Vic who was seated next to her and so on down the line the letter went until it got to Cici, then all three of them looked at Harry questioningly.

"Why don't we set it for Tuesday morning, unless she wants to do it this afternoon," Cici said.

"It does sound urgent," Hermione said.

"Or her earliest convenience?" suggested Ced.

As they were standing up to leave the table, Ced held Vic's chair, she asked as she rose from the seat, "May we go with you when Nev gets his wand?" then she turned to kiss Ced.

Ced held Cici's chair and as she was kissing him, "Can they dad?" Neville asked hopefully.

"Sure," He said as he checked his watch. "they can go with us. I want to get there before he opens at 9:00 to avoid the crowds. Let me go and pen the response so she will get it this morning."

Ced looked at his watch, it was just after 8:00 this morning, so they still had plenty of time to finish getting ready. The girls had decided to wear even higher heels, with their six-inch heels they would be just as tall as Ced. To avoid twisting an ankle, they chose wedges over stiletto heels.

.

The six of them stepped out of the public floo network into Diagon Alley. Harry looked around and noticed an unusually large crowd of people this morning. It seemed as if more than one family had the idea to avoid the rush later in the week.

"Glamour's it is then," Hermione said as she changed herself into a short, plump witch with greying hair.

Harry thought for a moment, then he changed himself into a tall, thin man with a receding hairline. He looked at Mione with a smile.

She just smirked at him.

Cici changed into a pale-skinned platinum blonde, while Vic chose to become a fiery redhead with a smattering of freckles. Ced thought about it for a moment, and then he changed himself into his version of a self-centered movie producer with spiky white hair and outrageous glasses.

As they walked to Mr Ollivander's, the two girls played the part of starlets, and held on to his arms with both hands, chattering away.

Ced and the girls did attract attention, but not the kind that said 'Hey! There goes Harry Potter! Let's get his autograph!' no this was a different kind of attention that made people laugh a little at the outrageousness of what they were seeing.

They walked through the door of Mr Ollivander's at 9:01. As they crossed the threshold of the shop, they cancelled their glamour's.

"Ah! Lord and Lady Gryffindor! Lord and Ladies Potter! How wonderful to see you! And this young man should be here for his first wand." Mr Ollivander was already sizing up Neville, "Now, just remember, Mr Potter, it is the wand that selects the wizard. Hum. Let me see." And he wandered off to the back of the store in search of the first wands to try. Several minutes later he came toddling back to the counter with a double armload of boxes for Neville to start trying.

"Now, here we have an Ebony…" and for over an hour and a half, they tried out wands, finally settling on an Applewood/Unicorn combination that produced a glorious amount of sparks when Neville gave it a flick.

As they walked out of the front door of the shop, Minerva's owl greeted them with a letter. As soon as Hermione took the message from the owl, it flew off. The note simply said;

.

 _Please join me for lunch today at Hogwarts._

 _._

 _Minerva_

.

"Well, it seems that she wants us to join her today for lunch," Hermione told the group.

"A little sooner than I thought," Harry commented.

"Do we want to get our school supplies today?" Cici asked.

"Let's put our glamour's on and go see," Harry said. They were there after all.

"Leo," Ced called out to his elf.

Pop! "Yes, my Lord?" the elf greeted him with a bow.

"Could you please bring all of us, our Hogwarts' letters?" he asked.

"Yes, my Lord." He said and was gone with another pop.

Moments later, pop! "Here you are, my Lord. Will there be anything else?"

"No, thank you, Leo."

"It is a pleasure to serve." He told Ced with a bow and a pop.

.

.

After buying all of their school supplies, and sending them home with an elf, the group moved to the apparition point for the Alley, made sure the coast was clear, and then they were standing in front of the school's gates. A short walk later, they were climbing the steps of the school. Hermione made a note of the fact that Neville was winded.

Inside of the Headmistress' office, they were greeted warmly by Minerva. "Thank you for coming on such short notice." She told them. She led them to a small dining room located in her apartment. "Cesar. She called out to the air."

A crack later, an old house elf appeared, "Yes, Mistress." He said with a bow. He was wearing the crest of Hogwarts on his shirt.

"There will be seven of us dining today." She told the elf.

"Yes, Mistress." He replied to her and was gone with a crack.

"Aunt Minerva?" Neville asked.

"At school, you will need to address me as Professor McGonagall." She corrected him.

"Yes, mam. Can I put on the Sorting Hat today and be sorted today?" he asked her apprehensively.

"No, I think not. That is a first-day function." She told him.

"But you did it for Amber!"

"Yes, that's because she was coming here as a fourth-year student."

"Okay." And his shoulders slumped.

After lunch, they moved to Professor McGonagall's office to discuss business.

"What I wanted to ask Lord and Ladies Potter was, if they would be interested in being student professors."

"Us!?"

"Why?"

"Well, you've passed your O.W.L.s, you've passed your N.E.W.T.s, and you've passed your Master's level testing. In how many subjects?"

"Okay?" _"Where is this going?"_

" _I'm wondering the same thing."_

"There's not much left for us to teach you. But I would like for you to teach the incoming first years."

"Okay," Ced told her, cautiously.

"Your Professors have all said that in the classes that you are in, those students that associate with you, all of their grades have improved. The classes that you were teacher assistants in, all of the student's grades improved."

"Well, we are glad to hear that. But this just seems so, unusual." Cici said.

"It is unusual, but I would like it, if you three would teach, Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions to the new first years."

"Okay, we could do that," Vic said.

"And what about our other classes?" asked Ced.

"You would still need to attend your other classes when you aren't teaching."

The three of them looked at each other for a few moments.

"Okay, we'll do it," Cici told her.

"I have a question now," Ced told her.

"What might that be?" Professor McGonagall asked him.

"What about Julia. She's not safe in her house anymore." He stated.

"Okay?"

"We would be willing to let her move into the spare bedroom in our quarters."

"And what about Mr Bones?" she asked him.

"We would keep the same rules as last year. And he knows the consequences of violating those rules."

"Which is?"

"We will put a ward on her door, and he will have to leave when we go to bed," Cici told her.

"Does Slytherin house have a Head of House this year?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Professor Sinestra has agreed to be their Head of House."

"Good, she's a good teacher. It will do the Slytherins some good not having one of their own be their Head of House." Hermione told her.

"Well, I have another meeting. Let me get you your course materials." She walked over to another table and hefted a colossal tome and motioned for one of them to come and take it.

"Who's going to teach Charms?" she asked.

Vic raised her hand.

"Here, this is for you."

"Potions?"

Cici raised her hand.

"Here, this is for you. So, you are going to get Transfiguration. Here you go." She handed the last tome to Ced.

"Excuse me, Professor?" Cici asked.

"Yes?"

"When was the last time that any of these courses were updated?" the look of shock on her face at seeing books that were hundreds of years old was concerning.

"Somewhere between 800 and 1,000 years ago. Most of the professors haven't seen a need to update the course material.

"800 to…"

"1,000…"

"Years?"

"Yes. Now if you would like to show your little brother around that would be fine with me. But my next appointment will be here soon." She dismissed them.

"Thank you, Minerva," Hermione said.

The three teens shrank the massive old tomes and put them in the pockets of their robes as they made their way out of her office.

At the bottom of the stairs, Neville asked, "Can Ced, and Cici, and Vic show me around?"

Hermione looked at Ced, and he nodded. "Okay, we'll see you at home in a little bit."

"So, little brother, what do you want to do first? Go up to the Gryffindor common room? Go see the Great Hall?"

"I don't know?"

"How about we go to Gryffindor Tower and show you where your room will be, and then we go to the Room of Requirement and practice some spells?" Cici told him.

"Okay! But I left my wand at home."

"You left your wand at home!" Ced sounded shocked.

"You don't ever leave without your wand," Cici told him.

"Yeah, but Kitten does it all the time!"

"Your sister is not you," Ced told him.

"Yeah, but."

"No 'yeah, buts' here. You should always carry your wand on you." Vic told him.

Inside the Gryffindor common room, Ced led Neville up to the first-years' dorm room. He explained that they would put his trunk next to the bed that he had been assigned. He pointed out the bed that he had used his first year at Hogwarts. As they went back down the stairs to the common room, Ced explained that the boys could not go into the girls' dorms, there were wards to keep that from happening.

"We should probably go by the Hospital Wing to check in with Madam Pomfrey," Ced told his mates. "She's going to want to see us."

"Why's, that?" Neville asked.

"Because of our special situation," Cici said.

"What's that?"

"What do you mean what's that?" Vic said.

"What's so special about your situation?"

"What do you know about our situation?" Ced asked him.

"I know that you and Cici are married, and I know that you and Vic are married but what's so special about that?"

"Well, the Matron is going to want to check on us before we start school. And don't you go telling anybody that we're married! Do you understand?" Ced scolded him.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, I understand."

"And?"

"And I won't tell anyone."

"Okay, you can never tell anyone that Cici, Vic, and I are married. No matter what they say or what they do." Ced told him getting gentler as he scolded him.

"Okay," Neville answered looking at the ground.

Ced pulled him in for a big crushing hug. "Thank you." He released him, and they started heading for the portrait hole.

.

At the doors to the hospital wing, they could see Madam Pomfrey moving about the wing, she looked up as Ced pulled the doors open.

"Good afternoon!" she said to them cheerfully.

They all responded to her likewise.

"And who is this young fellow?" she asked brightly.

"This is our little brother, Neville. Neville this is Madam Pomfrey, aka the Dragon Lady." Ced's voice deepened as he teased the Matron.

"You can turn into a dragon!? We have dragons!" he said brightly.

"No, that's just something that the kids that are always coming in here started to call me years and years ago. So, all of you! Up on the beds, one to each bed." She told them as she pulled out her wand to check them over.

Ten minutes later they were on their way.

"Now, remember, the things that we can do, you can't tell anybody!" Ced told his little brother one last time as they walked through the gates of Hogwarts.

Neville held out his hand, Ced took it, and they were standing at the apparition point for their home. The girls were right next to them. Ced let go of Neville's hand and held his hands out to his wives.

"Go get your wand, and then we can practice in the training room if you want," Vic told her little brother.

"Okay!" He said happily as they walked down the path to the front doors of the mansion.

Charles greeted them inside the open doors, "Master Neville, Lord and Ladies Potter." He said as he bowed.

"Good afternoon, Charles. How are you?" Cici asked.

"Fine, my Lady, thank you for asking."

Once completely inside the mansion, Neville hurried off as fast as he dared, to go get his wand. The three teens went to change also, something more appropriate to being in the training room. After Neville got his wand, he hurried back down the hall and waited outside of his brother's closed bedroom door. What seemed like forever to an impatient eleven-year-old, the door opened, and his brother and his wives stepped out into the hallway.

"Are you ready?" Ced asked him cheerfully.

"Do you have your wand?" Vic asked him.

And he intended to show it to her, but instead, he pointed it at her.

She pushed his hand off to the side and down quickly. "You don't ever point your wand at somebody! Not unless you're going to hex them. Do you understand me?" Vic scolded him.

Neville nodded his head, with each nod his head hung a little lower until his chin came to rest on his chest.

"It's okay, we all have a first time for everything, and now you know that you don't point your wand at somebody." She told him.

"Let's go practice," Cici said. She took him by the hand, and they walked to the training room.

The threesome had to remember back to their first day in school, and the very basic spells that they now took for granted, because they were part of their everyday life, well some of the spells. Who was ever going to change a hedgehog into a seat cushion? They worked with Neville until his magical core was down to about 50% and then they stopped. Neville wanted to do more, but Ced wouldn't let him.

"Your magical core is like a muscle, if you want it to grow, then you have to exercise it. But if you overextend it, then you can't do any magic for up to a month!" he explained to his little brother. "Also, if you want to be really good at magic, you need to work out physically too. Working out physically gives your body strength, it gives you physical endurance, so you can continue to do magic for long periods of time."

"Okay, but I don't ever see you doing any physical stuff."

"That's because we get up really early to do our morning workout."

"How early is that?"

"We get up at 5:00 in the morning to go exercise."

"How do you do that?"

"Well, you could set an alarm, or you can just tell yourself to get up at 5:00 in the morning and your body's internal alarm will wake you up. Now, it's up to you to get up when you first wake up. If you close your eyes again, you will go right back to sleep." Ced told him.

"Okay, I'll try." He said.

"Don't try, DO!" Cici told him. "If you're only going to try, then you're setting yourself up to fail. Don't try, do." Cici told him again.

Ced checked his little brother's magical core again, it had bounced back to over 75%.

"I have a game for us to play, now, you have to be careful, because Cici and Vic are really good at this game." So, then he taught Neville how to play the skeet shooting game, and they taught him the _reducto_ spell to practice with. They moved over to a corner of the room so it wouldn't take much for Neville to play for a bit.

After a little while, Neville said, "I'm tired, can we quit?"

"Sure!" and Ced checked on his magical core. It was down to 27.5%!

"Here, try this, it will make you feel better." And Cici summoned a Vitamix potion.

"It may not taste as good as pumpkin juice, but it will give you some energy," Vic told him as he swallowed it with a face. "Why don't you head to your room and lay down until it's time for dinner?" she suggested to him caringly.

"Okay." He said. Then when they weren't following him. "Aren't you coming?"

"No, we're going to stay and practice for a while," Vic told him.

"Can I watch?"

The threesome looked at each other, then with a slight shrug of her shoulder, "Okay." Cici said.

Ced walked to the middle of the simulation room, "Room, there will be three combatants, I want ten opponents for each combatant in each of three areas; unarmed combat, melee weapons, and magical combat. The difficulty level of expert." He spoke to the room. Then he looked at his wives, "Ready?"

Then the room became all fuzzy and distorted to disorient them, then they were standing in an office building with multiple rows of cubicles.

"These cubicles remind me, I need to go check on my business," Vic told her mates.

As the doors opened, signalling the start of the scenario, the teenagers took a defensive stance to wait and see what the room had in store for them this time around.

From the sidelines, Neville watched as his brother and his sisters-in-law took a beating, the girls would let out small high pitched squeaks of pain as the larger simulations would hit them hard. His brother would let out lower grunts of pain as he got hit too. Then he watched as they defeated the final combatants in the hand to hand scenario. They walked out of the room, and the room changed into a hallway, they moved down the hallway when they were trapped in the centre of the hall by wizards at each end. The doors leading back to the room full of cubicles was cut off to them by wizards. Neville watched as they were assaulted in mass by the wizards. The wizards, had them pinned down, as more wizards joined them. Then he heard Cici tell her mates that she was tired of this and to get behind her. She dropped down to one knee and stuck her arms out to the sides facing the enemy, and a magical bubble appeared around them, the curses that were flying in their direction were absorbed by the shield, and then reflected back at the enemy, and amplified.

"You go that way, and we'll go this way." She told her mates.

Ced went down the hall in the original direction, casting shields and throwing hexes. Cici and Vic went the other direction taking turns on the shield spell and the hexes. Then the girls came to the end of the hallway, and it split off in two different directions. Neville watched as the girls looked at each other then they went in opposite directions. After a couple of more opponents, Vic met up with Ced after almost hexing each other. They turned and moved quickly to find Cici. They came up behind Cici and let her know telepathically they were behind her so she wouldn't try and hex them. As they joined her, she had just finished hexing her last opponent. They moved slowly through the hallway again, it opened into an empty meeting room, the chairs and tables were along the walls, the chandeliers were hanging high above the carpeted floor. The three combatants retracted their wands and pulled out their swords. Even before they reached the centre of the room, the enemy combatants started to flood into the room. Neville saw that they had a mixture of weapons, not just swords like his brother and his wives had. There were pikes, and flails, war axes, short swords, and maces. The three of them formed a protective circle then they engaged the enemy.

Neville's parents joined him quietly in the room as he watched the scene unfolding in front of him. Neville watched as they cut, thrust, parried and bled. He watched as they would get knocked to the ground, and avoid getting injured by rolling out of the way to come up on their feet to continue the fight. The savage brutality of what he was watching, was almost overwhelming his young mind. Is this what was expected out of him? He couldn't even practice magic for more than ten minutes without getting tired! He watched as Cici slashed a simulation in half! And she was smiling! Or was that a snarl he didn't hear? He looked as Ced dismembered another simulation with a fierce expression on his face. Then he watched as Vic was knocked to the floor, and the guy with a pike tried to stab her, and she rolled into a guy with a war axe that was waiting to cut her in half. She thrust her sword upwards into his guts, but that didn't stop the momentum of the axe coming down, then she said _"reducto",_ and the simulation exploded all over everyone! The axe missed her by centimetres, and she got back on her feet and re-engaged what was left of the simulations.

As the last of the simulations died, the room fuzzed again, and they were standing bloodied and bruised in the middle of the training room. The simulations were gone, but their blood was real. His mum moved off the sidelines and began to heal the worst of the injuries. And while that person was being healed, they were healing someone else. As they walked to the sidelines, Neville saw that they were all smiling! Then he watched as wandlessly, and wordlessly three vials came flying through the air. They did all of that, and they still had magic left?

"Are you feeling a little overwhelmed son?" his dad asked him.

"Kind of. When did they learn to do all of that?" he asked his dad in awe.

"They've been practising a lot."

"When can I learn to do all of that?"

"If you want, you can join us for our morning workout routine tomorrow."

"That's what Ced said too. They said that I could teach myself to get up on my own."

"He's right. You can teach yourself to get up on your own. In fact, at school, no one's going to be there to wake you up. You have to get up on your own."

"Okay." He didn't sound too sure about that, but he had just heard the same thing from his brother and his wives. He gave a mental shrug.

The others came over and joined Harry and Neville.

"Are you three about ready for dinner? It's getting late." Harry asked the kids.

Ced looked at his watch. Oh wow! It was getting late. How long did the simulation take? "Sure, let us get washed up and changed and we'll see you at dinner." He told his dad. He pulled Vic and Cici in tight against him and then he _teleportused_ to their bedroom.

A quick shower and a change into some comfortable clothes later, the soul-bonded trio was walking down the stairs looking relaxed.

.

.

.

 **A/N: revised 01.01.2018**

 **Revised again, 02.10.2018**


	41. Year Five Chapter 41

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 41

.

.

" _Platform 9 ¾, King's Cross Station. I was hoping that we would be done with this."_

Her spouses just smiled at her knowingly. She knew why they were there. She understood, she really did. They were there to watch over Neville. Kitten could have done the job, but she would probably have frozen the train to the tracks if they had made her mad enough.

Neville had gotten a lot better at flying, and his spellcasting had gotten better also. He was off to be head of his class if he could keep it up. His parents had taught him occlumency, at a young age, like all of the other Heads of the Ancient houses had their children, for centuries. Still, walking at a brick wall with a trolley for the first time was kind of scary in a bad sort of way. But then he was through the wall and on the platform. Ced had already told him that he could sit with him and his friends or he could go and try and make friends on his own.

Daphne had already taken off looking for Willow and Solaria. Astoria was there with her two girls, Centauri and Venus. Venus looked to be Neville's age, while Centauri seemed to be closer to Kitten's age.

"If you don't find someone to sit with you can always come and find us," Cici told him lightly.

"Okay, I'll go see." And he dragged his full-sized trunk with him as he left.

Harry looked at his oldest son disapprovingly.

"I'll go and check up on him if he doesn't come looking for us." He promised his dad.

"Just don't let him get picked on too much. You know how sensitive he can be."

True, his brother was a very kind-hearted person, even Daphne was gentler on him that she was on Ced.

"Well, if he sits with Venus he'll be okay. I'll go check up on him a few times during the trip." He was trying to calm his dad's nerves.

"We could just apparate there and be done with this," Vic complained.

" _Vic's in an awful mood."_ Hermione thought.

" _Yes, she is. I wonder why?"_ Harry thought back to her.

"Hey, Vic, may I speak with you for a moment?" Hermione asked.

" _Now you did it!"_ Cici thought to her mirthfully.

" _I know."_ She thought back, depressed.

Vic and Hermione walked away from the group. "Are you doing okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"You just seem, on edge."

"I'm sorry, I hadn't planned on riding the train. I had forgotten about Neville." Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I know, on the train, you're in a confined space."

"It feels like we're fish in a barrel. Trapped. Just waiting for something to go wrong. A lion in a cage, while some kid kicks at the door."

"While I would say that you are more predator than prey. I understand how you feel. Harry and I hated to ride the train to and from school. It was a confined space, easy for our adversaries to find us. They knew when and they knew where we would be, while we rode the train to Hogwarts."

Vic knew that she wasn't getting out of riding the train and she knew that her mum was right, she was there to protect the others on the train.

"Watch over Neville for us." It was both a request and an order at the same time.

"We will. He can cast at least a basic shield spell now if he needs it."

Hermione pulled her into a hug, and said softly in her ear, "Thank you, Vic."

Vic hugged her back, "You're welcome. I'm sorry that I'm being so grumpy." She told her quietly.

Vic got on the back of the train, her mental link fully open to her mates, and walked forward, she found Neville in a compartment in the third car, with five other first-years, Venus was in there with him. Vic walked on by not wanting to embarrass him in the first ten minutes of being on the train. The last whistle sounded, and the train lurched forward shortly afterwards, she caught herself with the wall of the train car.

"Are you okay there?" a male's voice asked from behind her.

She turned and looked, she didn't recognise him, the best guess was that he was a sixth-year or maybe a seventh-year student. "I'm fine, thank you." She turned to keep walking forwards.

"Would you like to join us in our compartment?" he asked her.

"No, I'm looking for someone else." She turned down his offer, gently.

"Well, maybe I can help you find them." He offered hopefully.

Vic stopped and looked at him, _"Persistent, aren't we?"_ she noticed him checking her out from head to toe. He wasn't bad looking either, and she doubted that he would have paid attention to her two years ago.

"I'm Brady, Brady Berkshire." He introduced himself. He held out his hand in an offer of friendship.

"Victoria." She took his offered hand of friendship.

" _Berkshire? Julia's Brother?"_ Cici thought.

"Berkshire? Do you have a sister named Julia?" Vic asked as she started walking again.

"No, I think that I might have a cousin named Julia. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. It just sounded familiar." She said offhandedly.

" _Julia says that she has a cousin named Brady. His family went to Egypt a few years ago, before she started at Hogwarts."_ Cici thought to her.

"Ah! Here's my compartment." She said as she slid the door open. Her group of friends watched as the new person entered the room after her. "Everyone, this is Brady Berkshire, Brady, this is everyone." She said as she gestured around the room, before sitting next to Ced.

As he looked around the room, everyone introduced themselves to him. And last was Julia.

"Julie?" he asked in surprise.

Julia eyed him like she was ice. "Brady." She said coolly. She was still leaning on Fred and Fred still had his arms wrapped around her waist, leaning against the wall.

"Julie! I haven't seen you in forever!"

"I go by Julia now." She told him coldly.

"What's wrong?" what had happened to the happy and fun girl he had known as a boy?

"Nothing's wrong, I just go by Julia now." Ice. How do I tell him that my father sold me like a piece of furniture? How do I say to him that I was some dykes plaything/sex toy until she got tired of me? How do I tell him, that because I got stronger, they tried to kill me?

"Well, maybe I'll see you around at school!" he looked around the compartment, Victoria was leaning on the guy with the black hair, but then, so was the dark-skinned girl with wavy black hair. "I'll see all of you later!" he told them cheerily.

After the door slid shut, "He's cute!" Angel said, optimistically.

"Yeah, he is!" Rose agreed with her.

.

As Brady sat down in the compartment with his friends, "What's the deal with Victoria?" he asked them.

.

An hour into the train ride to Hogsmeade station, Ced got up to go check on his little brother, and that's when he found Coldstone sitting next to a very uncomfortable Venus. He tried to slide the door open, but it had been locked. He ejected his wand and a few spells later he was standing in an open doorway looking at Coldstone with her arm wrapped around Venus's shoulder.

"I don't think she likes you Coldstone," Ced told her.

Venus had a look on her face of 'Help me!'

"What do you know, Potter." She spat his last name.

"I know that she would really like it if you left her alone, for good." He told her calmly.

Coldstone stood up. Ced enlarged the compartment significantly.

Coldstone noted quickly that he had enlarged the compartment. "Scared of me, Potter? You should be!"

"No, I'm not scared of you. It's just that with both of us standing, there isn't any room." Ced's back was to the door, a significant disadvantage because his back was undefended.

Coldstone faked a charge at him, Ced startled, and she laughed at him, then she pushed her way past him to get to the door. "I'll be seeing you at school, sweetie." She told Venus.

When she was gone, Venus hugged Ced and started to cry fearfully. Ced told her, "It's okay, you haven't been sorted yet."

"Yes! But I'm a Greengrass! And Greengrass' always get sorted into Slytherin!" she sobbed out.

"Maybe in the past, but that doesn't mean that it will happen to you. The Sorting Hat takes into account your wishes also. And Slytherin House has a new Head of House this year, and she's a really good professor." He worked at comforting her.

He finished rubbing her back as she calmed down and stopped crying.

"Are you going to be okay now?" he asked her sympathetically.

Venus nodded her head against his broad chest, she could hear his heart beating steadily.

As Ced was walking back to his compartment, Brady asked him into his compartment. "So, what's with your sister?" he asked.

"Hey, James, Randolph, Johnson." He acknowledged the others in the compartment. "What do you mean?" he addressed him directly. James was seventeen now and bound by the pact.

"Well, what's with your sister? Is she seeing anyone?"

"She thinks your nice, but she doesn't like you in that way," Ced told him.

"Well, how do you know?"

"Because after you left, some of the other girls talked about you and she told them so."

"Who was talking about me? Julie? Excuse me, Julia?" he said her name sarcastically.

"Why would you say Julia's name that way?" he asked him.

"Because she's become a stuck-up witch, ever since she's started hanging out with that Bones character. That's what my uncle told me anyway, she thinks that she's better than everyone else."

"Well, I think that your uncle may have left out a few details, but that's not for me to tell you. You'll have to ask her if you want more information."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said, nothing more."

Brady had a confused look on his face, and Ced used this opportunity to leave the compartment.

Ced made his way back to their compartment. He snuggled up against his wives.

"Brady has a crush on you." He told Vic.

"Wonderful! Just what I've always wanted! A secret admirer!" Vic said sardonically.

"Oh," he looked at Julia, "Your father is spreading lies about you and your situation. I told him that if he wanted more information, that he would have to ask you."

Julia's response was to just roll her eyes and let out a sigh.

An hour later, Cici excused herself from the conversation to go check on Neville. She opened her mental link fully to her mates.

" _You better open that link fully!"_ teased Vic silently, _"I want to see how hard he hits on you!"_

Cici looked at her with a 'You've got to be kidding look.' Vic just smiled back at her, with a wicked smile.

"Let us know if you need us," Ced told her. She leaned over to give him a kiss.

As she walked down to check on Neville, she looked into the compartment through the windows, it all seemed normal. Then it struck her, it was all too ordinary. She tried to pull open the door and found it to be locked. She used the last spell that Ced had used to unlock the door. And she slid it open to see Coldstone and three other dykes in the compartment harassing the girls. They looked at her angrily as she opened the door. Like she was invading their privacy. As Cici stepped into the room, she quadrupled the size of the compartment and charmed her clothes to absorb the spells she could feel getting ready to come her way.

"You need to leave." She told Coldstone.

"Why aren't you a pretty!" Coldstone eyed her like she was on the menu.

"You and your friends need to leave," Cici told her again. She was watching the others as best as she could. She backed herself into a corner and was protecting Neville's body with hers. She could see that the first-year girls were all crying in fear. She chose the corner so she could watch who was going to do what. Then the dyke on her left tried to pull her wand out of her robes, but it got hung up in her pocket. The dyke across from her, on her right, was a little more successful, but Cici used _expelliarmus_ to disarm her. The one on the left managed to get her wand out to lose it too when Cici used _expelliarmus_ to disarm her. Coldstone used the opportunity to get her wand out and cast a cutting hex at Cici. Cici's clothes just absorbed the hex and let her _stupefy_ her. The dyke to Coldstone's left, in front of Cici, pulled her hands out empty and held them up.

When she tried to leave Cici told her, "Don't forget your trash." As she indicated Coldstone.

The dyke gave her a hateful look. Then Cici tossed the two wands to one of the others that she had disarmed.

"These probably won't work for you anymore." She told them. "You were told before, to leave them alone."

She worked to comfort the kids in the train compartment, then she checked her watch, they were about forty-five minutes away from Hogsmeade Station.

"You need to go ahead and put your school robes on. We'll be there in a little bit." It would give them something else to focus on, other than being sexually assaulted.

.

She started to make her way back to her train compartment. As she passed the compartment with Brady in it, she heard, "Hey, beautiful." She stopped and turned around, yup, Vic wins.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked her.

"Back to my compartment to get ready." She told him.

"You look ready to me." He hit on her, crudely.

Oh, geez, really? "Ready for what?" she asked, just to see what he would say. She did catch sight of James watching what was happening.

"Ready to have a good time! Of course." He told her, with a big smile on his face.

"Well, in that case then I'm going back to my friends to have a good time with them." Then she turned to leave, and he grabbed her by the arm, spinning her back around towards him. Her hand came up and hit him square in the face busting his nose. He let go of her arm and started to say something.

"Don't you, ever, touch me again!" she told him coldly, forcefully.

"You fucking witch! You wait until my father hears about this!" he yelled at her, through clenched teeth.

"Hears' what? The sexual harassment that you've been giving me? Or the fact that you physically assaulted me? Or, then there's the assault on my character. Which one do you think he wants to hear first?" she asked him angrily.

He just stood there looking at her, she waited to see what he was going to do. Finally, he turned around and went back into his compartment and slammed the door closed. Cici turned and went to join her friends.

"Wow! That guy's thick! Who does he think he is trying to grab me like that? He said that he was going to tell his daddy on me." Then she looked at Julia, "Who is his father?"

She shook her head in bemusement, "I don't know, his dad is my dad's brother. He's my uncle Thom, and I think that he works for Gringotts."

"Well, let's see how far Brady 'Badass' wants to take this." She said as she worked to calm back down. "Coldstone and her dyke friends were harassing the first-years again. I stunned her when she tried hexing me." She informed the group.

"They really need to come up with a better way of getting the students to the school," Vic said. "Or they need to put guards on the train to protect the younger students."

"That's what all of the Prefects are supposed to be doing," Ced told her.

The others agreed with her. It was faster and more fun when they rode their brooms home at the end of last year.

They could feel the train starting to slow down as it approached their stop in Hogsmeade. They took turns enlarging their trunks to get their school robes out so they could get changed for the start of term feast. As the others in their train car walked past their window, Brady gave an angry look at Cici, both of his eyes were turning black from where she had hit him.

James slid their door open a bit, "You really did a number on him!" he told her.

"You saw the whole thing! He shouldn't have grabbed me!" she shot back at him.

James held his hands up in mock surrender, "Hey! I'm on your side, remember?"

She gave him an 'I'm sorry' look, and he slid the door closed again.

With everybody changed and all of the trunks shrunken back to fit in their pockets, they started to exit the train. Walking down the platform, they began looking for a carriage. The group waited for the last two carriages before leaving. This past summer, they had taught their friends how to enchant their school robes to absorb the hexes thrown at them, so now all of them had their robes enchanted as shields, this would give them an advantage if someone tried to hex them from behind. They arrived at the castle in time to watch the sorting, as they scanned the Great Hall upon entering. Neville was sorted into Gryffindor, while Venus was sorted into Ravenclaw. During the feast, they watched Brady enter the hall to sit at the Ravenclaw table, the house that he had been sorted into before his family moved to Egypt. At the end of the feast, the Prefects led the first-years up to their rooms.

"Miss Ramos! May I have a word with you please?" the Headmistress's shrill voice rang out across the hall.

Cici looked up at her, then she dropped Vic's hand and started to walk to her. Ced kept an eye on Brady to see what his reaction would be. Ced noticed that he seemed to get a smug look on his face at having gotten Cici in trouble with the Headmistress.

That look fell when the next thing he heard was, " Mr Berkshire, may I have a word with you please." It wasn't a question so much as it was a demand.

"Yes, mam." He said getting all polite and formal.

"This incident that happened on the train, did you touch Miss Ramos in any way?" Professor McGonagall asked him.

"Yes, mam. Miss Ramos was going to fall, and I reached out and grabbed her arm."

Looking at Cici, "And, Miss Ramos, were you going to fall for any reason?"

"No, mam, I was turning to leave a situation that was becoming uncomfortable to me. Berkshire, here, grabbed my arm to try to force me to do something that I did not wish to do. When he grabbed my arm, I reflexively defended myself. I would be willing to give up a copy of my memory so you could see the incident, mam." Cici said to her, formally.

"Mr Berkshire, would you be willing to give a copy of your memory of the situation, right now?" the Headmistress asked, the sternness rising in her voice.

" _Do you think that he could modify his memory that quickly?"_ Vic thought.

" _I don't think so. I can feel his thoughts but can't quite read them."_ Cici thought back.

Brady's eyes shifted back and forth quickly, between Cici and the Headmistress. He began to hesitate.

"Well, Mr Berkshire?" Professor McGonagall asked impatiently.

"I did what she said, I'm sorry." He told the Headmistress.

"That will be one week's detention, starting tonight, for assaulting a female student. Go and see Mr Filch." She told him sternly. When he had turned his back to them, the Headmistress's head hung low and shook at the situation. Was this going to be another year of assaults on female students?

Professor McGonagall looked up sadly, she looked over to were Ced and Vic were waiting for their mate. She waved them over to join them.

"Are you three, ready for your first class?" she asked them hopefully.

"Yes, mam!" the three of them said excitedly.

"Good, you'll find your schedules in your room. You had better hurry so you can let Miss Berkshire into her new quarters. I am trusting you to watch over that situation." She told them fondly.

"Speaking of that situation and what brought it about. On the train, we found Coldstone and some of her friends sexually harassing some of the first-year girls. We broke it up a couple of times. One of the students was Venus Greengrass, Professor Greengrass's daughter." Ced told her.

"Does Professor Greengrass know about this yet?"

"No, mam. We haven't talked to him today." Ced told her.

"Thank you for informing me of this. Now, off you go! And good luck tomorrow!" she dismissed them.

Holding hands, the three of them headed for the Gryffindor common room where they found Fred and Julia snuggled up against each other, sitting on the couch, in front of the fire, waiting for them.

"The gryphon wouldn't let me in," she told them.

"Oh! We need to reset the password." Vic told her as she headed for the gryphon. _"My turn!"_ She tapped on the gryphon's nose three times then she said, "Loving soul-mates." The gryphon slid to the side.

" _I like it!"_ Cici thought.

" _Me too."_ Ced thought to her.

The five of them headed up the stairs to the sitting room. Julia turned to go to what was going to become her permanent room and the others headed for their room. Ced pulled the trunks out of his pockets and laid them on the bed. With a couple of taps on each trunk, they re-enlarged themselves. Then with a wave of his hand, the clothes and other items started to go to their correct places.

" _Want to soak in the tub tonight?"_ He thought to his wives.

" _Sure!"_

" _Okay."_

" _Butterbeers?"_

" _I'll ask Lucy!"_

" _Let me go and tell Julia and Fred that we are going to turn in early tonight."_ Ced thought to them.

" _I've got the water running!"_

" _Soothing bubbles?"_

" _You know it!"_

Ced closed their bedroom door behind him, his wives could be a little too clothing optional for early exposure to their new roommate.

" _I heard that!"_

" _So, did I!"_

Knocking on her open door, Ced poked his head in, "Hey, we're going to turn in early. Professor McGonagall wanted to make sure that you two remembered the rules. I told her that you understood and would follow them, just like at home."

"Yes, I don't want her moving back in with the Slytherins," Fred told him.

"Yes, I don't want to go back there either. So, we will follow the rules." She said as she looked at Fred.

"I'm not going to muck this up mate," Fred told his friend.

"Have a good night, and we will see you in the morning!" Ced wished them a good night.

He closed, locked, and silenced the door to his bedroom. He stripped of his clothes as he walked to the tub and with a flick of his wrist they all headed for the laundry hamper, his shoes flew to his closet. The room with the tub in it was dark, but he could see Cici and Vic snuggled up against each other, drawing strength from their love. When they felt him get close, they separated to let him slip in-between them. He could feel the soothing bubbles easing away the tension from the day. He slouched in the tub so Vic and Cici could slip an arm around his waist as he had his arms around their shoulders. They scooted in tight against him.

" _No butterbeer?"_ he thought.

"No, not yet. I just want to sit here soaking and cuddling. I'm not ready to let go yet." Vic said out loud.

"Sometimes, it just seems so much easier when we're away from here, not trapped with four-hundred other people in a confined space." Cici mirrored her thoughts.

"Sometimes, I think that I would rather be flying out of the back of a cargo plane into a combat situation, than walking down the halls of this place," Vic told them.

"At least there, you know who your enemies are." Cici agreed.

The girls rolled over onto Ced's thighs, so they were facing each other. Their free arms wrapped around each other, their legs intertwined with the others. Their eyes closed, their minds opened to the others, and the butterbeer forgot, they soaked in the tub until Ced woke up. He moved forward and started to sit-up, he slipped his arms underneath his wives' bums, cupping their hips, they, in turn, wrapped their arms around his shoulder's, their legs around his waist. One of them started draining the tub, and when he stepped out of the tub, the other dried them off. The two girls did the other's hair quickly and silently as he carried them to bed for the night. He angled himself to sit Vic on the bed first so she could roll to her side of the bed. Then he sat Cici down who waited for him to get in the centre of the bed, together the girls assumed their sleeping positions, they all went back to sleep and their shared dreams as soon as their eyes closed.

.

The next morning, Neville met them all in the common room to go run with them. After the run, while they were at the lone tree by the lake, Ced pulled Neville off to the side.

"I'm going to show you what is probably the second biggest secret in all of Magical Britain. You can never share this with anyone, until AFTER you receive an oath of loyalty from them. Dad or I can teach you the oath of loyalty that you need to get. It has to be worded just as you're taught. Otherwise, they can break the oath. Do you understand me?" Ced asked Neville sternly.

"Yes." He said, it wasn't like he was a kid anymore, he was eleven after all.

Ced pulled out his portkey, and as soon as Neville touched it, Ced activated the portkey. The now familiar pull from behind their navels squeezed them in tight and then they were falling. Into someplace Neville had never seen before. Ced landed gracefully while Neville had to pick himself up off the floor.

"Where are we?" he asked looking around the nice brightly lit room.

"This is someplace that does not exist. This is the infamous Chamber of Secrets, it was created by Salazar Slytherin, and then perverted to hold one of the deadliest creatures in the world, a Basilisk." Ced told him.

"So, who's the newcomer?" Uncle Neville asked, knowing full well who it was.

"Uncle Neville! Uncle Draco! The newcomer is my little brother Neville." Ced told them.

"Isn't it a little early to get him started in all of this?" Uncle Neville asked.

"Is it ever early enough?" asked Uncle Draco. "What with the incident that happened on the train yesterday." Draco's comment was harsh at best.

"What happened on the train yesterday?" Neville asked.

"A couple of Dark Slytherins started to sexually harass Venus." He told him.

"What! Is she okay!?" he asked

"Yes, thanks to Ced and his wives. I heard that some guy also grabbed Cici by the arm and tried to force her to do something?" he was looking at Cici now. Only an idiot would try to force her to do something.

"Yes, his name is Brady Berkshire, and he grabbed me by my arm to force me to join him in his compartment. I busted his nose by accident." She told them.

"Do you think that we could get my dad to upgrade this training area to a simulation training room like the one he has at home?" Ced asked his uncles.

"Simulation training room?" they asked almost in unison.

"You haven't been there yet?" he asked in surprise.

"No."

"No."

"It's really cool!" Neville told them. "I can't wait until I'm good enough to use it!"

"It's great in that, instead of us always practising against each other, the room, kind of like the Room of Requirement, can generate combat training simulations on demand," Ced explained to them. "You should go and try it as soon as you can." He told them.

"So, what do you want to work on today? Hand to hand or duelling?" Draco asked them, time was running out.

"Well, Nev needs to work on his spell casting," Cici told him.

"Okay, let's practice some duelling. We'll put Nev up first, and then we'll go two on one for a bit." Draco told them.

In the end, they portkeyed back to Gryffindor tower for their showers. Breakfast. Then their first day of being teachers.

Charms for Vic and Transfiguration for Ced. Cici was off to her first class, alone for the first time in almost two years. She could feel their excitement, and they could feel her melancholy.

" _It's okay Dark One, we'll come find you if you need us."_ Vic thought to her.

Ced pulled her in tight for a hug, he gave her a kiss and then she was off with the rest of their friends, to potions. It was okay, she would be teaching potions to the first-years, next period.

Vic had Neville in her Charms class, and Ced had Venus in his Transfiguration class. At the end of the class period, Ced headed for his next class, Cici moved to the front of the potions lab, and Vic straightened up the Charms classroom for her next class.

Cici had a pleasant conversation with Professor Lively about teaching her first potions class. When Professor Lively asked her what she thought about the course curriculum, Cici told her that she felt that it needed to be updated. She also pointed out that her first potions teacher had just glossed over the finer details of brewing a potion.

"He just told us to cut up our ingredients. He never told us how to cut up the ingredients, and for a lot of potions, it is in the finer details." Cici told her.

"But you could have just followed the instructions in the book." Professor Lively told her.

"The book assumes too much. It assumes that the person with the book wants to learn. What they have been taught, is that Potions is a boring subject. It assumes that their parents have taught them the basics at home." Cici told her standing her ground.

"And they should have been taught these things." The professor told her, playing the devil's advocate.

"True, but a lot of today's families have both parents that work. Both of my parents worked, up until my dad left my mom." Cici used her family as an example.

"But, weren't your parent's muggles?" the professor asked her a little confused.

"Yes, and that added to the difficulties of learning potions. The biggest help that I got was when Ced and I got together. I've learned so much since then." Cici told her.

"And it has shown up in your desire to help others. Well, here's your first students! Good luck. Just yell if you need anything." She told her as she retreated to her office.

By lunchtime, the three student teachers had an idea about which students were going to be the outstanding students, which students had gotten no help at all from their parents, and which students were going to be the troublemakers in their classes.

"How do we bring the students that have gotten no help from their parents up to the level of the outstanding students?" Cici asked.

"Well, what they did for me, was they gave me tutoring until I could read and write," Vic told them.

"And the troublemakers?" Vic asked.

"I think, when I was a first-year, that one of the professors threatened to put a sticky rune on my seat if I wouldn't sit still," Ced told them mirthfully.

"I threatened to do that, and the kid told me that he would inform his father if I did that," Vic told them chuckling.

"What'd you say?" Cici asked her curiously.

"I told him to go ahead and tell his father, I needed to speak to him anyway!" she told her with a laugh. They all enjoyed the good laugh.

At the end of the week, they knew which students needed the remedial training. They brought up the subject with the Headmistress at the Friday evening teachers meeting. The other professors agreed with them on the names of the students that they had singled out for the remedial teaching. Professor Sinestra and Professor Bins brought out the fact that those students could neither read nor even write their own names.

"I wonder how many of these students are using a second-hand wand? I know that a couple of our friends have been stuck using a second-hand wand or a wand that was passed down to them." Ced wanted to broach the subject of resetting a wand.

"I agree, that's a good question." Professor Flitwick said.

"What are you getting at?" the professor that was assigned to teach Wand Lore asked.

"My friends that had second-hand wands didn't like their wands. One of them even told me that her wand 'fought' her. It didn't want to do what she wanted it to do. My dad and I have reset a couple of wands together, with satisfactory results. The wands were still not the right wand for the owner, but the wand didn't fight them anymore either." Ced told the professor.

Fearfully the professor asked, "So, do you want me to try and reset their wands? That could take all night!"

Ced looked over to the Headmistress, "Would you mind if I tried resetting their wands if the student wants me to?" he asked her.

"Do you think you could do it on your own, Mr Potter?" she asked.

"I would be willing to try. We have some wands that I could practice with." Ced told her.

It was agreed upon, on Monday after dinner they would pull those students aside quietly to begin the remedial education classes. With Cici and Vic pulling from Ced's memories, they would help him reset the wands that the students wanted to reset. The classes would be five nights a week for two hours each. Ced, Cici, and Vic all agreed to take two nights a week, with Vic taking an extra night, Friday night also. It went this way all the way to the first week in October.

"Are we doing a Halloween party again this year?" Angel asked.

"Halloween? What month is it?" Vic asked, jokingly.

"Let me go ask Professor McGonagall really quick," Cici told them as she got up, if it weren't for the mental link, she would have caught Ced unawares, but he got up and held her chair for her. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. And he caught Brady watching them intently.

The smile on her face told them all they needed to know. The answer was a yes. Ced held her chair for her again, and again, she kissed him sweetly. As she sat down, she paid attention to Brady.

"Do you think that he still has a problem with me?" Cici said out loud. They still made it a habit to put the privacy charms up when they would eat a meal.

Fred and George both looked at him. "He's a seventh-year, I wonder what he came back for?" George asked.

"I don't know. My dad wants us to go through our seventh-year too." Ced told him.

"Yeah, my parents too," George told him.

"Ours too," Rose said.

.

They started to do the Halloween dance planning. Professor McGonagall had agreed to have a Hogsmeade weekend the weekend before the dance.

"Good, that'll let the people that want to buy a costume a chance to go into town and buy one," Rose told them.

"Are you going to go as a sexy witch?" Vic asked Cici in faux innocence.

"What do you mean to go as a sexy witch? I am a sexy witch!" she retorted humorously.

The group chuckled with her.

Over the course of the next several days, the group worked out the details of the dance. They decided to bring back the haunted house as that had been a big hit with all of the students and faculty. Fred and George said that they would ask their dad's if they would help again. Ced told them that he would ask his dad, Uncle Sirius, and Uncle Remus if they would help with the haunted house. Cici and Vic agreed to let Julia and Amber do the pumpkin carriage this year. Rose said that she would do the music again. Vic and Cici told them that they wanted to do the Foyer area. Angel wanted to do the Great Hall with Julia's and Amber's help. They all had their chosen assignments, and they all started to think of idea's that would work together.

As the remedial classes were coming to an end, Ced had an idea to reward the students for all of their hard work.

"What do you think of letting our remedial students help with the Halloween party?" he asked his wives, one night while lying on the couch in front of the fire with them.

"I think that would be a great idea!" Vic said. She wished that somebody had rewarded her for all of the extra work that she had put in.

"I like it too," Cici said as she looked up from reading their book, "It would be a great way for them to put to use some of the spells that they have been learning and to practice their reading skills." She told them, as she took a break from reading their book.

The next morning over breakfast, Ced broached the subject with their friends. "I was wondering if all of you, would be willing to let the remedial students, that we have been working with, help you with the decorations?" he asked them.

"I'm okay with it," Amber said.

"Me too," said Julia.

"I like it too," said Rose. "It's a reward for all of their hard work."

Ced looked at all the rest of them, and they all nodded.

"Okay, thank you." He told them sincerely.

"This weekend is the Hogsmeade weekend!" Angel told them eagerly.

.

.

None of them really needed much, it was just a chance to get out of the castle and out of their school uniforms for a while. A chance to get some 'fresh air.' This would be the first year that Daphne and her friends would be able to go to Hogsmeade without their parents taking them. They also needed to do the big brother, big sister thing of watching over her. The girls had already gotten their hair trimmed for Angelica's wedding, so they decided to just get a mani-pedi, to pamper themselves. The guys being the dutiful husband slash future husbands sat in the waiting area reading different magazines, they looked up after a few minutes and started to talk about Quidditch. They talked about how well the Holyhead Harpies were doing this year and that they had made it into the top ten in Britain. In their excitement in discussing the different teams, and the coaching style of the various teams they, didn't really notice the change in the atmosphere. They really didn't notice anything until they heard the screaming from out on the main street. Ced was up and moving quickly, the temperature was dropping fast. Cici and Vic were sort of stuck, the nail technicians had those foam rubber toe separators stuck between their toes, and the girls had a hold of their hands shaping their nails. Ced beat Fred and George to the doors by two steps, he looked up and down the street to see if he could see Daphne anywhere when he felt the depression hitting him hard. He felt the happiness leaving him. He felt all of the joy in the world going away forever. And then he was alone. Alone to get shot by a terrorist. Alone to watch Vic collapse in the desert. Alone to watch Cici get hit with a _diffindo_ spell across her back and collapse. Alone before Vic had joined their family. Alone before he and Cici had bonded. He was alone with no joy in his heart, it had all be drained out of him.

The five dementors had escaped from the preserve for dangerous creatures in the Scottish Highlands. They had been held there since the last wizarding war. Many of the wizards that were going to be put through the veil were taken there so the dementors could feed off of their happiness before they were sent through the veil. But when the wards hadn't been adequately reactivated, these five had found a weak spot and had been able to push through. They had travelled from farm house to farm house until the happiness and the joy of today had drawn them here. This was even better than the time that they had been asked to 'guard' the school with all of the kids in it! The level of positive energy today was unlike any they had felt before. The others had found pockets of happiness to start feeding on. But this dementor had found this pocket of joy and this person was strong with happiness. The dementor used its mind to reach inside of the mind of its victim and pull forward the darkness to paralyse its prey, it could feel the resistance weakening with every passing second as it fed off of the joy inside of its soul.

Vic, Cici, Amber, and Julia watched as their husband/future husbands collapsed on the floor at the door to the salon. As soon as they had felt the depression overtaking Ced, Vic and Cici had put up their mental shields to protect themselves. They watched as the oily-black foul creature stopped in the doorway of the salon to start sucking the happiness out of Ced. They could see the happiness leaving him. They jerked their hands-free from the terrified, frozen, forms of the nail technicians, and they stood up, their pedicure the last thing on their mind. As a team, they moved around to have a bet shot at the dementor, their wands in their hands without even thinking of it.

Then in unison, they shouted _"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_ From the tips of their wands sprang two white male lions that charged the dementor driving it away from the fallen boys. When the girls ran to their boyfriends/mate, they could see out in the street, that others had cast Patronuses to chase off the dementors. They saw Aurors running down the road with their wands out. Slowly Ced and the others started to come back around.

Ced looked up at his wives, "I was alone," he said weakly.

" _Accio chocolate!"_ Cici summoned some chocolate from Honey Dukes. She had summoned enough for all of the boys. As the guys began to eat the chocolate, the girls helped them stand up and move back inside.

"We'll pay for it later," Vic told them.

"What was that thing?" Fred said weakly. Julia had chosen to sit in his lap like Vic and Cici would sit in Ced's lap.

"It was a Dementor," Cici told him.

"What's a Dementor doing in Hogsmeade?" George asked weakly, holding on to Amber as she sat across his lap.

As the guys finished eating their blocks of chocolate, an Auror entered the shop. "Is everybody okay in here?" she asked.

"We're okay now, but where'd the Dementor come from?" Rose asked.

"They escaped about a week ago from the reserve for dangerous creatures, a hundred kilometres from here," she told them.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." Rose told the Auror.

"We need to go find Daphne," Ced told Cici and Vic.

The girls banished the toe separators from their feet and summoned their heels.

They looked up at the salon manager, "We'll be back to finish this." Cici told her.

"Okay, dearie." She told her.

They looked at their friends, "We'll be back, we just need to go and check on Daphne and her friends." They told them.

"We're coming with you!" the girls told them. The toe separators disappeared from between their toes, and their heels were flying towards their feet.

Seconds later, the nine of them were headed out the front door of the salon.

"We'll be back in a bit!" Angel told the manager.

"Be safe dear!" the old witch called after the closing door.

" _We're looking for three small witches in this place!"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _You never think how big this place is, until now."_

" _It always seemed so small before. Small, safe, and quiet."_ Vic thought to them.

"Where would three young girls go?" Ced thought out loud.

"Madam Puddifoot's," Julia said. "That's where all of the girls in Slytherin talk about going on Hogsmeade weekends."

"At least it's at the other end of town from the Dementors," Cici said.

"While you go that way, we're going to go check on our dads," the others told them. Their dads were at the opposite end of town from Madam Puddifoot's.

"Okay, go check on them. That's the direction that the dementors came from." Vic told them.

"We'll meet up with you in a bit," Cici told them.

"Where?" Rose asked.

"At the joke shop," Ced told them. "We'll come to your dads' joke shop." He said.

"Be safe!"

"Constant Vigilance!"

The two groups went in opposite directions, the girls had Ced in the middle of them, holding him tight against their bodies.

As they walked down the street, Brady came out of the door of one of the shops, "Oh look, if it isn't the bloke that's not happy with just one girl, he's got to have two!"

With a flick of Vic's wrist, and a weak _expulso_ spell he was knocked back inside the shop and landed on his arse.

When they got to Madam Puddifoot's they slowed down and entered the tea shop. They found Daphne, Willow, and Solaria in one of the back corners of the shop near the fireplace.

"What's happening out there?" Willow asked anxiously.

"There was a little bit of trouble. But nothing to worry about now." Ced downplayed what had happened.

"There were Dementors out there, wasn't there," Daphne stated.

"Yes, but they're gone now," Ced told her.

"They got to you, didn't they?"

"Yes, but I'm better now."

She looked at him, maybe it's better to say that she looked in him, "You're lucky that Cici and Vic were there to help you."

"Yes, I was. But we came here to check to see if you're okay."

"Yes, we stayed back here by the fire. The ones out front ran away, and they didn't get this far down the street." She looked around, "Where's Fred and George, and the others?"

"They went to check on their dads," Vic told her. "We needed to come and check on you three." She told her kindly.

"I want to go check on my uncles," Willow told her.

"Okay, let me pay for this, and we'll go and check on them," Kitten told her friend.

"I think that once we get to the joke shop, I'll ask if we can borrow one of their watches to call everybody's parents to let them know that we're all okay," Ced told the group.

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.

As the group of friends walked back up the hill to the castle.

"What was that spell that you cast to drive the Dementor away?" Amber asked.

"The spell is _expecto patronum,_ and it is cast using the happiest memory that you have. The happier the memory, the stronger the patronus." Cici told her.

"Ced seems so happy with you two, why did the dementor have such an effect on him?" Julia asked.

"The Dementor went inside of my mind to find the most terrifying memories that I had and used those to paralyse me. I was forced to relive those memories." Ced told her.

"Me too." Said Fred.

"Me too." George agreed. "How are we going to learn to fight them if we just keep falling down to them?"

"You're not weak, so get that thought out of your head," Vic told him. "Cici and I just had a little bit of a warning when we saw the three of you collapse in your steps, it was focused on you three, because of how happy you are."

"I was looking for Kitten, I thought that somebody had tried to do something to her that upset her. I wasn't looking for a Dementor, and then I came face to face with one. I was totally unprepared for it." Ced told them.

"Tomorrow, can we practice casting that spell?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, it's a good spell to know," Cici told her.

"I wonder if there's a way that we could actually practice against a real Dementor?" Fred thought out loud.

"What memory did it pull up in your mind?" Julia asked him.

"It was the memory of Uncle Harry telling me that your parents could take you away from me and sell you again." He told her.

"What about you?" Amber asked George.

"It was when you were laying on the hospital bed, and Kitten was healing you, she told us that they had sterilised you and were going to keep you as a sex slave for as long as you lived." He told her.

"They really messed me up, didn't they?" She said dully.

"Yeah, they did." He replied.

The two of them snuggled closer together as they walked back to the castle and to dinner. The only thing that they had purchased on this trip was the chocolate that Cici had summoned. Their mani-pedis had to be redone, the polish hadn't finished drying on their toes, and the base coat on their fingernails had gotten smudged, so the nail techs had to redo all of their work.

.

It had become second nature to all of them to scan a room whenever they entered it, it just paid off to have a little-advanced warning when something was going to happen.

"Mr Potter, Miss Potter, Miss Ramos, may I have a word with you please?" the Headmistress asked.

"Sure," Ced told her.

"We'll see you in a bit," George told them.

"We'll save you some seats," Julia told them. As they headed to their usual seating area.

Ced and his wives followed the Headmistress to the hallway entrance to the anteroom.

"I understand that there was some excitement in Hogsmeade today?" she asked.

"Yes, mam. There were Dementors in Hogsmeade this morning." Cici told her.

"Okay, and is everybody alright?"

"Yes, the Aurors were quick to react, and the Dementors were kept at the far end of town," Vic told her.

"So, there was more than one?" she asked as the pitch of her voice kept climbing. So, did her eyebrows.

"Were any of you three affected?"

"Yes, I was," Ced told her. "Cici and Vic cast a Patronus and chased the Dementor away."

"Then I summoned some chocolate for Ced, Fred, and George," Cici told her.

"And we did pay for it!" Vic told her. Was somebody accusing us of stealing?

"I understand that there was another incident, concerning Mr Berkshire?" she asked.

"There was?" Ced asked.

"Yes." Vic said, "When he came out of some shop saying nasty things about Ced, Cici, and I."

"Oh? And what did he say?"

"He's been after either myself or my wife since we met him on the train! He's the one who grabbed me and tried to force me into his train compartment!" Cici told her.

"Is that why he showed up to school with a broken nose?" the pieces were starting to fit together now.

"Yes!" the two girls said together.

"I just used a weak _expulso_ on him today, to push him back inside of the shop he was in. We were looking for Kitten and her friends to make sure they were okay." Vic told her. "Why, what's he saying?" she asked. Is this guy going to try and press charges or something? He doesn't have a leg to stand on, or does he?

" _No, he doesn't."_ Ced thought to her.

"Well, it seems that his problem is with Mr Potter." She told them.

"What's his problem with me?"

"He seems to think that you are forcing one of your wives to be with you."

"WHAT!" the three of them said together.

"Yes, somehow or another, he seems to have gotten it into his head that you are using some nefarious means to control either Miss Potter or Miss Ramos to do your bidding." She told them.

Their eyes just rolled. A slight chuckle came from Ced. "So, what does he want to do?"

"He hasn't said at this time." She told them.

"So, right now, he's trying to drum up some support to accuse me of something."

"It would seem so." She answered disappointedly.

"Okay, thank you for the warning." He told her thoughtfully.

"Go and eat your dinner, but keep your eyes open." She warned them.

.

"So, what did Professor McGonagall want?" George asked.

"She just wanted to ask us what had happened in Hogsmeade today," Ced told him.

"And you told her about the Dementors, right?" Rose asked.

"Yes, and there was another incident with Berkshire," Vic told them.

"Is that guy thick or what?" Amber said.

"It seems, that he thinks that Ced is controlling Vic and myself somehow," Cici told them.

"What?" they said confused.

"Yes, he's trying to get support, that's why he went to Professor McGonagall, to accuse me of controlling Cici and Vic somehow," Ced told his friends.

"I wonder how he's going to do that?" Angel said.

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It was finally the thirty-first of October, they closed the Great Hall at 6:00 p.m., to start decorating it for the school dance, that night. They wanted to start a little earlier this year so that the actual dance would last an hour longer. Ced had told the remedial students to work with Amber, Julia, Angel, and Rose, in getting the hall transformed for the dance. He went to work with George, Fred, and their dads, his dad, and Uncles, on finishing the haunted house. Uncle Neville and Aunt Luna were joining them this year, as were Uncle Draco and Aunt Astoria.

Amber and Julia, with the help of their remedial students, were busy carving the giant pumpkins that Hagrid had brought in for them, along with the regular sized pumpkins. They told the students that they wanted to save the largest of the pumpkins for something special. Angel and her students were busy levitating decorations all over the great hall. Rose and her student were busy setting up the new Wizarding DJ station, Rose had been practising to be a DJ, and had been collecting more modern music for the students to dance to this year.

Out in the Foyer, and the Grand Entryway, Vic, and Cici had locked the doors and put up some wards so the students that were trying to spoil the surprise couldn't see anything. They set to work on their unique project.

Out behind the school, the haunted house was going to be larger this year. They learned what had worked, what was too much, and what was a dud from the last haunted house. Fred and George Jr. were busy unwrapping the house. They had used a tarp that had been enchanted with a potent notice-me-not spell to cover the house.

With everybody running on time, Vic and Cici removed the spells from the doors so they could be opened. They erased the wards so the early students could see what they were doing. The doors to the Great Hall were still closed. Ced walked in and kissed both of the beautiful girls before he slipped into the hall to finish the magical hallway from the Great Hall to the haunted house. They moved the Slytherin table again, and he formed the magical corridor to the house. This year, he charmed it to mess with the student's equilibrium, and to make them more disoriented, as they walked down the hall.

When the clock in the Grand Entryway rang out 8:45, that was the warning chimes to the rest of the students to hurry up. Cici waited until the clock was finished ringing before she charmed the clock with the sonorous charm and amplified it so that it could be heard all through the castle. She also put a time distortion spell on the clock to make time around the clock go slower so more students could come down the stairs. The two girls started working as security guards keeping the other students on the steps and not letting anyone sneak in early. They talked with them and had some fun conversations. The students learned that Cici and Vic really weren't being controlled by Ced. The other students learned that Cici and Vic didn't think that they were better than them. But they just told them that they had been blessed with the ability to learn magic faster.

As the clock started to ring out 9:00 p.m., on the first stroke of nine, the two girls grabbed their stomachs and doubled over as the sound of the chime shook the floors of the castle. More students that had been sitting out of sight came around, getting ready to enter the hall when they saw the two girls doubled over in pain.

The second chime of the clock caused most of the lights in the hallway to go out leaving the students in semi-darkness and found the two girls rolling in the middle of the floor clutching their midsections.

The third chime of the charmed clock shook the floors of the school again, the students watched as the floor of the Grand Entryway started to crack with huge cracks spreading from the doors of the Foyer to the walls and the foot of the stairs.

The forth chime caused the cracks to spread, and the floor began it upheaval, this caused the bodies of the two beautiful young witches to roll or slide into one of the cracks. The younger students that had been watching started to scream at the disappearance of the two witches. When they tried to get up and run they found themselves frozen in place, unable to move.

The fifth amplified chime of the clock shook the castle itself, the floor heaved some more and caskets were pushed up through the cracks in the floor, lightning streaked across the charmed ceiling, and thunder shook the hallway. The lights went out completely, plunging the terrified students into complete darkness.

A flash of lightning and the sixth gong of the clock rang out through the school announcing that it was time for the dance to begin. Another flash of lightning and the students could see that the front doors of the school had swung open and some of the caskets had fallen on their sides spilling the bones of their occupants out on to the broken floor of the school.

The seventh gong rang out to dim lighting and more flashes of lightning. The howls of the werewolves were inside the school, just down the hallway. Oily black forms blocked the light from the doorway, the temperature in the entrance started to drop as the werewolves howling grew louder.

The eighth gong of the clock brought more lighting, and the students could see a witch stirring a cauldron over a fire off to the side, away from the doors and the Dementors. Those that could see, saw that it was Cici, probably the sexiest witch in the school stirring the cauldron. Cici looked across the broken floor at all of the open caskets.

On the ninth and last gong, the werewolves appeared in the hallway behind Cici and her cauldron, the Dementors moved fully into the Grand Hallway, and between them rose Vic, floating about a metre above the floor, who had been transformed into a white wraith, from the only unopened casket in the room. She looked at the Dementors then she looked at the werewolves. With a wave of one hand, the werewolves were thrown back down the hallway and with a wave of her other hand, the Dementors were thrown out the doors of the school and the doors closed.

As the massive hand of the clock swung past 9:00 the lights in the hallway went out again. All of the light in the hallway was gone, it was pitch black. When the hand landed at one minute past nine, the lights came on and Cici as a sexy witch, walked over to were Vic was floating as the white wraith in the air, she took her hand, and together the two of them bowed to their audience. The doors to the Great Hall opened, Ced and the others were following behind.

"WELCOME!" Ced told them using the sonorous charm, in his best announcer's voice, "To the Halloween Dance!"

The group of friends moved aside so the other students could rush into the hall for the dance.

Once the majority of the students had entered the Great Hall, Amber and Julia entered the hall riding in the giant pumpkin that they had transfigured into a carriage with white horses pulling it. They stepped out of the carriage as Cinderella, complete with glass slippers, to their Prince Charming's who were waiting for them with a step stool.

When the two girls got close to Vic, they complained softly that the glass slippers hurt!

"You're a witch, fix it!" she told them.

The two girls looked down at their feet, Vic could see that they were focusing their thoughts, and then Amber waved her hand at her feet, and her shoes transfigured into clear plastic strappy heels, and then Julia transfigured her shoes into white heels that matched her pearls.

"There you go!" Vic praised the two girls.

With a flick of her wand, Cici removed the animation charm on the carriage and the horses and sent them to a corner where they would be out of the way.

The tables that lined the wall were full of food, snacks, and drinks. The punch bowls had been charmed to reject anything that was not put in them by a house elf. They were further charmed to spew the fluid back on to the culprit and turn them lavender in colour. There were about a half a dozen different lavender coloured students trying to sneak out of the hall after their failed attempts to spike the punch. For their sakes, the spell would wear off as they slept.

The two Cinderella's and the two Prince Charming's had the first dance of the night. They moved gracefully around the dance floor in the first and only waltz of the night. For the next three hours, Rose kept the dance a fun and lively affair with a wide variety of music. She ended the dance with two different love songs so the couples in the group could finish the night with a couple's dance.

The group of family and friends shoed the last of the students out of the hall so they could get the place cleaned up and ready for breakfast in the morning.

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.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.18.2018**


	42. Year Five Chapter 42

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 42

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The night of the Halloween dance, Ced had asked his dad if it would be possible for the nine of them to practice the Patronus spell against a real Dementor.

"That might take some work," Harry told him. "Let me talk to the other parents." And for Amber, those other parents would be Angelina and George, because Amber's parents might care about her, but the girl had been basically raising herself until she met George.

"Okay, I think that it would be good practice, and there is a big difference between just casting the patronus spell, and actually facing a dementor." Ced pushed his dad a little.

"Yes, there is," Harry told him.

Harry and Ced hugged, and then they walked over to where Hermione and the girls were talking.

"…same thing happened to Harry the first time he confronted a real Dementor." Hermione was telling the two girls.

"Telling them about the time on the train?" Harry teased his wife.

"Yes, I was telling them about the time on the train." She told him lovingly.

"You know, that was a real turning point in our lives," Harry said. "That was the point when Ron started to have a real problem with us. And when he started to blame me, for all of his troubles." Harry told them.

"We'll talk to the other parents," Hermione told the kids.

"It's getting late, do you want us to walk you to the gates?" Ced offered.

"No, go ahead and head upstairs. I'll talk to you in the next couple of days." Harry told him.

"Goodnight!" Cici told them.

"Goodnight!" Vic said.

With one last round of hugs, Ced wished his parents good night. When the doors closed, Ced looked around to make sure they were alone, then he pulled Vic and Cici in tight against him and they teleportused to the Gryffindor common room. The room was empty, it was close to one o'clock in the morning. Vic gave the passphrase to the gryphon, and they walked up the stairs to their quarters.

Fred was kissing Julia goodnight for the last, last time outside of her door.

"Are we still going to get up and go running in the morning?" he asked Ced.

"I think we should." Ced told him, "Nobody's told the others that we aren't going to go running, so I think that we should."

Fred shrugged his shoulders a little, "Okay, I'll see you in a few hours then." He said tiredly.

"Night Fred."

"Night Ced.

"Night Julia."

"Night Ced."

They all waved goodnight to each other and went their separate ways.

Five o'clock in the morning came early, well it came at the same time that it usually would, but this morning? It felt like it came a lot earlier than normal. The nine of them gathered in the common room, it was an exhausted group that exited the portrait hole, to start their walk down to the lake. The run around the lake wasn't their fastest run they had done in the last several weeks, but it most definitely was they're most exhausting. Once they got down to the chamber's, Vic was quick to summon some Vitamix potions for the group, Cici helped her hand them out.

"Let's work on our occlumency until the Vitamix potions kick in," a tired Angel said.

"I could go for closing my eyes for another thirty minutes," Rose said.

"Me too." Said, George.

For the next thirty minutes they closed their eyes, and an hour later, Ced woke up in time to wake everybody else up to go get their showers.

"Maybe we should have thought of this last night," Ced told the group of friends humorously.

"We'll see you at breakfast," Amber told them.

"We'll see you at breakfast," Cici told her.

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With the remedial students caught up to where they should have been at the start of school, the soul-bonded threesome had their evenings to themselves once again. The classes they taught weren't hard, the essays were more to teach the new students writing skills, but some of the penmanship left a lot to be desired.

"Wow! I feel sorry for my teachers now." Ced told his wives.

"Yeah! Your penmanship used to be horrendous!" Cici told him.

"Look at this! Isn't that a rune character?" Vic showed them another essay.

Cici took it from her, she looked at it for a moment, "You could be right," she said thoughtfully. "But their answer is still wrong!"

They finished grading their student's after class work. Cici quickly cast the privacy charms on their dining room. "I've been thinking about what Hermione told me when we got home from that mission last Christmas." She started.

"Yeah?" Vic said.

"Do you want to go into the house this coming weekend?" she asked her spouses.

"Sure," Ced said with a shrug.

"We haven't been in there in a long time," Vic told her.

"Close to a year or more," Cici said to them.

"Pretty much since we got the house in Greece," Ced told them.

"Well, I want to start working on my Healing Arts stuff, and Hermione said that I would need to learn all of the Latin names for the different body parts."

"Well, I could use the time to start learning how to read company financial reports and things like that," Vic told her.

"I guess that I need to learn to do that kind of stuff also. I know that one day, dad's going to turn the family businesses over to me and I'll need to learn how to run them correctly." Ced told his spouses.

With a wave of her hand, Cici cancelled the privacy charms, they stacked all of the student's work by class and period then they headed out into the sitting room. As expected, Fred and Julia were snogging on the couch in front of the fire.

"We're going to turn in now," Ced told them.

"Night!" Julia giggled.

"Night, mate," Fred told him.

They closed their door and locked it, then Vic cast the privacy charms on it, so if things got a little bit noisy, Fred and Julia wouldn't try and break the door down.

Slowly Ced started to undress each of his wives. He undid Cici's school tie and then began to undo the buttons on her shirt, as he kissed her. Then he turned and loosened Vic's school tie while he kissed her, he worked at undoing the buttons on her school shirt. When he finished with her buttons, he peeled the shirt off of her shoulders. While Vic dropped her shirt to the floor, Ced had turned and finished undoing the buttons on Cici's shirt while kissing her passionately. With her shirt unbuttoned, he pulled her blouse out of her skirt and peeled it off of her shoulders helping her drop it to the floor. After Cici's shirt hit the floor, Ced reached over and unclasped the front closing bra, freeing her magnificent breasts to the cool night air of their room. Her dark brown nipples hardened immediately upon the cold air in the room hitting them. As he knelt between his wives, he took one of her hardened nipples into his mouth and sucked on it for a moment, both Cici and Vic let out a soft moan of pleasure. The two women had their mental links fully opened to their wife. Ced turned and unfastened the clasp on Vic's front closing bra, Vic arched her back, her arms behind her, thrusting her breasts forward to help the bra fall to the floor behind her. Her soft red nipples hardened to the touch of Ced's tongue, he took her sensitive nipple into his mouth and sucked on it gently. Another soft moan exited his wives' mouths as he suckled on her breast. Then as he sucked on Cici's nipple, another moan of pleasure from both of his wives, he undid the belt on her school skirt, then the button, and finally the zipper, the skirt fell in a heap around her bare feet. He let her erect brown nipple pop from his mouth as he turned to Vic's bare breasts. Taking one of her hardened nipples into his warm mouth, he began to suck on it, bringing forth more moans of pleasure from both women, he undid the belt on her skirt, then the button, and finally the zipper, her skirt fell around the ankles of her bare feet. Switching wives, and switching breasts, he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her smalls and pulled them over her firm bum and down to her ankles, with her nipple still in his mouth she stepped out of and kicked her clothes to the side, out of the way. Ced pulled both girls against him in a hug as he kept her erect nipple in his mouth. Then he turned his attention to Vic and her nipples. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her knickers, pulled them over her firm bum and down to the floor, she too stepped out of the pile of clothes at her feet and kicked them to the side, she didn't have the focus right this moment to send their clothes to the laundry hamper. Her focus was on Ced's mouth and the pleasure that it was bringing to her and her wife. Ced put one of his large hands on each of his wives' bums and squeezed gently but firmly. Then he readjusted himself and let Vic's nipple slip from his mouth as he stood up lifting both of his wives, they wrapped their arms around his neck and their legs around his hips and waist as he carried them to their shower. Cici started the shower to running, Vic closed the door to the room, and they both began to undress their husband. Many kisses later, and a lot of excitement flowing through their mental link, the two young women had their thumbs in the waistband of his boxer-briefs, with a gentle pull upwards and then up and over, they cleared the head of his large swollen member, letting it spring free from its confinement. A long, hot, soapy, shower later, three very satisfied lovers exited the shower and slipped under the blankets of their bed.

.

.

It was the end of November, and the weather outside had been particularly bad for the last several days. The group had to resort to portkeying directly to the Chamber of Secrets for their morning runs, and running on a treadmill was not the same as running outside in the fresh air. The group was each taking turns on the weight machines, the guys pushing themselves exceptionally hard on the weights. All of the girls were just figuring it was a bunch of pent-up male aggression that needed to be released.

"Why don't the three of you duel against each other for a while? You know, so you can release some of that hostility that's all bottled up inside of you?" Amber told them.

The three guys looked at her, and then stepped into the training area. Fred and George started to throw little hexes at Ced, who would block them simple enough, and then through one back at them. Quick enough, the hexes got stronger, and the power behind them increased. Soon the thickness of the granite walls was growing much thicker. One metre became two, two became four, and then four became six metres thick. Fred and George quickly split up not wanting to give Ced a single target to work with. They were hoping that one of them could distract him and the other land a good, clean, hex on him. The two of them worked as a team casting walls and decoys of each other to try and wear Ced down for the finishing curse. At close to an hour of this, the two cousins were getting tired, and the rate of their casting was slowing down. Cici stepped in for them, and they went to find a chair. Cici's fresh magic forced Ced to reach deeper, as his wife became aggressive in her attacks on him, then the shadow duelling started. A few moments into the shadow duelling, Vic stood up, and she disappeared. Vic was attacking both Cici and Ced at the same time, forcing Ced to evaluate this new situation. Who was a friend and who was a foe? Or did he have just two foes? Cici was attacking Vic and Ced now, and Ced was fighting both of his wives. It went this way for several minutes.

When Angel looked at her watch, "If you three don't hurry up and finish, we're going to miss breakfast!" Angel cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled at them.

The three of them stopped suddenly and walked over to their friends. Ced pulled both wives in, and they shared a three-way kiss. Ced was soaked with sweat, and the two girls were just a little sweaty.

"Thanks for keeping track of the time," Cici told her.

"Sorry," Ced stated, "I guess that I've been going a little stir crazy being cooped up in the castle so much."

"Us too," Fred told him.

"The weather outside is terrible!" Rose said.

"You know what we should do? On Saturday or Sunday, we should go outside and build a winter wonderland park for the younger kids to enjoy!" Amber told them.

"Tell us about this over breakfast!" Cici told her. "If we don't hurry we're going to miss breakfast!"

They all pulled out their portkeys and then they were landing in the Gryffindor common room. Fred and George exchanged kisses with Julia and Amber then they all headed up to get their showers.

A quick shower, and a fast walk later the group of smiling laughing friends were walking into the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Hey, Potter! What's your problem? Shagging one girl ain't good enough? Now you gotta shag three?" the voice said.

The group came to a stop and turned to face this voice. It belonged to Brady Berkshire.

All of the conversations in the Great Hall was instantly reduced to a whisper. All of the heads were turned to watch the drama playing out in the doorway.

"And why would anything that I do, be of a concern to you?" Ced asked him guardedly.

"That's my little cousin that you're shagging there. If these two skanks want to let you do that, well, that's on them."

"If I was shagging your cousin, what would that matter to you?" Ced asked him. We need to learn as much information from him as we can. He thought.

"Because I'm not going to let you take advantage of her like that!" Berkshire was getting red in the face.

"Who told you that I was taking advantage of her?" Ced asked mirthfully.

"She's sleeping with you and those two whores, in your special quarters!" his voice was getting louder.

"Yes, she does. That's because we're providing protection for her. Protection that you weren't here to give her." Ced told him.

"Yeah, well, she needs protection from you! And I'm here to protect her now!" he stated loudly.

At this proclamation, the group of nine began to spread out. Those other students that were closest to the doorway moved to get out of the line of a stray curse. But so far, no wands had been pulled out.

"Well, I am glad that you're here to protect her now. But it's not me that you need to protect her from, it's some of her other Housemates that you need to protect her from." Ced told him quietly. Ced had been keeping his voice soft and calming. He was working to be the voice of reason in this situation. He was trying to defuse the situation.

"NO! You're not getting out of this that easily, Potter." He hissed as he pulled his wand out of the pocket of his robes.

"You don't want to do this," Ced told him calmly.

"Don't tell me what I want and don't want to do!" he yelled.

"Why do you want to do this?" Ced asked suddenly.

"Because, you're everything that's wrong with this school!" Berkshire yelled again.

"And how am I everything that is wrong with this school?" Ced asked in confusion.

"Because, you're a bloody mudblood lover!" he spat at Ced.

"So, who's the mudblood?" Ced asked. He wanted him to say the name.

"She is!" And he pointed at Vic.

Everybody looked at Vic, and then they looked at him like he was daft.

"Vic's not a mudblood," Ced told him calmly. This guy had all of his facts mixed up. Someone was feeding him some bad information. "Who told you that Vic was a muggle born?"

"It doesn't matter! You're lying!" he yelled and started to bring his wand up.

Ced's wand was in his hand, and he cast _protego alavaris_ to defend himself as Berkshire's curse left his wand. Berkshire's curse was deflected back on himself, and he didn't cast a shield spell in time to save himself from his own curse. The _reducto_ spell didn't have enough power in it to do more than knock him down.

" _Expelliarmus,"_ Ced said calmly and held his hand out to collect the wand flying towards him. Ced looked at him with pity, "An unprovoked attack on a member of one of the Four Ancient Families. You might want to figure out how you're going to explain that to your father." Ced told him in a normal speaking voice.

The confrontation with Berkshire had caused them to miss breakfast by just a few minutes. As Ced seated his wives and was rewarded with a kiss on the lips from each. Fred and George got the same rewards.

"Leo," Ced called out to his elf.

"Yes, my Lord?" the elf greeted him with a pop and a bow.

"Would you please ask the Hogwarts elves if they would be kind enough to fix breakfast for us. We apologise for being late, but we got held up." Ced asked his elf.

"Yes, my Lord!" the elf replied to him and bowed.

A few moments later and the space between the nine of them filled with food. The group of friends tucked in eagerly. Fred helped Julia with her plate, George helped Amber with hers, and Ced helped each of his wives with theirs. Over a quiet breakfast, the group asked Amber about this winter wonderland themed park she was talking about earlier. She described to them the different things that she had gotten to experience when her parents had taken her to Fairbanks, Alaska for the Winter Ice Arts Festival. The artists would create different things for the kids to play on out of blocks of ice. There were teacups that were made out of ice that you could spin around and around in, they had made a maze out of blocks of ice so clear that you could see through them, and they had also made a slide that the kids could slide down.

"If we conjured up some taboggans, then they could slide down the hill!" she told them enthusiastically.

"I like it! It sounds like it could be a lot of fun!" Julia exclaimed.

"Do we just want to do this or do we want to ask permission first?" Rose asked the group.

"Let's do it this Saturday after breakfast!" Amber carried on with enthusiasm.

"Okay, let's plan on it then," Ced told them.

"Well, we need to be off to our classes, or we're going to be late," Vic told them.

"It wouldn't be good for the teachers to be late to class!" Angel chided them.

.

.

That night in their study, the communications mirror buzzed for attention. Vic got up off the couch to go answer it.

She walked up to the full-length mirror and touched it. Harry's image appeared in the mirror. "Hi, dad!" she said happily.

"Hi, Vic. Are your spouses around?" he asked her.

"Yeah, they're lying on the couch, do you want to see them?" she asked.

"No, that's not necessary. I was just calling you to let you know that I've gotten that training scenario with the Dementor setup for this Saturday." He told her.

Cici and Ced came walking around the corner into the study also. Vic noticed that Cici had covered up magically to be presentable to her father-in-law.

"You got it setup!?" Ced asked his dad again.

"Yes, it's set up for Saturday afternoon. I've already talked to Minerva, and she's going to let all nine of you attend." Harry told them.

"Great!" Cici said.

"I'll send over the portkeys later in the week. How's teaching going?" he asked them.

"It's a lot of fun, most of the time," Vic told him.

"Some of these kids' writing sucks!" Cici exclaimed.

"It's eye-opening," Ced told him. "Most of this curriculum hasn't changed in hundreds of years. Oh, hey, we had an incident with another student today." Ced commented to him.

"Oh? And what was that?" Harry asked him curiously.

"It was with a student named Brady Berkshire."

"Any relation to Julia?" Harry asked.

"It's her cousin. I guess that the family was living in Egypt for a while and they just came back to England this year." Ced explained to him.

"So, what happened?"

"We were walking into the Great Hall for breakfast, and he called me out for being a mudblood lover, he seemed to think that Vic was a muggle born."

"He thought that Vic was a muggle born?" they could all hear the surprise in his voice.

"Who thought that Vic was a muggle born?" his mum asked from off the screen.

Ced could see his dad talking to his mum telepathically for a moment. She joined them on the screen.

"I worked hard to defuse the situation, but he was intent on attacking me. He drew his wand and cast the first curse, I used _protego alavaris,_ and then I disarmed him with _expelliarmus_." Ced gave them the highlights of the fight.

"So, he's going to need a new wand," Hermione stated flatly.

"Yup," Ced replied to her.

"Okay, what do you want us to do about it?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, for now, this is just to give you a heads up. I think that his dad works for Gringotts or something like that."

"Okay, well, we'll see if anything comes of this or not," Harry told him.

"Okay, goodnight," Ced told his parents.

The girls said their goodnights also and the mirror went blank again.

As the three of them turned to leave the room, "Do you want to go back into the house?" Cici asked them.

"Hey! We're home!" Julia announced as she and Fred started up the stairs. She had walked in on Cici walking around in just her knickers before, so now she would announce her arrival if she was with Fred.

"We're up here in the study!" Cici called out to her.

"Okay!" she yelled back.

"What's going on?" Fred asked trying to make conversation.

"Well, my dad got the training scenario with the Dementor setup for this Saturday after lunch," Ced told him.

"That's great!" he replied with enough enthusiasm for a whole class of first-years.

"We're going to turn in for the night mate," Ced told their friend.

"Okay, goodnight you three!" Julia told them.

"Night!" the girls replied to them.

After their door was closed, locked, and charmed, "You know, the day after tomorrow is both of your birthdays." Vic told them.

"Friday is our birthday?" Cici asked.

"Wow, it's sad when you get so busy that you forget your own birthday," Ced commented as he started to strip down.

"Let's go into the house on Friday then. We can celebrate our birthday there with Edmund and the others, and then we can start working on what we want to do." Cici answered as her skirt hit the floor.

"I agree, I enjoy teaching the first-years and all, but our regular classes are boring! I'm not learning anything in them. Well, maybe how to deal with some real wankers." Vic said as she started to fill the tub with hot water.

"We each have one class by ourselves, and the looks that some of the guys give us, well I feel like I need a shower afterwards," Cici said as she bent over, peeling off her smalls.

"Have they been fighting to sit with you?" Vic asked her wife, as she was bent over peeling off her smalls too.

"Yes! Arh! And some of them seriously need to learn where the showers are!" Cici told her as she started to step into the tub.

"And what the soap is really for!" Vic chuckled.

"And deodorant!" Cici told her scrunching up her face. Vic scrunched up her face too, as they both shuddered.

"This one girl came in and sat with me. It's like, if you have to wear that much perfume, take a shower!" Ced told them.

"What girl?" Vic asked, getting focused on Ced as she stepped down into the tub.

"Who was she?" Cici asked looking up from the bottom of the tub.

"Vivian something or another," Ced told them, as he stepped down between the two beautiful women.

"Vivian Verrado?" asked Cici, looked at him intently.

"Yeah, maybe." Said Ced in confusion, as he sat down and wrapped his arms around their shoulders.

"Vivian 'Varoom Varoom' Verrado?" Vic asked him, pulling away from him a little to get a look at his face.

"I don't know. Why?" asked Ced as he gave a small shrug.

"You don't know who Vivian Verrado is?" asked Cici, pulling back some, so she could see his face.

"No, why?" he said as he looked back and forth between his wives.

"Because she's the fastest girl in Hogwarts!" Vic told him, as she turned to face him some more.

"She is? How fast can she fly?" Ced asked in surprise. He was sure that he would have heard some of the other guys talking about how fast some girl could fly.

" _Oh, my Godric!"_

" _Can he really be this thick?"_

" _Hey! I heard that!"_ Ced thought.

"If half of the rumours about her are true…" Vic started to tell him, looking straight at him.

"Then she's got more notches in her lipstick case than…" Cici had moved around to look him in the face also.

"My mum!" Vic told him.

"And what if none of the rumours about her is true? Think about all of the rumours that are flying around out there about us?" Ced told them defending some girl's honour that he didn't even know.

"Arh!" Vic said under her breath, as she slid back under his arm and into his side. "So chivalrous."

"Ugh!" Cici said as she slid back under his arm, and snuggled up to his side. "That must be why we love him."

.

.

Angel and Rose made their way down to the kitchens of Hogwarts, and with a little help from one of the elves, they found the elf in charge of the kitchens.

"Hi! We were wondering if you could help us out with a favour." Angel started.

"If it is for extra food, then no we are not allowed to give out extra food." The old elf told them.

"No, it's not for extra food," Rose told her. "What we would like is a birthday cake for Cedric Potter and Cici." Could she tell the elf that they were married? Did the elves already know that they were married?

"You are talking about the bonded couple." The elf said in awe. "But what about the third one?" she asked.

"Her birthday is not until December. But for Ced and Cici, their birthday is tomorrow." Rose told the elf.

"Okay, and how big of a cake do you want?" this was going to matter. If it were big enough for the whole school, then the answer would be no, there just wasn't enough time.

"Well, I don't want it too large. Maybe just big enough for twelve people to have a piece." Rose told her.

"Okay, that's not too big. What kind of cake do you want?"

"Just a regular cake with lots of frosting. Not too much, but maybe some extra frosting." Angel told her.

"Okay, we will help you with this. When do you want the cake?"

"Can we have it after dinner tomorrow? Do you need us to come and pick it up? Or can you just make it appear on the table like the rest of the food?" Rose asked her.

"We can make it appear on the table, but I will need to know where you are sitting so that it goes to you." The head of the kitchens told her.

"Okay, hum, let me think, I will put four knives on my plate in a cross, like this." She told the elf, making a cross with her fingers, like a plus sign.

"Okay, we will have the cake ready for Lord and Lady Potter. How old will they be?"

"They're going to be sixteen years old tomorrow," Rose told the elf.

"I will have the chef write on the cake, 'Happy Birthday Cedric and Cici' and we will put candles on the cake for you also." It was very rare that they got to do anything out of the ordinary for the young Lord and his friends. They had done a lot of good for the school. Just last year they had rescued twelve young girls from the side of Darkness. And they had helped purge the school of many evil people.

"Thank you very much for your help on such short notice," Rose told the Head Elf.

"It is a pleasure to serve." She bowed to them.

The two girls headed out of the kitchens pleased with the plans that they had made.

.

.

Friday morning came, and the group of friends awoke to more snow outside, this was good for their plans on Saturday, but bad for their moral. Ced was confident that the treadmills had never had this big of a workout before. As the group of students got off of the treadmills, they all looked at them in disdain.

"When is this bloody snow supposed to go away?" George grumbled.

"Not soon enough for me," Julia said.

"I'm tired of running on these stupid treadmills!" Fred agreed with the others.

"At least we have them to run on," Ced told his friends. "If you want, we can run the stairs in the castle tomorrow morning."

"Babe, at this point, anything will be better than one more day on the treadmills," Cici told him.

Ced looked at Vic, and she nodded her agreement with the others.

"Okay, so tomorrow we'll run inside of the castle. Nobody else is awake when we do this anyway." Ced told them.

After helping his little brother with his workout, the others exhausted themselves with some hand to hand combat scenarios. As he watched them sparring against each other, Ced added a thought to his plan for tomorrow morning. He wanted to end at the room of requirement for some training with some swords. It had been a long time since they had done any of that kind of training. It was an exhausted but happy group of teens that were ready to hit the showers.

"Vic and I are going to need some help brewing some potions," Cici announced to the group of friends.

"Sure! what do you want help with?" Amber asked eagerly.

"I'll help too!" said Angel.

"I think that we would all be willing to help," Rose said.

"Well, we need blood replenishing potion, we need Vitamix potion, we need bruise relieving potion, we need all of the potions. We're running low on all of them," Cici told them.

"How do you brew the Vitamix potion?" Neville asked. "I want to help too." He told her.

"I'll teach you how to make it," Cici told him.

"Okay! When do you want to get started?" he asked her.

"Let's do it tomorrow after dinner." She suggested to him.

"Okay!"

"I'll talk to Professor Lively about us using one of the unused potions labs." She told the group.

"Is everybody ready to take their showers?" Ced asked.

.

.

That evening at dinner, they were just finishing up the meal when Rose placed the four knives on her plate in the cross form. It was quiet in the hall that night, all of the professors had left the room. Just as the birthday cake appeared in the middle of their group, Brady Berkshire stood up and walked to the front of the Great Hall, in front of the empty head table.

Ced cancelled the privacy charms so they could hear what he was going to say.

"I was told by my father, "he announced loudly, "That I needed to make a public apology for attacking Cedric Potter. That bloody mudblood loving, filthy wanker, sorry excuse for a pureblood wizard if there ever was one."

Everyone in the hall was watching him as he started on his rant about Cedric.

A few minutes into his rant, "You know what Potter, I challenge you to a duel to settle this." He said loudly.

Amber stood up immediately, "If you want to fight someone, fight me." She said as she moved away from the table and started to walk towards Berkshire.

"Why would I want to fight you? Your just a little girl." He told her. "Oh what, he has to send a girl out to do his fighting for him?" he said as he looked around the hall with a smug look on his face., trying to antagonise Ced into the fight.

"If you want to fight somebody, fight me. I'm a muggle-born, and you seem to hate all of us!" she told him loudly and defiantly.

He looked at her like she was the filth off the bottom of his shoe. "Why should I fight you?"

"You're the one that hates all of us muggle-born witches, what'd you call me? A 'mudblood?' What, are you scared that you'll lose to a girl?"

"I'm not scared of you, you filthy mudblood!" he spat out as if the mere words had caused a bad taste in his mouth.

"Oh, so you're scared of losing to a mudblood!" she said as she kept trying to provoke him.

"I'm not scared of you! Go back and sit with your filthy mudblood loving friends!" he yelled at her.

"No! make me!" she yelled at him.

He made a false move towards her, and she jumped back bringing her fists up to fight him. But it was too late, he was already laughing at her, and so were some of the others in the hall.

"Little girl is afraid of getting hurt!" he said sounding like a guy talking to a little baby.

"You know," she said loud enough so that everyone in the hall could hear her, "The other day, you said that Cedric was everything that was wrong with this school. If he and his friends are everything that is wrong with this school, then why did they receive a Meritorious Service to the School award for saving twelve girls from being kidnapped and sold into slavery? You know what? You! You're everything that is wrong with this school, you and your false sense of 'pureblood' pride." She kept trying to hit the right combination of buttons. She needed him to challenge her to a duel so she could beat him.

He spun around and looked at her.

"Yeah, you. You're everything that is wrong with this school. You're nothing but a bigot, an inbred bigot." She spat the words at him.

He started to walk towards her now. Wanting to intimidate her. But she wasn't going to back down this time. She waited and held her ground. He got up right in her face and looked down on her. Bumping her chest with his.

"You want to fight?" he asked her, leaning in to intimidate her.

"Yeah, right here, right now." She told him heatedly.

He turned to the students in the hall, "Did you hear that? She wants to fight me! The little mudblood witch wants to fight me!" then he turned to face her again. "What do you want to do? A Wizard's duel?" he asked her.

"Whatever you want to do, your choice." She told him coldly, as she was staring him down. She had won.

"Fine! A Wizard's duel it is!" he announced loudly to everyone in the hall. "And when did you want to do this duel? Do you need to go practice?" he spoke down to her.

"I'm here now." She told him in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

He looked at the head table, and all of the professors had left for the night.

"Let's do this." He said to her.

Amber had a sinking feeling that the rules had just gone out the window so to speak.

"I'm waiting on you." She told him point-blank.

He turned and looked at the house tables, they were too close to the head table for a proper duelling platform, but he didn't know how to move the house tables back, closer to the doors of the hall.

"We don't need a formal duelling platform, who's your second?" he told her.

"I think that I'll choose another Muggle-born, Cecilia Ramos is my second." Amber winked at her because she knew that Cici wasn't a muggle-born, but nobody outside of their group knew that.

The students that were at the head of the tables started to move away from the area of the fight. Others had gone and gotten other students to watch the unauthorised duel that was about to happen. The hall was starting to fill up with spectators.

Good, Amber thought. More people to witness this bigot's humiliation.

"I'm going to choose Jefferson as my second." He told her.

"So, who's going to be the referee?" she asked him.

"Black. Hey! Black will you referee this?" he asked another seventh-year.

James looked over at Ced, and Ced just nodded his agreement to him. Cici kissed Ced and got up to walk over to support Amber and her decision. James got to the head of all of the tables and looked at them, then with a wave of his wand and a soft-spoken spell, all of the tables moved to the far end of the room. Then he turned around and with another wave of his wand he conjured a regulation duelling platform. With little formality, he told the contestants to take their ends of the duelling platform.

"On the count of three." He told them. "One, two, three." And he jumped off of the platform.

True to his lying, cheating self, Berkshire cast the first curse at the end of two. Thankfully, Amber had trained for that scenario and was waiting for it with a simple _protego_ shield spell. She didn't want to give away all of her secrets tonight. So, as he cast his hexes and curses at her, she would either sidestep them or conjure a concrete wall to absorb the spell, she didn't want any of the spells to be absorbed by her robes.

Less than five minutes into the duel, "I thought that you said that you were good at this?" she started to talk trash to him.

She wanted him to get good and mad. She wanted him to get careless. She wanted him to burn up his magical core and lay in the hospital for over a month. The trick would be to keep him from killing himself. It was working, he had doubled the speed of his spellcasting, and his accuracy had fallen off considerably. Now even Cici was having to use a shield spell every now and again to protect herself. Amber was sidestepping, dropping and rolling, or just conjuring walls for him to blast. She had yet to cast an offensive spell at him.

"Is the big bully having problems hitting a little girl like me?" she taunted him some more. And it had the desired effect of him getting even more careless, and wasting his magic.

"You stinking mudblood!" he yelled at her in anger.

"I don't stink! I took a shower and used deodorant this morning!" then she leaned towards him. "You, you're the one that stinks! Have you ever heard of deodorant?"

The students that were in hearing range laughed at the joke. A tired Berkshire got angrier and started to cast his spells faster again. She could tell that he was getting tired because the rate at which he was throwing spells was slowing down quicker and quicker. She wanted him to collapse, she needed him to collapse from his own stupidity. Several conjured walls later, Berkshire was doubled over holding on to his knees, breathing heavily.

"Ah, is the big bad bully getting tired? Is it past your bedtime?" she taunted him, by talking to him like she would a two-year-old child. "Would you like me to get you a pillow and a blankie?" she teased him mercilessly.

He straightened up and cast another curse her way, this time, she used _protego alavaris_ to deflect his curse back on him. He was too tired to dodge his own curse, he had to cast a shield spell to protect himself.

Then she pointed her wand at him forcefully and said in a normal voice, _"Expulso/stupefy/expelliarmus!"_ Berkshire flew backwards off the edge of the platform, while he was still in the air the stupefy hit him, and then the expelliarmus got him. Amber stood there dumbfounded while his wand flew to her and landed at her feet. She bent over and picked up her new trophy and held it high above her head. All of the students in the Great Hall erupted in applause, cheering, clapping, and yelling. She was so excited that she had won her first official duel, she started to jump up and down on the platform. Cici kept an eye on Jefferson, she was pretty sure that Amber had enchanted her school robes to act as shields, but she was going to watch her back anyway.

Amber jumped off the stage and into the waiting arms of George. With a huge hug and a big kiss, George picked her up and spun her around and around.

Keeping her eye on Jefferson, Cici jumped off of the platform and walked over to Amber and George. "Did you enchant your school robes?' she asked her quietly.

"Yes, why?" she looked at her worriedly.

"Just asking, in case anybody wants to take a cheap shot at you as you're walking up to the common room," Cici told her looking around at who might want to do her harm.

With another wave of his wand, James banished the duelling platform. Then he turned around and with another soft-spoken spell and a wave of his wand all of the house tables resumed their places.

The Gryffindor's were especially rowdy because one of their own was the victor of the competition.

"Leo," Ced called to his elf.

With an inaudible pop, the faithful elf appeared by his side.

"Would you please take the birthday cake up to our quarters?" Ced asked his elf.

"Yes, my Lord." The elf told him. And then both the elf and the cake were gone.

When Cici made her way back around the table to her spouses, they both pulled her into an exuberant hug. They had just watched their pupil, defeat a student two years' her senior in a duel. Both student and teachers were very excited. This was probably one of the best birthday presents that they could have received.

Up in the Gryffindor common room, Amber was greeted with a conqueror's welcoming. As soon as she stepped through the portrait hole the common room erupted into more cheering and applause. George and Fred lifted her up onto their shoulders and turned around for all to see their victor.

When the cheering and the commotion had settled down just a little, Cici yelled for them to hear, "Not only did she beat him!" more cheering for a few more moments. "She did it in heels!" she screamed for all to hear.

Amber lifted one of her legs up so that everyone could see that it was true, she was wearing heels when she beat him. There was yelling and screaming, whistles of appreciation, and some catcalls at her boldness. Some of the other guys teased George about having such a pretty girlfriend. But the revelry in the common room lasted until past midnight. Some of the seventh-years had gotten some butterbeers into the common room, and that had helped keep the party going as long as it did.

At just before eleven o'clock, Ced had told the others that they were going to turn in for the night. Cici and Vic had already gone upstairs. Ced joined them in their bedroom, the two wives had already changed into something more comfortable than their school robes. Ced summoned some clothes to himself and changed quickly. Cici sent his dirty clothes to the laundry hamper, and then she was gone, followed by Vic, and then by Ced.

As Ced stepped away from the glowing rune on the polished white marble circle, he heard Ade's heavenly voice saying, "Hello Cici, hello Vicky, and hello Ced."

All three of them greeted her warmly and fondly.

"Ade?" Ced asked.

"Yes, Ced?"

"Could you please set the time differential to six months to one real hour?" he asked her.

"It is as you wish. It has been a long time since you last visited us," she chided him.

"Yes, and we have missed all of you too," he told her as he wrapped an arm around each of his wives' waists, and then they apparated to their bedroom.

"Oh, and happy birthday to you Cecilia, and happy birthday to you Cedric." She said from everywhere and from nowhere. She hadn't taken a physical form yet, so she was the house.

"Thank you, Ade," Cici said sincerely.

"Thank you very much, Ade," Ced told their old friend kindly.

The three of them stripped down for a quick shower and then to bed.

The next morning found the trio running on the beach, working out with Toll, a shower, a pleasant conversation with Edmund on what they wanted to accomplish on their stay in the house. This is where Ced told the others that he wanted to make their friends their own swords. The occlumency had given him excellent memory recall so he would be able to make the swords working in the afternoons instead of laying on the beach, not that he minded laying on the beach with two very beautiful women that would have hardly any clothing on, it's just that he wanted to get this done. The others agreed with his plans, and that it would be his loss, they teased him.

For the next twenty-four months, Ced worked diligently on making the swords for their friends. Finally, in the last week, he had finished making the swords.

"Would you two be willing to help me with etching the runes into the swords?" he asked his wives.

This came as a bit of a shock to the two witches. "Sure!" Cici told him.

"Yeah," Vic answered him.

"When do you want to do this?" Cici asked.

"Tomorrow after lunch." He told them.

"Oh! Let me see if my calendar is clear!" Vic teased him. "Oops, sorry! I'm all booked up with sunbathing for the rest of the week!" she smiled at him.

They all shared a simple laugh at her humour. Thankfully their tans wouldn't follow them back into the real world. The day after they finished etching all of the runes into the swords, and casting all of the correct enchantments on them, Ced was able to join Vic and Cici on the beach.

" _I think you're right. I think he faded."_ Vic thought to Cici.

" _He's so white they ought to put a warning label on him that reads, 'Do not look directly at the white guy, severe eye damage may occur!'"_ Cici thought back to her.

" _Oh, haha!"_ Ced thought to the two of them.

The next morning as the runes faded in the carpeting of their room, Ced laid the six new swords on the bed, while they changed into their workout clothes. Now that the weather had gotten colder, the girls had given up on wearing only the sports bras and skin-tight running short they had worn all summer long. Now it was every girl for herself! As they exited their room, Julia was just leaving hers, the three of them were all well rested, while she was still tired from last night's revelry.

"Good morning Julia!" Vic said to her brightly.

"Uh." Was all that Julia said in reply.

"Are you ready to go run some stairs?" Ced teased her.

"Uh hu." She mumbled in response.

The other five of them slowly gathered in the common room for their run. Ced started off at a slow pace so their muscles could warm up before he started to take the steps two at a time. Up to the Owlery, they went and then down to the dungeons, then up to the Astronomy tower and then down to the Great Hall, then they went back up to the Room of Requirement that opened up for them as they approached the entrance wall.

Inside of the room, it was warm and brightly lit. Training areas were partitioned off so multiple people could spar against each other at the same time. The walls were lined with all sorts of different weapons. Ced could see them looking for their favourite swords.

"I have a gift for each of you." He started to tell them. "They came in last night." He fibbed a little.

All of his friends just stared at him owlishly. Yesterday was his birthday, and they hadn't even cut the cake!

He reached into the pocket of his running jacket and pulled out a miniature sword done up in red and gold. When he enlarged it, it was a red and gold katana. Ced looked at it, "Here, this one is for you Rose." He told her.

She stepped forward and accepted the gift from her friend.

Ced pulled out another sword and enlarged it, this was a broadsword similar to his own, it was decorated in red and silver. "Here, this one is your's George." He told his longtime mate.

George walked forward to accept his gift. "Thank you." He said humbly.

And so, it went until all of the swords had been handed out to their rightful owners.

"All of the katanas are enchanted to never need sharpening like Cici and Vic's swords. And your two swords," he addressed his two mates, "Will need to have a cutting spell placed on their edges like mine and my dad's swords." He told them.

"All of the swords are enchanted to only take in that which will make them stronger, like the Sword of Gryffindor," Cici told them.

"I wonder if the room can produce a simulation like the one at my parent's house? Ced thought out loud. It was too much to hope for.

"Oh well, it was worth a try mate," Fred told him, with a clap on the back.

For the next hour, they practised with their new swords. When they were finished, all of them agreed that their new swords were so much nicer than the simulated swords in the room. Before they left, all of them shrank their swords and placed them somewhere on their bodies, for the walk back to their common room and their showers.

Today was going to be a busy day for them.

As the group entered the hall for breakfast, the vibe in the hall was wrong, it had that feeling of expectation and a feeling of dread. The group looked around, and they saw that Berkshire was nowhere to be seen, but it was still early, and the hall was relatively empty, the only thing that was normal was that the majority of the eyes in the room were on all of them.

As they headed for their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, Professor McGonagall called out, "Miss Davis, Miss Ramos, and Mr Black! If I may have a word with you!"

Ced hadn't seen James in the hall, so he turned around quickly to see him and his girlfriend walking in holding hands.

"Time to pay the piper." He told Ced softly.

"Sorry mate," Ced told him. What he wanted to say was that she would go easy on them because she liked Cici and she liked what they had done with and for Amber. Amber was one of the twelve that had been rescued from the terrorists last year.

"Don't worry James." Cici told him, "When she learns what Berkshire was saying she'll let us off easy. Just some yelling."

The three of them joined the Headmistress in the anteroom for the interrogation. At least it was only an interrogation and not an inquisition! Professor McGonagall started off by talking to Amber first, to find out what had happened from her point of view. Amber held back nothing about what had happened last night. Next, the Headmistress talked with James about what his part was in all of this. Then she looked at Cici.

"Professor, would you like me to show you everything that happened?" Cici offered to project her memory of last night's events on an empty wall in the room.

"Please." She asked and gestured to the wall.

For the next several minutes Cici projected her memory of the duel and what had led up to the duel of last night. She showed how Berkshire had drawn in James into what had happened. The professor noted that Amber only cast the winning spells at the end of the duel and that Berkshire had tired himself out in his anger at, at what? Ced and his friends had been awarded several Meritorious Service awards.

"Thank you, I think that it's time that I bring his parents in for a talk." She told them. "Enjoy your weekend."

"Oh, Professor, we were going to set up a winter playground outside after breakfast for the students. Is that okay with you?" Amber asked.

"As long as it's nothing too dangerous, that'll be fine. Excuse me please, I need to go." She told them as she exited the room in a rush.

The three of them joined their friends at the Gryffindor table, Ced and George got up and held the chairs for their girls, both of them were rewarded with kisses.

"We've got permission to make the winter playground outside!" Amber told all of them enthusiastically.

There was excited chatter about what they all wanted to make for their part of the playground.

James asked Cici, "How did you know that she wouldn't be that mad?" he asked her curiously.

"Because we didn't do anything wrong. Berkshire is a bigot, and he's a hater. Those are two things that Professor McGonagall dislikes. Plus, we didn't pick the fight, but we didn't back away from it either." She told him.

"But what's her name, antagonised him." He told her a little confused.

"Berkshire was throwing around racial slurs. A muggle-born stood up for herself and other muggle-born magicals everywhere and defeated his pureblood arse. And she didn't even break a sweat doing it!" Cici told him proudly.

"Okay, who is she?"

"Amber, excuse me! Amber!" Cici called her friend.

Amber stopped talking for a moment and looked at her.

"Amber, this is James Black. James, this is Amber Davis." Cici made the introductions.

James held out his hand to her, she took his hand and shook it, "Are you Sirius's son?" she asked him curiously.

"Yes, he's my dad." He told her with a small smile on his lips.

"Oh, okay, pleased to meet you!" she said brightly.

"Pleased to meet you too, nice work on ole Berkshire last night by the way." He gave her a little praise.

"Thank you, he's a real dick. He thinks he's better than everyone simply because he's a pureblood. Rumour has it that Madam Pomfrey's going to keep him through Christmas." She told him smugly.

"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," James told her. Then he looked at Ced, "Well, I'm going to get back to Vivian. I hope that you all have a terrific weekend." He told him.

"Vivian?" Ced asked curiously.

"Yeah, Vivian Verrado. She and I have been together for almost two years now." James told him as he pushed off from the table.

"Vivian 'Varoom Varoom Verrado?" he asked him confused.

"Don't let her hear you call her that! She hates that name! Some wanker a couple of years ago that she kissed one time and broke up with gave her that name and has been spreading lies about her ever since." He told Ced with a laugh.

"Thanks!" Ced told him merrily and with a wave goodbye.

James headed off to go join Vivian farther down the Gryffindor table with some of the other seventh-years.

Ced looked at his wives, _"Well, now we know the truth!"_

"Let's get our cloaks so we can get started outside!" Amber told the threesome.

"Well, summon it!" Vic told her as she held up her hand for her cloak that was flying through the halls of Hogwarts. "You are a witch after all!"

A minute later Vic's, Cici's and Ced's heavy winter cloaks zoomed into the Great Hall. Amber saw what Vic had done, and then she summoned her own winter cloak wordlessly and wandlessly, she still had a look of concentration on her face as her cloak flew into the hall and to her outstretched hand.

"Yes!" she pulled her fist down in celebration. "I love being a witch!" she said a little too loud.

Outside, the group started to build the winter wonderland. The girls went one way and the guys, well, boys will be boys and they started building a sledging track worthy of the Olympics. Since this was officially Amber's project, she took to supervising and encouraging the others. When she walked over to find out where the guys went, she came across their sledging track.

"You can keep the barrel roll, and you can keep the loop, but the jump at the end has to go." She told them sternly.

When the three of them started to protest, "Professor McGonagall said that she didn't care what we did as long as it was safe." She stood there resolutely.

"Fine," Fred said to her bummed out.

As the other students started to look out the windows of the castle, they began to come outside to see what was happening. As more and more students began to abandon their common rooms, the nine of them started to have more fun. They got a lot of praise and positive feedback from a lot of the students. They had slides made out of ice, they had the teacups made out of ice that you could sit in and spin around, they conjured some taboggans for the kids to slide down the hill on, and they also had a gallery of ice sculptures on the side of the castle in the shade. They had created some activities that the other students could come outside and have fun with for a couple of hours. They could get rid of some of the 'Castle Fever' that was running rampant through the school.

Julia had discovered her inner artist as she was carving some of the teacups. When she had finished with the teacups she moved around the side of the school, into the shade, and started to create ice sculptures. She made a Quidditch team with the seeker chasing a snitch. She created a dragon fighting an old-time knight with a shield and sword. She created a wizard with a tall pointy hat and a long beard, brewing a potion in a large cauldron with a red light to show the flames. She created a vine made of ice, climbing the side of the castle. She also did several of the magical creatures in the forbidden forest, a Unicorn with its foal, of course a Thestral, a Hippogriff, and a Centaur with its bow drawn. She did a scene of the Merpeople and their underwater village. She had the seaweed growing up around the edges of the village, and different houses and shops in the village.

When it was time for lunch, the nine of them headed inside of the castle to the Great Hall for lunch. Harry and Hermione should be there soon to escort them to the Dangerous Creatures Preserve so they could practice their patronus' against a real Dementor. They knew that their afternoon was going to be a busy one indeed.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.19.2018**


	43. Year Five Chapter 43

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 43

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Harry and Hermione walked up the slick, snow-covered, path to the front doors of the castle. As they walked along slowly, holding hands, a warming charm on themselves, they saw a lot of students outside having fun on different things made out of snow and ice. On the one side of the path was a sledging trail that looked like a lot of fun with a barrel roll and a loop in it, and finished off with a high banked, 180 degrees turn to start the student back up the hill to the castle. On the other side of the path, there were students riding taboggans down the slope of packed snow, being stopped by a mountain of snow at the bottom. The closer they got to the snow-covered castle, they saw simpler rides and a few ice sculptures. They noticed a steady stream of students holding hands walking around the edge of the castle into the shadows, so they decided to follow them to see where they were headed. As they rounded the corner, and into the shadow of the school, they walked into an ice arts' gallery. They followed the students and watched as they would point out different things about the sculptures and then talk about it. Harry and Hermione kept the hoods of their cloaks up to hide their faces from the students as they marvelled at the beauty of the sculptures. Eventually, the path led them back to the stairs at the front of the castle. They climbed the stairs and entered into the warmth and the artificial lighting of the school. As they left the Foyer, they turned right to enter into the Great Hall to start the search there for their kids. Inside the mostly empty Great Hall, they found the group of students that they were looking for, sitting about three-quarters of the way down the Gryffindor table talking and smiling. Their cloaks unfastened, with the hoods down. As they approached the group, Julia saw them, and with a wave of her hand, she canceled the privacy charms.

"I see that you're starting to do some wandless and wordless magic." Hermione praised the young witch.

"Vic and Cici have been working with us on that." She told her, praising her tutors.

"Are you ready to go?" Harry asked the teens anxiously. There was a lot that could go wrong today, but there was also a lot that could be learned. All of the precautions that they could take had been put in place to protect the teens.

Harry got affirmative answers from all of the teens, so he and Hermione sat down for a moment to talk with them about what to expect from this afternoon. Hermione watched as Julia cast all of the privacy charms with a wave of her hand. One of the things they talked about was the portkey they would be using, it was made to take them to the preserve and then return them to wherever they had started from, so if they portkeyed from the Great Hall, then the portkey would return them to the Great Hall. Harry suggested that they portkey out of the married quarters so there would be few eyes watching them, and then there would be a lot fewer questions to answer when they got back that evening. With that advice, the group went to the threesome's married quarters.

"Before you activate your portkey," Harry wanted to warn them, "I want you to find your happiest memory and hold on to it."

Each of the portkeys was activated at separate times, and they all arrived, somewhere that was cold, foggy, wet, gloomy, and grey. They could all feel the depression pressing in on them, so this is why Harry had told them to hold on to their happiest memory, the depression was constant, all around them, hanging heavy in the air, just like the fog.

"Is everyone doing okay?" Hermione asked. For some of these kids, they had memories that most adults wouldn't have, or want.

Getting nods of affirmation or just 'yeah,' Harry led them up into the fog.

"Where are we?" asked Angel. She already wasn't liking this place.

"We're in the Highlands of Scotland, in a valley, between two small towns." He looked back at her but kept walking. "The people here, are naturally resistant to the effects of the Dementors."

"How can someone be resistant to a Dementor?" Fred asked. The Dementor had stopped him cold in his tracks that one time.

"These people grow up with less than one-hundred days of sunshine in a year. They grow up in this." He gestured around him as he continued the climb to their destination.

The kids contemplated what it would be like to grow up someplace that didn't get a lot of sunshine. For Cici, London had been the gloomiest place she had ever been until she got here. For Amber, well, she's a California girl, and San Francisco wasn't this gloomy on its worst days.

The group approached a small stone cottage, parts of it were covered in moss, the light from inside was like the happiness that they were trying so hard to hold onto, inside of themselves. Harry knocked on the door, then opened it. On the inside was a large, spacious, warm, and inviting place.

The woman behind the desk looked up from her work, "Good afternoon, Lord Gryffindor." She said to him pleasantly.

"Good afternoon, Sari."

"He is waiting for you." She told him efficiently.

"Thank you," Harry told her as he led the group of teens out the back of the building.

Behind the building, the weight of the depression got worse, it was almost like a heavy wet blanket on their shoulders. They came across a stocky older man.

"Good afternoon, Boyd," Harry said as they approached him.

The man looked up from his work, the runes faded, "Good afternoon, Harry, Hermione." He looked at the group of teens. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked him.

"After the Dementors got to them in Hogsmeade that…"

"Aye, that was a bad one there. That group took some work to round up they did." He told him. "Well, if you're determined. Follow me." He led them farther up into the cold mist. He talked about how this area had always had some kind of Dementor population, they just seemed to like it here.

"We've isolated eleven of them," he was telling them, "One for each of you. There is a special area that has been warded. We can activate and deactivate the wards and isolate you from the Dementor. Has the lot of you done any studying on Dementors?" he looked around as he asked that question.

They nodded yes at reading up on that depressing subject.

"Good, so you know what to expect. Do you want to show them how it's done, Harry?" he said turning his focus from the teens to Harry.

They saw Harry look at the ground as he stepped forward and the kids could see a section that had the runes carved into the stone on the ground. The keeper tapped on a càrn, and they watched as the runes activated protecting Harry from the full population of dementors. Then the sickly sight of the foul looking wraith glided silently towards the box that Harry was standing in.

Harry didn't wait for the Dementor to get close to him, _"Expecto patronum!"_ he yelled and put some force behind it. The white mist shot out from the tip of his wand and formed a large stag that chased the Dementor away. It stood there, standing guard until Harry stopped the flow of magic into its being.

Boyd looked at the group, "Okay, that's how it's done. Don't wait for the Dementor to get to close to you. The closer it gets, the stronger it will get and the weaker you will become! Who's next?" he asked them.

Hesitantly Cici stepped forward, and she entered the box as Harry left it. Harry gave her an encouraging smile as they changed places.

"Are you ready, lassie?" Boyd asked her.

Cici nodded hesitantly, as she put up her mental walls to protect her spouses.

"Here we go." He warned her, as she watched him tap on the càrn.

She almost felt it before she saw the sickly, oily, shape gliding at her, then she heard the screaming in her head, she could hear the sounds of fists hitting flesh, and then she heard the sound of his voice.

Boyd tapped the càrn again to activate the wards and protect the fallen girl from further abuse. Ced and Vic rushed to their wife's aid, Ced scooped her up into his arms and carried her outside of the box created by the runes. Hermione was by their side as Ced helped Cici stand up, Vic helped him steady her. Hermione slipped the backpack off of her back and reached in to get her a piece of chocolate.

"Okay, who wants to try this next?" Boyd asked the group.

Rose stepped forward.

"Remember, to cast the patronus, you need to have the happiest memory that you have, the happier the memory, the stronger your patronus will be. And, as soon as you see the Dementor, don't hesitate, cast the spell!" Boyd cautioned her.

Rose stepped into the box of runes, Fred and Julia were focused on her. Then Boyd tapped on the càrn again. She felt a bad memory trying to surface, but she focused on the happiest memory she had, " _Expecto patronum_!" she yelled with everything she had and her patronus erupted from the tip of her wand, a beautiful male peacock ran at the dementor pecking and chasing the foul creature away from her.

"Very good! Well done!" Boyd praised her.

The others in the group clapped and cheered at her success.

Boyd tapped the càrn again, and Rose left the box. He looked around to see who would be next. George stepped up hesitantly.

"You can't do this hesitantly, son," Boyd told him. "You've got to show some confidence. The Dementors can sense your hesitancy, and they'll use it against you every single time." He warned him kindly.

Angel took his place, and as she stood in the box, she looked at Boyd and nodded. Let's get this over with she thought to herself. Boyd tapped on the càrn, and as soon as Angel saw the shape gliding towards her, she cast her patronus not wanting to wait and see what bad memory it would drag out of her past. As her patronus chased the creature off, she was finished with this experiment.

And so, they went through the group of teens, Ced's patronus was a pair of twin lionesses, Vic's was a male lion, and Cici's was a male lion also. Hermione had helped Cici lock those memories away again, and she didn't hesitate to cast her patronus the second time. George gained some confidence when he watched Amber successfully cast her patronus, that gave him the encouragement that he needed. Then Hermione's otter brought up the rear of the training exercise. They all thanked Boyd for helping them with this training exercise. He admitted that he had, had his doubts when Harry had approached him, but that they were a good bunch of kids, and he was glad that they were learning how to defend themselves against the Dementors. As a reward for doing so well, he offered to take them on a guided tour of the facility so they could see the other dangerous creatures that were housed there. Not surprisingly, nobody in the group wanted to accept his offer, they all turned him down kindly. Some of them made the excuse of having school work that they needed to catch up on. But they just didn't want to be around the Dementors anymore.

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Once they were back in the married quarters, they claimed their seats, in all of the couples, the girls sat across the guy's laps, they were drawing strength from each other's comfort. Harry asked Dobby and Winkey if they would please bring them some butterbeers. The group celebrated their success against the Dementors. Ced asked Leo if he would please pass out the birthday cake that they hadn't cut yet. Then they started talking about how Amber had defeated Berkshire in the duel last night.

Ced, Vic, and Cici all made a mental note of how Harry was making a mental note of what she was saying. Cici conjured two vials and then using her wand, she pulled a copy of two memories out of her head and placed the silvery threads into the vials for Harry's use later. The three of them had the feeling that there would be a formal written apology coming later. Harry caught sight of what Cici was doing, and then they locked eyes, Cici nodded and then Harry felt the weight of the vials in his pocket. He smiled at her to let her know that he had them. Amber recited the tale of George and Fred lifting her on to their shoulders and turning her around and around so all of the Gryffindors could see their victor in the common room. Then she told them about Cici telling all of the people in the common room that not only did she beat him, but she had done it wearing heels!

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Just before dinner time, Hermione slid off of Harry's lap so they could stand up and say their goodbyes to the boisterous group of teens, they were headed home for dinner, and the group of jubilant teens could head down the Great Hall for their dinner. With a small pop from Dobby, the threesome's parents were gone.

With George and Amber leading the way down the steps, the excited group headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. Most of the portraits gave approving comments as the young couple worked their way down to dinner. For Ced and his wives, it was a good feeling to see how much progress had been made, from a victim to a victor, and her success against the Dementor was worth even more praise. Amber deserved the triumph she had worked so hard for. The thrilled group of teens headed for their usual seating area, Ced and his wives sat with their backs to the wall. After seating Amber and Julia, Fred and George walked around to join them on that side of the table.

"We need to start planning the Christmas dance," Cici told the group of friends. Then she excused herself to go to speak with the Headmistress about having a Hogsmeade weekend the weekend before the party.

The Headmistress asked her, "How was your field trip?"

"It worked out for the good. A couple of us had some trouble."

"Oh?"

"Yes, we waited too long to cast our patronesses. That is a terrifying feeling." Cici told her remembering what had happened a few hours earlier.

"Well, I'm glad that you're okay now. Would you please tell Miss Davis that her winter wonderland was a huge success for me?"

"Yes, ma'am. I was wondering if the other students would still get to go to Hogsmeade the weekend before the Christmas dance?" Cici asked her.

"Yes, I will get that arranged for you. Oh, and Miss Ramos, it will be a Christmas dance and not a beach party. I am to presume?" the Scottish Headmistress said to her with a small smile on her lips.

Cici saw the humour in what she had told her, "Yes, ma'am, a Christmas dance and not a beach party." Then her head popped up a little straighter as a brilliant thought entered her head, "Can we do a Caribbean Christmas dance instead this year?" She asked her smiling hugely.

"With a dazzling smile like that, I can see why Mr. Potter is so taken with you." She praised her. "I will allow it this time." She told her. "But, don't make me come through and have to cover people up." She told her sternly. Minerva didn't know how that smile could have gotten any larger, but it did.

"Thank you!" Cici said enthusiastically as she spun around and hurried back to her seat.

The huge smile on her face told everyone that Cici had gotten her way on something, not just the Hogsmeade weekend either.

After Ced had seated her, "Well, girl spill it!" Angel told her.

"Well, we get to have our Hogsmeade weekend like we had hoped for." Cici was dragging it out.

"Come on! Tell us already!" Julia told her anxiously.

"We get to do a Caribbean themed Christmas party this year!" Cici almost screamed excitedly.

The others all got caught up in her enthusiasm, "But wait, what does a Caribbean themed Christmas party look like?" Rose asked suddenly.

The others all stopped suddenly and looked at her, "That's a good question." Fred told her.

"Too bad, we can't just make a portkey and go and check it out," Julia said.

At that statement Ced smiled, he had made the portkeys for the Chamber of Secrets, how much more difficult could making an international portkey be?

" _I think that you have actually had to have been to where you're going to make the portkey, to take someone."_ Vic thought to him.

At that thought, his smile faded, she might be right.

" _She is babe."_ Cici thought to him.

"Well, can't we get some travel magazines? Or get something from the bookstore?" Ced told the group.

"We'll check the library for some travel magazines. Not that any magicals in this country want to go anywhere." Cici told him sardonically.

.

In the library, Amber asked the librarian if there were any travel magazines or something like that. The librarian kind of frowned at her, but then she suggested that they try the back corner of the library.

"Even Merlin travelled," Angel grumbled softly as they started their trek to the back corner of the library.

It was so dark back there that five of them had to use the _luminous_ charm to provide enough light for the others to see while they searched through stacks of old magazines. After thirty minutes of searching the dusty old magazines, they found half a dozen different ones from different years that had photo travels of the Caribbean islands.

"Oh! Look what she's wearing!" Rose said.

"Look at the shorts that he's wearing!" Julia commented.

As the teens poured over the articles in the magazines, to get a good mental image of what the people were wearing, what it looked like there, the grass huts, and the sandy beaches, and all of the palm trees. They started to flesh out their plans for the school dance.

As they walked back to the Gryffindor common room, all of the girls started to plaster posters advertising the Christmas dance, with the Hogsmeade weekend, all over the walls of the school.

The next morning at breakfast, "Miss Ramos! A word please?" the Headmistress called to her. Vic, Cici, and all of the other girls all got up to go talk to the Headmistress.

There was safety in numbers.

This kind of shocked the Headmistress, but she allowed it, as they all entered the anteroom for the discussion that was to come.

Looking over the group, Professor McGonagall started to address Cici, "Miss Ramos, I said that there were to be no beach parties."

"Yes, ma'am, but we did agree upon a Caribbean themed Christmas dance." Cici countered.

"Yes, we did. I also said that there would be no bikinis."

"Yes, ma'am, but would this be okay?" and Cici transfigured her clothes into summer beachwear, she had on sandals, a long, lightweight, flowing skirt, a bikini top covered by a beach cover-up. The only skin showing was her arms and her face.

Vic did the same thing changing into a beach sarong with her shoulders exposed. Then all of the other girls did the same thing changing into various different styles of beachwear cover-ups.

"Okay, I'll let you continue with your plans. But be warned, I will be watching for any inappropriate behaviour." She warned them. "And, by the way, fifty points to Gryffindor for some ingenious transfiguration, and Miss Berkshire, 10 points to Slytherin for excellent transfiguration skills." She rewarded the girls ten points apiece.

"Thank you, Professor!" the girls said together.

As the girls turned to leave, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, when they turned to look at her, "Please change back, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold." She teased them.

"OH!" they said and transfigured their clothing back to their school robes.

.

.

The Christmas dance opened with Ced flying into the Great Hall in a sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer and one with a shiny red nose. Cici and Vic were both in the sleigh with him as they flew over the heads of the students that had shown up early for the dance. The two girls were wearing the same outfits that they had shown Professor McGonagall only in red and white with winter patterns in the material. They had coated the floor of the Great Hall with about ten centimetres of sand. The drink stations and the food stations were done out of palm fronds. The traditional Christmas tree was in its correct place, they didn't want to mess with tradition that much! The palm trees were all wrapped in fairy lights spiralling up to the fronds and then spreading out from there. The charmed candy sleigh was flying around dropping candy on the students. Rose was playing more modern music that people could dance to in the sand without their shoes on. Although it was warm, almost hot, in the Great Hall, the enchanted ceiling was showing the snow falling outside.

Although it wasn't a traditional Christmas dance, it was a nice change of pace and was very successful. They had to shush several students out of the hall as the clock struck twelve midnight. As they went around cleaning the hall up for breakfast in the morning, an army of house elves appeared to start taking the food and drink away. With a wave of her hand, Julia banished all of the sand from the hall, and Amber banished the drink stations, and the food stands with a wave of her hand. With all of them working together, at 12:30 a.m. the hall was ready for breakfast in the morning. They all gave a heartfelt thanks to the elves for their help and support with the party.

The next morning, after their workout in the chambers, sitting and enjoying breakfast, "Can't you just apparate us to your house and we can floo home from there?" George asked wistfully.

"I can't," Ced told him. "I need to watch over my little brother."

George's shoulders slumped at the news, he knew that it was an outlandish request anyway. The broom ride home at the end of last year had been a lot more fun than sitting in that train compartment wondering who was going to try and mess with them this time. As it turned out, it was the most boring train ride home any of them had ever experienced. They all slept the whole way back to King's Cross Station. Each of them took a turn checking on Nev and his friends every half an hour until they got to the train station. What they would do is walk past his train compartment and just look in, some of them slid open the door and asked how they were doing, thirty minutes later another of Ced's friends would do the same thing. In their compartment, someone had fogged the windows on the aisle side of the compartment and then darkened the inside of the glass, someone else had darkened the outside window, so it was dark in the compartment making it easier to sleep on the way home. As the train pulled into the station, the change in speed and the change in motion woke the compartment's passengers. Rose cancelled one of the charms and Angel cancelled the other charms on their compartment. The group of teens waited for the initial rush of people exiting the train to end before they started walking off of the train and on to the platform. As they were waving goodbye to each other, Harry was waving his friends over to him.

Once everyone was gathered around Harry, "Please join us for dinner tonight at six. McMillian would like to speak with all of the kids tonight." He told them.

This got all of their attention. The parents would finally get to meet this mysterious man, and the kids would get the chance to earn some more money.

.

.

After dinner, as they were retiring to the sitting room, Harry was making introductions.

"Fred, Lady Bones, it is a pleasure to meet you," Sean told them sincerely.

"George, Angelina, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He told them honestly.

"You won't be meeting Amber's parents. They're non-magicals, and they live and work in Ireland." Harry told him.

"Don't worry!" Amber told him, "I'll get the release form signed for you." She said with a smile.

Taking their cue from Hermione, all of the girls sat across their boyfriend's lap, as they waited for Sean to start the meeting.

"The first thing I want to ask all of you," he said addressing the teenagers, "is, do any of you have a tattoo?"

All of the kids either said or shook their heads "No."

He looked around taking it all in, "Good, if you ever get a tat, we can no longer use you." He warned them.

Seeing the confused looks on their faces, he went on to explain. "A tattoo is an identifying mark. The enemy can identify you by a tattoo, no matter where you get it." He said to them sternly.

Seeing the looks of concentration on their faces, "For the mission that we're going to offer you, even a birthmark would keep you from being able to take part in this mission. You know, I've never met a person that regretted not getting a tattoo, but I've met a lot of people that have regretted getting a tattoo." He told the kids.

The adults in the room nodded their heads in agreement with him.

They went on and talked a bit more, then Sean passed out the parental consent forms for the parents to sign. After he collected those, he passed out the mission nondisclosure forms and after all of them had signed that form, and he received them. He started telling them more about the mission.

"This mission could last between three and four months. So, you will be missing a lot of school." He started off. "It is a multinational coalition that is asking for your help." He told them. "The mission will take place in Mexico, and America. We will fly the eleven of you to America…"

All of the teens were shaking their head "No."

"Why? What's wrong?" Sean asked in confusion.

"I don't think that they want to sit on an aeroplane for that long." Harry chuckled at McMillian.

"So, how would they want to get to Washington D.C.?" he asked him.

"We can get there using an international portkey," Harry told him.

Seeing the confused look on his face still, "It's a lot faster way to travel than sitting on a crowded airliner for hours on end." Harry explained to him.

"Okay, we can make that adjustment," McMillian said to him, as he made a mental note. "Anyway, once we're in Washington D.C. the mission specifics will be discussed." He told the group. "Any questions?" he asked.

"How'd they find out about us?" Vic asked. Most of the other teens nodded at her question.

"No, we did not tell them that you existed, so we didn't break the blood contract. The American's noted our success on a mission that Ced, Cici, and Vic did for us that required the use of teenagers. When they reached out to us, I thought of all of you." He told them.

"Not to be the greedy one in the bunch," Ced told him, "But how much is this going to pay?" he asked.

"That I don't know, but being that it is a multinational coalition, I would think that it will pay quite well. You will have to discuss that with my American counterpart. I'm just the middleman facilitating this deal." He answered the question.

"When will it start?" Angel asked. Some of the group nodded at her question.

"The Monday after New Year's Day," Sean told her.

"What will they be doing?" Susan asked worriedly.

"Since their request was about Ced and… Okay, who all are married in this group?" Sean blurted out shaking his head in frustrated confusion.

His outburst was met with stony silence.

"Okay, I know that Harry and Hermione are married," gesturing at Fred and Susan who were sitting side by side, "I would assume that you two are married." Then he looked at George and Angelina, "I would say that you two are married. But I don't know about the rest." He looked around at all of the couples and then he settled on Ced and his wives.

"What do…" Ced started.

"you know…" Cici added.

"about us?" Vic finished.

"Wicked!" Fred and George Sr. said in unison.

"It's…"

"just…"

"like…"

"what…"

"we…"

"used…"

"to…"

"do." They finished together.

It's like watching tennis, Sean thought.

"What I know about you three, is that you have the ability to communicate telepathically and that you can't be separated for long periods of time." He answered their question.

The threesome talked about this for a few moments then they looked at McMillian.

"Let's just leave it at that, Sean," Ced told him.

Damn these magical people liked their secrets, Sean thought to himself.

"Yes, we do," Cici told him whimsically.

This earned her a quizzical look from him, did she just read his mind?

"Yes, she did," Vic told him with a small smile and a little bit of laughter.

This earned her a scared look, what about all of the other secrets that he was supposed to be keeping?

"We don't care about all of your other secrets, sir," Ced told him kindly.

All of the other teens in the room looked at their friends, "When are you going to teach us to do that?" Julia asked them.

"When you ask." Cici teased her brightly.

"Well, we're asking!" Rose told her humorously.

"So, that's a learned skill?" McMillian asked, looking around and then settling on Harry.

"Yes, it's a learned skill." He told him.

"Well, I'm worried about all of the school they'll be missing," Angelina said.

"Oh, don't be mum!" George told her.

"Well, you have to take your O.W.L.s at the end of this year!" she told her son.

"We could probably pass our O.W.L.s right now, Aunt Angelina," Rose told her.

"We've learned a lot," Fred told her.

"We'll be fine! With Ced, Cici, and Vic to help us…" George told her.

"I'd be willing to help them also," Hermione told her.

"Well, it's still a lot of schooling to miss. What's Minerva got to say about this?" Susan asked Hermione.

"Minerva doesn't even know that the kids do this kind of work," Hermione told her.

"What are we going to tell her?" Vic asked her mum. "Who's going to teach our classes?"

"The regular professors would probably be the ones to teach the classes again, and we'll just tell her that the nine of you have been offered an opportunity to go to America for three to four months," Hermione explained to Vic.

"I hope they don't screw up my kids," Vic grumbled.

Sean looked around the group, "Are we all on board with this?" he asked. He looked around, and everyone seemed to be nodding their assent. He looked at Amber, "I need that permission form as soon as you can get it to me, no later than Tuesday or Wednesday." He set a deadline to give the girl a sense of urgency.

"Good, then I will stay in touch with Harry I will depend on him to get the portkey thingy." He said.

"Are we going to need to bring our trunks with us?" Angel asked.

"Trunks? Oh, no, they'll provide you with your clothes, but do take a little bit of stuff until they get you settled in over there, maybe a week's worth of clothes. I'll be going with you and stay for a few days until you're comfortable with them." McMillian told her.

Hermione slid off of Harry's lap signalling an end to the meeting. All of the other teens followed her lead.

Harry looked around, "Any other questions?" he asked. "No?"

Sean shook George and Fred Sr.'s hands, they exchanged pleasantries and then Harry escorted him to the floo. Inside of the Leaky Cauldron, Harry helped Sean back to his feet, he waved at Tom and accompanied Sean outside so he could catch a black cab back to his car.

As the spy got in the back of the cab, "Make sure she gets me that permission slip if you would."

"Will do. I'll talk to you later." Harry said just before he closed the door to the cab.

.

.

"Vic gets to spend her birthday at home this year!" Ced told them.

The other's looked confused for a moment.

"Last year, we were working on her birthday," Cici told them.

"What do you want to do for her birthday?" Amber asked.

"What do you want to do for your birthday, Mon Amor?" Ced asked her.

"I don't know!" then she blushed a little. Hermione had been cheated out of the last party because they had stayed at the beach house for the week.

"Do we want to let George plan it? He did a good job with our wedding." Cici asked her.

"Is that something that you would want to do?" Vic looked at George.

"Do I have to involve Uncle Neville and Uncle Draco?" he asked sheepishly.

"No, but if you try and cut Uasal and Car-baun out…" Cici started to tease him.

"I'm not that thick!" he teased her back.

"Ooo, but we had better tell Charles!" Ced told the group.

"Yeah, if you cut him out! Ouch!" Fred's mirth-filled voice teased his cousin.

"Charles," Ced called to the Head House Elf.

Pop, "Yes, Lord Potter?" the ancient elf appeared with a slight pop and a bow.

"Charles, we were wanting to have a birthday party for Vic. George has agreed to be the party planner." Ced told the elf.

"Okay, sir, and what do you require from me?" the elf asked formally, looking between Ced and George. George had done an acceptable job of planning their wedding, so the old elf was willing to work with him again without being forced to.

"Charles, I would definitely need help with the cake, food, and the drinks, please," George told the elf.

"My pleasure to serve." The old elf told him.

"Could we get together later and talk about this some more?" George asked the intimidating old elf.

"As you wish Master Weasley." The old elf excused himself and was gone with the softest of pops.

"Do you think that he apparates and disapparates with a pop because he has to, or because he wants to?" Fred asked.

"Do your elves make a sound when they apparate and disapparate?" Amber asked him.

"Sometimes," Rose said.

"I think that they do it, kind of like knocking before you enter a room," Julia said.

"So, they're not just barging in unannounced?" George asked.

"I think so." Said, Angel. Her parents didn't have any house elves, so all of her knowledge was gained from being over at her cousin's house and over here with the Potters.

"I think that I agree also," Vic told them.

"Maybe it's their way of being polite," Cici said.

"I accept that." Ced finished the conversation.

"You know, at least this year we have time to go Christmas shopping!" Cici said to the group of friends.

"Thank Merlin!" Rose agreed with her.

"When do we want to go shopping then?" Fred asked the group. He needed to figure out what he was going to get Julia this year, at least he had some galleons this year. She got a new wand and a new broom last year, maybe some jewellery then, he thought. But what did he know about jewellery? Nothing. Who could he ask? Cici or Vic? Ced, I'll talk to Ced. If he could get Julia to go with Cici and Vic, then he would have time to get Ced to go jewellery shopping with him. I wonder what George is going to get Amber for Christmas?

Fred leaned over towards George, "Psst!" he hissed at George.

George looked at him, the girls were in a conversation that he was ignoring for this moment. "What?" George asked him quietly.

"What are you getting Amber for Christmas this year?" Fred asked him.

George looked at him like he had just grown an extra head, "I don't know. I hadn't thought about it." he whispered back.

Fred motioned with his head that they should go someplace else so they could talk some more. George patted Amber on her hip to let her know that he wanted to get up. Fred did the same thing. As the two guys walked away from their girls, the girls watched them for a moment. When the two of them were outside the doors of the sitting room and off to the side a little, out of sight.

"I was thinking of getting Julia some jewellery for Christmas," Fred told his cousin.

"Okay, sounds good to me. I know that Amber doesn't have very much." George told him.

"But I don't want to buy just cheap jewellery. I want to buy her something nice." Fred told him.

"Okay, but how do you know how to tell the difference between a real diamond and a fake diamond?"

"I don't know, how do you?"

"I don't know," George said with a shrug.

"Cici and Vic have nice jewellery."

"But I don't want to ask them. I was hoping that Julia would go shopping with them while I bought her Christmas present for her."

"Do you want to ask Ced? He bought Cici and Vic nice jewellery last year." George suggested.

"Okay, but won't he tell Cici and Vic?"

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean that he'll tell Julia!"

"Do you think that Cici and Vic can keep a secret?" Fred asked concerned.

"Yeah, I think so. They've never told me anything."

"Okay," Fred answered him. Then he moved into the doorway so he could see Ced. When Ced made eye contact with him, he motioned with his hand for Ced to join them in the formal living room.

Ced gave the two girls a kiss, and they let him get up and go see why Fred and George were acting weird.

When he got out into the living room, "What's up?" Ced asked his mate.

"I was wanting to buy Julia some nice jewellery for Christmas," Fred told him.

"Okay, she'll probably like that," Ced told him.

"The thing is, Fred and I don't know how to tell a real diamond from a fake." George cut to the chase.

"That can be tricky," Ced told him.

"Will you go with us?" Fred asked him.

"Sure! I was thinking of getting something for Vic and Cici." Ced told them. Jewellery was almost always a safe bet for a gift.

" _Ooo! I want something with Amethyst this year, please!"_ Cici thought to him.

" _I want something with Yellow Topaz this year, please."_ Vic thought to him.

"When can you go with us?" Fred asked him desperately.

"Let's go tomorrow, Saturday," Ced suggested.

"Okay! When?" Fred sounded like a drowning man that had just been thrown a life preserver.

"After breakfast," Ced told him.

Saturday morning after breakfast, Grandpa Dan and the three boys were headed for the floo.

"Why's your grandpa coming with us?" Fred asked.

Ced looked at him, "Because, he knows all of the good places to go." Ced told him mirthfully.

"Oh, okay!" Fred was just glad for all the help he could get.

Ced went through the floo first so he could catch his grandfather if he needed to.

Once they were all through the floo, Dan turned to Tom and called to him, "Morning Tom!" Ced did the same thing.

"Morning Dan! Morning Ced!" Tom yelled back to them.

The group of guys exited the pub and hailed a cab to begin their trip through muggle London. Dan had the cabby take them to the jewellery store that he felt had been the most helpful to them when he had taken Ced and Cici jewellery shopping the first time.

Once they were inside the jewellery store, the two cousins were in awe. They had never been someplace with so much sparkly stuff in their lives! They walked around and stared inside all of the display cases. The selection was overwhelming, they knew that they would have some trouble, but not this much trouble! The first salesgirl, sensing an easy commission, walked up to the two gaping boys and offered to help them.

Ced moved over to his friends, "Actually, we were waiting on the store manager, John." He told her kindly.

The salesgirl's nose turned upwards at him for just a moment, "Let me go and see if he's available." She said in a haughty voice.

"Thank you," Ced said to her politely. Just because she was going to be rude, didn't mean that he needed to be rude.

The salesgirl escorted the store manager part of the way back to them, "Ced! Dan!" he said to them as he held his hand out to shake theirs. "It's good to see you again. How may I be of service?" he asked, knowing that these were buyers.

Dan introduced Fred and George to the sales manager and explained that they were wanting to buy some quality jewellery, but like his grandson, they needed help distinguishing the real from the man-made/lab created, or even the fake stones. A half an hour later, and a lot of guidance, the two guys were looking at the jewellery in a whole new light. They even started to look at engagement rings and wedding sets. After the three of them purchased some jewellery sets they headed to the next jewellery store, another one after that, then they had lunch at a pleasant restaurant downtown. After lunch, Dan had another cab take them to the consignment shop to have a look around.

Dan asked the assistant manager if he could teach the boys how to tell the quality of the gold in a piece of jewellery. The young man took the time to show them how it was done. The guys looked through the display cases and learned that they had some more jewellery in the safe in the back. The assistant manager went to retrieve the higher quality jewellery for the boys to look at.

"Oh, I like that!" Fred told the man.

"Ah, yes, you have good taste, young man. Those are high-quality clear rubies and midnight blue sapphires set in a white gold setting, it has the earrings and bracelet to match. Interesting enough, it also comes with an ankle bracelet." The young man told him.

After negotiating a price that both of them could live with, Fred paid for his purchase, and they waited while George wanted to talk to him about a necklace with chocolate diamonds and a white metal.

"Ah, you have an excellent taste also, those are chocolate diamonds set in a platinum setting, it comes with a bracelet also." He described the jewellery to George.

George talked price with the man and pulled out his debit card to purchase the jewellery.

While his mates were talking to the assistant manager, Ced had found two different sets of jewellery that he was interested in. One was a combination of two different shades of purple amethyst and had emerald accents the other was yellow topaz with emeralds. The amethyst necklace was set in 18k yellow gold while the yellow topaz was set in platinum. After Ced's purchase, they all thanked the assistant manager for his time, and they headed off to get Julia and Amber a nice jewellery box to put their new jewellery in.

Once they were back at the Leaky Cauldron, the boys bought Grandpa Dan a butterbeer as a way to say thank you. As they sipped their beers, they sat there and talked for a while. They talked about this, they talked about that, and they talked about that other thing too, as they neared the bottom of their glass of butterbeer, Ced asked his grandfather if he wanted to go into Diagon Alley with them while they got their gifts wrapped or if he just wanted to go home. He chose to go home, so the boys saw him off at the floo, and then they headed to Diagon Alley.

As they walked down the brick street, they were looking for the first street vendor that could wrap presents. They found one, set up next to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor. They walked up to the table and asked the young lady if she could wrap their presents for them. A half an hour later, they were walking back to the public floo network to get to the Potter Mansion.

"You two do know that you're going to have to charm all of that jewellery with anti-summoning charms, right?" Ced asked his two best mates.

"What do you mean?" Fred asked.

"You need to put anti-summoning charms on the jewellery or somebodies going to summon it right off of your girlfriend's neck!" Ced told him.

Fred just looked at him like, 'they can do that?' kind of look.

"Mate, how much did you spend on all of the jewellery?" Ced asked.

"A lot!"

"Okay, so let's say that you and she are walking down the street and some person in, Knockturn Alley, just summons her necklace right off of her neck, what are you going to do?" Ced asked him.

"I'm going to go and kick his arse!" Fred replied.

"Whose arse are you going to kick? The guy's already apparated away. With Julia's jewellery." Ced gave him a very possible scenario.

It was as if Ced had become a profit, as the three of them were walking past Knockturn Alley, Fred felt the bag of presents being pulled out of his hand, he turned in time to see some dirty wizard with scraggly hair turn and run down the street. And the pull on the bag stopped.

"You know, mum and Auntie used to tell us that the holidays were one of the highest times for crimes. Auntie would tell us that some people would break into someone else's home and steal all of their Christmas stuff and take it home to their house so their kids could have Christmas. I've never understood why. The holidays are supposed to be a happy time, a time of joy and giving. Not a time of increased darkness and evil." Fred had become morose in his thoughts.

As they turned into the public floo alcove, off of the street, "Look, do you see what that witch is doing?" the others looked where he was indicating, "She's stealing floo powder!" Fred frowned, and the other two just kind of shook their heads.

A pinch of powder, the flare of the flames, "Potter Mansion." George said.

George, Fred, and Ced stepped out of the floo, one after the other, and they were greeted by … Gareth.

"Master Weasley, Master Bones, welcome home Lord Potter." The old elf greeted them with a bow.

"Thank you, Gareth," Ced told the old elf. "Where are the girls?" he asked him.

"I believe the young mistress's and the Ladies Potter all went shopping shortly after you and your friends left this morning," Gareth told him.

This came as a surprise to the boys, but it would make sense. Why should they spend their whole day sitting around the house doing nothing when they too could be getting their Christmas shopping done? What did they expect them to do? Sit around the house all day pining away for their men? Waiting breathlessly for their return?

"Thank you, Gareth." Was all that Ced said.

The old elf was gone near silently.

"Well, let's go put our gifts under the tree," Ced told his mates.

When Ced didn't put all of his gifts under the tree, "Why didn't you put all of them under the tree?" George asked him. Was there some secret to giving your woman gifts that he didn't know about? Were you supposed to keep a certain number of presents secret, and put a certain percentage of gifts under the tree? What's going on? What's happening here? What don't I know that I should know?

"I bought some anniversary gifts and a birthday present for Vic," Ced told him calmly.

"Oh, okay," George told him with a sigh of relief.

"Do you guys want to go to the training room and workout with our swords?" Ced asked them.

"YES!" they said together.

"Okay, let's get changed and meet there in fifteen minutes!" Ced told them excitedly.

.

.

That night, after Vic's birthday party, the loving trio knocked on Harry and Hermione's bedroom door.

"Come in!" Hermione called to them.

Ced opened the door slowly, and they all stepped into their room.

"Hey mum, hey dad." Vic addressed her adoptive parents. "Thank you again for the birthday party and the gifts." She told them graciously.

"You're very welcome," Harry said solicitously.

"We're going to go over to the beach house for a few days," Cici told them.

"We will be home on New Year's Eve," Ced told his parents.

"Rose and Angel should be joining us sometime tomorrow," Vic said to them.

When their mum and dad gave them a questioning look as to why.

"It's something that we can do for them because they don't have a boyfriend yet, and we feel that they might feel that they get left out of somethings." Ced tried to explain it.

"It's something that we can do for them that's special," Cici said.

"Okay," Harry said.

"Be safe!"

"Have fun!" Harry said.

"We'll see you on New Year's Eve!" Hermione told them.

The threesome walked downstairs, and they checked that they had everything, then Cici pulled the portkey out of her cleavage, they all touched it, and they were sucked into the portkey network.

.

Holding hands, the trio landed gracefully outside of their beautify island home. They noticed that all of the lights in the house were on. They walked down the gravel walkway to the front doors of their home. The tall double doors opened silently as they approached them, inside stood Leo, Maco, and Lucy who all greeted them with a bow. The loving threesome returned their greetings and thanked the elves for their service. After excusing themselves, they headed upstairs to change for a moonlit walk on the beach on this unusually warm winter night.

As they stripped down, "Merlin I hate clothes!" Cici exclaimed loudly.

"I'm surprised that you have lasted as long as you have with Julia around." Vic laughed at her.

"Arh! Me too! You know? I've never liked clothes! Even as a little girl, I hated sleeping in a nightgown. My mom would always come into my room at night and put it back on me. When she would ask me why I didn't like to wear my nightgown, I would tell her that it would twist around my body and choke me." Cici told her wife.

"And see, for me. I never was taught to change my clothes before going to sleep. I would just sleep in whatever I was wearing at that time." Vic told her.

"Well, you both are lucky that it's as warm as it is tonight!" Ced hugged both of his wives.

Ced slid the door to the deck overlooking the beach open, as the two bare-breasted girls walked out into the cool night air, their nipples pebbled immediately. As they walked down the stairs leading to the soft sand of the beach, Ced could see their skin getting goosebumps in the moonlight.

" _Do you want me to cast a warming charm on us?"_ he thought to his wives.

" _No! this feels so good!"_ Cici thought to him.

He looked at Vic, _"No, I'll be fine."_ She thought to him.

" _Okay."_ He thought to them both.

Ced started to guide them towards the cove that they liked to swim in. As they got down to the harder sand, the walking got easier.

Cici let go of Ced's hand and started to massage her breasts, "You know, last year when we took my mom bra shopping?"

"Yeah."

"I couldn't believe how big she was!"

"I know! She's huge!" Vic exclaimed.

"I still don't think that I want to get as big as she is," Cici said thoughtfully.

"Okay, why?" Vic asked her.

Cici over lifted her breasts with her hands and looked down at them for a moment, "I think that I like how big I am now. Maybe a little larger, but too much bigger, and I think that they would cause problems, they would get in the way of doing things that we do all the time." She released her breasts and took hold of Ced's hand again.

Vic let go of Ced's hand and hefted her breasts, she looked at them, and then she rubbed them firmly, looking at them as she walked beside her spouses, "I agree, a little larger and they would be perfect. But nowhere near as large as your mum's, that would be way to big!" She released her breasts and took hold of Ced's hand again as they walked down the beach.

"What do you think?" Vic looked up at Ced and asked him.

Ced let go of their hands and wrapped his arms around their torsos, pulling them in tight next to him. "I think that you two are the most beautiful women in the whole world, and I am the luckiest guy on the planet." He squeezed them tight for a moment, they turned their faces to him, and he kissed them both, then he relaxed his hold just a little.

When they got to the cove, Cici pulled away from her spouses and walked into the water, they both could feel how cold the water was through their link. When she was waist deep, she dove into the water completely. When she surfaced, she blew out a breath of air forcefully.

"Come in!" she yelled to them.

Her two reluctant spouses waded into the water to join her. When they were waist deep, they both dove in to join their clothing phobic spouse. When Ced surfaced, he ran both hands over his head to force the excess water down his neck and back. They played and talked in the water for a few minutes before getting back out. When they were out of the water, they quickly used a drying spell on themselves. And then they snuggled against each other for the walk back to their home.

"You know that warming spell you wanted to use earlier?" Cici asked Ced. "Now would be a good time for it." She told him.

She could feel the warmth coming over them as they walked back. The shivering stopped, but at least they hadn't gotten so cold as to have their teeth start to chatter. At the top of the steps, they left their shoes outside of the door, they scourgified their feet clean of the sand and headed to the shower to rinse off before getting in their nice clean bed.

As they lay naked in bed together in their usual sleeping positions. "So, you have never liked wearing clothes?" Ced asked Cici.

"I guess not." She told him.

"And you were never taught to change out of your dirty clothes before going to bed?" he asked Vic.

"No." she answered him.

"You know," Cici started thoughtfully, "People in the wizarding world move at a different pace than people in the non-wizarding world."

"What do you mean Mi Amor?"

"Well, look at us."

"Yeah?" Vic said.

"Well, normal fourteen, fifteen, sixteen-year-old kids don't do what we do."

"But we were bonded when we were fourteen." Ced started to protest.

"But Vic wasn't bonded with us when she was sleeping with us, naked, at thirteen."

"Okay, true.

"I'm just saying that non-magical kids, our age wouldn't be doing what we do."

"But, a lot of them are having sex at sixteen," Vic told her.

"Some of them are having sex younger than that," Cici told her. "But we have no desire to have sex."

"Not yet." Ced agreed with her.

"That's true isn't it." Vic agreed.

"Here we are, two sexy, young, vibrant, healthy girls, lying in bed without any clothes on, naked, with a very attractive, naked, man, and we have no desire to have sexual intercourse. This same scenario in the muggle world would have produced at least one baby and maybe two! For us, the bond is holding us back, for now.

"Well, I for one don't want to have any kids when I'm fifteen years old," Vic told them.

"Me neither. When you first came into our lives, Little One, it was frustrating." Cici told her. "But now I couldn't imagine not, having you as my wife."

"I love you too, Dark One."

They both lifted up and kissed Ced goodnight. Then they snuggled back down and closed their eyes to enjoy their shared dreams.

.

The next morning before lunch found Maco down on the beach with the threesome announcing the arrival of Rose and Angel.

"Thank you, Maco," Cici told her elf. Maco bowed and disappeared.

The three of them got up and headed for the house to greet their guests, they detoured through their bedroom to cover up, the air was cool, but the sun was warm enough. They walked down the staircase to find their guests in the sitting room waiting patiently.

"Angle! Rose!" the girls gushed over them. "Thank you for coming!"

"Thank you for inviting us again!" Angel told them.

"It's so perfect here!" Rose commented.

Looking at her watch, Vic said to them, "Well, we still have over an hour before lunch, do you want to join us on the beach?"

"Sure!"

"Are we going to be in the same rooms as last time?"

"Lucy!" Vic called for her elf.

"Yes, my Lady?" the elf greeted her with a bow.

"Lucy, are you going to put Rose and Angel in the same rooms as the last time they visited us?" she asked the tiny creature.

"If it pleases my Lady, then yes." She replied to Vic.

"Thank you, Lucy." And the elf disappeared silently. "Well, it looks like you two can have the same rooms if you want them!"

"Great! We'll meet you down on the beach!" Angel told them.

"It would probably be better if you met us here so you can get a sunblock potion," Cici said looking at how pale they were.

"Okay, we'll see you in a few minutes," Rose told them.

"Did you see how dark Cici was? And she's only been here half of a day!" Angel told Rose. As they were walking away.

Cici smiled at the compliment. Vic gave her a pat on the bum.

A few minutes later found the two guests walking down the hall wearing their new bikinis and some sandals.

"Looking good there, Angel! Looking good there, Rose!" Cici complimented the two girls.

"Thanks! I'm glad that you mentioned the sunblock potion. I'd hate to get burned, it's so annoying! You can never get the shower temperature right! It's always too hot then you adjust it and then it's too cold, then it's too hot. Arh!" Rose told them, as they walked to the potions lab.

A couple of downed potions later found the group out on the beach again. Cici's top was off before they got to their towels, and Vic's top wasn't far behind. Vic was lying between Ced and Cici, with Rose between Cici and Angel. The five of them lay like that until it was time for lunch.

After lunch, the group of friends headed for the cove to play in the cool water. Ced brought along all of the muggle snorkelling gear so they could swim underwater and see the fish and other marine life more clearly. The water was a lot cooler than it had been in the summertime, but they still had a lot of fun swimming. It was better than the snow they had back at home. They all laughed at each other as they tried to walk into the water with the fins on. But once they were in the water swimming, they liked how fast the fins could move them through the water. They could dive deeper and go farther on one breath of air. As they got better at holding their breath, they could show the others the things that they found. It was a delighted bunch of teens that figured out to take the flippers off in the water and then walk out on to the beach instead of trying to walk with them on. Once they got out of the water, they dried themselves off quickly and cast a warming charm on themselves. The tired and excited group talked about all of the things that they had seen as they started walking back to the beach house for dinner. They liked the muggle swim gear and told Ced that he had done a good job when he bought it, they wanted to use it again tomorrow. After a hearty dinner, they went up on to the roof to do some stargazing. Cici and Vic started to test their friends on the different constellations and the different stars. After they had covered the stars and constellations covered on the O.W.L.s they told them congratulations! You just passed the Astronomy test for your O.W.L.s.

"Do you want to take the N.E.W.T. level test tomorrow night?" Vic asked them.

"You've already taken your N.E.W.T.s?" Angel asked incredulously.

"Yeah. When we tested at Hogwarts, the proctor saw how well we were doing and offered to let us take our O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s side by side." Cici told her.

"Would you like for us to take you through a practice set of tests while you're here with us?" Ced offered.

"You can do that?" Rose asked in disbelief.

"Sure, between the three of us, we could probably give you the written test word for word. It hasn't changed in four-hundred years! The first-year curriculum at school hasn't changed in close to a thousand!" he told them.

"Really?" she said in awe.

"Yes, really," Cici told her.

"My kids in Charms? They're getting ready to start the third-year charms curriculum." Vic told them

"How are they moving so fast?" Angel asked them.

"It's simple, we're tieing the different spell work together and showing them how the spells and other magic work together. Like we taught you two how to start doing wordless and wandless magic before your sixth-year." Cici told her.

"The N.E.W.T.s are just like the O.W.L.s, only the next step. And your Master's level magic is just the next step up from the N.E.W.T. level magic." Ced told them.

"You've already taken your Masters testing?" Rose said in disbelief again.

"Yes, we've all taken our Masters level testing. That's why Minerva has made us student teachers." Vic told her.

Rose and Angel lay there in silence, they knew that their friends were more advanced in magic than they were, but they hadn't realised just how advanced they really were.

"You know those books of Merlin's?" Angel said.

"Yes," Ced answered.

"I borrowed them from your mum," Angel told them.

"Okay," Ced answered cautiously. Where was this going?

"I brought them with me."

"Good." He said to her.

"Would it be okay for Rose to read them too?" she asked.

"Yes, like my mum said, Merlin was a theoretical wizard, so read his books and his diaries side by side. And be careful if you try any of his spells. Some of them are very dangerous, and some of them are downright useful!" Ced encouraged her, and he warned her again.

"You could read them while we lay out on the beach tomorrow." Cici encouraged her.

"If you brought the whole set, you could read one of them, and Rose could read another of them. I don't really think that you need to read them in order, they're not a series." Vic told them.

"Do you think that I will ever find a guy?" Rose said wistfully.

"Yes!" Cici exclaimed as she pushed herself up to see Rose better.

"Yes!" Vic shouted as she rolled over to see her better.

"I hope so. All of these guys at school are so lame. I hope that I can meet a guy when we go to America, maybe we can visit the wizarding school there. The one that Amber used to go to." She said in faraway thought.

"I told her that if she marries an American, her mum is going to disown her!" Angel giggled slightly as she told the others.

"Well, I definitely wouldn't let them know that you're rich," Cici told her.

"Why?"

"Whoever you marry," she started to tell her very sternly, "You want them to marry you, for you," she sounded very strict, "Not because you're filthy stinking rich!" Cici teased her with a lot of mirth.

Everybody laughed a little, and if it hadn't been so dark, they would've seen Rose blush at her remark. But she was right, whoever she married, she wanted them to marry her for her, not because of how rich she is. But still America, that's a whole other country of guys that she's not related to.

The next morning during their run. Cici and Vic started to quiz Rose and Angel on the different parts of the wizarding tests. As they practised in the training room, Ced quizzed them, then immediately after breakfast, the trio kept up the testing by giving them the written tests for O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. level Charms and Transfiguration.

When the two girls got a little hesitant, "Oh, please! You two can't tell me that you haven't been transfiguring your bras and clothes to fit wordlessly and wandlessly for the last six months!" Cici protested loudly, over exaggerating, and being overly dramatic in her actions to get them to relax with some humour.

The two girls giggled as they sat down to start their practice tests. Fifty minutes later they had finished both of the tests. Cici and Vic took their O.W.L.s and graded them while they worked on their N.E.W.T. level tests. When the two girls handed them the second test, Vic and Cici gave them back their first tests. A few minutes later and they handed them their second test.

"Congratulations, you both have passed your N.E.W.T. level tests for Charms," Cici told them in a monotone and with as straight a face as she could.

As the two candidates started to get super excited, Vic and Cici burst out with shouts and shrieks of joy for them also.

As they calmed down, "Now, I hear a beach and some books calling our names!" Cici told them boisterously.

The excited group of witches headed upstairs to get changed so they could lie on the beach and work on their tans. The group of girls headed back down the stairs so they could hit the potions lab for some more sunblock potion.

"I think that for part of their potions exam," Vic started to tell Cici in front of the other two, "They could brew up some more sunblock potion, we're getting low." A smile on her face.

"Really? Sunblock potion is on the test?" Angel asked in disbelief.

"No, it's not on the test," Vic told her friend. "But the test is more about how you cut up and prepare your ingredients than the potion itself. Now you still have to get the potion correct, but half of the practical is on preparation and the brewing of the potion. Have either of you not gotten an 'O' in potions in the last year?"

"No, Professor Lively has us helping the other students in the class now. She broke us all up, and now we have to sit with someone not in our group." Rose told her gloomily.

"Some of those other students didn't even know how to cut up most of the ingredients," Angel told them as they walked out to the beach.

"Some of them didn't know that you had to cut up the ingredients! They would just add the whole leg or the full tongue." Rose told them in amazement.

"And they would just stir their cauldrons like they would stir sugar into their morning tea!" Angel told their friends.

"They don't know the difference between clockwise and counterclockwise! 'Lockhart, you're supposed to stir it three times counterclockwise and then four times clockwise. Not eight times in the same direction!'" Rose told them about one of the times that she had to work with Jeremy Lockhart. Good looking guy, incredible smile, dumb as a box of rocks, that's okay, that girl Shannon Tweede kept making eyes at him.

Ced already had the towels laid out on the sand for the girls, he rolled over in time to watch Vic and Cici take off their tops and drop them on their towels.

"How'd the tests go?" Ced asked them.

"They went great!" Rose told him excitedly.

"They were easy!" Angel told him.

"Good! Then we'll have you take the Transfiguration and D.A.D.A. written tests after lunch and the practical tests after dinner tonight." He told them.

Rose and Angel started to read the books and the diaries written by Merlin as they lay there. After a while, Angel lifted up the edge of one of her bikini top to look at her breast. She was starting to develop a tan line, and now she had a choice to make. She had gone topless with her friends before, but that was almost a year ago. Whatever, in for a penny, in for a pound, she thought as she untied the knot on her back and slipped her top off.

Rose watched her out of the corner of her eye. She was definitely a lot paler than her cousin, but her cousin had naturally darker skin than she did anyway. And, she was getting darker faster! She lifted one edge of her bikini top to look, nope, no tan line yet. She just rolled over and kept reading.

A long while later, Angel sat up suddenly, "I've figured it out! I know how you three are doing it! I know how you can apparate inside of Hogwarts! You're not apparating at all! You're using one of Merlin's spells, or I should say that you're doing what Merlin learned to do!" Angel all but yelled in excitement.

The other four of them sat up all staggered so they could all see Angel clearly.

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked her. The others sat there quietly with little smirks on their faces.

"Have you ever noticed… do you remember when we rescued all of those girls last year?"

Rose nodded her head.

"Remember how Cici or Vic would beat us back to the common room so they could watch Amber?"

"Yeah."

"Did you ever wonder how they could do that?"

"Yeah, but I just figured that they had found a way to apparate inside of Hogwarts," Rose told her solemnly.

Angel shook her head no, "They weren't apparating, they were using _teleportus_ to teleport themselves. Originally, _teleportus_ was for moving objects, like your trunk from one place to another, but Merlin figured out how he could use it on himself, and Ced, Cici, and Vic have been doing the same thing to move around Hogwarts faster." Angel accused her friends.

Rose looked at her friends.

"She's right," Ced told Rose.

"Hermione told you that those would be good books to read," Cici told her two friends.

"And you have just learned something useful," Vic told her.

"But practice the spell here, before you go back to school. You don't want to mess up and magically appear inside of a wall." Ced told them.

"The beach is a great place to practice that spell," Cici told her. "It's wide open and hard to screw up too bad."

Angel laid the books down, she stood up, and then she concentrated, _"Teleportus,"_ she said. Then from behind all of her friends she screamed, "It worked!" Then she did it again, and she was standing back on her towel.

"I want to try!" squealed Rose.

"Here, you need to read this first." Angel sat down and hand her the two books. Rose gave her the books that she had been reading.

A while later, "OH! I see!" and she stood up, then she was gone down the beach, the others heard a scream, then, "It works! It works!" she screamed. Then she was standing back on her towel. "That's amazing! That's so amazing!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Isn't it?" Angel told her chipperly.

The two of them exchanged books again and kept reading.

As lunchtime came around, three of the four girls picked up their tops and put them back on as they walked to the house. They talked some more about what they were reading in Merlin's books and in his diaries.

After lunch, Ced took Rose and Angel into the library to take their written tests on Transfiguration and D.A.D.A. After they had finished with the tests, Ced had already graded their O.W.L.s, and as he graded their N.E.W.T.s, he told the two young ladies that he would meet them back on the beach with their N.E.W.T. scores. Once he had given them their written test scores, they agreed to do the practical tests in the morning after their run.

The teens spent the rest of their time at the beach house doing the practice tests, lying on the beach working on their tans and reading Merlin's books.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.23.2018**


	44. Year Five Chapter 44

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 44

.

.

With Sean McMillian between Harry and Hermione, he got his first taste of portkey travel. He had the sensation of the pull from behind the navel, the being squeezed through a tube, and then the free fall at the end. Harry and Hermione were there to help him land as gracefully as possible in the lobby of the Magical Beings Customs and Control office in Washington, D.C., the United States of America.

The clerk behind the counter looked at his watch, then he looked up, "Welcome to America Lord and Lady Gryffindor." He addressed them, then he held out his hand for their equivalent of a passport.

Harry reached inside of his suit, to the pocket inside, for the passports. He handed the two of them across the counter to the clerk, who looked them over briefly before giving them back.

"Thank you, sir. Next!" the clerk called out.

And so, it was for the next fifteen minutes or so as the clerk looked at all of their passports. "Thank you." He said to Ced.

"Thank you," Ced told the clerk.

Once everyone was finished with customs, the group moved outside to wait for their transportation. While he was waiting, Harry had adjusted the time on his watch to match the time that was on the mechanical wall clock inside of the Magical Beings' Customs Office. Now, he was encouraging the others to set the correct time on their watches also.

As they stood there in the cold morning air, adjusting the time on their watches, McMillian commented. "That really is a very uncomfortable way to travel."

"But if we had taken an aeroplane as you suggested, we would still be taxing out to the runway at this time," Harry told him mirthfully.

"I'm not saying that it's not faster, I'm just saying that it's bloody uncomfortable." He laughed lightly back at Harry.

" _Apparently he's never apparated."_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Apparently not."_ Cici thought to them.

" _I guess that he's never had that opportunity."_ Vic thought to them.

A few minutes later, a large black van with blacked out windows pulled up to the curb. A large man with broad shoulders and short hair stepped out of the passenger front door, he was wearing a black suit, black tie, and a white shirt. He also had a skin coloured earpiece in his right ear, connected to a colour matched coiled wire running down his neck into his suit coat. He looked over the group of people before speaking.

"Mr McMillian." He said. It was more of a statement than a question.

Sean stepped forward to greet the man, "I'm McMillian." He said without extending his hand.

"I'm Johnson." The guard told him.

Then he opened the double doors on the side of the van, the electric step motored out so the others could climb in. Vic went first, followed by Ced, and then Cici. Vic went all the way to the back of the van.

" _Déjà vu?"_ Vic thought to her mates.

" _Really."_ Cici thought back.

As Ced took his seat, he pulled his pant legs up so the girls could get good skin to skin contact with him and each other. They watched as the others climbed into the van and took a seat. Harry and Sean took the front seat, with Rose, Angel and Hermione taking the next seat, then the other two couples to the last two seats in the van. The guard checked to make sure that everyone was seated and hand left nothing on the curb before he closed the door. The driver pulled away from the curb smoothly after the guard fastened his seatbelt.

As they drove through the city, the teens were able to look out of the windows at all of the different monuments and buildings with beautiful architecture, that they knew nothing about.

"Johnson says that it's going to be an hour and a half to two hours before we get to our destination," McMillian told the group.

"And where is it that we're going?" Hermione asked.

Johnson turned around in his seat to see the occupants of the van better. "Marine Corps Base Quantico." He told her politely.

"Thank you." She replied to him politely.

The van continued to inch its way through traffic on its way to the Marine Corps base. Ced just sat back and watched, is he military?

" _Maybe."_ Vic thought to him.

" _Could be."_ Cici thought to him.

Eventually, the van turned down a smaller road, and they approached a guard shack. As the vehicle approached, it slowed to let the uniformed guard lift the barricade and wave them through. The van sped back up a little, and they continued on down the road. A few more turns and then they entered a warehouse type of structure with the doors slid open to let the van in. Ced turned in his seat to watch two men push the doors closed behind them as the van pulled farther into the dark warehouse. His wives could feel his anxiety level rise some. The two of them sat up straighter in the seat letting Ced's pant legs fall back down. The van had driven slowly across the warehouse floor to a mandoor leading to some offices, before coming to a stop.

"Johnson has reassured me that everyone that you will come into contact with has already signed a blood contract," Sean told the occupants of the van.

Johnson got out of the van and opened the side doors to let the occupants of the back of the van exit. Harry stood by the door to offer his hand to Hermione and then to all of the other females in the van. Ced after he exited the van, held his hand out for Vic to take. They all looked around the dimly lit warehouse, they could see dust particles floating in the air, when a contingent of people exited the office doors.

"Please, follow me." A young woman told the group as she held the door to the offices open.

All of the teens slung their backpacks over their shoulders and followed the adults into the office. Johnson looked around and brought up the rear of their group.

"Please, have a seat." The young woman suggested to the group of travellers. "There are drinks and snacks on the table against the far wall." She gestured with her hand at the table with food and drinks.

The group of people moved over to the table to see what was there. They had coffee, bottles of water, bottles of juices, and canned sodas for drinks. There were cheeses, meats, crackers, and a variety of cookies, along with cut up fruit. As they looked over the spread of food, others entered the room, three women, five men in suits, and two more in uniform, a woman and a man.

"Ah! Welcome! I am Special Agent Lopez." An older, greying, brown-skinned, man with black hair said to the group.

"Hi, I'm Sean McMillian." McMillian introduced himself. "This is Harry, Hermione, and the rest." He gestured to the teens.

"Please, have a seat, and we'll get started." Agent Lopez told them as he was taking his own chair.

The group took seats at a large conference table, Agent Lopez took the seat at the head of the table. All of the teens sat on one side of the table, and all of the agents took seats on the opposite side of the table. Ced had chosen the side so he could see both of the doors into the room. This forced the agents to take the seats with their backs to the door. This apparently didn't sit well with a couple of the agents, including the two people in uniform.

Agent Lopez got up and walked around the table to introduce each of the other persons. Ced was surprised to learn that not all of them were agents, but held different positions in the governments of Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Basically, what he said was most of Central America. Then he came to the two people in uniform, they were introduced as Major Anderson and Capitan Rojas.

"They are here to see to your safety," Lopez told the teens as he looked at them.

This caused the teens to look at each other and then look at the others again. Who were they protecting them from?

Lopez gestured to McMillian to start introducing the group of people that he had brought to the table.

"I have a question first, for Agent Lopez." Harry looked at Sean and then at Agent Lopez.

"And who might you be?" Agent Lopez asked him with a fake smile.

"First my question, and then I will introduce the others," Harry told him politely.

"Okay, and what is your question?"

"Have all of these people signed the blood contract?" Harry asked.

"We'll get to that in just a bit," Lopez told him.

"So, I will take that as a 'No.'" Harry told him.

"Well, no need to be so hasty!" Lopez said testily.

Harry looked at Sean, "You told me that everyone that we would come into contact with had signed a blood contract that I had given you." Harry was basically accusing the spy of lying to him.

"That's what I was told, Harry." McMillian looked at the Agent.

"And why wouldn't you want to sign the contract?" Vic said getting to her feet. "Is it because you receive regular payments from the Rosa Roja cartel?" she said as she walked to the other side of the table. "And how about you? Why wouldn't you sign the contract? Is it because you're actually here undercover from the Cráneo de la Muerte cartel?" she almost cooed the information.

Cici got to her feet and started walking in the other direction around the table. "And you didn't sign the contract because you actually own, three young girls!" she chuckled as she walked up to another of the foreign dignitaries. "Ced, be a dear and go get Johnson, he's the only other one that I trust besides family right now."

Ced got to his feet and headed for the door leading to the rest of the offices.

"You go out that door, and you will be shot on sight!" Lopez threatened him loudly.

Ced turned around slowly and walked to the Major. "If you would be so kind as to join me, Major Anderson, I believe that you're second in command at this base?" Ced asked the Major to walk with him. "And you and the base commander have both signed the blood contract. Thank you for thinking of our security." He told the Major.

The Major stood up and walked with Ced to the door, the Major opened the door and stepped out of the office into a hallway, the floor was polished to a high shine, and the walls were a shade of light green.

"How did you know all of that?" the Major asked Ced.

Ced looked around the hallway.

"It's okay, the building was emptied before your arrival. Or I should say that it should be empty. I don't know if Lopez has any of his men in here."

" _Vic, find out if any of Lopez's men are in the building and where they are."_ Ced thought to her.

"Hold on a minute," Ced told the Major. He looked up and down the hallway again. "You signed the contract because you believe that human trafficking is wrong. We fight human trafficking because they tried to traffic Cici. We are magicals, and some of us have learned the skill of being able to read other people's minds. Some, like Lopez, put their thoughts out there for anybody that has the slightest bit of skill to 'hear.'" Ced told him.

" _He was bluffing."_ Vic thought back to him.

"Okay, it's safe, he was bluffing," Ced told the Major.

"How do you know that?" the Major asked in astonishment.

"It's why they asked for our help," Ced answered his question somewhat.

The Major led him to where Johnson was waiting for the group to be released.

"Gunny Johnson." The Major addressed the man in the black suit.

"Yes! Major?"

"Please, follow us. It seems that we have a problem in the conference room." Major Anderson told the Gunny.

The three of them headed back to the conference room at a quick clip. Just short of a run. When they got back to the room, Cici and Vic had already separated those that they trusted from those that they didn't. They had one of the women and three of the men in the group that they didn't trust. Johnson called on his wrist radio for additional backup to handle the group.

"Will we need to go someplace else, or have all of the backup personal already signed the blood contract?" Harry asked the man in the suit.

"No, sir, I was unaware that these people here, had not signed the contract. All of my men have signed willingly." The Gunny informed Harry.

"Well, when you're finished with them, I will need access to them for a few minutes each," Harry told the man.

"Yes, sir! I was told to give you 100% cooperation."

"Thank you."

After the spies had been removed from the group, the meeting was able to begin.

"That is one of the biggest reasons that we have sought out your help." Agent Robins told the group of visitors. "We've tried this before, and have always failed at getting our people into the system of the human smugglers."

"And this type of thing is why we insist upon a signed blood contract," Harry told him and the others. "Make no mistake, if you tell anyone that does not have direct knowledge of us, you will forfeit your life. If you go home and have pillow talk with your significant other, you will die. We take our safety and security that serious." Harry looked up and down those that were left. "Now, for introductions on our behalf. I am Harry Potter, this is my wife, Hermione Potter." Then he indicated for Rose to introduce herself, and so on down the line… "I'm Vic. I'm Cici. And I'm Ced." The last three didn't give their last name.

"So, which of you are the ones that worked on the Syrian mission?" Agent Robins asked.

Ced, Vic, and Cici raised their hands.

"Congratulations on that. I understand that the Brits have so much information that it will take them five years to analyse it all. And because of your success on that mission, you caught our attention. Sean couldn't tell us anything about you, and now I understand why. What you've done here today is nothing less than spectacular! What we need your help with is human trafficking. What we want to do, is to ferret out the moles in our different organisations, and also, we want to catch those that are smuggling the people as well as the buyers. You have already helped us by ferreting out four people, including my boss. The mind reading thing, … is interesting." Robins told them.

"What is it that you need us for?" Ced asked.

"We need you to do the same thing for us that you did for the Brits," Robins told him.

"So why the nine of us?" Ced asked.

"We really need just the three of you. But since you will probably be put into a shipping container, your friends will drive chase vehicles and follow the truck from the time that you get on it until you're sold to the buyer or buyers."

"So, you want us to be the bait," Ced stated.

"Yes."

"Now, my understanding of this, is that it is a multinational coalition. How much are you willing to pay us?" Ced asked.

"900,000," Robins said.

"Each?" Ced asked.

"No that's total."

"Do you have the portkey Mi Amor?" Ced looked at Cici. "We're leaving."

"What? Where are you going?" Agent Robins asked in shock.

"Home!"

"But wait! I'll have to talk to my boss's boss to get more approved."

"Here's the deal, take it or find some else that can do what we do. I want $1,000,000 for each of my friends, and I want $2,000,000 each for me, Cici, and Vic. We're going to be the ones putting our lives on the line. Our friends are going to be the ones that come in and save us while your people are still trying to figure out how to get to where we are. That's the deal, or we go home and back to our lives, and you figure out who in your organisations, all of them," he looked at all of the remaining members of the coalition, "Is collecting a paycheck from the cartels. We found three of them in the first ten minutes of meeting you, and we found one that had already purchased three slaves himself!"

"$12,000,000, that's a lot of money."

"Your organisations will waste that much money in the next ninety days! Your president will spend that much money on his next fundraiser! You want us for the next three to four months. We're private contractors, and we don't come cheap, but we get the job done, and get it done right the first time." Ced was wasn't going to let them try and push them around just because they were young.

"Fine!" he caved in, "I'll do it! But you all need to try and get us as much electronic data as you can."

"The only thing that kept us from collecting more for Sean was that we ran out of sleeves," Ced told him.

"Sleeves? What are those?"

"They're like plastic bags that protect the cell phones and laptops from getting damaged," Sean told him.

"Robins." Harry started to tell him.

"Call me Rob. If we're going to be working together, then you had best call me Rob."

"Okay, Rob. What we are, are magical beings." Harry started to explain to him.

"Like magicians?"

"Kind of, but we do real magic." Harry started to explain to the group of people there.

"Like a magician."

"Not exactly," Hermione said, "We do real magic. But real magic and electricity don't mix. At all." She told him.

"Okay, so show me a trick." He said not believing her.

"Not here, unless you want everything to stop working." She told him. "Let's go out into the warehouse. If we go to the centre or the far side of the warehouse most of your stuff should be safe." She got up and made to head for the door back into the warehouse.

The others started to follow her. "You're going to want to leave your cell phones and your watches here unless you want to buy new ones on your way home tonight," Vic told them.

They looked at her in terror, leave my cell phone? Vic didn't understand that most of them slept with their cell phones within arm's reach and their phones were never out of arm's reach all the time!

"It's your phones," Sean told them. "If you want to lose your cell phone and all of the information on it then take it out there with you!" he warned them.

Reluctantly the others returned to the table and left their phones, and some of them even took off their watches. Once the last of them turned back around to leave the office, Hermione opened the door to enter the warehouse. When she was about twenty-five metres from the office, she stopped and turned around.

"Here, let me get you something to sit on." She told them.

They made to let her walk back through the group of people, but instead, she ejected her wand and conjured a bunch of large comfortable chairs for them to sit in.

"There, that should be more comfortable." She said as she watched them.

Then Ced just appeared next to his mum, "Hey mum!" and he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Then Cici appeared next to him, "Hey babe." And they shared a kiss.

Then Vic was next to the two of them, "Hey babe." And she gave Ced a kiss to be remembered.

Vic turned around suddenly, " _Accio_ chair." She said, and a chair with one of the men slid across the floor to her. "Do you really want me digging around in your brain?" she asked the terrified man.

He shook his head 'No' violently.

"Then you shouldn't think those kinds of things about me and other women." She told him. Then with a flick of her wand, she sent the chair back to where it was.

"So, Rob. Are you satisfied?" Harry asked the agent.

"Yes." He told him.

"Good," Sean said. "When do you want to start the training?"

"Tomorrow, we'll start the training." Then he looked at the bunch of kids. "How many of you have your driver's license?" he looked around, and none of them had raised a hand or even said a word.

"We don't drive. We really don't have a need to learn to drive." Fred told him.

"Really? Then how do you get around?" he asked confused.

"Well, there are different ways, there's …" Fred started to go into details.

"What my nephew is trying to say is that we don't generally have a need for a car, and when we do, we take a cab," Harry told the man.

"Okay, so none of you can drive." Rob summed up that question.

"Right," George told him.

"You can't use a cell phone, or a computer." Rob was thinking out loud.

"Actually," Cici started hesitantly, "My uncle has a way that we can use a cell phone. They invented a case for a cell phone that is resistant to low powered magic."

"Can any of you cook?" the woman from Belize asked out of the blue.

"I can." Ced raised his hand.

"Anyone else?" she asked. "What about speaking in Spanish?" she asked them in Spanish.

"Actually, the reason we were asked to help on the mission that got us noticed, is that we have a gift of languages," Cici told her in beautiful Spanish.

"That's amazing! And your accent is fabulous!" she replied in Spanish.

"Thank you." She told her kindheartedly.

"I had forgotten about the need to be able to speak in Spanish. But you're not going to be using the Spanish that the rich people use, the kind of Spanish that you'll be speaking is more of a street type of Spanish. The kind of Spanish, the very poor who would sell their children, type of poor, would be speaking." Robins told them.

"Okay, we're teachable," Cici told them.

After several more questions and answers, the group went to get back into the van, but before they did, the no-Majs' had to move out of the way quickly as several backpacks came flying through the air to the teenagers.

"Where are we headed?" Amber asked Robins.

"We're going to take you over to the guest quarters." He told her.

"Um, sorry, but could we go someplace without electricity?" Ced asked.

Rob's head snapped around at that request, a questioning look was on his face.

"Magic and electricity don't mix, remember?" Ced told him.

"Uh, let me think." He looked at Johnson. "There are some old buildings out on the far side of the base. But it's quite a walk to the chow hall for meals." He told them.

"That's okay, I'd rather have a long walk than live without magic for three months," Ced told him.

The others in the van agreed with Ced.

"We can always fix the buildings up the way we want them with magic, but the first time that we use magic in a normal building, the building stops working," Vic told him with a laugh.

The others laughed with her.

The driver of the van headed down a dirt road and stopped in front of a cluster of four plain wooden buildings. As they got out of the van, they looked at their surroundings. They were in the woods some, but they could hear the noise from the central part of the base.

"Gunny Johnson," Ced called.

"Yes, sir!" The Gunny answered.

"Please, call me Ced," Ced told him.

"Okay."

"Rob," Ced called to the agent in charge now.

"Yes."

"A couple of basic ground rules." Rob's eyes rolled. What next? Breakfast in bed?

"Actually, I've never had breakfast in bed," Ced told him with a smirk. "What I was going to say is, first, no fake raids on us. We like our privacy. Second, no hazing or initiation ceremonies. Third, please knock before you enter one of our rooms. Fair enough?" he asked.

"No problem Ced. I'll pass it on to the Major." Johnson told him.

"It sounds okay to me." Agent Robins told him. "But I can't promise anything when it comes to the Marines." He told him.

"Well, how about we just keep this area off limits to unauthorised personnel?" Ced suggested.

Robins looked at Johnson who nodded back to him. He would tell the Major, to make it happen. But the Major had missed the demonstration of magic so he may not believe him. Still, he would pass on the message.

The kids summoned their backpacks to them, and they looked at the four rundown buildings. As bad as they were, it was better than living without magic. The couples all looked at the buildings, they were all very similar in size and shape, what little paint they had on them was falling off fast. The windows were dirty and dingy. Ced started walking to the building on the left.

" _No, I want this one."_ Cici thought to him.

" _I want this one too."_ Vic thought to him.

Ced changed course in mid-stride to head for the building that his wives had chosen. Amber and George headed for the building on their right, Angel and Rose selected the one on their left and Fred and Julia had already started walking to the one opposite Ced's.

Hermione started to follow Amber and George.

"Amber, I need to speak with you for a moment," Hermione called to her.

"Yes?"

"This is something that I promised Angelina that I would do. Here," and she handed her five vials of potions. "You need to take one now while I'm watching you, and then you will need to take one once a month on the fifth of each month. Angelina says that she's not giving you permission, but that she was young once too and it's better to be safe than sorry."

A very embarrassed Amber kind of sputtered for a moment.

"It's okay, we all understand. But you're too young to go having a baby now anyway." Hermione told her, maybe more upbeat than she felt.

"Thank you." She said as she swallowed the potion in front of Hermione.

"It will take twenty-four hours for it to become effective," Hermione told her. "Now, I'm off to go find Julia and do the same thing to her that I did with you."

Hermione headed off to find Julia and have the same talk with her that she had just had with Amber. Then she would head off to talk to Vic and Cici, though she felt that the bond was keeping them apart. For her and Harry the bond didn't keep them apart at this age, but it didn't force them together also.

"Hey, Cici, hey Vic, can I talk to you for a minute please?" Hermione asked her daughters-in-law.

"Yeah."

"Sure." They said.

For these two, the conversation would be a lot easier she hoped. "Is the bond still keeping you from consummating your marriages?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm just checking. I promised Angelina and Susan that I would give the girls 'the potion' and watch them take the first dose in front of me."

The two girls just closed their eyes and shook their heads in embarrassment. "Well, better safe than sorry," Vic said.

"I hope that they don't feel that they've been given permission," Cici said.

"I hope that Amber and Julia continue to hold their ground and not let it go that far just yet," Vic said.

"So, do the rest of us," Hermione told them. "So, what are you going to do with this place?"

"Ced's in back working on the bedroom and the restroom," Cici told her.

"I was about to put a _scourgifing_ spell on this room," Vic told her mum.

"Don't let me stop you!" Hermione teased her.

"Would it be possible for the rest of our group to take their N.E.W.T.s at the same time as their O.W.L.s?" Cici asked her.

"Do you think they're ready for them?"

"Yes, we gave Rose and Angel practice tests while they were at the beach house with us," Cici told her.

"And?"

"And they did really good!" Vic told her from across the room. She had started hanging curtains in the room.

"They did, Hermione. We gave them the same written tests that we took, and we had them do all of the same practical tests that we did, and they didn't have any troubles. If we get some free time, I think that we would like to test the others too." Cici told her.

"Okay, I'll keep it in mind and talk to Minerva. She's not really happy right now. She just lost three of her favourite teachers and nine of her best students." Hermione told them humorously.

"I wonder if we'll get a chance to meet other magicals while we're here," Ced told them as he walked into the room.

"You probably will," Hermione told them.

"Are you ready to go, Mione?" Harry asked her as he walked in the front door of the building.

"We'll see you later in the week. Your dad has already made a portkey that will bring us to this location." She told her kids.

"Okay, love you! Bye, mum! Bye, dad!" Vic told them.

They all walked outside and watched as Harry and Hermione were sucked into the portkey magic. The trio walked across to Fred and Julia's place and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Julia called to them.

Ced opened the door and let the girls enter first. Julia had been busy cleaning and decorating the house. She conjured some chairs and a couch quickly.

"Now, if you can put a colour changing charm on that couch." Cici teased her.

Julia quickly changed the colour of the couch to something more Gryffindory than what it was before.

"So, would you be interested in taking your N.E.W.T.s alongside of your O.W.L.s?" Vic asked her.

Julia just stopped in her tracks. "We can do that?" she asked in shock.

"Well, we want to get everybody together and ask them all at the same time," Cici told her as she sat down on the couch with her spouses.

A few minutes later Fred joined them in the main room of the house, the living room. Ced had gotten a fire going in the fireplace and Julia had conjured another rug to put in front of the fireplace. Then with a wave of her hand, she conjured a coffee table, then a pitcher of water and glasses for them to drink.

"Sorry, we can't conjure food. Otherwise, there'd be a feast for you." She told them.

Eventually, the others joined them, and Fred had to enlarge the room to make room for the extra chairs. Cici and Vic talked to all of them about taking their N.E.W.T.s alongside of their O.W.L.s. Rose and Angel told them that they had already been tested and the tests weren't that hard. George checked his watch and said to them that if they wanted to catch dinner at the chow hall, they would need to get a move on, it was getting late.

.

They entered the chow hall and found it mostly empty, and after talking to the person at the front doors, they entered in to find out how to do this. They walked down the narrow corridor to the back of the building where they found a stack of plastic trays and some flatware. It was similar to what they had experienced with the SAS, George looked down the line and saw another person and just started to imitate them. As they walked along, they explained that this was all new to them and found the kitchen staff to be helpful and friendly when addressed with respect. After they had their plates loaded up with various different foods, they made their way to the main dining area of the dining facility. There were enough empty tables that they pulled some of them together so they could talk and eat. As they got close to being finished with their meal, they started to watch some of the others to see what they did with their trays, and then they imitated them also.

It was dark when they started the walk back to their houses. The road was lit, and the moon was shining through the light clouds. The street lights flickered a little when they put a warming charm on themselves. But they enjoyed talking as they walked along. It was still early in the evening when they got back to their houses, so they all headed to Fred and Julia's place to talk some more, before going to bed for the night. They agreed that they would get up in the morning and continue their morning runs if nothing else.

.

The next morning came to find Ced casting a warming charm on their room. The body heat from his two wives was keeping him nice and warm, as he could see his breath in the air in their bedroom. He cast a second warming charm on the bedroom before he said, "Mi Amor, Mon Amor, I need to get up."

The two women rolled off of him so he could slip out from between them. Then they snuggled together as he headed for the loo. With a flick of his wrist, the lights in the room came on so he could see where he was going. Then he closed the door to the loo so he could have his privacy. The next warming charm was more effective in the smaller room, and it warmed up enough that he could no longer see his breath. A lot of the things that they needed were already in the house, they just needed to use multiplying charms and spells on them, but some of the stuff, they just had to go ahead and conjure the items. Ced exited the loo to find a cold and unhappy Cici waiting her turn. With their good morning kiss, they change places. Ced found another cold, and unhappy witch brushing her teeth.

"Hot water." Was all that she said with a mouth full of toothpaste bubbles.

Ced looked around the house for something that was supposed to make hot water. In one of the closets, he found a large tank that said that it was a hot water heater on it. He read the instructions and managed to get the flames to light. He turned the temperature up and heard it roar to life. A little magic and it was full of hot water.

.

The cold trio was headed out the front door of their house when Cici used her elemental magic to put a fire in the fireplace in the hopes that it would warm up the house. Outside she went over to Rose and Angel's place and did the same for them. Ced got their hot water heater to light and turned the temperature up on it so that they would have hot water for their showers too. He and Cici did this for all of their friends. When they were finished, they took off at a walk to start warming up for their morning run. They soon found out that they weren't the only ones awake at that hour of the morning. They did their best to stay away from the other groups of people and not draw attention to themselves. Eventually, they circled back to their houses to get their showers. Before they took their shower, Ced quadrupled the size of their hot water tank, he wasn't running out of hot water.

After a nice healthy breakfast of rashers, eggs, bangers, toast, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, and orange juice, that's healthy as in large, not content, they walked back to Fred and Julia's house to hang out and wait for Rob or Johnson to come and get them.

"We need to find a place that we can practice. I don't mind taking a couple of days off, but if we take too many …" Angel told the group, after a while.

"I think that I saw a smaller building behind one of the other houses," Julia said.

"Me too." Rose agreed with her. "Maybe we can enlarge it enough to at least practice duelling."

"We could enchant the walls to absorb the spells, couldn't we?" Fred asked

"It would give us something to do instead of waiting around for two or more hours," George told all of them.

"Okay, we'll look into it this afternoon," Ced told them.

There came a knock on the door that ended the discussion on a place to practice. Julia got up off of Fred's lap so he could go and answer the door. Fred had never had to answer a door before, there had always been house elves that had done that type of thing for him. It was Rob.

"Morning Rob. Please come in." Fred told him as he stepped aside to let him enter his house.

"Wow! You've done a nice job on the place." He said as he looked around. "It's warm in here too," he told them as he went to stand in front of the fireplace. With his back to the fireplace, he told them, "We're going to go and meet some of your instructors today. The six of you will be learning how to drive." Then he faced Ced and his wives. He noticed how the girls were almost sitting on top of Ced, but he just put it off as a British thing. "The three of you will be learning how to act, how a poor, hopeless, teenager from Central America would act. That includes how to behave, how to talk, and how to dress. Because right now, you three, carry yourselves more like a predator than you do a victim." He told them. "So, the van is outside waiting to take all of you to your destinations."

"Hey, Rob, the other groups of people that we saw this morning when we went out for our morning run. How many of them know about us?" Ced asked the agent.

"They know that there is a special group of people here and that they're not supposed to engage you in any way. But have they all signed a blood contract? The answer is, no. there are too many of them." He told him resignedly.

"Do you know if Johnson has managed to talk to the Major yet?"

"No, we can ask him when we get into the van, he's waiting on us, and Sean will meet us at the first stop, when we drop everyone that needs to learn to drive a car, off," Rob told the group.

Everybody got up and filed out to the van. With a flick of his wrist, Fred lock the door to his house, Cici locked her door, Rose locked her door, and Amber locked her door. For some of them, locking their doors was a foreign concept, for others, it was something that they learned from their parents.

"How old are you all?" Rob asked once they were inside of the van.

All of them except Vic told him that they were sixteen. Rob just assumed that Vic was sixteen also, and that's why she kept her mouth shut.

"Wow! We're going to have to make the six of you twenty-one to twenty-two years old on your driver's license and your other documents that you will need. For you other three, you're not going to have any documentation at all. Your cover is going to be poor peasant children whose mother has died in an earthquake, and you're trying to get to America, to your Tia, who lives in California." He told them.

As they drove through the base, the teens looked out the darkened windows of the van. The van turned this way and that, eventually it came to a stop.

"Okay, the six of you that need to learn how to drive, please get out," Rob told them as Johnson opened the side doors of the van.

The six of them got out of the vehicle and stood outside waiting.

"We're going to have our TEVOC instructors teach you how to drive so you can get your driver's license," Rob told them.

Johnson shut the door, and the van sat there idling, waiting for Rob to return. He had led them inside of the building to the instructors.

Eventually, he made it back outside, and the van pulled away smoothly to the next stop.

"Okay, please follow me," Rob told the remaining three.

Johnson was watching the threesome exit the van, as they made eye contact with him, he would nod his head ever so little, letting them know that it would be okay.

After Cici left the van, Ced was standing there, his back to Robins as Robins closed the doors to the van. Robins turned around and put Ced in a headlock, his arm around Ced's neck, choking him, pulling him off balance to the right. Ced's training kicked in, and he stopped down as hard as he could on Rob's right foot, breaking his arch. Vic and Cici turned around to watch as Ced buried his right elbow into Rob's right side, causing him to loosen up on his chokehold of Ced. He then used the back of his head to hit Rob in the face, breaking his nose and splitting his lip. Ced was able to break free from the hold as Johnson exited the van in a hurry. Ced had Robins up against the side of the van facing him, as he punched him in his left side, just below the ribs. An oomph of air exited Robins who had not been prepared for the teenager's response. Ced hit him with another punch under the left side of his ribcage causing Robins to bend over at the waist. Using both hands on his head, Ced drove his face down onto his upcoming knee before Johnson could pull Ced off of Robins. As soon as Johnson laid his hands on Ced, both wives were attacking him. He had managed to get Ced off of Robins, before he broke free from the two girls and raised his hands in a sign of surrender, that he was not their enemy. The driver of the van had made it out of the vehicle and come around the back of the van to lend a hand wherever he was needed.

Johnson looked at Rob on the ground in pain, "What the fuck was that Rob?" he swore at him.

"I was testing his reflexes!" he said as he rolled over on to his side trying to get up.

"Well, do you think he passed?" Johnson asked him sarcastically.

"This was a test?" Vic asked in shock.

"I needed to know if you could defend yourselves." He told them holding his nose trying to stop the bleeding as he rolled around on the cold concrete.

"If you want us to heal you, you'll need to get this van out of here, or you'll need a new van," Cici told them.

She watched as Johnson motioned to the driver to take the van and go. As the van pulled away slowly, and then a little faster, they could see the driver looking at the agent lying on the sidewalk.

Cici walked over to the injured agent, "Roll over onto your back." She told him.

"Why? I need a doctor, not some little girl playing nurse." He told her sardonically.

"Just do what she says, stop being stubborn Rob," Johnson told him.

"Fine, whatever." He rolled on to his back.

Cici knelt down beside him, she looked up at Johnson, "All of the muggle men that we work with are this way at first." Then she turned her focus on to the man lying on the cold concrete sidewalk covered with salt residue. She ejected her wand and started with his nose, then his face. She ran a midlevel diagnostic spell to see if he had any broken ribs, she knew that Ced preferred breaking ribs to incapacitate an opponent. Not seeing any broken ribs, she moved down to the foot that had been stopped on. Vic saw that the foot had been broken in a couple of places, she ejected her wand and started to mend the broken bones as she watched the real-time imagery that Cici's wand was showing them. When she was finished, the two girls retracted their wands. Ced bent over to help the agent to his feet to prove that he harboured no ill feeling towards him.

As Rob got to his feet, he looked at them, "Sorry for doing that, but I needed to know that you three could take care of yourselves. This is a very dangerous mission, and we've already lost several agents because of the leaks that you found yesterday."

Cici unslung her backpack and started to dig around inside of it, she pulled out a small vial of potion. "Here, drink this, it will help with the bruising, it's not as good as the crème, but it will help, for now, you're still going to have two black eyes where Ced hit you with his head."

Rob opened the vial and swallowed the little bit of liquid inside. His face scrunched up, that was the most foul-tasting liquid he had ever had! He handed the empty vial back to, to Cici. Is that what her name was?

"What are you going to tell them inside, Rob?" Johnson asked him.

"Better think fast because here comes someone," Vic told them.

"I tripped and fell getting out of the van." He told them. "Thank you for fixing my nose and for fixing my foot."

"You're going to need to head to the loo to wash off the blood," Ced told him. "Here, let me dust off your back." He told him as he used his hand to knock some of the dirt off of the suit jacket.

"Is everything okay out here? We saw what looked like a fight! Delores called for the MPs, they should be here soon." The pudgy middle-aged man with short hair said.

"No, everything's just fine, I tripped getting out of the van, and they were helping me get up," Rob told the man.

"You've got blood on your face!" he said looking around suspiciously.

"Yeah, yeah, I got a bloody nose, but it's stopped now. Let's go inside, and if the MPs need to speak to me, they can find me in there. I need to get cleaned up." Rob told the man.

Rob started to lead the way inside the two-story concrete building. Cici slung her backpack back onto her shoulders, and Johnson brought up the rear of the group, he made a mental note of how Ced and the two girls were all holding hands, the one called Vic was in the middle. Once inside of the building, Rob headed for the latrine to wash his face and hands. He noted subconsciously that his foot and his nose didn't hurt. He figured that he was going to have a crooked nose from now on, but when he looked in the mirror, he just had dried blood on his face, his nose was sitting perfect, it hadn't been this straight since his junior year in high school. The two black eyes would be a little more difficult to explain, but he would just stick with the lie he had started, at least his eyes weren't swollen shut. He washed his face and his hands of the dried blood, he took a damp paper towel and wiped the salt residue off of the back of his jacket, and he checked the seat of his pants as best as he could. Well, nothing another trip to the cleaners can't fix. He put his jacket back on, checked himself one more time in the mirror and then returned to the lobby to collect the kids.

"Okay, follow me please." He told the group. He headed off down one of the hallways and then up to the second floor via a set of stairs. He turned down the hall and stopped at one of the office doors. He checked the name against his memory and then he entered the office.

"Marta Martínez?" he asked.

"Si, I am Marta." The short, black-haired, dark-skinned woman answered him.

Rob motioned for the others to enter the small office. There wasn't enough room for all of the chairs needed to seat them, so they just stood around the perimeter of the room.

"Hi, these are the students that we talked about on the phone the other day," Rob told her.

"Okay, and you want me to teach them 'street Spanish?'" she asked.

"Yes, and I am looking for an Esperanza Rodriguez also." He told her.

"Esperanza is down the hall some more." She told him. "Would you like me to call her?"

"Yes, please." He answered her.

Marta got on the phone and called Essie, to ask her to come to her office. A few minutes later another short, black-haired, middle-aged woman squeezed into the already overheating office space.

As she entered the office, Rob turned to her, "Hi, I'm Agent Robins. We spoke about teaching some students the other day?" he introduced himself.

"Si, are these the students?" she said looking over the good-looking kids.

"Yes."

"I think the boy; young man, might be a problem. I can ask Jorge (pronounced Hoar-hey) if he could work with him. He is bigger than you led me to believe." She scolded him, looking at Ced again.

Ced looked at Rob with that 'has he signed a blood contract?' look.

"Well, before you do that, I would need to speak with him. He will need to sign the same forms that you and Marta signed first." Rob told her, to ease the fears that Ced and the others had.

"Well, tell me when you want to talk to him, and I will take you to him." She told him in accented English.

"Why don't you take me to him now, and Marta can start teaching them Spanish." He told her. This room was getting too hot too fast.

"Follow me then." And she turned and left the overcrowded office.

The hallway was much cooler, and Rob inhaled the fresh air thankfully. The short woman led him down the hall and turned down another hallway to some stairs going down to the first floor again.

Marta looked at the kids, and then at Johnson. "So, how much Spanish do you know?" she asked in Spanish.

"We have a gift of languages," Vic told her in beautiful, flawless Spanish.

"Yes, I can see!" she said to them in Spanish again. "But, what you need to learn is the lower Spanish, the slang, that you will need for your mission." She spoke to them only in Spanish. She kept looking them over, there was something about these kids. After a few minutes, she told them in Spanish again, "Let's go someplace more comfortable, someplace where there are more seats, and it's not quite as hot." She got up from behind her desk and led them down the hall to a conference room.

Ced and his wives moved around the table so they would be facing the door. Johnson noted that this was the second time they had done this. Ced held the chairs for each girl who gave him a kiss on the cheek. This did not go unnoticed by either of the adults in the room. Marta started to talk with the teenagers again. Everything they said was in Spanish. She began to introduce them to new words and helped them integrate them into their sentences.

Rob stuck his head in the room after a while and told them that it was time for lunch. The teens stood up, and again Ced pulled the chairs for the two girls and was rewarded with a kiss on each cheek. This was noted by two of the three adults in the room.

"We will see you again at 1:00 p.m.?" he asked Marta.

Ced and his wives thanked her for her time and headed around the conference room table towards the doors.

Marta said, "Si, that will be fine. Do you want me to have Essie meet us here then?" she asked him.

Rob looked at her confused, "If you think that they are ready for that." He told her.

"Yes, Essie can continue with their lessons in Spanish also. She will have other things that she can teach them too." Marta told him.

At the dining facility, they caught up to the others in a room off of the main dining hall.

"You're supposed to go around the curbs! Not over them!" Fred was saying loudly to Angel.

The others were laughing at her, covering their mouths that had food in them. Seeing their friends in such high spirits put a smile on the threesomes faces. The three of them unloaded their trays and set them on an empty table behind them. Ced again seated his wives and was rewarded with kisses.

"Can you believe how polite these kids are?" one of the other adults said to the two new adults entering the room that had watched what Ced had done.

"Yeah, it's amazing, huh?" Rob said as he found a spot to sit.

The friends all talked animatedly about their driving lessons that morning. They would use their hands to try and show what had happened and they would tease each other for their antics. The new adults would chime in every now and then, where needed. Soon enough it was time for everyone to get back to their classes.

"No, I think that we'll drive back to the training facility." One of the adults told George.

The other five laughed at him, and he laughed with them. In high spirits, the group of six left the main dining facility.

The trio was next to leave. At the other building, Rob and Johnson left the trio in the care of Marta and Essie. Once Rob and Johnson had gone, the conversation switched to all Spanish and stayed in Spanish for everything they did. Essie was amazed, also at their ability to speak their native langue. Essie took them downstairs to the bottom floor, then she led them to a section of the building that was used very little. Marta reached into one of her pockets and pulled a set of keys out. She tried the different keys until she found one that opened the doors to the darkened room. Essie looked on the walls just inside the doors and saw the switches to turn on the lights. As the lights flickered to life, the kids could see that this was another dining facility. Essie started to lead them across the room towards a set of swinging doors and another dark room. She flicked some more switches and brought light to what was a large muggle kitchen. Vic and Cici just looked around the kitchen at all of the strange contraptions, most of which they didn't know, well they kind of knew what they were, but they had never used any of them in their lives. Cici could remember when her mom used to use a stove in their flat, but she had never helped her. The three teenagers just wandered around the room taking in all of the different stuff. Ced was the most familiar with the different things in the kitchen.

"So," Essie looked at the two girls, "What are the different things that you like to cook?" she asked them, wanting to get a feel for how well they could cook.

The two girls looked at her, confused.

"I can't cook," Vic told her.

"Neither can I," Cici said to her.

"So, neither of you can cook," Essie stated flatly, she just assumed that Ced, being a boy, couldn't cook.

"Ced does the cooking when he feels like it," Cici told her defensively.

Essie changed her focus from the two bonitas to Ced. So maybe he was more than a pretty face. "What do you like to cook?" she asked him.

"Well, I've cooked some Greek food, the simpler stuff like gyros and baklava. Some of the easier English foods like Yorkshire pudding, and Cottage pie, or things like roasts. Oh! I like to cook seafood also." He told her.

"So, I guess that you eat out a lot then." She criticised them.

"No, we eat out very little," Ced told her, he wasn't liking her condescending tone.

"Then I guess your mummy and daddy fix dinner for you then." She was trying to hit below the belt.

"No, we have a kitchen staff that prepares all of our meals for us. When we are at school, it is a private boarding school, the meals are prepared for us there." He was getting defensive now.

When she made eye contact with him, he tried to read her mind and hit walls that could only have been built through occlumency.

"What are you trying to do Cedric?" she asked him.

He moved to stand between her and Marta, "You're a magical." He stated.

She nodded faintly.

"Is Marta a magical?" he asked her.

Again, she nodded faintly.

"Is there someplace that we can go that we can be ourselves?" he asked her after he had moved out from between them.

"Not really, everything here runs on electricity," Marta told him.

"Can we go back to our house that we're staying in?" Cici asked them.

"We could say that we want to train you in an environment that you're more comfortable in, and start tomorrow," Essie told them.

"How did you three get involved in this?" Marta asked them.

"We have a gift of languages for one, the other is that we're telepathic," Ced told her. "The ability for us to communicate silently and without radios has created a job opening for us with our government, and now yours." Ced elaborated a little.

"Plus, you three are magicals also," Essie said.

"Yes," Vic told her.

"Well, part of that explains why you can't cook." Essie teased the two girls.

"We've never had a need to learn to cook," Cici told her.

"Not even at home?" Marta asked, still speaking in Spanish.

"The house elves take care of everything. Do you have house elves here, in America?" Vic asked.

"Yes, there are house elves here too. But they mainly serve the very old families and the very wealthy, what the no-Majs call the one and two percenters." Marta told them.

"It's the same for us," Ced told her.

"So, why did you learn to cook?" Essie asked him.

"To do something special for my girlfriend." He told her.

"Girlfriend or wife?" Essie asked him.

"Well, before we can get into that, I'm going to need something from you two."

"We've already signed a blood contract." Marta looked at him.

"Yes, but what I'm going to want is an Oath of Loyalty. This will protect us, and it will protect you." Ced told the two women.

"So young, and already so cautious," Marta said.

Essie just nodded.

Marta and Essie pulled out their wands and started to give a blanket oath. Ced stopped them and walked them through how it needed to be worded. The lights flickered, and then their magic finished tying them together, it pulled back into their wands.

"This mission that your training for, it's a suicide mission," Marta told them.

"Why's it that?" Vic asked.

"You're the third set of people that we've trained. All of the others have ended up dead, or they've never been heard from again." Essie told them.

"Were any of the other's magicals?" Cici asked them.

"No, not that we knew." She told her.

"Well, yesterday, we caught four people that were part of the delegation that was here to meet us," Ced told the two women.

"We heard about that through the grapevine," Marta told them.

"Do you know how they got caught?" Ced asked the two women.

"No, all we hear are rumours. We're not part of that part of the mission. They just bring us people to teach them how to be Mexican." Marta told them.

"Well, they said that we were to be poor Mexican kids that lost their mother and were trying to get to their Tia in California," Cici told them.

"That's the same thing they've been trying for the last three years. It hasn't worked yet, what makes them think that it's going to work this time?" Essie said with a snort.

"I guess that's why they hired us, then," Ced told her.

"You're going to need all of the help you can get." She told him.

"Well, we have all of our friends, and we have each other too. And now, we have you!" he told them.

"Why do we need to learn to cook?" Vic asked Marta.

"Because, by the time you're fifteen in Mexico, you should know how to take care of a household. One of the most important celebrations in Mexico is the quinceañera. There's a big birthday party on the girl's fifteenth birthday to mark her passage into womanhood. If you can't take care of a household, they'll know that you're a fake." She looked at the two girls. "That's what we think happened to the others. They didn't want to learn, and they got caught." She told them somberly.

"Okay, so what do we need to know?" Cici asked them.

The two women started to tell the two girls what they would need to know. A while later as the two girls were still trying to absorb everything that they had to learn, Ced asked them what he would need to know to pass as a Mexican teenager.

"Jorge will be able to teach you what it is that you will need to know," Marta told him.

"Is Jorge a magical too?" Ced asked.

"Yes, he's my husband," Essie told them.

"We'll need him to take the same oath that you took," Ced told her.

"He'll do it, or he'll sleep alone!" she told him with a smile.

The group of friends laughed a little at that.

"So, how will we find you tomorrow?" Marta asked.

The kids described the houses that they were staying in, to them and how to get there from the central dining facility.

"Okay, we'll see you there tomorrow morning at eight then," Essie told them.

Looking at her watch, Marta told them, "We should head back upstairs before they start looking for us."

"You know, seeing the way you three act with each other, you're more than boyfriend and girlfriend, and you're more than a sister to them too. It's almost like you're…but that's just the stuff of fairy tales and romance novels." Essie said to them.

"If you want to believe that," Vic said to them.

Marta started to turn off the lights in the cafeteria, and the group of friends moved to the door so she could lock them. Then they followed Essie back to the lobby of the building.

"Don't worry, I'll bring everything that we'll need tomorrow morning," Essie told them.

"Okay, thank you." They told her.

"I think that we'll start walking back to our quarters," Ced told the two women. "If Rob or Johnson stop by and ask about us, you can tell them that we walked back to our quarters."

The others were already home and hanging out in Fred and Julia's quarters. They were all talking excitedly about their driving experiences that day. They would study the driver's education manual for a while, and then they would go out and drive for a while. Then after lunch, they studied the driver's education manual some more and then they would go out and drive some more.

"We should have our driver's license by Friday!" Amber told them excitedly.

"That's great!" said Cici happy for their success.

Before it got too dark, the group of friends went outside to see if there was a building near them that they could use for duelling practice at least. Behind Rose and Angel's house, they found a shed with a single door and no windows. Angel checked the door and found it to be unlocked, so she opened the door, and it was a dusty, dirty mess inside, she cast a quick _scourgify_ on the inside, and then they all entered the small building.

"I think that we can make this work," Rose said as she started casting enlarging and expanding charms on the building.

"I agree," Vic said as she started to put up some magical lighting.

Fred looked around and started to add chairs to one of the walls so they would have a place to sit in between duelling matches.

At one end of the chairs, Cici added an alcove for a potions laboratory. "We're going to need to start brewing some potions if we're going to start duelling again." She said to the group. With a wave of her wand, six cauldrons appeared on a shelf.

"We'll have to owl order the ingredients if Marta or Essie can't get them for us," Vic told her.

"Who's Marta and Essie?" Julia asked them.

"They're our instructors, that are teaching us how to be Mexican," Cici told her.

"How are they going to do that?" Amber asked her.

"Well, we spent most of the day speaking in Spanish," Cici said.

"Then they asked Cici and me what we liked to cook," Vic told them.

That comment drew a lot of snickers from their friends, because none of their friends had ever seen, or even heard of either of the girls actually cooking something. They were pretty sure that the girls didn't even know where the kitchen was in the Potter mansion!

"They're also magicals, and they have taken the oath," Ced told them. "They're going to be here tomorrow morning."

"They started to tell us more about the mission," Vic said.

"Yeah, like this is the fourth time they're trying to run the same mission in the same way," Cici told them.

"What happened the other three times?" Rose asked.

"Why do you think that we're here?" Ced asked her.

"Well, what I mean is, what happened to the people?" she corrected her question.

"Some of them died, and some of them they don't know what happened. All they could tell us are things that they had overheard, they didn't know any mission specifics." He told the now quiet group. "We need to charm the walls so that any of our stray shots don't go outside." He told his group of friends.

When they had finished charming the walls on the inside of the shed to absorb the spells. They decided to head off to dinner. Cici put a simple locking spell on the front door then she started walking around the outside of the building casting a notice-me-not charm on the building itself. As she went one way, Vic went the other casting the same spells as her wife.

"Okay, there. Now we're the only ones that can see the shed." Cici said as the two of them came walking back up-front holding hands.

Cici grabbed Ced's hand, and the group of friends headed off walking to the central dining facility for dinner that night. The others started to tell the trio about the different parts of driving a car. They pointed out the various street signs along their path and what the signs meant. They showed them the signs that told them the names of the different streets, just like in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. They pointed out the Stop signs, the Yield signs, and the yellow diamond-shaped signs. This was all stuff that none of them had ever really paid attention to when they would take a cab somewhere in London. One of the big things was, the signs in England were different than the signs in America. The fact that people in America drove on the wrong side of the road had no effect on them, because none of them had ever tried to drive a car before, so their instructors had clean slates to work with.

"They told us, that if we keep learning at the pace we are, then they'll teach us tactical manoeuvres with the cars!" George told them excitedly.

As they approached the dining facility, they became quieter, not wanting to discuss the things of their day. Once inside, they fell in line with the other people already in line to get their dinner.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.24.2018**


	45. Year Five Chapter 45

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 45

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The sound of the front door of their house getting smashed in and men yelling "GOGOGOGO!" Woke the teenagers that morning before 5:00 a.m. It had been a coordinated attack on all four houses at the same time.

It was a naked Vic, Cici, and Ced that shot out of bed, summoning their wand holsters to their forearms, and wands in their hands. Covering themselves magically, they disillusioned themselves, and the intruders kicked the door to their bedroom in. Moving quickly, and as the team that they were, the intruders had no chance. The first use of magic had killed the intruder's night vision goggles, so everyone was on equal footing. Ced extinguished the lighting in their home, so it was just the moonlight coming in from around the curtains. There were four men down in their bedroom. Checking the front room with quick glances told them that there were another four in the living room.

" _You go left."_ He thought to Cici. _"You go right."_ He thought to Vic. _"And I'll go up the centre."_ He thought to both of them. _"Three, two, one, go!"_

Four more intruders down. The trio looked out of the windows of their home.

Vic moved to the kitchen window, _"Clear back here."_ she thought to her mates.

" _Clear on this side."_ Cici thought to them.

" _Clear out front. I did see some flashes from Fred and Julia's place earlier."_ He thought to them.

" _I'm going to go check on Rose and Angel,"_ Cici told them.

" _Sounds good, I'll check on George and Amber,"_ Vic told them.

" _I'll see how Fred and Julia are doing,"_ Ced answered.

The threesome _teleportused_ to the different homes to check on their friends.

" _Rose and Angel are ok, they had six guys attack them."_ Cici thought to her mates.

" _Fred and Julia are okay also. They had six attackers also."_ Ced told her.

" _George and Amber are okay also. They had six intruders too."_ Vic said.

" _Alright, tell everybody to get dressed, and we'll apparate all of them to our living room,"_ Ced told his wives. "Go ahead and get dressed. We're going to take all of these people to our living room." Ced told the young couple standing in front of him.

"What's their problem?" an irritated Fred asked.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out," Ced promised him.

Ced grabbed two of the unconscious intruders and apparated to his place. Once there, he bound them with chains, hand and foot, then he left for two more.

When Vic got back to her place she saw that Ced had already brought two more of the intruders and bound them, she did likewise. Her wife showed up just before she left, she dropped off her two intruders that Vic bound for her and then levitated against one of the outside walls. Then she was gone again silently.

Each of them, on their second to the last trip, brought one of their friends back to the living room with them, and then on the last trip, they brought the other one with the last intruder.

"When are you going to teach us to apparate?" Angel asked her friends.

"I guess that we should do that soon," Vic told her.

"Yeah, we should." Cici agreed with her.

With all of the attackers still unconscious, they left them leaning against the outside walls of the house.

"Vic and I are going to go and put some clothes on," Cici told Ced.

"Okay, I'm going to start waking them up in a minute. I'm just trying to figure out who they are and who's in charge." Ced told her.

"Well, their uniforms say that they're Marines," Amber told him.

"Well, we've just captured twenty-six of them." Fred boasted.

"This guy seems to have the most number of stripes on his uniform, so I guess that makes him in charge," Ced told them just before he used _rennervate_ on him.

The SSgt shook his head trying to clear out some of the cobwebs inside there. "Where am I?" he asked groggily.

"Hi! My name is Ced, that's Fred and his girl Julia, That's Amber and her guy George, That's Rose and her cousin Angel. Oh, and the two that are entering the room right now, the dark haired one is Cici, and the light-haired one is Vic. What's your name?"

"Staff Sargent Ramirez! United States Marine Corps serial number…"

"Sargent, I don't care what your serial number is. All I asked you was what your name was." Ced told him. "My next question is, who told you that it was okay to use a battering ram on our front doors?"

"Staff Sargent Ramirez United …" he said again.

"Yes, we already know that part. But my question was, who told you, that it was okay for you, to use a battering ram, on our front doors? You can either tell me, or when Agent Robins and Johnson get here, they will find out for me. Until that time, you and your men, oh, you have a couple of women with you too. Either way, all of you will be our guests, and now, all of you will be signing a blood contract in a few minutes also." Ced told him.

"We're going to start fixing breakfast. Do you want us to make chorizo burritos for them too?" Cici asked.

"Do you think that your men would like a chorizo, egg, and potato burrito for breakfast? They're made with homemade flour tortillas and homemade salsa!" Ced asked the Sargent.

"Staff Sargent Ramirez …"

Ced cast a gag charm on the young Sargent. So, his mouth was moving, but there was no sound. Ced asked the others if they would _rennervate_ the others while he went to get dressed. They all agreed and got started on the project.

"Do I smell fresh tortillas?" the Marine with Rodriguez on his chest asked.

"I think so, 'cause I smell chorizo." Another Marine with Hernandez on his chest said.

"Really? You're going to think with your stomach at a time like this?" the female with Miller on her chest said.

"We're not going anywhere anytime soon, Miller," Rodriguez said. "Or can't you feel the chains on your hands and legs?"

"Yeah, well, we may be their prisoners, but that doesn't mean that we have to starve to death," Hernandez told her.

She huffed and rolled her eyes at them.

A few seconds later, Ced exited the bedroom.

"You know, it was very rude of you to bust open my front door, and it was even worse, that you busted open my bedroom door! Do you know how long it's going to take to fix that!" he asked the rhetorical question. Then with all eyes on him, he flicked his wrist, and the door was repaired. "It's going to take me that long to fix the bedroom door. Let me tell you a little bit about us, and all of you," he addressed his friends, "can add in as you see fit. First off, we are here as guests of your country. We were invited here by your government. My friends and I are here to help your government fight human trafficking."

"If you're here as guests of our country, then why did they tell us that they've had you under surveillance for weeks and that you are foreign invaders?" the guy with Robinson on his chest asked.

"That is a very good question, that I have asked Staff Sargent Ramirez and he has refused to answer," Ced told him.

"We were told that you're an advanced scouting party for a hostile government." The other female with Sanderson on her chest said.

"Well, if you think about it for just a few minutes, you would have to ask yourself, why would an advanced scouting party set up base in the middle of a Marine Corps base?" Ced asked her.

"Julia! Angel! Rose! Amber!" Cici called from the kitchen.

The four girls all headed for the kitchen.

"Well, I think that the girls have breakfast almost ready. If you will lean forward, we will remove the chains from your hands." Ced told them.

Fred walked to one end of the line of Marines, George headed for the other end of the line, and Ced for the four in the middle of the group of Marines.

"Now, if any of you are thinking about trying something, you will miss out on breakfast, and we will give your burrito to one of your fellow Marines. Plus, you will probably end up with a broken nose and most definitely have your hands chained again." Ced warned the group of Marines. He unchained the four in the middle of the group and stepped back to watch Fred and George.

"Hold up George," George stood up straight. "Jackson there thinks that he's fast enough to get you. Skip him, and he can watch as his fellow Marines get a fresh, hot, breakfast, of a chorizo burrito with fresh homemade tortillas."

George finished unchaining the rest of the Marines on his end of the line. Fred had just finished also and stepped back to join Ced and his cousin.

"So, what did you do to SSgt Ramirez? Why can't we hear him?"

"I used a gag charm on him. He'll be able to eat, but we just can't hear him." Ced answered the question.

"Why are you here to help them fight human trafficking?"

"Because when Ced, I, and his parents went on vacation in Haiti, I was kidnapped to be sold as a sex slave, to some terrorists in the Middle East," Cici announced her arrival and the first plate of burritos.

All of the girls served the Marines first, and then the guys.

"Are these spicy chorizo, mam?" one of the guys asked.

"No, we made them with mild chorizo, Ced's stomach can't handle anything too spicy." She told them.

"Okay, thank you."

"Are you going to behave, Jackson?" Ced asked.

"Yes." He said.

Ced walked over to him, "If you lean forward I'll remove the chains from your hands."

"How did you know what I was thinking?" he asked.

"The same way that we caught four of the bad guys the first day that we were here," Ced replied.

"You've already caught four bad guys?"

"Yes, right here on this very base and it seems that we're about to catch at least one more," Ced told them.

Vic walked over and held the plate out to him so he could get a burrito.

"Thank you, mam." He said.

"You're welcome." She told him.

"Who were they?" another guy asked.

"They were three delegates from other counties that had asked for our help. Three of the four were working for the cartels." Vic told him.

"And one of those four was working for the United States government," Ced told them.

"That was good, can I have another one?" Hernandez asked.

Julia got up and carried a plate over to him.

"That young lady right there," and they all looked at Julia, "Is a victim of human trafficking," Ced told them. "Her father sold her to pay off his gambling debts."

"Which he's run up again," Fred told them.

"Really? He did it again?" Cici looked at her and asked in awe.

Julia nodded to her.

"So, you see, whoever told you to attack us doesn't want us to succeed in our mission. It's a 150-billion-dollar industry, there's too much money involved." Ced told them.

"But what you're not understanding is, we can't tell you who ordered us to attack you. Trust me, any of these six girls could tie me up anytime! But it's against our training to tell our captors any information other than, name, rank, and serial number." Rodriguez told him.

Ced's watch that his dad gave him for Christmas vibrated. "Excuse me." He headed for the bedroom so he could have some privacy.

"Hello?"

"Hi, son. We'll be there in a little while. I'm trying to get ahold of McMillian and bring him, to see if he can help smooth things out." Harry said.

"Okay, one of the Marines just told me that they can't tell me anything other than name, rank, and serial number."

"That's true, but we still need to know who ordered the attack on all of you."

"I guess that I will get the Veritaserum and give the ranking guy some of it."

"That's what you'll have to do. Silence the others first though, it may scare them, and they could start yelling." Harry cautioned him.

"Okay, you had best portkey right to our living room," Ced warned his father.

"Okay, see you soon."

"See you soon," Ced told his father, and the screen on his communications watch went dark. Ced closed the watch and started to dig through Cici's backpack for the Veritaserum.

Ced walked back into the living room. "We need to put a silencing charm on all of them." He told his group of friends.

"Okay, what are you going to do?" Angel asked.

Ced showed her the vial of Veritaserum, "I'm going to give Ramirez a little of this to find out who ordered them to attack us." he told her loud enough that the Marines could hear him.

The Marines started to fidget in place, the ones that were silenced, their mouths were moving, but there was no sound, the ones that hadn't been silenced yet were starting to make threats.

"This isn't going to hurt him, all it is is a type of truth serum. We need to know who ordered you to attack us and why." Ced addressed the Marines.

As Ced approached Ramirez, Ramirez started trying to hit him with his freed hands, Ced chained his hands and his feet together, since Ramirez had been sitting cross-legged. He walked up to him and put one knee into Ramirez's lap to hold him still, the Marines on either side of Ramirez tried to grab Ced, but they found their hands chained to their feet also. Ced forced his mouth open and placed three drops of the liquid on his tongue. Then he got up quickly to wait for the serum to take effect. Less than a minute later and Ramirez's eyes glazed over.

"What is your name?" Ced asked him clearly.

"Juan Ramirez."

What's your rank?"

"Staff Sargent."

"Who told you to attack us?"

"My Tio Benny."

"And where does your Tio Benny live?"

"In Juarez, Mexico."

"Have you done other things for your Tio Benny since you've been a Marine?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"I made drug connections for him when I was stationed in Afghanistan. And then I got some of those drugs shipped back to the United States on military transports."

"What did you tell the Marines that attacked us tonight?"

"I told them that we had been ordered to attack the people living in the four abandoned houses."

"And what were you going to do to us."

"I was going to eliminate you and then set fire to all of the houses."

"Who all knew that you were going to do all of this?"

"Myself and Captain Abrams."

"Who is Cpt. Abrams?"

"He's our Company Commander."

"How long have you known Cpt. Abrams?"

"Since Afghanistan and the first drug deal. He helped me set it up."

"Where is Cpt. Abrams now?"

"At home asleep."

"Is there anyone else outside, waiting for us?"

"Yes, I placed two snipers and two spotters outside to cover the courtyard of the four houses."

Ced turned to Rose and Angel, "Use teleportus and take Fred and George to get their body armour, and then all four of you go find those snipers."

"How far away and where are the snipers?" Ced asked Ramirez quickly.

"300m out, ones to the northeast, and the other is to the southeast." He told them.

"Go get them and bring them back here," Ced told the four of them.

Rose grabbed ahold of Fred tightly and then they were gone. Angel grabbed ahold of George in a hug and then they were gone.

"What'd you tell the snipers?"

"That if anybody but us left these buildings to shoot them."

Ced stopped interrogating Ramirez at that point. He just waited for his friends to bring the snipers and the spotters into the building. He hoped that they would be able to teleportus behind the snipers and their spotters. He didn't want any of his friends to get hurt.

" _They'll do fine babe."_ Cici thought to him.

Ced gave her and Vic a small smile.

The time seemed to drag on forever, as they waited what seemed to be an eternity. Then the broken front door swung open, and a vision of shimmering death walked in with what looked to be a bunch of undergrowth levitated behind it. Ced pointed to the far wall, and the image of death set the body down over there. Then another image of death walked in with another bunch of undergrowth with a rifle lying on top of the bunch of weeds. Again, Ced pointed to the other person wearing a ghillie suit was already laying. Death put down its charge next to the other body. A minute later the scene was replayed as the last two were brought in and laid by the others.

Ced motioned for the four in body armour to come closer to him, "Go get changed out of your body armour. We don't want too many people to know."

Two of those in body armour hugged the other two, and they were gone.

Ced walked over to the four new bodies in the room. He reached down and pulled gently on the camouflage, made up of natural growth, and found that it would lift off easy enough. He piled all four of the suits in the nearest corner, their weapons went in the corner farthest from the snipers. He then bound them hand and foot before he _rennervated_ them. Then he used magic to place each of them in a sitting position against the wall, he separated them, about a bodies width apart.

"Are you okay?" He asked the first one.

"Sargent …" the Marine started to spout.

Ced silenced him with a wave of his hand. And he moved to the next Marine. "Are you okay?"

The Marine just nodded.

"Good."

He went on down the line, and the others just nodded, having seen what happened to the first Marine.

Ced looked the Marines over, and he decided on the Marine with the most number of stripes, he had Lopez on his name tag.

"Sgt. Lopez, who gave you your orders this morning?"

"Sargent Lopez …" he spouted.

Ced silenced the other two Marines with a wave of his hand. Then he pulled the bottle of Veritaserum out, and he forced Lopez's mouth open, three drops later he let go of the man's mouth.

He waited until Lopez's eyes glazed over.

"What is your name?" again he spoke clearly.

"Santiago Lopez." He said in a monotone.

"Who told you to do what?" Ced already knew the answer, he had seen it in the man mind, he just wanted the others to hear it from this guy's mouth.

"I was told by Juan's Tio to kill Juan when all of this was done. He said that Juan had become a liability."

"How much did Juan's Tio pay you to do that?"

"$50,000."

"Did you ever help Juan in Afghanistan?"

"Yes, I would take down people that would get in the way, or would know too much."

"How many friendlies did you kill in Afghanistan?"

"Twelve."

Ced turned to Ramirez, "How does it feel to know that you're expendable?"

Ced turned to Lopez, "What about the Captain?"

"The Captain's dead, I killed him last night before we came after you."

Harry, Hermione, and Sean arrived, landing in the living room, just after Lopez admitted to killing his Captain. Ced checked his watch, it was 8:00. Rob, Johnson, Marta, and Essie should be getting here at any moment. They were always on time, and sure enough, the sound of vehicles pulling up outside was heard. What a relief that sound was too.

When Rob and Johnson saw that the front door of the house had been smashed in and the battering ram was laid up against the wall, they put their hands up to tell the two women to wait by the cars. Pulling their service weapons, they entered cautiously to eleven wands pointed at them. Both of them raised their hands, and then slowly they holstered their weapons and raised their hands again to show that they were not the enemy.

"So, what happened here?" Rob asked.

Ced gave him a quick rundown of what had happened that morning.

Rob looked at Harry, "So, you're here to have them sign a blood contract." He stated.

"Yes, and the sooner we get started, the sooner you can have them," Harry told the agent.

Rob motioned with his hand that the floor was his. Harry lifted up the stack of parchment and went over the highlights of the what they would be signing and the results if they ever broke the contract. He chose the Marine that was closest to him, her chains disappeared, and he motioned for her to come and have a seat at the table and chair that he conjured in front of her.

"Please, fill in your full name at the top in the space provided, you can read it if you want, then sign at the bottom, above your name. After you sign, then you will need to place your thumb in the circle. It will hurt a little because it is going to take a drop of your blood to seal the contract." Harry explained it to the first person to sign the contract. He handed her the quill, "This is a blood quill, as you begin to fill out the form, it is going to use your blood to write with, it will hurt some also. But, alas, it is a blood contract."

McMillian knew that Harry only had people use a blood quill when he was angry with them, all of the others he would let them sign in ink and then place their thumbs in the circle. He couldn't really blame him; these people had been there to kill his kids and their friends after all. A little sadistic justice was to be expected.

When Harry had gotten to Ramirez, Ced told him, "Skip him for now."

Harry looked at his son for a moment and then moved on to the next one. The others that had signed already had been taken outside and made to sit in the centre of the four houses to wait. Fred, Julia, George, and Amber were standing guard duty outside. Cici or Vic would escort them to the group outside and turn them over to the two couples. When Harry had gotten to Lopez, Ced again told him to skip him too. Then it was just the two Marines left.

Ced looked at Johnson, the hour that it had taken for all of the others to sign, had not done much to calm him down. "These two are the main problems." Then Ced looked at Ramirez, "Are you ready to sign?"

"I'm not signing shit!" and then he spat on Ced's clothing. "I want a lawyer!"

"You're not under arrest," Ced told him coldly. "So, you can sign the contract of your own free will. After all, all it says is that you'll never tell anyone about us."

"I'm not signing shit!" he said trying to sound all tough. Machismo.

Ced could see that he was afraid. Ced looked into his mind, and he could see that he was just a scared little boy in a man's body. "Lopez, why don't you show him how it's done," Ced said as he turned around to face Lopez. The chains disappeared from his hands and his feet.

Lopez made to run for the door, but the chains appeared on his ankles in midstride causing him to land on his face in the living room, sliding just a bit.

Ced levitated him to the chair and sat him in it. Chains snaked around his legs and around his off hand.

"All you need to do is to pick up the quill and write your full name in the space provided at the top of the form. You can read it if you like, but it says what I told you it said. Then you will need to sign it, in the space provided, above your name at the bottom of the form and then place your thumb in the circle. A drop of your blood will seal the contract. Then, you will be free to join your friends outside." Harry told him.

Lopez spit on the form. "There!"

"While the DNA in your saliva would be sufficient for your people to identify you. The form requires your blood." Harry told him patiently.

"I'm not signing shit." He sneered at him. The sneer reminded Harry of his most disliked professor.

Ced got down at Lopez's level across the table from him. Ced entered into Lopez's mind. "He has more information that he's not telling. He's hoping that he can trade that information for his life."

"Well Mr Lopez," Harry started, "If you sign the contract, then you can negotiate with your people with that information. If you don't sign the contract, then my son is going to rip that information out of your head, not too kindly, and give it to them anyway. It's your choice." Harry told him patiently.

Lopez looked up at those left in the room, then he picked up the blood quill and started to write his name, he watched as his name was carved into the back of his hand holding the quill. At the bottom of the form, his signed his name and set the quill down. He looked up at them again, and then he placed his thumb in the circle, he felt the prick, and he jerked his thumb away to watch a drop of his blood soak into the contract. Harry picked up the contract, looked at it, and then added it to the stack he already had. Ced removed the chains that were binding Lopez to the chair and from around his ankles. He escorted him to the door and waited as George guided him to join the others.

"It's your turn, Mr Ramirez," Harry told the last Marine.

Ramirez was alone with the others, all of the Marines were outside, it was just him and his captors. He didn't know that Johnson was really Gunny Johnson. He also didn't know that Gunny Johnson had helped take the other four away that first day. Learning that his Tio had told Lopez to kill him when this was over, had been a shocker for him. He shouldn't have been thinking about it, all his Tio cared about was money and power. The same things that seduced him. In fact, his Tio had seduced him with words of money and power. 'Oh, we'll be great together! Just you and me! Look at all the putas we will have! Come and see my new car! Come and see my new house!' his Tio would say to him, and where was his Tio now?

"He's realising that his uncle has just abandoned him," Ced told his dad.

Ramirez took the seat and felt the chains wrap around his ankles and his off hand. He picked up the blood quill and started to print his name at the top of the page. This wasn't normal paper, it had a different feel to it. He could feel the back of his hand being cut, and he watched as his name was etched into it, then it faded as he went down the parchment to the bottom where his name was already printed in his handwriting. He signed his name on the line above his printed name at the bottom of the form. Holding the quill in his fist, he pressed his thumb against the form in the circle provided. There was the poke that all the others jerked their thumbs away from, but he just held his there. Then he slowly lifted his hand away and watch as his blood was absorbed by the form. He wiped his thumb on his uniform pants and felt the chains remove themselves from around his body parts. He slid the chair back as he stood up slowly, ready to be led outside with the others. He didn't think that he would live long enough to make it to trial, he might not live long enough to make it to the interrogation that was coming. He didn't even know that Lopez was the shooter that his Tio had had in Afghanistan. Plus, he was surprised that Lopez had killed the company commander. He was dumb enough to have done this for free when Lopez was getting paid $50,000! So much for blood being thicker than water.

.

After Ced had turned him over to Fred, he walked over to Marta and Essie to invite them inside the house. All of the girls had taken a liking to the two women, and when they could, they would come over to learn a little about cooking from them. The fresh food that Vic and Cici would make for dinner was a welcome relief from the food at the main dining facility. Even Jorge would join them sometimes for dinner. And today, it looked as if everyone would be there for lunch.

"Johnson, have you called the MPs yet?" Ced asked the Gunny.

"Is it safe? I don't need you all killing another cell phone." He chuckled at him.

"It should be safe. I'm not planning on using any magic for a few minutes." Ced looked at the others in the room, they all shook their heads at him. "They're not planning on using any magic for few minutes either." He told him.

Johnson and Rob went outside to make their phone calls, Ced motioned for his friends outside to come on in, Johnson and Robins could watch their own people while they waited for the MPs to show. When the two men saw the magicals leaving, they looked up and waved at Ced to let him know that it was okay.

Once inside, "So how many of you practised their legilimency on the Marines?" Ced asked them.

All of them said yes to some degree.

"And what did you learn about the people that attacked us this morning?" he asked them.

"Most of them were confused and a little afraid," Julia said. Most of the others agreed with her.

"We weren't what they were expecting," George said.

"Outside, they were afraid of what would happen to them next," Fred told him.

"Were we still going to make enchiladas for lunch today?" Marta asked out loud.

"Sure!" said Vic, she discovered that she enjoyed the enchiladas that they had had before. Today she would be learning how to make the red chilli sauce for them.

"Oh! Can we help?" Angel asked.

"Sure, come on into the kitchen," Essie told the other girls. Once they were inside the kitchen, they could talk more about what had happened that morning.

.

Jorge and the driving instructors wondered what had happened to all of the teenagers, it wasn't like them to not show up for their lessons. So, Jorge had decided to drive out to the houses to look for Ced. As he drove down the dirt road, he came across a bunch of red and blue flashing lights. So, he decided to find a wide spot in the road so he could get turned around before he got too close to whatever was happening down there. He would just wait for an hour or so. He went looking for Marta's car, he knew that Marta and Essie had been teaching the kids at their quarters out in the woods. As he cruised the parking lot, he saw that it wasn't there. He hoped that everything was okay.

Inside of Ced, Cici, and Vic's house, Harry, Hermione, Sean, and the others were talking about what had happened that morning, when a knock at the door stopped the discussion. Ced walked over to the broken front door and opened it.

"Come on in," Ced told Johnson.

"They need to collect all of the weapons from all of the houses," Johnson told him.

"Do they need us to be there or do we need to go someplace else?" Ced asked.

"Well, it's a catch 22, they need somebody there, but they haven't signed a blood contract either," Johnson told them.

"Can you do it for the kids?" Sean asked him.

"I can ask. I'll make up some excuse." Johnson told them before he went back out the door.

"What's a catch 22 thing?" Fred asked.

"Basically, it means that you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, or it is a no-win situation." Sean started to tell him. "There was a book called Catch-22, it took place during World War 2, and the story was about a guy that wanted to get out of the military on a psychiatric discharge."

"Okay," Fred said.

"Now the catch was, if he was sane enough to sign the discharge papers then he wasn't insane enough to be discharged from the army, but if he was truly insane then he couldn't sign the discharge papers to get out of the army. So, either way, he was stuck staying in the army until the end of his enlistment." Sean told them.

"That's barmy!" George said in shock.

Several minutes later, Johnson knocked on the front door and followed it inside, "They've already collected the weapons and other stuff from the other houses, now they need to collect them from this house." He told them.

"Alright, we'll go to Fred and Julia's house for a few minutes. Is it okay if Marta and Essie stay here, so the food doesn't burn?" Ced asked the big Marine.

"It should be." He told him.

Ced walked to the kitchen to tell the girls that they needed to go over to Fred and Julia's for a few minutes while the MPs collected all of the equipment that got left behind in the attack that morning. He also told Marta and Essie that it was okay if they stayed.

"Are everybody's cell phones turned off?" Ced asked in an irritated voice.

"Just a minute!" Johnson called back to him.

A moment later. "Okay!"

And Harry and Hermione disappeared with a quiet pop. Johnson looked around the small house, and all of the teenagers were gone. He walked out the front door and told the MPs that it was now okay for them to enter the building to look for the rest of the military hardware that had been left behind. They found the two sniper rifles, the four ghillie suits, knives, M-4 assault rifles, side arms, night vision goggles, the two spotting scopes, and the tactical flashlights that didn't work. Outside of the houses, they collected the breaching tools that were used to smash the doorknobs out of the doors. All in all, this had been a very well-armed assault on these four houses.

"We're going to need statements from the occupants of these houses." The lieutenant in charge of the MPs told Johnson.

"That won't be possible." Agent Robins told the Lieutenant.

"And why is that, sir? We will need their statements to prosecute the assailants fully." The lieutenant told him.

"The occupants of these four houses are here as special guests of the United States Government and are not to be disturbed in any way and under no circumstances," Robins told him. "Do I make myself clear Lieutenant?" he asked him taking charge.

"Sir, yes sir!" the lieutenant replied.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." He told him.

The MPs weren't ready to transport thirty prisoners, so they formed them up and marched them out of the area. Even as prisoners, the Marines' had an impeccable military bearing. With the last of the extra people out of their area, the magicals walked back to the trio's place to get ready for lunch. The girls all went back to the kitchen to finish the enchiladas, Spanish rice, and horchata for lunch. Jorge had seen the MPs marching a large group of people from the direction that his wife and friends were. He started his truck and headed in that direction. Fred, George, and Ced went around to the other houses repairing the damages that had been caused in the early morning raid. While the guys were out fixing the homes, Harry conjured a large table and chairs to go with it.

Jorge showed up just as the guys were walking back to the threesome's house. "Hey, Ced! I missed you this morning." Jorge called out to him.

"Sorry Jorge, things got a little exciting around here this morning," Ced told him.

"I hope that everybody is doing okay."

"Yes, we're all fine."

"How's Marta and Essie?" he asked letting some of the worry come through.

"They're fine, they're inside with the girls fixing lunch. They got here just after it was all over. Rob and Johnson should still be inside too." he tried to reassure the worried husband.

Ced stepped up onto the small porch and opened the now repaired door. He stepped inside and held the door for his guests to enter. When Jorge entered the small house, he saw that there were three new people that he didn't know. He also saw that there was a large table with several chairs around it. Seeing their new guest, Harry enlarged the table one more time and added an additional chair.

"Mum, dad, I would like you to meet my instructor, Jorge." Ced started the introductions. As they were shaking hands, Ced continued the introductions, "Jorge, these are my parents, Harry and Hermione."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Ced's a very pleasant young man." Jorge complimented them.

"Thank you, we don't get to hear enough about what it is that he's doing," Hermione said.

With Rob and Johnson within earshot, Ced didn't get into anything that would let them know that Jorge, Essie, and Marta were really magicals working on the base. That would need to happen when they left after lunch.

Vic came out of the kitchen and told everybody to take their seats, they would be serving them soon. The eight women filed out of the kitchen carrying two plates each and started to serve their guests. Cici served Hermione and Vic served Harry, then they worked their way around the table, and Cici served Ced, Vic set her extra plate where Cici would be sitting, and Rose set her extra plate where Vic would be sitting. Essie and Marta had two large pitchers of horchata and began filling glasses. George, Fred, and Ced got up to seat their girls.

"That is something that I have been telling them that Mexican men don't do. Especially men with lower status don't do." Marta was saying. "But he insists on doing it, saying that he is not going to start disrespecting them this early."

"I keep telling her, that if Mexican women would demand more respect, and if the Mexican men would realise that it shows more machismo to respect their women than to disrespect them, things in their culture that they don't like, would start to change." Ced defended his action of seating his wives.

"Ced's upbringing, his training, is very instilled in him. His sense of right and wrong runs very deep in him." Jorge said.

"He was taught from a very young age," Harry told the man.

"Is this going to be a problem?" Agent Robins asked with concern and a mouth full of enchilada.

"No! It is something that I am waiting to correct until later." Ced told him.

"Ced was raised to be very proper," Cici told the agent.

"His tutor was very strict," Vic said.

"Yeah, he is." Mumbled George as he pulled his hands off the table rubbing his knuckles.

Robins noted how some of the other teens had removed their hands from the table and rubbed their knuckles too.

"Are you sure that there's not going to be any problems?" he asked again.

"No, there's not going to be a problem," Ced reassured the agent. "We've come too far to turn back now. This morning's raid on us just goes to show that we're making them nervous, they're worried, afraid. And, you have a name to work with now, too." Ced told the agent.

"Well, I'm just glad that all of you are okay," Rob said.

"All of our training paid off today," Amber said.

"How much training have all of you had?" Asked a curious Johnson.

"A lot! Even when we're on vacation, we train." Angel told him.

"What kind of training do you do?" he asked.

"We get up early every morning, and we run, we don't walk, we don't jog, we run, for at least thirty minutes, then after our run, we change it up throughout the week, with things like weight training or hand to hand combat training. Things like that." Cici said.

"Would you be interested in training with others? There are others on the base that have signed the blood contract, that isn't much older than all of you. I'm sure they would enjoy sparring against you if you're interested." Johnson told them.

The teens all looked at each other, "Sure!" Ced said. Then he looked at Robins, "If that's okay with you." He told the agent.

"I don't see a problem with it. I just want to be there for the first couple of times." He told them.

"When can we start?" Vic asked the Gunny.

"I'll talk to them this afternoon." He told her.

After a fantastic lunch, the group thanked the chefs profusely, everybody headed off to where they needed to be that afternoon. For their six friends, that was to their driving instructors, they had advanced to defensive and offensive driving, they were learning to drift the cars around corners, high-speed driving in reverse, and other advanced driving skills. For the two girls in the house, they were learning how to clean everything. After they cleaned their house, then they would go and clean their friends' houses. When their friends learned that they were cleaning their houses too… they started to take better care of their houses, their clothes made it into the laundry hamper, and whatever trash they had, made it into the trash bins.

Harry, Hermione, Sean, Robins, and Johnson talked at length about how what had happened, could have happened. They decided to move up the launch date by a full month and not tell anyone, to keep the leaks uninformed. The new kickoff date was now in the middle of March. All of the credit cards, debit cards, and cash was already set. Robins would personally reschedule all of the rental cars for the teenagers.

After Robins and Johnson left to take care of business, Marta came out of the kitchen, everyone had forgotten about the two quiet women. "May we speak with you?" she asked Harry.

"Sure!" he answered a little confused.

"Cici, Vic, and Ced have become very close to us."

"Okay, that's good, I'm glad," Harry told her.

"We're magicals like you." She said, dropping a bombshell on them.

"What makes you think that we're magicals?" Harry tried to bluff.

"Well, when a sixteen-year-old boy has you give an Oath of Loyalty to the Potter family, what else would you be?" she told him with a smirk.

Harry blushed a little at being caught in his white lie, "Okay, so you caught us." He said to her.

"We have something here that may help the children. It was very popular several years ago, and it faded away almost as fast as it became popular."

"What's that?" He asked her.

"They're called glamour bracelets. The idea is like a glamour charm only it's on a bracelet. Whoever wears the bracelet takes that form." She told him.

"Why'd they fade away?" he asked her.

"The magic wasn't very long lasting, just a few days, and for what they cost! Parents stopped buying them." She told him.

"Do you have any of them still?" Hermione asked her.

"I think my kids still have one or two of them," Marta told her.

"I think my kids still have the ones that I bought them too," Essie told her.

Hermione thought that if they could get the bracelets then, maybe they could figure out what spells had been used and make the magic longer lasting. It just might give the kids the edge they needed.

"Please look for them," Hermione asked of the two new friends.

"We'll get them to Cici or Vic," Essie told them.

"How are the kids doing?" Hermione asked her in quiet tones.

"It was hard on them at first, doing everything by hand, without using magic. The girls complained that we were treating them like house elves at first." Essie chuckled.

Harry, after all of these years still winced at what she had said.

"I think that they actually enjoy cooking now," Marta told the parents.

"I still think that they don't enjoy cleaning toilets by hand, but then who does?" Essie said with a slight smile.

"The girls did most of the cooking for lunch. Everybody else just helped to roll the enchiladas." Marta told them.

"Do you think that they have a chance?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but I also think that it's going to depend on how long they have to pretend to be something that they are not. The longer they are pretending…" she faded off.

"We understand," Hermione told her solemnly.

"When you get the bracelets to the kids they'll get them to us," Harry told them. "We'll see if we can reverse engineer them to make them last longer for the kids."

"Those three are special," Marta told them. "I don't know what it is, but there is something about them." She said getting a faraway look in her eyes.

"Yes, they are very special to us," Hermione told her.

"We're going to leave. If you think of anything that will help protect them, tell them to tell us so we can make it happen for them." Harry told the two American witches. "Are you ready Sean?"

"Whenever you are," McMillian told his friend.

With one arm wrapped around Hermione's waist, Harry held out the portkey for Sean to touch, with all three touching the portkey, they were pulled in and gone from the room.

.

.

"I've got a dozen different people that are willing to train with you," Johnson told the teens late Thursday afternoon after their regular classes.

That was good because Ced was getting tired of raking leaves and picking up trash. Yes, the weather was changing, and Jorge told him that in a week or so they would start planting flowers, but being a gardener was getting old quick! If one more person shuffled through a pile of leaves! He had sworn to Jorge that he was going to put a ward on the piles of leaves!

"When do they want to meet us?" George asked.

"They would like to meet you tomorrow morning at the main gym," Johnson told the group.

All of them looked at him apprehensively.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, the main gym. It sounds like it could be crowded." Fred told him.

"Okay, so where would you be more comfortable meeting them?"

"Here? Could they meet us here in the middle of the four houses at 6:00, 6:15? After our morning run?" Ced asked.

"I'll give Jacobs a call and let him know that the meeting place will be here at 5:30," Johnson told him. "But where did you want to practice sparring at?" he asked as he looked around the area.

"Here, let me show you." He said as he started to walk towards the little shed behind the houses.

The others got a smile on their faces. This would be the first time that they would be letting him into their world more fully. Johnson dutifully followed Ced and the two girls that were always holding hands with him. If they weren't holding his hands, they were holding each other's hands. There was more to them than met the eye. But, Wow! Were these kids good at keeping secrets! Ced got to the door of the small shed that was nowhere near large enough to hold everyone tomorrow. He opened the door and held it for Johnson to enter into a new realm of possibilities.

"Wow. We are not in Kansas anymore Toto." He commented as he looked around the well-equipped, nicely lighted, training room. "This is where you all practice?" he asked in wonder.

"Yes, but since it's always just the nine of us, we kind of know what the other is going to do. When we do get the chance to practice against others we kind of get excited." Ced told him.

All of them had really enjoyed the times that they got to practice against the soldiers in the SAS. The girls had really enjoyed having other guys to spar against in hand to hand combat.

They showed Johnson around their training room, they had conjured weight training machines, mats for the floors, and barricades for when they would practice fighting magically.

"What are the barricades for?" Johnson asked as he turned around to look at the kids.

"Who wants to show him what the barricades are for?" Ced asked.

Fred, George, Amber, and Julia started to walk to the training area.

"If your cell phones' not turned off, you're going to want to turn it off now," Ced told him calmly.

Johnson unclipped his phone from his hip and pressed the right combination of buttons to shut his phone down.

"Yeah, he is," Vic said.

"Fred cut Julia off in traffic this morning, and she's not really happy with him right now," Cici said.

"See, it's boys against girls," Vic said.

"Fifteen minutes!" Ced said loudly. "Go!"

Johnson had never really seen the teenagers use their wands before. The majority of the time the teens had to do things without using magic. But watching these four starting to battle it out. It looked to him that Julia was going to teach her boyfriend not to cut her off in traffic anymore, from what he could see. The two girls were actually taking the fight to their boyfriends. He watched as the two guys would make concrete walls just appear out of thin air and the girls would blast the wall to pieces. He also noticed that the kids had good combat training. They never stayed in the same place twice, they were always on the move. He saw the two guys split up and try to outflank the two girls that were working as a team. Then the two girls almost disappeared, he could just see them as they moved low to the ground, from one barricade to the next. They stopped firing on the guys and would cast decoys of themselves in different places on the training floor. The two guys eventually stopped blasting the bait. As they waited to see what the girls would try to do. The girls knew that if they threw a hex at them, it would give away their position, so they resorted to doing a combat crawl to get behind Fred. Soon they had gotten to one of the permanent barricades that gave them a shot at Fred's back. One more decoy in the middle of the two guys, they both stood up to blast it, and Julia slipped behind Fred and placed her wand to the back of his head.

Fred raised his hands in surrender, "I love you." She said just before she tapped his head with her wand to stun him.

George went on the offensive, he didn't have much to lose at this point. His cousin was already down, and time was running out. With a couple of blasting spells to keep the girls' heads down he hopped over the barricade he was hiding behind and started to move in a zig-zag pattern across the floor. The two girls spread apart to make two targets instead of just the one and began to work, to take him down in a crossfire. George jumped over one spell and rolled across the floor, still keeping his forward momentum to get behind another permanent barricade. Johnson watched as the barricade took two spells and just absorbed them. The new plan for the girls seemed to be to box George in so they could trap him. George saw the wall appear next to him, so he blasted the wall. Another appeared, and he blasted that one too. Then a wall appeared behind him, and he blasted that wall as he started to retreat and rethink his plan. Then a wall appeared behind him, he ran at the permanent barricade in front of him, and he jumped just in time to avoid a stunner that hit the floor behind him. Now he was on the opposite side of the barricade that Amber was using to take cover behind. He was exposed to hexes from Julia, but she would have to stand up to hit him. Julia peaked around the far end of her barricade to find out where George had moved to now. She was rewarded with a cutting hex thrown at her. The hex caught her across her forehead.

"IF THAT SCARS, I'M GOING TO HEX YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR SHORT MISERABLE LIFE GEORGE!" Julia yelled at him.

Well, at least he got her. George was tempted to yell out an apology, but that would just give his position away to Amber. Julia used her free hand to stop the bleeding, and she wiped the blood off her face on to a sleeve.

"YOU HAD BETTER HOPE THAT CICI HEALS ME BEFORE SOMEBODY RENNERVERATES FRED!" she yelled at him again.

"What'd he do to you?" Amber yelled from one end of the barricade.

"Your prat of a boyfriend hit me with a cutting curse across my forehead!" she yelled back to her partner.

George moved to the end of the barricade that was farthest from Amber's voice. When he peaked around the end of the barricade, Johnson could have told you what was going to happen, because he saw Amber sitting there waiting for him to peak around the barricade. George was rewarded with a stunner to the face.

"Now, what happened to the two guys? Fred and George?" Johnson asked as he moved out on to the training floor with the others.

Cici and Vic went to check on Julia's face. Amber rennervated her boyfriend, and they kissed to make up. Cici led Julia to the examination table set up in one of the corners next to the potions cabinet. Vic walked over to Fred and rennervated him. Ced led Johnson over so he could watch Cici heal Julia's cut. He was amazed to see the wound being healed right before his eyes.

He also heard Cici tell her, "It's not going to scar, but if you want me to, I'll make it seem like it is." Cici told her nice and quietly.

"No, I think that he's scared enough already!" she told her softly.

Both girls and the Gunny shared a quiet laugh.

The next morning Johnson showed up with a dozen other people that he had already explained to the kids had signed a blood contract for their protection. The group of people, a mixture of mostly men and a few women, had walked to the four abandoned houses from the main gymnasium. As they stood there waiting, Ced and the others came running into the courtyard just back from their run.

"Morning, Johnson," Ced told the Gunny.

"Morning, Ced." He replied, then he greeted the others by name also. "These are the folks that I was telling you about." He told them.

"Okay, great! Why don't all of you follow us and we will go someplace that we can practice against each other." Ced addressed the newcomers.

There was mumbled assent to following the kids. They couldn't see any place for them to practice against these kids. Especially with Ced leading them all to this small storage shed that looked like it was going to fall down at any moment. Ced opened the door to the shed, and Cici and Vic lead everybody into their training facility. Of course, the people that they were going to be sparring against really weren't that much older than them, they were all in their middle to late twenties. The magicals watched as the no-Majs' walked into the magically enhanced shed. All of the no-Majs' mouths were hanging open as they took in the training room. After Ced closed the door, Johnson had everyone introduce themselves to help break the ice. Most of the no-Majs' were agents in training, there were a couple of Marines that were interested in sparring against the teens, but the agents were just wanting experience apprehending people.

"Why don't we go ahead and pair up so we can get some hand to hand training in before it gets too late," Ced said loudly.

"I don't see any gloves or head protection." One of the agent trainees said.

"What kind of gloves and head protection are you talking about?" Ced asked.

"You know, the kind that's used in martial arts." He said.

Ced furrowed his brow in thought, then he remembered that he had seen it in a karate movie, he turned away from the agent, then he conjured some head protection, and some martial arts style of gloves and padding for the feet. "Is this what you're talking about?" Ced asked

"Yeah, where did you get those?" he asked.

"They were just over here." Ced lied to him.

"I don't think so." The agent called Ced's bluff.

"Here, come over here and see for yourself," Ced told him as he walked to some cabinets against the wall. When Ced opened the doors to the cabinets, the cabinet was full of gloves and padding.

All of the others started to walk over to the cabinet and Ced started to pass out the sparring equipment. The magicals all conjured their own stuff once they saw what it was. They had never used it, always having fought bare-knuckle before.

After everyone had on the protective equipment, they started to spar. The teenagers all came out vicious and overwhelmed the trainees. It's not that the trainees couldn't fight, it was just that the teens had trained for a different outcome of the fight.

"What's your problem?" one of the agents complained loudly.

Ced walked over to handle the situation, "I'm sorry, we train to win, not to subdue our opponent." Ced told the man.

"I'll fight you." Another of the agents told Ced. He was going to put this kid in his place.

"Sure, did you want me to wear the protective equipment?" Ced answered the agent trainee.

"Naw, you don't need to wear it." the agent sneered at him.

"That's good because we've never worn it before today anyway. You can take yours off if you like." Ced told him.

The mats were cleared of all of the other people. The trainees were waiting for Jimmy to teach this kid a lesson that he wouldn't soon forget.

Jimmy tossed his equipment off to the side, "Come on, let's go." He told Ced as he held his hands up in a defensive position.

Ced gave a couple of false starts to help get his opponent off of his game. After the second false start, Jimmy came after Ced with a vengeance. Ced took several blows to his torso, the guy hit like a bull. Ced backed up yet again, and Jimmy followed with an overconfident smile on his face. Ced got the room that he needed and then he lashed out at Jimmy's leading knee, kicking it towards the trailing leg. The knee failed with a loud pop that everyone in the room heard clearly. Ced followed through with a powerful uppercut to Jimmy's jaw, snapping his head back, causing him to fall to the side. Ced backed up giving Jimmy an opportunity to either get up and continue the fight or to admit his defeat.

"Ced!" Cici and Vic yelled together as another of the agent trainees started to charge him.

Ced was able to spin around and deliver a kick to the man's upper torso just below the ribcage, as the man doubled over Ced spun again and delivered a blow to the back of his head with his elbow driving him down to the mats, Ced dropped and gave another elbow to his kidney.

"Stop! You're killing him!" one of the females yelled.

"No, he's incapacitating his opponent," Cici said as she stepped forward, defending her husband.

"Again, we apologise, we don't train to put our opponents in handcuffs. We train so that our opponents don't get back up and come after us again." Vic told them. Then she turned and walked over to Ced's first opponent. "Lie still," She told him, "So I can start to heal you."

"Oh my god! He broke my knee!" he said as he held his knee and rocked back and forth.

"He needs an ambulance!" another trainee said.

"If he will stop rolling around and let me get a look at it, I can heal him. But if he's just going to roll around on the floor like a two-year-old having a fit, then he may never walk on it again!" Vic told both of them.

"He needs an ambulance! I'm going to go and call an ambulance!" the trainee told them.

Johnson blocked the door. "If you give her a little time, she will be able to fix his knee good as new." He told the panicking trainee.

Cici got up from checking on the second of Ced's opponents. She walked over to the whimpering man and touched him on the forehead. He stopped moving instantly. "Go ahead and run your diagnostic spells on him." She said as she rolled him on to his back.

Vic ejected her wand and started to run a basic diagnostic spell on him. Then she ran a more advanced diagnostic spell to look at his knee. As she was running the diagnostic spells, some of the others in the room came over to watch what it was that she was doing. They looked on in amazement at being able to see inside of their fellow trainee's leg. As Vic held the view of the knee up, Cici ejected her wand and began to repair his leg. When Cici had finished healing his knee, Vic started to move the wand farther up his body. When she got to his arms and torso, the display showed something in his right forearm.

"Johnson! Come over here please." Vic said.

"What do you have?" Johnson said as he walked to were the two girls were down on their knees over the trainee.

"What's that?" Cici said as she pointed to the display of the wand.

"I don't know. If I had to guess, I would say that it's some kind of tracking device."

This information had attracted all of the other trainees in the room. Did they have a double agent in their class?

"Why would he sign a blood contract and have something like this in his arm?" Vic asked.

"I don't know. Have you found anything else?" Johnson asked.

Vic started to move her wand farther up the man's body. She switched to an even more powerful diagnostic spell when she got to his head. She and Cici examined the man's brain looking for any signs of a concussion or brain damage. Only seeing one dark spot, Cici moved around to the man's head and then she looked at the display that the wand was giving her, she looked at his head again, then she began to heal his brain silently. They all watched as the black spot on the display faded away before their eyes.

"Do you want us to remove the thing in his arm?" Cici asked Johnson.

"No, let's leave it in there for now. Can you revive him?" Johnson asked the two girls.

"Sure, do you want him revived now?" Vic asked as she cancelled the diagnostic spell.

"Would you please?" Johnson asked.

" _Rennervate,"_ Vic said softly.

The agent trainees' eyes blinked open, "What happened to me? Ow! My knee!" He said grabbing his knee again and started to roll around like his knee was still broken.

All of the others just looked at him trying to fake the pain that wasn't there anymore. Jimmy just looked at them not buying what he was trying to sell.

"So, Jimmy, why don't you tell us about the device in your arm," Johnson said.

"What device?" he asked trying to play innocent.

Vic buried her fingernail into his forearm where the device was located.

"Aaahhhh!" Jimmy screamed in pain.

"That device," Vic said to him.

"I don't know what you're talking about! You're hurting me!" he yelled back at her.

"Do you want me to dig it out with my nails? Because I will!" she told him as she pushed harder with her fingernail.

"No! No! I don't know what you're talking about! I don't have anything in my arm! Leave me alone! Please!" he started to whine.

Vic added a second finger and her thumb to the gouging of Jimmy's forearm. "Do you want me to squeeze it until it pops through your skin? Is that what you want? Tell us who put it there and why?"

"The Zetas put it there! The Zetas put it there!" he whined, "I work for the Zeta cartel! Now let me go you, puta!" He said calling her a whore in Spanish.

Vic squeezed harder, cutting his skin with her nails until the device tore its way through his skin coming to the surface. "There you go, you had a spy in your group the whole time," Vic told them. Instead of healing his arm, she just wrapped the wound with gauze and taped it off magically.

"So how many of you sparred against Jimmy here and never knew that he was a spy for one of the cartels?" Ced asked them.

"This is the kind of thing, that makes us have you, sign a blood contract," Vic told them.

"Yeah, well, I didn't sign that stinking blood contract," Jimmy told them.

"Did you place your thumb in the circle at the bottom of the form?" Ced asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"Your name is just a formality. It is your blood that seals the contract. You can put any name you want on the contract, but when you put your thumb in the circle, that is what actually signs the contract. So, if you were planning on selling the information that you have learned about us, to get out of jail. You would still die." Ced told the spy.

"Well, I think that we've had enough fun for one day," Johnson said. "I hope that all of you will return tomorrow morning. I think that this has been an eye-opening experience for all of you."

As Jimmy got to his feet, Ced conjured some leg irons and shackles on to him to keep him from trying to run when he got out of the door.

"I'll need to call the MPs again, to have them come and get him and take him away. I wish that you hadn't removed that device from his arm, Vic." Johnson told her.

"I didn't, it's still in his arm in the same spot that it was before. And when they remove the bandages my nail prints will also be gone." She told him.

"That's good. That will be one less thing that he can try to use to get out of going to prison for a long time." Johnson told them. "I'll see you later."

"Okay, Marta and Essie are bringing our clothes by so we can practice dressing our parts. And then Rob is supposed to start training us on our equipment today also." Cici told him.

"Alright, I hope that we didn't scare them off with training today," Vic said to him.

"You probably scared some of them away, but I don't think that you scared all of them away," Johnson told them.

"That's good, we'll see you later Johnson," Ced told the Gunny. "We're going to hit the showers now."

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Marta and Essie showed up after breakfast with three bags of clothes for the trio. It was time for the teens to learn to dress the part of the poor peasant children from one of the poorest parts of Mexico looking for their Tia in America. As the three of them sorted through the clothes on tables that they conjured in the living room.

"Can you imagine what Lucy would do with these clothes?" Vic said to Cici as she held one of the tattered tops up to herself.

"Don't worry about Lucy or Maco, Charles would ban us from the house, if we were to start wearing clothes like these!" Cici told her holding up another tattered blouse to herself too.

As the girls dug through the clothes, they found a couple of bras. They held them up to inspect them.

"The elastic is shot in this thing," Cici said while looking at Essie and Marta.

"Yes, remember, you are a poor peasant girl that has lost her mother. You come from a poor, uneducated family that could not even afford to feed themselves." Marta told her.

"I think that I'd rather go braless," Vic said as she looked at the disgusting article of clothing.

"That is an option, not a good option, but it is an option," Essie told her.

"Why isn't it a good choice?" Cici asked.

"Because, as well-endowed as you two young ladies are, you're going to want to dress to conceal your figure, not reveal it to the type of people that you're going to be meeting on this mission," Marta told them.

"Well, can we at least charm it so that it will work?" Vic asked her in a whine.

"Wait until you see the chonies that they found for you," Essie told them.

That definitely didn't sound too good to the girls.

"Eww!" the two girls said as the pulled two different pair of chonies out of the plastic bags. They held them like they might bite them if they weren't careful.

"See, I knew that you would like them!" Essie said with a smirk on her face.

Vic tossed the pair of panties at the woman who ducked to avoid them landing on her.

Cici's face was one of utter disgust as she looked the panties over.

"You can _scourgify_ them, but you cannot remove the stains. The stains are what's going to sell the idea that you are poor peasant children." Marta told them.

While the girls had been digging through their plastic bags of clothes, Ced had been digging through his bag quietly. His bag was full of worn out clothing also, boxers and briefs with holes and skid marks, socks with elastic that didn't stretch anymore, cotton pants with a drawstring that needed mending, and pull over shirts with missing buttons that had seen better days, years ago. At the bottom of all of their bags, was one pair of worn leather sandals.

He pulled out the sandals and looked at them, then he looked up at the two women, "I take it that we get to transfigure the sandals to fit?"

"Yes, you get to transfigure your shoes to fit," Marta told him. "You also get to choose between the boxers and the briefs. The girls are stuck with what they have." She looked at the girls when she said that.

If looks could kill, Marta would have been dead on the spot. The two girls were going from wearing high-quality undergarments to wearing clothes that they wouldn't have given away for fear of being embarrassed if someone else knew.

"Okay, all of you go and get changed, we need to see what you look like," Essie told them.

The threesome headed for their room to change into their costumes. That's how they quickly learned to tolerate the clothes that they would be wearing, it was their costumes for the part they were going to play.

"Where are you going Ced?" when Marta watched him heading for the bedroom.

"I'm going to go and get changed," Ced answered her a little confused.

"Yes, but the girls are in there. You need to go to your room and change." Marta told him a little sternly.

"That is my bedroom." He told her defensively.

"I mean I know that something is happening between you and the girls, I don't know what it is yet, but we know that there is something about you three that's just not right," Marta told him accusingly.

" _I'm just going to tell them, okay?"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Waitwaitwaitwait! I want to be there!"_ Vic almost yelled.

" _Me too! Wait a moment until we get our bras on!"_ Cici said to him.

A minute later the two girls came out wearing their bras and panties.

"Okay, go ahead now," Cici told him.

"Marta, Essie, there is something that we need to tell you, and this is something that you cannot share with anyone else." Ced started to tell the two women.

"Okay, what's so important that Cici and Vic couldn't finish getting dressed?" Essie asked.

"Marta, Essie, I would like you to meet my wives, Cici and Vic. We are the world's first soul-bonded threesome." He told the two women straight out.

"There's no such thing as a soul-bonded threesome. And soul-bonded couples are very rare, I think that I learned in History of Magic that the last soul-bonded couple was over thousand years ago." Marta said to them.

"You can't have two wives, it's against the law, and you're too young to be married," Essie said to them in disbelief.

"Well, you can believe what you want, but I'm going in there and getting changed," Ced told them as he pointed at the room and started walking that way carrying his plastic bag of clothes.

"If you're married, how long have you been married?" Marta called after him.

"Well, the week before Christmas made two years for Ced and I," Cici told the two older witches.

"And this coming June will make two years for the three of us to be married," Vic told them with a smug look on her face.

"So, how did this happen?" Essie asked the two younger witches.

"Well, for Ced and I, we were on the train home from school when we had our first kiss. Then his sister was the one that told us we were soul-bonded." Cici told her.

"My story is a lot more complicated than that." Vic started, "But the short version is, that because of Ced and Cici's love for me, when an Unspeakable came to bond me to Ced's family, my magic went looking for Ced and Cici and the ceremony bound the three of us together. Funny, it was Kitten that told us that we were bonded." Vic looked at Cici for that statement. "Harry and Hermione are my adoptive parents by the way." She said with a light chuckle.

"Wow! That is a lot more complicated." Marta said with a smile. It certainly seemed as if they all loved each other. They were always touching in some form or fashion. That was kind of, one of the things that she remembered from all of the romance novels that she had read anyway.

"So, how do you sleep?" Essie asked.

"Are you asking how we sleep or are you asking something more personal?" Cici asked her back.

"Well, I guess that I am asking something more personal." She told her.

"Well, not that it's any of your business, but, no, we haven't consummated our marriages yet," Vic told her.

"Oh! Why not?" now she was curious.

"The soul-bond doesn't push us in that way, in fact, for us, it seems to be holding us from, consummating our marriages," Cici told her.

"So, you," and Essie was pointing back and for the between the two younger witches, "haven't had sex yet?"

"No, Vic's and my relationship isn't like that," Cici told her kindly. "And, no, we haven't had sex with Ced either." She answered the question on her face.

"I know, it seems crazy that I'm married to two of the hottest witches in the world and we haven't had sex yet!" Ced said as he exited the bedroom, startling the two women, causing them both to blush darkly.

All of the females turned to look at what Ced was wearing, he had on some off-white cotton pants, a dingy white pullover shirt, and the worn sandals without socks.

"I hope that your parents get those glamour bracelets working again because you're not going to be able to pull this off without them," Marta said gravely.

"Let me call them and see how they're doing with them," Ced said solemnly.

Ced retreated to the bedroom to call his parents. Cici and Vic joined him in there soon after so they could finish trying on their costumes for Marta and Essie to critique. While the girls were playing dress up, Ced talked with his dad about the bracelets.

"Okay, so you need a hair from someone that we want to look like," Ced confirmed with his dad.

"Yes, it's kind of like Polyjuice potion, the hair will make the enchantment that much better and longer lasting. The bracelet will be powered off of each of your magic. As long as you're wearing the bracelet you will be that other person, you will look like them, and sound like them. So, if you don't want to wear glasses, then don't get a hair from someone that wears glasses." Harry told him.

"Alright, I'll tell Marta and Essie. Do you want me to ask Robins too?" Ced asked his dad.

"No, let's see what kind of luck Marta and Essie have." Seeing the look on Ced's face, "It's not that I don't trust Robins, it's just that I don't trust the organisation that he works for. I think that it would be best if he didn't know about the glamour bracelets. Just stick to the plan of using a glamour charm when you're around him." Harry told him cautiously.

"I understand, I'll tell the girls too," Ced told his dad.

"Let me know when you're going to owl those hairs to me," Harry told him.

"Okay, bye," Ced told him.

"Bye."

Ced explained to Essie and Marta that they would need three hairs to make the bracelets work correctly for extended periods of time. And, since none of them wore glasses if they could please select people that didn't wear glasses, and in their age range, please?

.

After lunch, the nine of them, met up with Rob to start going over the electronics and the other equipment that they would be using.

"With the cell phones, you can't use any magic around them, or they will cease to work." Rob started.

"Excuse me, Rob." Ced interrupted him, "If you let me send those to my dad and uncles, they can put a case on them that will protect them from most magic." Ced informed him.

"Okay, let's finish the briefing first, and then we can talk about that," Rob told him.

Rob went over the rest of the equipment that the other six would be carrying, then he issued them their credit cards, debit cards, and their new, government issued, driver's licenses, and passports. He also gave all of them backpacks that had false bottoms in them. The ones that he gave the trio were decidedly much more worn than those of the other six. Worn to the point that they had holes in them that had been patched up poorly, working to solidify their image of poor parentless children.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.27.2018**


	46. Year Five Chapter 46

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 46

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The magically protected cell phones, and the rest of the magically safeguarded electronic devices, plus the completed glamour bracelets arrived by owl about a week after Ced had sent them to his dad. He had to have Marta take him to where he could have access to post owls to get the packages sent.

For the six friends, they started getting lessons on how to use the DSLR cameras and the electronic listening devices. After they had learned to use the equipment, the next step was to put the kids out on practice surveillance missions off the base. With three different cars, they learned to change places every so often when following another vehicle. They learned to alter their appearance so that they couldn't be identified that way, and they learned to communicate to the other cars what was happening with the vehicle they were following. The driver, focused on driving, while the person in the passenger seat took care of everything else, including learning how to read a map and use the GPS in all of the vehicles they would be renting.

On Wednesday, Rob had Jessica and Olivia, two younger women from his office, take the six of them shopping for clothes. To keep getting practice driving, they took the three cars that they had been practising with.

"Well, the first stop is going to be to trade these cars in and get three new vehicles for you to drive," Jessica told them. "This will also give you experience in learning the rental car process." She informed them.

Once they left the rental car place, in three SUVs, she said that they should learn what it was like to drive something like them, they headed for a mall. They liked how tall the SUVs were, but when it came time to park them at the mall, they learned how much more difficult it was to park a larger vehicle than the compact cars they had been driving were. They spent the whole day in the mall shopping for a wide variety of clothes. Jessica worked with the girls and Olivia worked with the two boys. For lunch, they ate in the food court and learned to use their American debit cards.

For Vic, Cici, and Ced their education into the world of espionage continued. They started seeing how long they could stay apart from each other. They knew from teaching at Hogwarts that they could go two or three hours, here at the base Ced would be separated from his wives for about four hours, but Cici and Vic had each other to draw comfort from. So, the challenge was to see if they could go a full afternoon apart, noon to six at night. As Jorge pulled up to the front of Ced's house, they could see that Marta and Essie were still there. Rose and Angel had agreed to let Cici and Marta stay at their place for the experiment, this had kept Cici and Vic from sneaking any physical contact with each other. As soon as the two girls heard the truck pull up outside, they were at the front doors looking out. As soon as Ced had closed the door to the truck, the two girls shifted to him, and the three of them had a group hug for several minutes.

"Are you three going to be okay?" Jorge asked.

"I was getting worried there at the end," Essie said.

"Me too! But I think it was the snarling that worried me the most!" Marta told the other two.

"I didn't snarl!" Cici hissed at her.

"Okay, you can call it what you want, but I was still getting worried!" she told her.

"So, what's for dinner?" Jorge asked.

"We didn't fix dinner," Vic told him from around Ced's shoulder.

"Can we go inside now?" Essie asked.

"In a minute," Vic told her.

Ced pulled the two girls in tighter against him, "We'll see you inside." He told the adults before he _teleportused_ into the bedroom of the house.

Inside the bedroom, the teens changed out of their clothes and into some shorts and t-shirts. As they walked back out to the living room, they heard three more vehicles pull up out front. Since the front door of the house was still open, their friends walk in carrying eight large pizzas.

"I figured that you all wouldn't be fixing dinner tonight with your experiment going on," Rose told them when she walked in the house.

"That was some good thinking on your part!" Jorge told her as he headed to were the table was sitting empty.

"Well! Don't just stand there!" Essie scolded him. "Go and get some plates!" she said to him teasingly.

The others looked at Ced, Vic, and Cici all interlaced together on the couch not moving.

"So," Amber asked, "How'd the experiment go?"

"Well, we're still alive." Cici started.

"And so are we!" Marta called out from the kitchen.

"What kind of pizza do you want?" Essie asked the threesome that was not moving.

.

.

The ten of them took a commercial flight to Cancun, Mexico where they rented four different vehicles. All of their practice had just become real as Rob moved the start date up a month without telling anybody in his organisation. He was hoping to make it back to Washington D.C. before Monday morning to start playing out his bluff of the kids still being on the base and in training. The truth be told, the kids had all excelled, at all of their training. All of their instructors had nothing but praises for them. The nine teenagers all pulled their backpacks out of the overhead compartments and headed off of the plane like they didn't even know each other. They all cleared customs separately and were welcomed into Mexico. At the car rental counter, the six of them went to three different rental agencies, and Rob chose a fourth rental company. Outside, they found their vehicles and started to head out with Rob in the lead. Rob's hope was that all of them would get lost, in all of the tourist traffic, and not draw any attention to themselves. When they had hit the open road, Rob headed to where the trio would be picked up, over an hour away, by the people that were going to transport them to America for free, and then the kids would make payments until they had paid off their debt to the kind-hearted human smugglers. This had all been arranged over the internet. About a block away from the pickup point, Amber and Julia chose two different parking lots to wait for the semi-truck to leave the compound. Angel was sitting in a parking lot across the street and down a little, waiting and watching as Ced and the girls walked up to the trucking company. Rob had dropped them off two blocks away in a busy parking lot and only had time to wish them the best of luck before he left to return to the airport to catch his return flight to Washington DC. The teens walked into a store and headed for the baños to put the glamour bracelets on and change into their costumes. When they were exiting the store looking like poor peasant children, one of the sales clerks ushered them out of the store telling them that their kind was not welcome there and to return when they had money to spend.

"I have eyes on the three bears," Rose said over the radio.

"Copy that," George said.

"10-4," Fred said.

"The three bears are going inside of the building," Rose said.

"Roger."

"Roger."

And they sat and waited, and watched, for something to happen. Their informant had said that they would be put into a green shipping container on the back of a truck. The problem was, there were three green shipping containers on the backs of three different trucks. Two hours later, another truck pulled in with a green shipping container on the trailer. The driver pulled around to the side of the building where the fuel pumps were and stopped to fuel the truck. Once he finished fueling the truck, he brought it back up front, and backed up to an open dock outside, he got out of the truck to walk inside of the building. Thirty minutes later, two dozen people were walking across the loading dock to the back of the trailer. The dockhand lifted a large bolt cutter and cut the seal off of the container door, with both doors open a forklift rolled down the dock and removed a large pallet with truck axles on it. As the forklift sat there with the truck axles on its forks, the other dockhands started to usher the people into the shipping container. Once they were all inside of the container, one of the dockhands tossed a cardboard box in the container and another removed five, five-gallon buckets. Another dockhand carried five more five-gallon buckets into the container, and then the forklift replaced the large pallet of truck axles back inside of the trailer. Then the original dockhand closed the doors and replaced the shipping seal, so the truck would pass customs at the border. Rose was taking pictures with the super telephoto lens and the high definition digital camera. She made sure to get pictures of the shipping container number, and she texted that number to the other two teams of surveillance specialists.

Inside of the container, Ced, Vic, and Cici all huddled together in the dim light of the battery-operated lantern, playing the part of three scared kids looking for their Tia in America. The three of them looked at all of the other people in the shipping container fearfully, playing their part to the fullest.

" _Are you getting a read on anybody?"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Somebody in here is not who they appear to be."_ Cici thought to them.

" _I agree, someone is a plant."_ Vic thought.

" _Is this how they caught the other agents?"_ Ced thought to them.

" _Maybe."_ Vic thought.

" _We need to find out who it is and protect ourselves from them."_ Cici thought.

.

.

Delphini Riddle walked through the divider between platforms 9 and 10 at Kings Cross Station just after her two younger cousins. Her older cousin held her back for just a minute.

"Are you sure you don't just want to apparate to the school?" he asked.

"No, I missed out on the whole Hogwarts Express experience when I went to school at Ilvermorny." She told him.

Astoria coughed a few times into a handkerchief then she looked up, smiling. "Oh, come on Draco, let the girl ride the train at least once." She chided him gently, a smile on her lips. She liked Delphi, it was nice having another adult female around the house.

He turned and looked at the woman he loved more than life itself. He smiled gently at her, he couldn't refuse her anything. "Okay." He told her. Then he looked at Delphi, "I'll see you at the school." He told her.

Delphi hugged both of them, then she said her goodbyes. She walked at the brick divider with a purpose in her steps, then there on the other side was the scarlet steam engine that she had heard so much about for all those years growing up at the Rowles's. She walked over and climbed in a train car about halfway down the train to start looking for an empty compartment. She saw her two younger cousins sitting in a couple of compartments with some other students their age. She settled for a compartment with some seventh-year students that didn't look to talkative. Shortly after sitting down, the train whistle blew one last time before it lurched into motion as it pulled out onto the main tracks leading to Hogsmeade Station. As she sat there, the train rocking her to sleep gently, the rhythmic sounds of the clickety-clack of the wheels, she thought to herself, Christmas wasn't too bad. She had met the Headmistress of the school, and the two of them hit it off well, leading to the job offer to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the first, second, and third-year students.

The first day of classes, after the Christmas holidays, found the Transfiguration professor, the Charm's professor, and the Potions professor all teaching the first-year students. When Professor Vector, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Lively had their first class with the first-years, all of them were in for a shock.

"Please quiet down!" Professor Vector told her first-years' Transfiguration class. "Please take out your books, and we should be on page 209." She said. When she turned around from writing on the chalkboard, she saw that none of the students had done as she had requested. "Why haven't you taken out your texts and opened them?" she asked the class.

"Ma'am, you haven't given us our new books yet." A small brown-haired witch said.

"What do you mean that I haven't given you your texts yet?" the much older witch asked.

"Professor Potter, she told us that we would be getting new texts when we started class after Christmas." The little girl told her.

The rest of the class was agreeing with her.

"Where is Professor Potter?" another girl asked in a whine.

"Professor Potter needed to take care of some things." The confused Transfiguration professor told her. "What texts," she said addressing the first girl again, "Did she say that you would be getting?" she asked the young girl.

"She said that she already had them in the cabinet over there." She pointed towards the cabinets on the far wall of the classroom.

"Okay, would you please get me one of the new texts that she got for you?"

The young witch pulled out her wand, and then she mouthed the words silently. Professor Vector watched in amazement as the cabinet doors opened up and a single textbook flew to the little witch. The young girl caught the heavy book, and she looked at it to make sure that it was the correct book.

"I think that it is this one, because we've already done books one and two." She said holding the book up for the amazed professor to see.

Professor Vector summoned the book to herself, making sure that she did it wandlessly and wordlessly, "Okay class, we will have a quick little quiz, and then we will pick up where you left off. Wands out!" she told the joyful class. Because everyone knew that when they took their wands out, they would get to do magic!

Down the hall and around the corner found a short older Professor facing a similar situation.

"What do you mean Mr Cardigan, that you've already done this assignment?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"Yes, Professor. Professor Potter said that we would be starting in our new textbooks when we got back from Christmas!"

"Did he say what new textbooks you would be using?"

"No, he just said that the new books were in the closet and were a surprise!" the young wizard told the old professor eagerly.

"Would you please get me one of the books?" Professor Flitwick asked the first-year student.

Mr Cardigan pulled out his wand and pointed it at the closet, then he silently mouthed the words and was rewarded with a hefty textbook flying into his arms.

"He said that since we had already finished books one and two that we would be starting on this book, and he showed it to us, when we got back from Christmas." And all of the other students agreed with him, just like in the Transfiguration class.

In Professor Lively's first potions class with her first-years, she experienced something very similar to her fellow professors. For her, it wasn't as radical of a change as first-years doing third-year work. For her, because potions just took longer to brew, her rude introduction was to the fact that the first-years were now halfway through the second-year potions book.

"Do you remember what the last potion that you brewed was?" she asked the dark-haired boy.

She saw that he was a little confused, when the girl that he was sitting with, opened her notes and looked it up.

"Yes, ma'am, the last potion that we brewed was on page 214 of potions book two." She told her matter of factually.

"Oh, okay. Well, if everyone would get a potions book, we will pick up where you left off before the end of the term then." She told the class. Then she was rewarded with being amazed again when all of the students took out their wands and silently summoned a textbook to their table.

For Delphi, her first class with the first-years was greeted with a huge binder, for a class outline, from her cousin, who just happened to have an evil smirk on his face, to the different kids saying things like; why is your hair blue? What happened to Professor Greengrass? You're prettier than Professor Greengrass. How come you're teaching class now? All of which she was more than happy to answer as she got her first class as Professor Riddle underway.

"I don't know, I think Professor Potter is prettier than she is." One boy was saying to another girl softly as they left the classroom.

"I think that Professor Ramos is prettier." Another girl was saying to her classmate as they exited the room.

"She's a lot more fun that Professor Greengrass." Some of the other students were saying.

But what she did notice, was that it was only the first-years that were saying anything about the other professors that she hadn't met yet.

At lunch she overheard Filius and Septima talking about the first-years and their different subjects. Professor McGonagall called those two and Laura into a quick meeting in the anteroom.

"May I join you?" Delphi asked quickly.

"Yes, come ahead," Minerva told the new professor.

Once all five of them were in the room, Minerva asked, "Is there a problem with the first-years?" if her experiment had failed then they still had half of a school year to get the students caught up and be on track for the following school year.

"No! That's what we were talking about! The first years are starting the third-year textbooks." Filius told her excitedly.

Minerva looked at him blankly, this really didn't make sense to her. How could the students be that far ahead?

"The students are working on wordless magic!" Septima told her animatedly.

"Yes, I saw that when I told the students to get their textbooks out, they summoned the books to them silently, they were mouthing the words, but not speaking them," Laura told the Headmistress.

"So, how far ahead are they then?" she asked.

"Well, in Transfiguration, I gave them a quick quiz, and they're ready to start the third-year coursework," Septima told her.

"The first-years are starting the third-year coursework?" she asked in disbelief. Could she have been holding the students back? But there were always those that had problems learning.

"It's amazing to see how creatively they use the charms! One girl didn't like the colour of her pincushion, so she just changed it!" he said still very excitedly. "She just looked at it, pointed her wand, and then I could see her barely move her mouth, and the pincushion turned bright pink!"

"Is this true for potions as well?" she asked.

"Yes, in potions they're halfway through the second-year coursework, and they understand what it is they're doing," Laura said. "Their potions are all correct, also. Most of their potions are of a higher calibre than many fourth and fifth years' potions." She told her in support of her former teacher's aids. With the first-years, no longer is brown a shade of orange!

.

.

With January, February, and most of March past, Kitten, Willow, and Solaria had decided that Vic and Cici wouldn't be back in time to plan the Spring Fling school dance, so, they decided to take it upon themselves to try and do it.

"Well, are you going to go up there and talk to her?" Solaria asked, in that voice, she had inherited from her mother.

"Yes! Just give me a minute! The time's not right, she's still eating." Willow told her in almost a hiss.

Kitten had finished her breakfast of a fruit cup and juice, "Okay, let's go talk to her before she gets up and leaves." She told her friends. She wasn't going to let either one of them off, it was all for one and one for all, or there wasn't going to be a school dance.

Solaria stuck the last piece of cantaloupe in her mouth and was chewing fast. Willow put the last bit of a banger in hers and was chewing just as quickly as Solaria. Together the Three Musketeers as they were getting known as, got up and headed for the head table.

"Professor McGonagall?" Willow started shakily.

"Yes, Miss Weasley?" she said. She liked these three, they stuck together, and Kitten had some good friends in them.

"We-we were wondering about the Spring dance." Her voice quivering just slightly. Hermione was easier to talk to than the Professor! "Since Cici and Vic aren't here, would we be able to go ahead, and do it?"

"Do what?" Minerva wanted to clarify.

"Go ahead and have the dance," Willow said nervously. I can't think straight!

"Are you asking if it's okay for you and your friends to go ahead and plan the dance?" Minerva helped her out.

"Yes!" she almost shouted hopefully.

"Yes, that would be fine. I will want to know what your plans are before I give you the final okay though." She told the young red-headed witch.

"And if our ideas are okay with you, then we could have a Hogsmeade weekend the weekend before just like when Cici and Vic do it?" Kitten asked.

"Yes, that gives you three, two weeks to plan the dance, and then two weeks to get ready for it. If I approve of your plans." Let's see what these third-years can do! The old Scottish witch thought to herself.

The three girls thanked her profusely and then they skipped out of the hall exuberantly, headed for their rooms to get their book bags.

Delphi moved over and sat next to the Headmistress, "What's her story?" she asked her.

"Who's?" the Headmistress asked, knowing who she was asking about, but wanting clarification nonetheless.

"Miss Potter's," she said calmly. "She hardly, if ever, uses a wand. And I don't think that I've ever heard her say a spell."

"Miss Potter is," and she took a long pause, wondering just how much she should say, "unique." She told her.

That's an understatement if I've ever heard one before, Delphi thought to herself.

.

.

The three soul-bonded teens had been riding around inside of the dimly lit trailer for three days. Everybody had staked out their part of the hard, wooden, narrow, floor of the container. There were twenty-six people trying to make their way to the Land of Promise. Every time the truck would come to a stop for anything longer than a few seconds, everyone would get to their feet waiting for the doors to open, and that little bit of blinding sunlight to enter into their souls. The sunshine equalled hope, and hope deferred makes the heart sick.

Ced knew that the part of the trailer they were sitting in, was narrower than the container as a whole. He was guessing that the wall that they were leaning against was made out of lead. But why would the smugglers make this room out of lead walls? Then on the morning of the fourth day of riding in the trailer, the truck came to a stop. Then it moved forward and stopped again. Stop and go, stop and go, it did this for over an hour Ced would've guessed. Then he heard voices outside, and if it was possible, the people inside got even quieter than they had been. It was like they were scared to even breathe. Then he could hear the voices outside. He couldn't really make out what they were saying, but then he heard something growling outside, like an x-ray scanner might make, the truck changed direction, and move ahead slowly, then it stopped, and then it started to move, the slowest that it had ever moved on this whole trip. Ced could hear more talking outside, the truck stopped for the longest few seconds of these people's lives. Then the truck accelerated for a moment then it stopped again. And it stayed stopped, but nobody got to their feet, they sat there, waiting, as if they knew, as if they had done this before.

" _For some of these people, this is their third or fourth try to enter America."_ Vic thought to him.

" _But for her."_ Ced thought and he gave a mental image of the girl he was thinking about.

" _I was thinking about her too."_ Cici thought.

" _Her emotions are all different than all of the others."_ Vic agreed.

After a while the truck started to move again, it began to build speed, and soon the sound of tires rolling at high speeds entered into the trailer.

While the truck had been going through customs, the six teenagers had walked across the border and into the United States of America. Their passports let them in with no troubles, the three different Uber cars they had ordered sat there waiting for them, and they went to three different car rental agencies. The three different teams went to three different locations to wait on the truck.

"The rabbit is moving into the right lane and getting on to Interstate highway 10 eastbound," Angel said.

"Can you repeat that?" Julia asked.

"The rabbit is eastbound on Interstate 10," Angel repeated.

"They should have gone west on Interstate 10," Amber said. "They're not going to California." She said the hint of fear coming through the radio.

"Are you sure?" Angel said, the hint of fear in her voice now too.

"Unless they're headed to get fuel and then change directions again." She said.

"Okay, we're about four cars behind the truck," Angel said.

"We see the truck too," Julia said.

"George is looking for a turnaround now," Amber said.

"Don't get a ticket." Angel cautioned them.

"He's not looking for fuel," Angel said about twenty minutes later as the truck drove past two large truck stops on the eastern edge of the city.

"Copy that. I'm glad that we have some snacks in our backpacks." Amber said.

"There is nothing out here," Julia said as she looked outside the windows of the SUV they had rented.

"There's an orchard of some kind off to the right if you look far enough," Angel said.

About an hour outside of the city that they had crossed the border into, they came upon a Border Patrol check station. Now here came the hard part, the cars were funnelled into two lanes, and all of the trucks were funnelled into one lane.

"Amber, you and George need to slow down back there. They're checking cars a lot faster than they're checking trucks." Angel told them just before she turned the radio off and put it in the glove compartment.

Rose pressed the button to roll down the window of the car they had chosen and handed the officer their passports. He didn't even take them he just waved them on through, and she had to start accelerating back up to highway speeds again. Angel got the radio out and turned it back on. Then she put their passports back into their backpacks.

"They pulled the truck over, and they've got a dog walking around the truck looking for something," Amber said over the radio. Then she turned off her radio and put it in the glove compartment. She handed George their passports showing that they were Mr and Mrs Weasley. The officer looked at the passports and then at the two people in the rental car. He handed the passports back to the redhead driving and waved them through. Aber dug out the radio and turned it on as fast as she could. "We're in front of the truck now." She said a lot more calmly than she felt.

"Okay." Angel told her, "We're at the first offramp."

"We're at the second offramp," Julia told her.

"Alright, we'll head for the third offramp then," Amber said.

"I'm going to text Robins and tell him that the truck is not headed to California," Angel told the others. She didn't really expect a reply, and she didn't get one.

.

.

The three third-year girls were walking down the road in their heavy winter cloaks, to Hogsmeade to buy new clothes for the school dance. Since this had been a colder than normal winter, the girls had decided to continue the tropically themed spring dance that Vic and Cici had started for the previous dances. They were walking along talking about what kind of dresses they were hoping to buy. Willow was hoping for something in yellow or blue, Solaria was wanting something in white or red, and Daphne was thinking that she would like something in red or maybe orange, but it had to be the right colour of orange, not that ugly colour of orange, but that pretty colour of orange. The girls weren't paying any attention to what was happening around them when a person in a set of red robes stepped into their path and blocked them. The girls tried to go around them when three more people came out and surrounded them. Willow and Solaria looked at the four-people confused, they had heard about the bad people that wore the red robes causing problems, but they had never seen any of them. Daphne had had a couple of encounters with the UAA, but thankfully all of the girls had their hoods up, and it kind of hid their faces. She waited.

"Come quietly, or we'll stun you." The man with a heavy accent told them.

"No," Daphne said.

He drew his wand and pointed it at them. Willow and Solaria huddled together in fear. The other three people moved around to the front of the three young girls.

"What did you say?" he tried to sound threatening, through his heavy accent.

"I said, No," she told him.

"Why you little brat, you're coming with me!" he yelled at her.

Kitten held out her hand for Synthia. "Uncle Draco," she said, "Come." And Draco was standing behind the four assailants.

"What did you say?"

"Professor Riddle," she said again, "Come." And Delphi was standing behind the four assailants looking confused.

"Grab them!" the terrorist yelled at his helpers.

The other three pulled out their wands and went to stun the three girls. Kitten cast a protego shield covering all three of the girls while Draco hit two of them from behind with his own stunning spells. Delphi shot two of her own stunning spells at the backs of the assailants closest to her.

"Okay, who are these guys, and how did I get here?" Delphi asked.

"Well, judging by their robes, I would say that they're UAA terrorists. Now as to how we got here, that is something that nobody but Kitten seems to know how to do." Draco told her.

"Who's Kitten?"

"I am," Kitten told her as she pulled back the hood on her cloak.

"Miss Potter?" she said in shock.

"Yes?"

"How did you do that? And where did you get a wand from? I've never seen you use a wand." Delphi said.

"Oh, this is Synthia. I don't carry her around much." Kitten told her as she held out her hand so Synthia could go back to her bed.

Delphi watched as the wand just vanished from the little girl's hand.

"Tonks says that she'll be here in a few minutes, she wants to get a couple of other Aurors to take these guys back to the holding cells," Draco said. "She's going to want to talk to you three about what happened." He addressed the three girls.

"Okay, fine," Kitten said as she went to sit down and a park bench appeared for her and her two friends.

They sat there waiting for Tonks, and watched as some of their schoolmates walked past the scene of the crime. Looking curiously at the people on the ground and the three girls sitting on a bench.

One of the assailants started to move around, and Kitten looked at him. Draco got between the two of them, "Nononono, we need him to wake up sometime before summer." He told the little girl.

"What's wrong now?" Delphi asked Draco.

"The people that Kitten stuns or petrifies, they don't seem to regain consciousness on their own, and nobody besides her can rennervate them. Well, Hermione can, sometimes." He told her.

Delphi looked at him confused.

"It's something about her magic. That's all anyone can figure out. Have you noticed that she has no problems with her class work? Well except History of Magic, and that class was boring when I went to school here." Draco tried to put a little humour into the situation.

"Wotcher Draco!" The bubblegum pink haired Tonks called out as she and two other Aurors walked up on the scene of the assault.

"Morning, Tonks," Draco said.

"Wotcher Kitten, Willow, Solaria! The only one we're missing is Cathaoir." Tonks teased the little girls.

"If you want, I can bring him here!" Kitten said cheerfully, Tonks was always so much fun.

"Naw, let the old cat be," Tonks told her. Tonks looked over at the young woman with the blue hair and stuck out her hand, "Hi, I'm Tonks." She introduced herself as cheerfully as her hair looked.

"Hi, I'm Delphi, one of the Professors at the school." She told her.

Tonks looked at her two Aurors, "Why don't you two take these four down to the holding cells before you rennervate them and I'll stay here and find out what happened." She instructed her Aurors.

"Yes, ma'am." Both of them said. One at a time they levitated the stunned bodies, grabbed one in each hand, gave a slight twisting motion and then they were back in holding at the DMLE, Auror Division.

.

"Who wants to go first and tell me what happened here?" Tonks looked at the three girls.

Willow started talking to her first, then Solaria added to her story, then Kitten told her, her part of the story.

"And then I summoned Uncle Draco and Professor Riddle, and they stunned them," Kitten told Aunt Tonks what she had done.

"Well, you did a good thing when you put a shield around all three of you, you protected your friends," Tonks told her.

"Can we still go dress shopping when we're done?" Kitten asked.

"Are you going to tell our parents?" Willow asked.

"Yes, as far as I'm concerned you can still go dress shopping. Are you going to get a mani-pedi also? And yes, I need to tell your parents what happened today because they deserve to know." She told the three young witches.

"Mummy and daddy are going to be so mad," Solaria said.

"Who's your mum and dad?" Tonks asked the sandy blonde girl looking at her shoes.

"Luna and Neville Longbottom." She told her.

"Well, I am very good friends with both, your mum and your dad, and they won't be mad at you, in fact, they will be very glad that you're okay." She told her in an upbeat tone of voice. Then she looked at Willow, "I'm guessing, with all of that red hair, that Arthur Weasley is your grandpa. Is that correct?"

Willow looked at her with a smile on her face and nodded.

"Then that means, that, Ginny? Is your mum?" she told her questioningly.

Willow smiled at her and said, "That's because you've had dinner with us at Kitten's house!"

"Yes, I have!" Tonks told her cheerfully. Tonks turned to the two adults in this situation, "I don't see any reason to keep them here any longer. I'll contact all of their parents and let them know what happened and that the kids are all okay. As their professors, it's up to you if you want to let them go into town or not. We have Aurors patrolling the town, so I don't see any reason that they can't go dress shopping. I'm guessing that there's some school function coming up?" she looked over her shoulder at the three girls again.

"Yes! The Spring Fling school dance, before we go home for spring break!" Kitten told her excitedly.

"Professor McGonagall let us plan it and even gave us this extra Hogsmeade weekend!" Solaria told her proudly at what they had done.

"It's okay with me," Delphi said looking at her cousin.

"It's fine with me," Draco said looking at Tonks. Then he looked at the three students, "You three, stay out of trouble and go have some fun." He told the girls.

In true young girl fashion, they took off running and screaming with joy that they hadn't gotten in trouble for something that they didn't do. The park bench disappeared about the second step they had taken.

"Kitten, why do you call her Kitten?" Delphi asked the two older magicals.

"Because that's what Cathaoir calls her. It's his pet name for her." Tonks told the young lady.

"But, Cathaoir is a mythical creature. He's not real." Delphi said.

Both Draco and Tonks gave a little snort of a laugh.

"Just don't go telling Cathaoir that he's not real. He might get offended at you." Draco said. Draco and Cathaoir had had several conversations over the years about a variety of different subjects, Draco had always come out of them more enlightened and able to make better decisions about whatever it was that he was facing in life at that time.

"If Cathaoir is real, then how did you meet him? How is it that Miss Potter, 'Kitten' knows him" she asked the two older magicals, again.

Draco and Tonks looked at each other.

"Do you want to call Harry?" Draco asked.

"I think that I should. I need to tell him about this incident anyway." Tonks told him. Then she turned and walked off a few steps for some more privacy as she called and talked to Harry.

"Harry? Who's Harry?" Delphi asked. Her head was already spinning from this whole incident. One minute she's in her quarters, the next she's standing on the road leading up to the castle, and there are four people dressed in red robes with their wands pointed at three students. She watched as one of them shot a stunner at the girls and a shield protected them. Then they're talking about Cathaoir and some guy named Harry.

Tonks rejoined the group of people standing in the middle of the road talking. "Harry said that he'd be here in a moment. He needed to get somebody." She told them.

They stood there, and Delphi told Tonks how it was that she came to be an instructor at the school.

Several minutes later there was a soft thud behind Draco and Delphi, then Tonks let out a "Wotcher Cathaoir!"

" _Wotcher, Tonks!"_ the voice boomed in everyone's head.

Delphi turned to see Harry slipping off of, of, of ….

"Delphi, how have you been?" Harry greeted her.

"Lord Gryffindor!" she curtsied and looked at the ground.

"Please, call me Harry." He told her. Then taking her arm, he turned her around some more, "Let's go over here and talk for a bit." He led her away from the group. When they had gone a few metres away, Harry walked around the front of Delphi, so her back was to the group of beings talking. Harry talked to her about the Oath of Loyalty, and then he led her through the wording of the oath. When Delphi's magic had finished binding her to the Potter family, Harry led her back over to the group of beings.

"Delphi Riddle, I would like to introduce you to Cathaoir. Cathaoir, I would like to introduce you to Delphini Riddle." Harry made the introductions.

In shock, Delphi held out her hand to shake Cathaoir's. Cathaoir took her hand in his paw and imitated kissing the back of her hand.

" _It is a pleasure to meet you."_ His thought boomed in their heads.

Delphi was in too much shock; her system was going into sensory overload.

Sensing her amazement at what was happening to her, Cathaoir asked her, _"Would you like to go someplace else and talk for a while?"_

"But what about, and …"

" _Oh, Harry can get home on his own."_

"Oh, okay." Was this really happening to her?

" _I will see you at home Harry. Stay frosty Tonks! We'll talk later Draco. Come on, climb on!"_ Cathaoir's thoughts boomed in all of their heads.

A stunned Delphi climbed up on to Cathaoir's back, _"Hey! That tickles!"_ he told her as he shook a little. With two leaps he was in the air, and Delphi was squealing like a little girl.

Draco, Harry, and Tonks talked about what had happened on that road a little earlier in the morning.

.

.

"We've been driving for six days straight!" Rose was telling Robins.

Then to something he said on the phone. "We turned in one of the vehicles and rented two Yukons. We've got one person driving, one person as navigator, and one sleeping in the back seat of each Yukon." She said to him.

Then after some more chatter on the phone. "We're not sure. We had to do this because every time the truck stops for fuel at some business, a new driver takes over driving. We think that they could be headed for New York, but we're not sure." She said.

Then Robins said something else. "We'll be back to three vehicles when we're rested back up. Probably tomorrow when the truck stops again we'll get the other car." None of the teens had ever imagined just how large America was. They had been driving nonstop for six days now, and it had taken its toll on them. But it was all they could do, every time the truck stopped for fuel, a new driver got in the seat and kept the truck rolling. They had taken hundreds if not thousands of photos, and even a few hours' worth of audio, and sent it all to Agent Robins over the last several days.

Then to something else he said. "No, that only works between the three of them."

He said something else. "No, that doesn't work that way either."

Something else again. "I wish it did too."

More chatter. "Yes, we'll stay in touch. Bye."

"What did he have to say?" Amber asked her from behind the wheel of the truck.

"Oh, he just wanted to know why we're down to two vehicles and if we had heard from Ced, Cici, or Vic." She told her.

.

.

The three groups of teens traded in the Yukons for three smaller cars for the manoeuvrability factor of the cars. And right now, they had surrounded the shipping terminal where the truck had backed up to a loading dock.

"The truck has backed up to a loading dock." Amber was telling Robins.

"No, we can't see if they are getting off of the truck." She answered his question.

"No, we don't have anything that will make us invisible." More chatter from Robins.

"You didn't tell us that we would need something like that. You told us that you would give us everything that we needed to do this mission." She told him firmly.

Some angry sounds on the phone. "We can capture this trucking terminal if you want. But you're not going to find out who the end buyers are if we do that." She told him fiercely.

"Those are our, friends in there!" she responded heatedly again. "What a wanker!" she said hotly as she disconnected the call.

Amber picked up the radio, "Robins wants a couple of us to make ourselves invisible, and go see what's happening inside of the trucking terminal." She said with a false calmness, that didn't come through the transmission.

"As much as I dislike the idea." Angel started to say.

Rose grabbed her hand and held down the transmit button. "It's the only way that we're going to find out what is happening inside of the building." She finished.

"Who's going to go?" Fred asked.

"Angel and I will do it. I just hope that we can make this disillusionment charm work as good as an invisibility cloak." Rose told them.

"Good luck," George said.

"Don't forget to silence your shoes!" Julia told them.

"We're going to leave the radio in the car," Angel told them.

"Are you ready?" Rose said to her partner.

"Yes, I'm going to _teleportus_ to the front of the truck," Angel said.

"I'll _teleportus_ to the set of stairs leading up to the door that's open. The one that goes inside of the dock area." Rose told her.

"How do I look?"

"You're almost invisible! How do I look?"

"Wow! You must have put a lot of power into that charm!"

"Yeah, I did!"

"Be careful."

"You too."

.

.

"I think that we should have gotten the mani-pedi that Tonks told us to get," Solaria told her friends the next morning at breakfast.

"I think that we can go back into Hogsmeade today too," Kitten told them.

"We can?" Willow asked hopefully.

"Yes, I remember," Kitten looked around to see who was in earshot of their conversation. So, this is why they were always putting up the privacy charms and spells. "My brother and his wives going into Hogsmeade on Sunday a couple of times."

"Do you want to go back into town? I want to get another pair of shoes for the dance." Solaria said.

"I think that I want to get my nails done, honestly," Willow confessed to her friends.

"Let's finish eating and then walk back into Hogsmeade," Solaria told them.

"Okay." Kitten agreed.

.

.

Angel walked around the building to see what was happening in the back of the building. She watched as the human cargo was being loaded into five different vans.

Rose found the trailer they had been following for over a week just by the stench coming from the five-gallon buckets with human waste in them. She turned to see the last of the human cargo exiting the door across the loading dock. She used _teleportus_ to get across the dock faster than trying to run the distance.

Angel saw Ced, Cici, and Vic being loaded into three different vans. They put up a weak fight of trying to stay together, there was screaming, and crying, and yelling, from them as they put on a show for their captor's sake. Angel used the distraction to _teleportus_ closer to them. Then she watched as Vic stepped into the cargo van. She hunched over and _teleportused_ into the cargo van. She grabbed Vic's elbow firmly, but not tightly.

"We're still with you." She whispered to her.

Vic just nodded once in acknowledgement.

Then Angel was outside the van memorising the license plate number.

Rose had done the same thing for Cici to let her know that they were still there for them.

"Thank you." She mouthed back.

Angel was behind the van that Ced had been loaded into, with the other men in the group. There was no room in the cargo van for her to get in there. She memorised the license plate of the van. She knew that Cici and Vic would tell Ced that they were still there for them, then she focused, twisted slightly, and she wasn't silent yet, but she was standing next to the car that they had just been driving a few minutes ago.

Another small pop announced Rose's arrival next to the car. "Don't forget to cancel the charm before you grab the radio," Rose told her.

With the charm cancelled, she grabbed the radio, "They've transferred the people into five different vans." She told the others.

"Did you get the license plate numbers?" a worried Julia radioed back.

"Yes." She told them and gave them the description of the three vans that mattered to them and the license plate numbers of the two cargo vans that she had memorised.

Angel handed the radio to Rose, "This is the other van that has Cici in it." Rose gave them the license plate and the description of the van.

The others wrote all of the information of the vans down and started to reposition themselves to follow the vans.

Angel got in the driver's seat of the car, "Let's go!" she yelled at Rose.

"We should put trackers on the three vans." She told her. "Give me some of those protective sleeves, and I'll go back and do it." She said determinedly.

"Here, here's one. I hope that I don't see you over there, because if I do, then we screwed this up."

And she cast the disillusionment charm back on herself and _teleportused_ to the trucking yard again. As bad as she wanted to put tracking devices on the other vans, she didn't, she didn't want to confuse the other two vans with the ones that had her people in them.

Rose was right behind her, or so she hoped. Angel had put a lot of magic into her charm. A couple of more times and they were next to the vans that were sitting there idling, ready to leave. She slipped the GPS tracker out of the sleeve and pressed the button for five seconds. She was rewarded with the green light flashing once. She slipped it up under the rear wheel well and walked away from the tracker. About fifteen metres away from the van she apparated back to the car.

A soft pop told her that Angel was back also. "Did you get it done?" she asked worriedly as she cancelled the charm on herself.

"Yeah, two green lights. And you?" was the answer she got, as Angel became visible again.

"Yeah, one green light."

"Okay," Rose said into the radio, "We got the GPS trackers on the three vans that matter to us."

"Good, Julia's turning the tracking unit on now," Fred told her.

"George's got ours turning on too."

"Let's not screw this up," Angel told them.

"We'll take the blue van with Vic in it," Fred said into the radio.

"Okay, we'll take the white Ford van with Ced in it," George said. "Our tracking unit is up and working. I've got three dots." He informed the others.

"Okay, that leaves us with the white Chevrolet van with Cici in it," Rose told them. "I'll call Robins and let him know what's happening."

.

.

It was three excited girls walking back up to the castle. They had all pampered themselves by getting a mani-pedi, then they walked over to Glad Rags to look at the shoes again.

Solaria was torn between two different pairs of shoes, "Which pair do you like better?" she asked her two friends as she tried both pairs of shoes on. She had gone with a white spaghetti strap knee length dress with red flowers on it. She had also chosen a red nail polish to match her dress, so she was thinking about getting some white heels to match.

"I think that you should get the heels with the peekaboo toes to show off your nails that you just paid a small fortune to have done," Willow told her. Her mum wasn't made out of money like her two friend's parents. Her mum worked long hours at the Ministry to take care of her. She enjoyed staying at Daphne's house because it kept her from staying home alone. And she loved the stories that Cathaoir would tell them about The Creator and the things that they would do. Then there was Uasal and Car-baun to play with, and she had to admit, playing hide-and-go-seek could get a little dangerous if the dragons got a little too enthusiastic when they were hunting the kids. At the Potter's house, she could use as much magic as she wanted, as long as nothing got broken, and no one got hurt. At home in their flat, she couldn't use any magic unless her mum was home. Plus, Uncle Charlie was there with his wife Angelica, Cici's mum. He would tell them stories about when he was at Hogwarts, and about the twins' pranks, and not always about the ones that went right but he would tell the kids about the pranks that backfired on the twins' too. Some of those were the funniest stories to hear!

"I think Willow's right. I like the heels with the peekaboo toes too." Kitten told her. "What do you think about this pair of shoes?" she asked holding her foot out for the others to see more clearly.

"I like them! But I like these too!" an exasperated Willow was saying. "But I can't afford them!"

"I tell you girls what, I'll do buy two get one free for you today." The salesgirl told them when she walked up behind them. "I'll just ring them all up together, and then you can settle up with each other outside of the store. How does that sound to you?" she asked them.

"Okay," Daphne said leaning back in the chair and twisting her head around to look at the woman.

.

.

All five vans passed over the bridge from Newark, New Jersey headed to New York, New York, but that's where it all ended. The van with Cici in it turned and headed north, so did the van with Vic. The two vans that had regular civilians in them continued on, and the van that had Ced in it continued straight also. Several minutes later, the van that had Cici in it turned and headed, according to the signs, towards Syracuse, New York. So, Angel and Rose dutifully followed the van. The van that had Vic riding in the back started to follow the signs for Albany, New York.

For forty-five plus minutes, Amber fought the traffic to follow the van down to the docks and a warehouse, where they watched the van pull into an open door, and then disappear into the shadows inside of the warehouse.

"Stay here!" George told Amber as he got out of the car and ran between some large trucks. Amber watched as he disillusioned himself and the lights on the trucks went out.

Inside of the warehouse, George found the group of men standing huddled together in front of three other men.

"I told your boss that I wasn't paying that much." The heavyset man in the suit was telling another of the men in a dress shirt.

"This was the agreement. You would have the first pick, but the prices were already set." The dress shirt told the suit.

"I'm not paying that much!" said the suit.

"Fine, while you're calling someone." He was telling suit, he looked at the guy in the t-shirt. "Load them back up." He told t-shirt. "We'll be back, and you can have what's left, if that's how you want to do this." Dress shirt told suit.

"Fine!" he said, then he went through the lot of men and selected the ones he wanted to purchase. This was so much cheaper than paying union wages, but the risks were also a lot higher. He could buy eight of these immigrants for less than what the wages for two dockhands would cost him in a year. But there was always the language barrier to deal with. They would learn soon enough.

T-shirt loaded the two remaining men back into the van.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you. And as usual, it is cash now." Dress shirt told the suit.

Suit looked at a guy in a work shirt, "Take them to their living quarters. Get them washed up, they stink." He said, then he addressed the dress shirt, "Follow me to the office."

Work shirt told the group of men in Spanish, "Follow me." And he led Ced and the other nine men towards the back of the warehouse. George followed the group to the back of the warehouse where a building had been added to the side of the main building to act as living quarters for the newly purchased help. Once George new the location of the crew quarters he walked off a short distance and apparated back to the trucks that he had killed with his magic. He cancelled the charm on himself and walked up to the car to talk with Amber.

"They just sold ten of those guys to the guy in the suit inside. The last two are going to get back into the van and go someplace else. Can you call Rob and let him know what's happening really quick?" George blurted out in a rush.

"Is Ced okay?"

"Yes. They have a shed on the side of the warehouse, and that's where they're keeping the people that they just bought." George told her in a rush.

"Okay, let me call Rob and tell him what's going on." She picked up the cell phone and swiped the number for Robins. She talked to him for a few minutes.

"So, how long is it going to take for them to get here?" George asked her.

"He said about thirty minutes. The squad of men have been on standby since we called him this morning. Let's get changed into our body armour and go rescue Ced."

"Sounds good to me. Did he say that he had people to follow the van?" George asked her as an afterthought.

"Yes. Godric, I can't wait to take a shower! My hair is a mess!"

After they had changed into their body armour, "Give me some of those sleeves." George asked Amber.

"Here, remember what Cici said. Stun them lightly to the back of the head. Put the electronics in the sleeves and then stun the person, so they don't wake up for a day." Amber told him.

"As bad as I stink, I don't think that's possible!"

A little over three hours after turning, the van with Vic in it was manoeuvring the streets of Albany, New York. Julia was staying back, not wanting to attract attention to their car. Fred was watching the locator intently, giving her forewarning of the upcoming turns that the van was making. After fighting traffic for thirty-something minutes, the van pulled into a warehouse, and the door closed automatically behind it. Julia drove on by and started to look for a parking spot that they could watch the building from. After Julia parked the car, Fred slipped out of the passenger side and walked to where he had some cover from prying eyes before he disillusioned himself, then he _teleportused_ to the front of the building. He checked the man door to the side of the big roll-up door. It was unlocked, and he let the door swing open after he had stepped through the door into the dimly lit warehouse. Inside of the warehouse were half a dozen limousines surrounding the van that had Vic and the other women in it.

A woman in dress shirt and slacks was talking to finely dressed men and women. "You knew what the price was going to be when you placed your order." She was addressing a distinguished looking couple.

"But this is not what we were expecting." The man said with an accent.

"If you are not happy with the merchandise, then we will hold your deposit, and you will have the first selection when we bring in another group of females." She told him.

"We'll take this one and this one." Another man in an expensive suit said, as he grabbed two of the women by the arm and started to pull them out of the group of women. "Couldn't you at least bath them before you brought them to us?" he complained, "They smell horrendous!"

"Ew! They do smell terrible! We'll take that one over there." Another man said as he pointed at Vic.

"An excellent choice!" the woman in the dress shirt told him.

The driver of the van grabbed Vic by the arm and walked her over to her new owner. The man took her by the arm and walked her to the back of the white limousine. The other purchasers just selected one of the females that were left and led them to the backs of their limos. As the girls stood next to the cars, the buyers walked over to settle their accounts with the slave traders. After they had all settled up with the slavers, the woman in the dress shirt started to walk to the van with the cash. When the driver and the woman were separated, Fred _teleportused_ behind the driver of the van and stunned him quickly. He then _teleportused_ to the other side of the van and stunned the woman in the dress shirt. As fast as he could, he got her cell phone and put it in one of the sleeves to protect it from the magic he was about to release inside of the warehouse. He stunned her harder and then he _teleportused_ to the closest limo. The driver of the limo was out and looking around with a pistol in his hands. Fred _teleportused_ behind the driver and stunned him. Then using a _diffindo_ spell, he cut the front tire of the limo to disable it. The spell did two things, fist it cut the tire, and second, it killed all of the electronics in the car, rendering the car useless. Fred looked, and he could see the other drivers of the other limos all out of their cars with pistols pulled, looking for a target to shoot. Fred hopped back and forth around the limos hoping to keep the shooters confused as he worked to disable the cars and their drivers. With the last driver down and the car disabled, Fred _apparated_ back outside so he could talk to Julia about getting a hold of Rob to send backup. As Julia spoke to Rob, Fred was pulling on his body armour to go back in and rescue Vic.

"When you're done talking to Rob, get dressed and join me back inside," Fred told her just before he pulled on his balaclava.

The vision of shimmering death walked a few metres away from the car before it disappeared. Fred walked out of the shadows wearing his body armour towards the closest limo. He walked up to the back door of the limo and tried to open the door. He knew that he would find it locked, but he had to pull on the handle anyway. The door didn't respond to his tugging on the door handle. He looked inside of the limo with the infrared technology that had been incorporated into the armour. The people inside the back of the limo looked out at him in fear. Fred then focused on the locking knob of the door, and he slowly raised the knob to the unlock position. Then using magic, he opened the door.

"Get out of the car." The creature with the terrifying voice told the occupants of the car.

He was rewarded with a gunshot to his shoulder.

He flinched a little, "Fine." He said to the man holding the gun. Then he summoned the gun to his gloved hand. Holding the gun in his hand in front of the occupants of the limo, Fred used a silent, wandless _reducto_ spell to turn the gun into dust in front of their eyes. "Get out of the car!" the harsh, raspy voice yelled at them again. They refused to move. Fred climbed into the car and touched the three occupants of the back of the limo, stunning each of them as he touched them. Then he used another _reducto_ to blast the door off the side of the limo, so he could just pass on through.

At the next limo, Fred hunched down and _teleportused_ inside of the car. In the shock of death appearing in the back of the limo, Fred was able to stun the three occupants of that car also. Again, for dramatic effect, he blasted the door off of the car. As the door slid across the concrete floor of the warehouse, Julia stepped into the light of and walked towards the next limo in the line. Fred went to the white limo that had Vic in it. He could hear the people screaming as Julia entered the third limo. He walked up to the door of the limo and unlocked the door with his magic, just before he opened it. Vic, along with the other occupants of the car started to scream at the sight of death literally at their door. With both Fred and Julia working at stunning the occupants of the limos, they were finishing up in less than ten minutes. Fred and Julia returned to the white limo to help Vic out of the car.

"Rob is in New York City arresting the people that were buying Ced," Julia told them after she had removed her balaclava.

"Ced and Cici are doing fine," Vic told them. "Ced's with George and Amber now.

"What about Cici?" Fred asked her.

"Cici is still in the back of the van, and the spy that we detected is in the van with her," Vic told them.

"There was a spy in the group of people with you?" Julia asked in shock.

"Yes. We knew that one of the people in the trailer with us wasn't what they appeared. It just took us a couple of days to single her out." She told her friends.

"We need to go back around and collect the cell phones," Fred told them.

"Make it fast, we don't have a lot of time," Julia told him.

The two of them _teleportused_ to all of the different limos and then back to where Vic was waiting.

"Well, if we don't want to be here when the people that Rob is sending, then we need to get out of here now," Julia told both of them.

"FBI! DON'T MOVE!" the voice entering the door yelled at them.

Fred grabbed both Vic and Julia in a tight hug and _teleportused_ to the dark spot close to their car. Vic helped unzip both of her rescuers so they could get undressed quicker. They just threw their body armour in the backseat of the car and Vic followed it into the car.

"Where are we going?" Vic asked.

"Anywhere but here for now!" Julia told her as she pulled smoothly and calmly away from their parking spot, just like she had been taught.

A little over five hours after the van that contained Cici turned and headed for Syracuse, Angel followed it into the city streets of Syracuse. Rose was restraining herself from pointing out the directions to turn, to Angel. She knew from her training that that would attract unwanted attention to their car. They watched as the van turned down an alley and then behind an old red brick building. Angel spotted the perfect parking spot, and she skillfully flipped a U-turn into the spot to sit and wait. Rose slipped out of the passenger seat of the car and walked to the corner of the alley to look down the alley for guards. She looked around and cast a disillusionment charm on herself making herself as close to invisible as possible, after she silenced her shoes she walked down the alley, sticking to the shadows as much as possible. She approached the corner where the van had turned in and saw what Fred had told her and Angel had happened to Vic. Instead of six limos, there were only four here, and she was able to see that all of the women were still huddled together. As another woman in a dress shirt was addressing the buyers, Rose moved inside of the warehouse and hugged the shadows to help hide herself from the buyers and the seller of the human merchandise. She walked around to get closer to the van that had carried the people here.

As Rose was watching the bad guys, Angel called to tell Rob where they were.

"I'll have the FBI there in less than 20 minutes!" he told her. "Don't do anything!" he implored her.

"Okay." She told him just before she hung up. She tossed the phone into the centre console of the car, took the key out of the ignition and tossed it into the cup holder. She opened the back door of the car and pulled out her body armour, then she got Rose's body armour too. She walked to the alley and behind a dumpster to slip her body armour on. After she had pulled the balaclava on and zipped herself up, she _teleportused_ to the corner that the van had turned at. She stuck to the shadows as she went searching for her cousin. Then she saw the distortion caused by the disillusionment charm next to the van. She _teleportused_ to the far side of the van and called out to her softly.

When Rose got next to her, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Robs got people on the way. They'll be here in less than fifteen minutes!"

"Okay."

"Here, put this on!" she shoved her body armour at her.

A couple of minutes later, Angel was zipping Rose up.

"How do you want to do this?" Rose asked Angel.

"Fast and furious," Angel told her.

"Okay, Rob will get his buyers and sellers, and we'll get Cici, and Cici is all that matters to me," Rose told her.

"Watch out for the drivers," Angel told her.

"Are you ready?" Rose asked.

"Let's go!" Angel told her just before she _teleportused_ behind the woman in the dress shirt. A tap to the back of her head and another tap to the driver had everybody screaming as death had come to collect what belonged to it.

Rose was watching the drivers of the cars, and as they would step out of the driver's seat. She would stun them hard and _teleportus_ to the next driver as fast as she could. Angel was stunning the buyers as fast as she could. Cici wasn't doing anything except for screaming and hiding her face as she played her part to the fullest. When she saw the spy try to make a run for it, she tripped the girl to get Angel's attention. Angel was on her next, stunning her quickly. With all of the drivers stunned, Rose _teleportused_ to the group of women waiting to be sold and helped stun them also.

"We need to get some kind of label on this one, so they'll know that she's the one responsible for the death of the other agents," Cici told them.

"Here, I've got a better idea," Rose said as she cast chains all the way down her body. "We'll just tell Rob that the one wrapped in chains, is the one that's responsible for the death of all the other agents," Rose told them.

"Are you ready to go?" Angel asked Cici.

"Yes."

Then Angel grabbed Cici and Rose in a tight hug, and _teleportused_ them to the back of the dumpster, so they could change out of their body armour. They got there just as the FBI was barreling down the alley past them in their black SUVs. Cici quickly cast a disillusionment charm on herself and made herself as small as possible. Rose and Angel both got down to hide more in the shadow of the dumpster. They waited for the SUVs to go around the corner before they stood up. The two girls in the body armour stripped it off as quickly as possible. They needed to get out of the alley and back to their car so they could be gone before someone started looking around for answers, to the questions that were left in the warehouse.

"Let's go," Angel said softly just before she hugged Cici and Rose tightly again and _teleportused_ to the end of the alleyway.

From there, they walked the short distance to the car. Rose got in the driver's seat, Cici got in back, and Angel got in the front passenger seat.

"Can I use your phone?" Cici asked.

"Sure," Angel said.

Rose looked around for the car key.

"Here," Angel said as she fished it out of the cup holder for her.

Cici swiped Robins name on the phone, and he answered on the second ring. "This is Cici." She told him.

"Cici who?" he answered her.

"Cici one of the people that just spent over a week in the back of a truck. Don't make me reach through this phone and grab you by the throat!" she told him harshly.

"I was joking!" he told her quickly and apologetically.

"The woman that is completely wrapped up in chains. She's the one that's responsible for the deaths of your other agents." She told him bleakly.

"How do you know that?" he asked her in disbelief.

"Now, how do you think that I know that?" she asked him sternly.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." He said sheepishly.

"We'll see you back at the base. As soon as we get this car turned in, we are headed for the houses on the base." She told him.

"How are you going to get there?" he asked her dumbly.

"Now how do you think that we're going to get there?" she asked him condescendingly and hung up. "As soon as we can get this car turned in, I'm going to make a portkey and take us all back to the houses on the base." She told the two girls up front.

" _I'll tell Fred and Julia."_ Vic thought to her.

" _I'll tell George and Amber."_ Ced thought to her.

Just over a half an hour later, the nine teenagers were standing in the middle of the four houses on the base. Cici looked at Vic, "Can you put up some wards to keep people out of here?" she asked her as she removed the glamour bracelet.

Oh, Merlin, it felt good to be herself again!

"Sure." She told her as she removed the bracelet from her wrist, she hadn't felt this dirty in years. She knew what it was that she wanted, so she walked over to the outer perimeter of the houses and started to walk around the four houses casting wards to keep people away from them, and to keep them from seeing what it was that Cici had planned.

"Can you conjure up something nice for all of us to soak in after we all get a shower and some dinner?" Cici asked looking at Ced.

"Yeah, I can do that," Ced told her.

"I'll start to get some food prepared after I take a shower or two, or three." Cici joked with the others.

Ced. Ced looked at his two wives, their hair was a mess, but the dirt stains were still on their skin. Cici was right, it would probably take two or three showers to get them clean.

The group of friends broke up and headed to their own quarters to get their showers and ready for some dinner. They all understood what she was saying, after not having had a shower for over a week. Close to an hour later, they all started to congregate back at Cici's place where she and Vic were just finishing preparing dinner for all of their friends. The two witches decided to use magic to fix dinner that night, so it would only take a fraction of the time if they had prepared it manually. The other girls started to grab plates and flatware to set the table. Fred enlarged the table to seat them all, and George added the needed number of chairs to accommodate all of them.

After the best dinner any of them had had in over a week, Cici told them to all go and get changed into their swimsuits so they could soak in the tub outside. With a wave of her hand, Vic cleared the table so she and her bond-mates could go and get changed.

" _You are planning on wearing enough clothing to cover all of your womanly goods, right?"_ Vic thought to her wife.

" _YES!"_ she thought back to her offended. _"Fred and George are going to be there!"_

" _Just checking Dark One."_

Fifteen minutes later, they were all soaking in the oversized Jacuzzi that Ced had conjured in the middle of the four houses. He had turned the courtyard area of the houses into a garden oasis for them to enjoy the peace and quiet they had had while living in the four houses. The reason for the wards was to keep the Military Police away from them and any couples that could be looking for a place to shag, away also.

"Oh, this feels so good," Julia said as she leaned up against Fred. She had slid down in the tub so that only her head was out of the water.

"It does feel good!" Amber told them in an 'I wish I could stay here forever,' kind of voice.

After everyone had settled into the hot water for a long soak. Ced spread his legs so Vic could sit in his lap, then Cici sat in her lap, Ced wrapped his legs and his arms around both of his wives. The threesome started to tell them what had happened to them inside of the trailer. They told them how they had sensed the presence of the spy, but it had taken them almost three days to find her because everyone in the trailer had 'their spot.' It was only after they had used the five-gallon buckets to relieve themselves that they could check the emotions and stray thoughts of the different people.

"Her thoughts were cold," Ced told them, "And she was good at hiding her thoughts and emotions."

.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 03.30.2018**


	47. Year Five Chapter 47

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 47

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The next morning found a haggard Rob walking in and watching as Ced, Cici, and Vic was teaching their friends how to make a portkey.

"I was hoping to catch all of you here. I couldn't think of any other place that you would go in this country." He told them. He had been in New York City the night before, and this morning he was in Virginia hoping to find the kids.

"Well, we knew that you would need to debrief us," Ced told him. "And staying in New York really wasn't an option for us, so we decided to come here, the closest thing that we have to home in this country."

"And this is the only place that we can be together as a group," Vic said.

"And this is the only place that we can be ourselves," Amber said to him.

"I just wanted a shower," Cici told him. "I had to wash my hair, Four Times!" she told him in faux annoyance.

"Well, I really want to say thank you, for all of your help. The FBI was really thrown off by the woman wrapped up in chains until I was able to talk to them." He told the group of young adults.

"That was the best way for me to separate her from the others," Cici told him. "We really didn't want to be around when a bunch of people that we don't know showed up. It would be kind of hard to explain our presence." She said to him. All of the others agreed with her. And honestly, so did Rob.

"She's evil," Vic said.

"All of you went way above and beyond on this mission." He praised them.

"What's going to happen to the other people that were in the truck?" Julia asked.

"Well, most of them will receive medical care and then be deported back to their home country. A couple of the men had fled this country after raping some women and young girls." He told her.

"But what about those that are just wanting to join their families here in your country?" Angel asked.

"The Coyotes, the human smugglers, have created this 'lie' that we don't want them coming into our country. We want them to come to our country, but to do it legally. But this lie lets them continue to collect a lot of money from the people, sometimes they will collect their fee four or five times, from the people that they smuggle across the border. Their families that live here could help their relatives, but a lot of them are here illegally too, it's a nightmare of a problem that all of us can't fix." He told her kindly.

"Would you like something to drink?" Cici asked, now playing the part of the hostess.

"Yes, please. Coffee if you have it." He told her. "I really need to start collecting all of the equipment that I gave you." He looked at the others. He really couldn't call them kids, they might be young, but they had just completed a mission that so many adults had failed at.

While Cici headed for the kitchen, the other six headed for their houses to collect all of the electronic equipment that Rob had given them for the mission. When they returned with all of the stuff in the backpacks that he had given them, they found Rob sipping on his cup of coffee talking to Ced and his wives.

"Sorry that I didn't get a chance to send you the last of the pictures that I took," Rose told him.

"Me too," Fred said.

"Me too," George told him.

"That's okay, with all of the other electronic data that you've collected, it will be enough for several convictions. We have the buyers and the sellers on the scene with the cash for the buys. We have unregistered guns in the hands of the drivers. With all of the pictures of all of the truck drivers, we've run them all through facial recognition software and have put names to most of the people, but some of the drivers we'll never get." He informed them. "Okay, are you all ready to do your debriefing? If you would please avoid using magic for the next few hours, I can record this, and it will go faster than if I have to write it all down." He told them with a smile on his face and in his eyes.

For the next several hours all of them went over their stories of what they had seen, done, and heard. Cici and Vic got up and fixed lunch for all of them, Ced helped where he could. They took a break to eat lunch, stretch their legs, and get some fresh air. Then they finished up the debriefing about 4:30 in the afternoon.

"So how soon can we expect to see the money in our accounts?" Vic asked.

"I have already put a rush on getting all of you paid. The head of the accounting department promised me that they would get it in your accounts a week from this coming Friday." He told them with a smile.

"Would it be okay for us to go and visit some places before we go home to England?" Amber asked.

"Yes, where was it that you wanted to go?" Rob asked them.

"Well, I was wanting to show them my old school." She told him hesitantly.

"I don't see a problem with that. If you promise to return the cell phones, I'll let you keep them for a while too." He told the group of kids. If they returned them they returned them, they had lost more cell phones in the last ninety days than he could keep track of.

"Gee thanks!" Amber said excitedly.

After Rob left, Vic and Cici started working on dinner. With Rob gone, they were able to cook dinner faster using magic. After dinner, they all slipped back into the jacuzzi to relax some more. They just lay there looking up at all of the stars. Cici and Vic started to quiz the others on all of the different stars and constellations that would be on their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T. tests just before the end of the school year. Once they got back to school, they would use the Room of Requirement to practice the tests a couple of times to help them get rid of the pretest jitters.

"So, tomorrow after our morning run, do you want to make the portkey so we can go see your old school?" Ced asked Amber, with his head laid up against the side of the jacuzzi, Cici was in his lap, and Vic was sitting in her lap.

"Okay!" she said, excited for this opportunity to show them her old school, and to be the one to make the portkey! Well, actually, she was the only one that could make the portkey, because she was the only one that had been to her school.

The run the next morning was slower than usual, it had been over a week since any of them had gone out and run. For over a week, all any of them had done was to sleep in a car, and for most of them, all they had to eat was either junk food or prepackaged food from gas stations and truck stops. They walked into their training room for the last time that morning for a chance to practice their duelling and to workout with the weight sets. All of the girls separated out the potions that they had brewed to take with them when they left. After their morning workout, Ced was the last to leave, and as he left he banished all of the equipment in their training room. Then he returned the place to its normal size and closed the door behind him. He followed the group back to their houses, and as he walked through the courtyard of the houses he banished all of the landscaping that he had done the afternoon they had returned, he banished the jacuzzi and all of the water in it too. He watched as all of his friends returned the outside of their houses back to the way they were when they had first arrived at the military base. All of them were in the process of closing this chapter in their life. With a wave of his hand, the outside of his house was returned to the condition that it was in when he and his spouses had first arrived. He walked inside, into the bedroom, and he could hear the shower running already, he stripped off his clothes and put them in the hamper by force of habit now. As he peeked around the curtain, he watched for a moment as Vic and Cici soaped each other up. He stepped into the shower to give each of them a kiss. He summoned Vic's shampoo to himself and started to wash her hair for her, and she, in turn, began to wash Cici's hair for her. When he had finished washing Vic's hair, he wrapped his strong arms around both of his wives and hugged them to himself backwards, then he ran his large soapy hands over Cici's ample breasts, causing her nipples to harden slightly, then he gave her ample breasts a gentle squeeze. Ced could feel Vic give a small shudder of excitement before he let his bond-mates go. After the girls had rinsed their hair, Ced knelt between them so they could wash his hair together. With Vic in front of him and Cici in back of him, Ced leaned forward and sucked one of Vic's nipples into his mouth before he closed his eyes to keep the shampoo out. As he sucked on her nipple, he wrapped his powerful arms around her hips and pulled her hard naked body into him tighter. Through their fully open mental link, he could feel Cici's enjoyment of what he was doing to Vic's nipple. He could feel Cici's enjoyment of him pulling Vic in tight against himself as she pressed herself up against his back, then he could feel Vic pushing herself away from him reluctantly, so he could rinse the shampoo out of his hair, and they could continue with their morning.

As they were getting dressed, both Vic and Cici had the same thought, they wanted to say goodbye to Marta and Essie. They had developed a solid friendship there, and they felt that the two witches would want to know that they were okay. After all, they had given the trio the glamour bracelets. Once the girls were dressed, they headed for the kitchen to start working on breakfast for the nine of them.

"Do you just want to go to the dining facility for breakfast? It's just down the street from Marta and Essie's building." Ced asked them.

"Sounds good to me," Cici said.

With a couple of waves of their hands, the trio finished their packing and slung their packs over their shoulders. As they left the room, Ced restored it to the condition it had been in when they first moved in, the bedroom, the bathroom, and the kitchen were all returned to their rundown, dilapidated state of existence. As they were headed out the door, they met the others that were headed in.

"We've decided to eat breakfast at the dining facility," Ced told them.

"Okay, why?" Amber asked.

"We want to say goodbye to Marta and Essie," Cici told her.

"Oh, okay." She shrugged.

So, the nine of them started walking to the main dining facility. It was a beautiful spring morning, it wasn't too hot or humid yet. As they walked, they saw a couple of the trainees that they had sparred with and they waved at them.

A couple of females came running over to them, "You wouldn't happen to have any of that Vitamix stuff, would you?" Becky asked them.

The group stopped walking for a moment, and Julia slipped her backpack off and started to dig around inside of it, she pulled out four vials of the potion.

"Oh, thank you!" Leslie gushed at them. "This stuff is the greatest!" she said as she handed two of the vials to Becky.

"So where have you all been? I mean it was like you were there one day and then you were gone the next!" Becky asked them.

"We finished what we came to do, and now we're headed home," Ced told her.

"Oh, I suppose that it's all hush-hush need to know kind of stuff, huh?" she said.

"Yeah, you know how things can be," Vic told her.

"OH! We better hurry back and join our class!" Leslie told them. "Bye!"

They all waved and said their goodbyes, to the two females that had worked the hardest in their sparring sessions.

"They came a long way from the first morning that we met them," Cici said as they continued their journey towards the main dining facility.

It was during breakfast that Angel said, "If I have my dates right, Thursday should be the Spring Fling Dance, I wonder if they're going to have it?"

"I wonder if anybody stepped up to do the planning for it." Cici thought out loud.

"I wonder if Professor McGonagall let them have it," Julia said.

"It took a lot for us to convince her to let us do it the first time," Vic said to the group.

"Well, let's just plan on being back in time for it!" Ced said to them.

"There isn't any reason that we couldn't be. The only thing that we're doing here is going to see Amber's old school today." George said.

The teens hung around the dining facility until just before eight in the morning when the glares of the staff started to get to them. They returned their trays and dishes to the wash window and headed out the door. All of them thanked the staff member that held the door for them as they walked towards Marta's office.

Vic knocked on Marta's open door to get her attention, "Oh thank Merlin! We were so worried about you!" Marta grabbed her and hugged her tight. Then she pushed her away and then pulled her in for another crushing hug, then she pushed her away again and grabbed Cici into a crushing hug. When she finally let go of Cici, there were tears in her eyes. Then Marta grabbed Cici by the hand and drug her down the hall to Essie's office.

They were greeted at first with a look of annoyance and then squeals of joy as Essie saw who Marta had with her. Essie got out from around her desk and took Cici into another crushing hug. With tears of relief in her eyes, she grabbed Vic and started to hug her. When she released Vic, she headed for the hallway and looked up and down the hall. Not seeing anyone she started to drag Vic down the hall to the conference room. She opened the door to the conference room, and everyone followed them in dutifully.

"So, tell us what happened!" Essie said as she wiped the tears from her eyes, not caring about her mascara.

All of the teens gave them the Unclassified version of what had happened over the last couple of weeks.

"Here, could you give Robins back my cell phone for me?" Amber asked.

All of the other teens agreed, they really didn't need to have the cell phones. They didn't know anyone to call in this country anyway. And if they wanted to talk to each other, they had their communications watches that Harry had given them at Christmas.

"No, keep them." Essie told them, "They lose so many cell phones around this place, besides, you might need them someday."

"So, what are you going to do now?" Marta asked them.

"Well, the first thing that we're going to do is go to my old school, Ilvermorny," Amber said.

"Ilvermorny? That's our old school too!" Marta told her as she gestured between Essie and herself.

After the three of them talked about the school for a few minutes, Amber told them, "Well, we want to be back home in England tonight so we can attend the school dance Thursday night."

"So, how are you going to get to Ilvermorny?" Essie asked her.

"I'm going to make a portkey to get us to the front of the school, and I figure that we can walk from there," Amber told her.

Essie and Marta looked at the young witch with wide eyes. Making a portkey was some high-level magic, neither of them could make one, and here was this little girl talking about making a portkey like she was talking about making a cup of tea!

"Well, when you make the portkey, make sure that you land outside of the fence. I don't think that you can make it so that you land where the buses drop you off. They will probably have to open the gates to let you in." Marta cautioned her.

"Okay, thank you," Amber said. She was glad that she had mentioned that. She knew where she was talking about, as a kid, she never paid attention, but it only made sense that the school would have wards to keep unwanted people out of the school grounds, kind of like Hogwarts.

As they were leaving, Amber asked Essie if she could have a piece of blank paper. After Essie gave her a piece of blank copy paper, she thanked her and folded it up and put it in her pocket. This was going to be her portkey.

Back at the houses, the rest of them grabbed their backpacks and met in the middle of the four houses. Amber pulled out the folded piece of paper, unfolded it, and held it out so all of her friends could touch it. "Ready?" she asked. Then seeing all of the nods she activated the portkey.

After the familiar tug behind the navel, they were all falling towards a mountaintop. The air here was much cooler than where they had been just moments ago. Gracefully they all landed outside of the gates to the school, on the roadway.

Amber walked up to the security box outside of the gates and pressed the button. "May I help you?" came the scratchy voice from the box. All of the others watched in amazement, they had never seen anything like this, other than in a muggle movie.

"Yes, uh, hi, uh, my name is Amber Davis. And, uh, I used to go to school here, uh, before my parents, uh, moved to Ireland, andIwantedtoknowifIcouldshowmyfriendswhereIusedtogotoschool." She blurted out all of the words together.

"Just a minute please." The scratchy voice said to her. After what seemed like an eternity. Amber was ready to just leave, "Please follow the road and someone will meet you at the front of the school." The scratchy voice said as the gates started to swing open for the group of friends.

Amber started to glow with pride. First, she had been allowed to make the portkey that got them there, and now she would get to show them her old school. She stood a little taller with the pride that was starting to swell within her.

As the group of teens walked up the paved road to the front of the school, they looked around at how beautiful the scenery was from up on top of the mountain. It was very different from Hogwarts, and it felt like they could see forever. Ced watched as all of them cast warming charms on themselves as they walked the distance to the front of the school. As they approached the front of the school, there was a tall, thin man standing there with a warm, welcoming smile on his face.

"Mr Thomas!" Amber almost squealed.

"Actually, now, it's Dean Thomas." He said.

Amber looked at him in confusion he used to be her second-year English teacher.

"I'm the Dean of the fifth-years now." He told her.

"Oh! Congratulations!" she said to him.

"Thank you, and these are your friends?" he asked her.

"Oh, yes!" and Amber introduced all of her friends to the warm, welcoming man, the guys all shook his hand.

"So, I suppose that you want a tour of our school." He addressed the group.

"Yes, could you please?" Amber said to him.

"Please, follow me." He told the group as he led them through the large doors. "This is where the sorting takes place. We don't use a sorting hat. The house candidate stands in the middle of the four statues and whichever statue comes to life the student goes in that house. Take Amber here, for instance, she was sorted into Thunderbird." And he motioned for her to go stand in the middle of the four statues, once again the Thunderbird unfurled its wings to welcome her home.

"At Hogwarts, they use an old hat." She told him.

"And which house were you sorted into there?" he asked her.

"I was sorted into Gryffindor." She said with some pride.

"Adventure and bravery." He commented to her.

He had no clue to just how much adventure she had had since meeting her group of friends.

Dean Thomas led them up to the Thunderbird common room, it was so different than the common room for the Gryffindors. This room was more light and airy. The other thing the visitors noticed was just how large the school was. They had elevators to take the students up to their dorm floors! After visiting the fifth-year dorm floor and getting a chance to look into a dorm room, they noticed that there were only two beds to a room. But, like Hogwarts, they had communal showers and loos. After visiting the dorms, Dean Thomas took the group to visit the Hospital Wing of the school so they could meet a Pukwudgie.

"William!" Dean Thomas called out as he entered the wing.

"Ah, Dean Thomas." The short creature said as he saw the tall, thin man.

"I would like you to meet some visitors from a school in England." The wizard told the magical being.

"A school in England? The school that Isolt attended?" William asked.

"I believe so." Dean Thomas told him. Then he went about introducing the visitors to the Pukwudgie.

With pleasant greetings all around the group moved on.

With a glance at his watch, Dean Thomas excused himself and asked Amber to take her friends down to the Dining Hall for lunch. He explained that he had an appointment that he needed to take care of and that he would join them again after lunch. Amber led her friends into the dining hall, and they chose a section of the Thunderbird table where she used to sit.

"Unlike Hogwarts, here, you have a menu to order from," Amber told her friends.

As they were looking over the short menu, other students started to come sit at the table. Most of them looked at the strangers sitting at their table with curiosity, some looked at them like they were intruding upon their space, and others just ignored them. As the food appeared on their plates, the group of friends started to eat their meal.

"Amber?" a well-built, good-looking guy asked as he was walking past.

Amber and George both stopped eating and looked up at the white-haired boy.

"Marc?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah! I thought that you moved away!" he said exuberantly.

"Yeah, I did. My parents got a job in Ireland." She told him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in confusion.

"Oh, my friends and I came back to the states for a special project." She told him. "We're actually heading home tonight."

"Oh, that sucks." He said, "Gregg's going to be so sad that you're not staying longer." He told her.

"Well, it was a long-term project, and it just finished up. Where is Gregg?" she asked him.

"He should be here," he said as he looked at the doors to the dining hall. Then he spotted the tall, lanky, redheaded boy walking in. "There he is! Did you really think that he would miss a meal?" he asked her, laughing slightly.

Amber and George swivelled around in their seats to see the tall, lanky boy walking towards the table.

"Hey! Amber, what brings you back here?" the redhead asked excitedly.

"Hey Gregg!" she said excitedly. "These are my friends…" and she went around and introduced everyone.

"Hi, Rose?" Marc said sticking his hand out sheepishly.

Rose took his offered hand, he turned it and kissed her knuckles. "Mind if I join you?" he asked her chivalrously.

"No, please do." She told him warmly.

"Hi, Angel? My name's Gregg. Gregg Weasley." He told her. "Would you mind if I sat with you?" he asked.

Angel moved over so that Gregg could sit between her and Marc, who was totally engrossed with Rose to the exclusion of all the other people at the table.

"What did you say your last name was?" Angel asked him, once he was seated.

"Weasley." He told her. "Why? Is there something wrong with that?" he asked.

"No, it's just that my last name is Weasley." She said kind of confused. As far as she knew, none of her relatives had ever moved out of the country.

"Really! Wow! Imagine that!" he said a little too loudly. "So, Amber said that all of you were here for some special project? What did you do?" he asked her openly.

"We can't really talk about it." She told him.

"Oh, okay, so where do you go to school?" he asked her trying to keep the conversation going.

"We go to Hogwarts." She told him.

"Oh, we've heard of that place. It's like really old and all." He said to her.

"Yes, it's very old. And what about your school? Dean Thomas has been giving us a tour of your school." She said. She kind of liked this boy.

"Our school's not nearly as old as your school. In fact, I don't think that our school's 400 years old." His face contorted with concentration.

"Are you going to eat something?" Angel asked him.

"Oh, yeah, huh." And he ordered himself some pizza with breadsticks and marinara sauce, and a soda to drink.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TALKING TO THIS SLUT FOR!" the brown-haired girl yelled as she walked up behind Rose and grabbed her by the collar and pulled her over backwards.

Rose tucked her knees up into her chest as she was going over backwards, and then when the time was right, she kicked out with all of her might and both feet, catching her attacker square in the chest throwing the girl into the students behind her. Rose rolled to the side so that her back was to the head table in a defensive stance, her wand still in its holster. The other girl and her friends had their wands out, it was four against one. Rose looked like she was brushing the dust off of her clothes, but the others knew that she was charming her clothes to be a shield of last resort. Amber, George, Fred, and Julia all turned calmly in their seats to see what was going to happen.

Marc stood up, "Jessica, we broke up four months ago. Why are you attacking a guest?"

"I told you that I didn't want to break up!" she said as she started to cry.

"It was never going to work between us, Jessica." He told her calmly.

"But you didn't even try!" she wailed.

"We tried for six months!" he countered.

"What's going on here!" Dean Thomas asked sternly. Then more gently, "Miss Bones, are you okay? Do you need any medical assistance?" he asked her.

"No, I'm fine." She told him decisively.

"Jessica, go wait for me in my office. The rest of you, put your wands away before you do something that you'll regret." He told them authoritatively. He bent over and picked her chair up for her. "Please accept my apology on behalf of the entire school." He told her kindly.

"All is forgiven." She told him kindheartedly.

"Mr Malfoy, Mr Weasley, please finish the tour of our school for me, as I deal with Miss Jackson." He told the two boys.

"Yes sir!" the two boys said together.

Marc held Rose's chair for her as she returned to the table to finish her meal. She and he discussed what had happened with him and the girl.

Finally, the two boys started to include the rest of the group in their conversations.

"Do you normally have inter-house rivalries like that?" Ced asked.

"No, normally all of the houses get along well enough. There's usually some trash talking whenever there's a Quidditch match or a Quadpot match coming up. But as far as one person attacking another? No, that doesn't normally happen." Gregg told him.

Once the hall was emptied out, Marc asked them, "Well, if you're done eating, are you ready to go?"

Ced, George, and Fred all stood up to hold the chairs for their significant others, and all of them were rewarded with kisses. Marc held the chair for Rose, and Angel waited for Gregg to get her chair for her, she was going to start training him now she decided.

The two boys took them around the rest of the school, and they got to look into a couple of empty classrooms, where instead of chalkboards they had whiteboards, instead of using quills and inkwells, the students used pencils and ballpoint pens.

"See!" Amber exclaimed, "This is why I had such a hard time adjusting to a quill!"

"In a lot of ways, Hogwarts is stuck in the past." Cici agreed with her.

As they were walking down one of the halls, Fred looked at a poster on the wall announcing the next duelling match, that night after dinner.

"Some of them are pretty good." Marc said, "But some of them are pretty lame too."

"Where do they hold them at?" Fred asked.

"In one of the Defense classrooms," Gregg told him.

Fred looked at Ced pleadingly. "If it doesn't go too late, we can make it work," Ced told him.

"Do you want to watch one of the matches?" Gregg asked in amazement.

"Yeah, as long as it doesn't get too late," Ced told him.

"Okay, I'll tell Dean Thomas that all of you would like to stay through dinner and watch a duelling match, then," Marc told them. This could get interesting after all, Marc thought.

The nine teens could read his thoughts just as if they were written on one of the whiteboards in a classroom.

As the afternoon warmed up, Dean Thomas found the group of kids sitting out in the sun next to the largest tree on the school grounds. Up here in the mountains, it was a lot cooler than if they had been down on a beach somewhere. Marc was still infatuated with Miss Bones, and he saw that Gregg was still talking intently to Miss Weasley.

"I've spoken with the duelling coach, and he has agreed to put on a demonstration for all of you before dinner tonight if that is okay with you." Dean Thomas said to the group of visitors.

"That's very kind of you sir," Fred told him.

"Well, it should get underway here in about an hour." He said as he looked at his watch.

"Great," Ced said, "We'll start moving inside in just a moment then." He told the Dean of the Fifth-year students.

The group of teens got up off of the grass and brushed themselves off. Dean Thomas noticed that Ced and the two girls were always holding hands, and neither of the two girls seemed to be getting jealous of the other.

" _His thoughts are almost as transparent as Marc's are."_ Cici thought to her mates.

" _Yeah, they are!"_ Vic thought back to her.

" _But he hasn't figured anything out yet,"_ Ced told them.

" _He seems more interested in Rose and Angel than he does us."_ Cici thought to them.

" _That's fine by me,"_ Vic told her.

" _Me too!"_ Ced thought.

With Dean Thomas leading the way, the group of teens followed him dutifully. Ced slipped his arms around his wives' waists and pulled them in tight against him, he kissed each of them, and then they loosened up again and went back to holding hands, as they followed the man inside, and into the dining hall. The hall had been reorganised to make room down the centre for a raised, regulation duelling platform with padding on the floor all of the way around the platform. The Dean gestured for them to sit at the Thunderbird dining table which was right next to the duelling platform.

"I guess that he wants us to have front row seats," Rose said softly.

"I wonder why?" Angel leaned over and replied to her.

As the guests and their two new friends sat there and talked quietly for the next several minutes, the other students began to file into the dining hall. As the last of the students trickled into the hall, the coach of the duelling club filed his club members into the hall and up on to the duelling platform.

"We have been asked by Dean Thomas, to give a demonstration tonight, for our guests from across the pond!" the coach said loud enough for all to hear clearly.

Then the coach had two third-year students and their seconds get up on the platform. All of the formalities were followed, and the duel began. The duel lasted less than five minutes with the dark-haired boy casting a stinging jinx at the light-haired girl which she sidestepped easily enough. She then cast a jiggly-legs jinx that caught the much slower student and allowed her to use _expelliarmus_ to disarm him easily enough. The two combatants bowed to each other, and she returned his wand to him before they exited the duelling platform.

The next duelists up where the fourth-years with the duel, again lasting less than five minutes. It was a similar outcome with fewer than five spells being cast, and in this case, the girl beat the boy again.

For the fifth-years, it was all boys at this point, but still, none of the combatants used any kind of shield spell to protect themselves, and the combatants still moved slower than the spells.

As the sixth-years took the stage, they had a female in the group, but she was just a second. The spells were stronger and faster. The winning wizard used an _expulso_ spell to knock his opponent down and then disarm him. The duel lasted the longest of any of them and twice as long as the first duel.

"For our next duel, we only have the two duelists." The coach was saying. "I was wondering if it would be okay for a couple of our guests to participate in this duel?" he asked the Dean, sitting at the Head Table.

"It's okay with me if it's okay with them." Dean Thomas said with a barely hidden smirk on his face.

The coach looked over at the group of guests, "They have promised to take it easy on you. We realise that you're just some fifth-years from Hogwarts, but we would still like to give you this opportunity." He said to them.

Amber stood up and tapped Angel to be her second. The two girls smiled as they walked around the duelling platform to many a sneer from the Ilvermorny students. They climbed the stairs to the deck of the platform.

"Are you familiar with the rules of duelling?" the coach spoke down to them as if he were addressing a small child.

"Yes, we've done this occasionally," Amber told the coach in a little girl's voice.

When he looked at Angel, she just nodded shyly.

"Did you girls remember to bring your wands with you?" he asked them in such a way as to generate a laugh from the other students.

The two girls just nodded like a couple of three-year-old's and then they ejected their wands from their invisible holsters on their forearms.

The coach just kind of batted his eyes, because both of the girls were wearing sleeveless dresses and four-inch heels. What he was hoping to be a quick embarrassment for the visiting school might possibly backfire on him.

They went through the pre-duel formalities of bowing, wands at the ready, and then the countdown.

Amber was ready for any kind of cheating but was pleasantly surprised when her opponent didn't cheat. He started off simply enough, just some slow easy jinxes that Amber deflected without even thinking. It began to frustrate her opponent when she didn't return any kind of spells at him. Ced and the others noticed that he was voicing all of his spells, while Amber was staying quiet. As the spells became stronger, Amber conjured a simple concrete wall to absorb the spell, and the next spell, and the next. The whispering in the hall was picking up as the two foreign witches just stood there waiting for the seventh-year to blast his way through. Amber stepped back and spoke softly to Angel, Angel replied, and they both nodded. Amber ran her hands down her dress as Angel did the same thing. The other guys in the hall were paying attention as the two good-looking witches ran their hands over their figure, or so they thought. Then with a flick of her wand, Amber banished the concrete wall to see the coach talking to the seventh-year student. The student stood up and started casting some much darker curses at the curly-haired witch. Amber let one of the curses hit her, and the student population expected her to go down, but she just kept walking up to the seventh-year. His next curse she blocked with a _protego alavaris_ , reflecting the curse back at the student, who wasn't fast enough to block his own cutting curse. The curse caught him across his wand arm causing him to drop his wand. Amber stopped in her tracks. It was at this point that the student could concede the duel or have his second continue the fight. The young man nodded at his second who raised his wand to continue the fight. Angel kept her eye on the first student for any signs of foul play. Amber, for her part, let the new combatant push her back to her side of the duelling platform. The new combatant started off using much darker curses than his predecessor had initially. When Amber had decided that she had given up enough ground, conjured another simple concrete wall. This time, after two hits the wall crumbled, and before the last of the pieces hit the platform, it was replaced with a thicker version of itself. The new student put more into his curses and blasted through the wall and the next several walls with just one hit from his _reducto_ spells. Amber had waited until the rate of casting had slowed down, telling her that the student was tiring magically before she banished the crumbled wall. Again, she started her slow walk towards her opponent, blocking, and deflecting the spells cast at her. In his frustration of not landing any spells on her, he reached down inside of himself and put more power into his spells. Finally, as he wore himself out again, his spells became weaker, and Amber let her clothes absorb the remaining spells he cast, then just before she touched him on his forehead, she watched as the first opponent's wand flew out of his hand towards Angel. Amber refocused on her opponent, fear in his eyes, and then she touched him on his forehead with the tip of her wand, and he collapsed there, in front of her. Amber turned and bowed to the Head Table, spreading her arms wide, then she turned and bowed a few times to the students of her former school, as the majority of them stood up and cheered for her, clapping as hard as they could. As she and Angel were leaving the platform, Angel handed the shocked, and outraged, duelling coach the wand of the boy that had tried to hex her friend after he had left the match.

The Medi-Wizards and Witches rushed forward to levitate the two boys onto some stretchers so they could be taken to the hospital wing of the school to start their month-long recovery, after exhausting their magical cores.

After jumping off of the platform, Amber ran into the arms of her lover who picked her up, and as they kissed, he swung her around and around in a circle, her feet off the ground. Amber held on tightly to him as he turned around and round, then, when he slowed, she put her feet back down as he lowered her to the floor.

Marc and Gregg came rushing over to her, "Where did you learn to fight like that?" Marc asked her in awe of her abilities.

"I just had really good teachers!" Amber told him ambiguously.

"I'll say! Wow! You were amazing! And Ryan, he's one of the best in the school!" Gregg gushed at her.

"I'll have you know missy!" the angry coach started in on her. "If those boys don't recover, I'll have them press charges on you!"

"I believe that you invited her to duel against your club members." Dean Thomas said from behind the angry coach. The coach, his face red with anger, turned to face Dean Thomas, "As far as I saw," he paused for effect, "All she did was use defensive spells. It was your team member that kept casting spells until he overextended his magical core."

"She never told us that she was so magically advanced!" the coach said loudly in a whiny voice.

"So, now we're going to start punishing students that are magically advanced?" the Dean of students asked.

The coach's mouth opened and closed a couple of times in response to what the Dean was saying.

"Isn't the purpose of the Dueling Club to make the students more magically advanced?" he asked the coach.

"Bu-but, yes."

"But only the students that you want to be magically advanced."

"Bu-uh, well, no." the Dueling Coach said sheepishly. He was guilty of working with his favourites and shunning the kids that he didn't really like, the kids that were different, like that one girl a few years ago, that one with the curly hair that claimed to be the daughter of a dark lord, Riddle, that was her name. Good riddance when she left the school!

"We should let the kids eat," Thomas told the coach. "This was just some pre-dinner entertainment." He reminded him.

"Thank you, Mr Thomas," Amber said. "I didn't know that winning would cause so many problems." She told him shyly.

"It's not your fault. You did nothing wrong. It's just that the coach is a sore loser. Although, it would be interesting to know where you learned how to do all of that, at your age." He told her.

"I guess that I've been lucky to have some good teachers." She told him. Then she felt something touch her mental shields. She almost frowned but kept her smile to help hide the fact that she knew what he had just tried. "Well, I'm getting hungry, would it be okay if we ate now?" she asked him.

"Yes, let me leave you so you and your friends can eat!" he apologised.

Just as Amber was about to wave her hand to put up the privacy shields, Ced told her, "Don't. It will attract too much attention. We'll talk about what happened later."

"What happened?" Marc asked.

"Oh, nothing," Amber told him. "What's on the menu for tonight?" she said, changing the subject to distract him.

It worked, "Uh, I don't know." He said as he reached for one of the menus.

Gregg had gotten lost in Angel again, so they weren't paying attention to what was going on around them. George looked at his sister and thought that even a crazed Hippogriff couldn't tear those two apart.

After dinner, George watched as his girl took a fresh napkin and folded it, then she tucked it into her cleavage where it couldn't be seen.

She caught him watching her, "It's so we can make a portkey later." She told him softly.

George nodded to her, he could feel that she was ready to leave. He felt that they were all ready to leave and go home. Go home and sleep in their own beds. Nope, wait, go back to school and sleep alone. Well, in one more year, they could get married and be together for good.

As if sensing his thoughts, Amber leaned over and gave him a short kiss, a sweet kiss. He really was a sweetie, and she was a lucky girl to have him.

"Vic, Cici, Julia? Do any of you girls need to use the bathroom?" Amber asked. All three of the girls joined her in going to the restroom.

Ced could see them scanning the hall for threats as they left. Then just after they turned the corner, he saw a group of five or six girls get up from one of the other tables and head for the door.

Fred and George both caught it and looked at Ced. They could see that Ced was already talking to Vic or Cici.

" _Just as you turned the corner to go to the restroom, five or six more girls got up and headed that way."_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Okay."_

" _I see them,"_ Cici said as she faked a laugh, and turned her head to get eyes on the threat.

"We have six girls coming up behind us," Cici said to Amber, Vic said to Julia.

As they turned to enter the girl's restroom, the door opened in the correct direction so the other two could see the six girls approaching them.

"I wanted to come in here to make the portkey," Amber told the others. "But, I'm not sure where to set the destination."

"Set it for just outside the front gates of Hogwarts," Cici told her, just before the other girls opened the door to the restroom.

The four of them entered the bathroom stalls to take care of nature. As they finished smoothing out their dresses, the four of them applied or freshened the shield charms on their clothing before opening the doors to the stalls.

Cici and Vic opened their doors in unison and found the six girls standing there waiting on them. Then Julia exited her stall to see them all just standing there silently. Amber had finished transforming the napkin into a portkey and then she flushed. A moment later she opened the door to see nine uncomfortable females standing in silence.

"Oh, that was so amazing what you did in there!" what was obviously the group leader gushed at Amber.

"Yeah, Ryan's such an ass!" one of the other girls said loudly.

"He's so full of himself!" another girl said.

"And Gary? He grabbed my tits the other day!" a smaller girl said.

"Yeah, and the coach just lets them do anything!" another girl whined to them.

"Have you tried talking to your Head of House?" Vic asked them.

"The coach and Dean Thomas are like this!" the girl that had been molested stuck her crossed fingers in Vic's face.

"Have you tried going to one of the female teachers?" Julia asked.

"Yes, but she just said that she would talk to Dean Thomas." Another of the girls told them.

"Okay," and Cici looked at the bathroom door, then with a wave of her hand she locked the door and cast some privacy charms on it. "Who's the strongest girl magically, that you can talk to in the school?" she asked the group of girls.

"Susan Potter." The leader of the group said.

Vic and Cici both filed that one away for future reference.

"I'm going to give you the name of a book for self-defence for women. All of you need to read the book, and all of you need to go to Susan and talk with her. See if she will teach you someplace private so you won't be interrupted. Another thing, all of you need to get out and start running at least thirty minutes a day. This is important, your physical stamina helps build your magical stamina." She looked at all of the girls in the eye, "It's all in the book. Get the book, read the book. Practice over the summer holidays."

"They don't let us take our wands home on the holidays." One of the other girls said dejectedly.

The four Hogwarts girl's eyebrows hit their hairline at that statement.

"They don't let you take your wands home with you?" Julia asked in awe. She was aware of the decree for underage magic. She was also very aware of ways around that decree too. But to take their wands away?

"No, why? Do you get to take your wands home with you?" the girl asked.

"Yes, we have laws against underage magic. But they don't take our wands away from us." Julia told her.

"We can't take our wands home until we turn seventeen." Another girl told them.

"If you want to bring Susan over to meet us. We'll talk to her for you." Cici told them.

"We better go. We've been in here a long time." Amber said.

With another wave of her hand, Cici removed the privacy charms, and then she removed the locking spell that she had placed on the door. As soon as the door was unlocked, it swung open with an angry old witch standing there.

"What's going on in here!" the Headmistress of the school demanded.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm just used to locking the door behind me," Vic told her.

"Well, here, we don't lock the door. There are other people that need to use the restroom." She huffed at her.

"Again, I apologise for my mistake," Vic told her calmingly.

"Well, just don't let it happen again."

"Yes, Mam," Vic told her soothingly.

The group of ten girls headed out of the restroom and back to the dining hall. Cici looked at the leader of the other group and nodded to her to bring Susan over to them. The girl nodded back to her. Cici and Vic approached Ced, and he stood up ready to seat them again. After he sat the two girls and was rewarded with a kiss from each of them, they watched as both Fred and George kissed their future wives too. It took about ten minutes before Cici and Vic saw the girls approaching their spot at the table.

"Hi, this is Susan Potter. Susan, these are the people that I wanted you to meet." The girl said.

Ced, George, and Fred all stood up to greet the witch. As Ced took her hand, "Hi, I'm Cedric Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you." Then indicating, "This is Fred Bones and George Weasley. Cecilia, Victoria, Angel, Julia, and Amber, who used to go to school here." Ced went around introducing everyone.

"Pleased to meet you all. You said your last name is Potter also?" she asked.

"Yes, if you would like to talk more about it, may I suggest a more private and comfortable setting?" he asked arching an eyebrow.

"Yes, I know a classroom that's never locked." She told them.

"We'll follow you," Ced told her. Ced held the chairs for Vic and Cici, Fred and George held the chairs for Julia and Amber. Seeing everyone getting up, Angel and Rose moved to get up also. Marc and Gregg were a little slow at getting their chairs for them, but the whole group of people trooped out of the dining hall, following Susan to the classroom. Several minutes and a few hallways later, she stopped and opened the door to a classroom.

"Mr Bagman never locks his door." She told the group of people that followed her. "So, what did you want to talk to me about." She said as she turned to face the visitors.

Vic locked the door and then she cast some more serious privacy charms on the door. Then finally, she ejected her wand and cast a Fidelius charm on the door to ensure their privacy.

Susan watched all of this with some amount of amazement. These people were serious about their privacy!

"What we wanted to ask you, was, would you be willing to help these other girls with some self-defence classes," Cici asked her. "They said that you were probably the strongest girl magically in the school."

"Why?" she asked.

"Some of them are being sexually assaulted, and when they've gone to the teachers, nothing has been done. It's almost as if the teachers are a part of it." Vic said to her.

"Which teachers?" she asked.

"Well, we've gone to the Dueling coach about some of his students, and he's done nothing. We've even gone to Dean Thomas, and he's done nothing. We even went to Ms Baumgardner, and she said that she would talk to Dean Thomas!"

"I'm tired of the boys touching me!" one of the girls broke down into tears.

"We're all tired of the boys touching us!" another girl begged.

"We're asking for help." Whined the leader of the group.

"Okay, I'll help. But what do you want from me?" Susan Potter asked.

"I can give you a name of a good self-defence book for women. If you would be willing to work with the girls on the different spells in the book, and the different parts of self-defence it would help them. The boys in the duelling club are just bullies, and if someone would stand up to them, it would go a long way to fixing the problem." Cici told her.

"Okay, what's the name of this book?" she asked curiously.

Cici gave her the name of the book, "If you have any questions, just send an owl to Ced and I'll get it from him." She told her. "But for now, we need to be going. It's a lot later in England than it is here!"

"All of you need to ask your parents to buy you a wand to keep at home so you can practice magic at home," Angel told the group of girls.

"But that's against the law!" a bushy-haired girl from the back said to them.

"How are they going to tell the difference between your magic and your parents magic?" Rose told them. "If you're a muggle born, go over to a friend's house that isn't a muggle born." She told them. "Find a way to keep practising!"

"The more you practice, the larger your magical core will become. Don't overdo it! And remember, get out and run every morning for thirty minutes to help build your stamina." Ced told them.

"We really need to go," Vic told them. She just had a nagging feeling in the back of her head that said to get out of there, now!

" _I've got the same feeling,"_ Cici told her.

" _Me too."_ Ced thought.

Vic cancelled the spells on the door, and they started to head out to the front gates of the school when they were met by Dean Thomas and the Dueling Coach.

"Where have all of you been? We've been looking all over for you!" he said through a fake smile.

"Just talking to a distant cousin of ours," Ced told him. "It's getting late, and we need to be getting home so we can get to class on time tomorrow."

"Well, here. Let me escort you to the gates of the school." He told them. Good, get rid of these troublemakers. The sooner, the better. The Dean led them through the school with the Coach making sure none of them got lost along the way.

Back in the classroom, Susan started to talk to the other girls that had come looking for her. As she listened to their stories, her blood began to boil. Her mother maybe the Minister of Magic, but what was happening in her school was angering. And that other girl was right, the Department for the Regulation of Under Age Magic couldn't tell the difference between who was using magic in a magical house and who wasn't. Now away from other magical beings, that was a different story.

"We will need to find someplace to practice," Susan told the other girls.

"I know a place that's both large and secluded," Betsie told the group.

.

.

The last thing the nine teenagers saw was the gates of Ilvermorny closing in front of them. Amber had pulled a napkin out of her cleavage and opened it up for all of her friends to touch. Once she was sure that everyone was touching, she activated the portkey and then they were getting pulled in. The freefall to the front gates of Hogwarts was a very welcome sight indeed. Everybody hugged someone else and they all _teleportused_ to the top of the hill in the road, then they looked and found the windows for the Gryffindor common room, they refocused their thoughts and _teleportused_ to the common room, startling several couples snogging in various parts of the common room.

As the couples stared at them open-mouthed, Ced looked at his friends, "We'll see you for breakfast." He told them.

Goodnights were said all around as everyone headed for their respective beds.

The gryphon in front of the passageway to their room slid to the side as Vic gave the passphrase, the different lights lit up after several months of disuse, the threesome headed up the stairs with Julia trailing behind Fred. As they entered the sitting room, the fire in the fireplace sprang to life, the wall sconces sprang to life too. Cici turned and headed for their bedroom.

Vic turned to Fred and Julia, "Don't you two get us into trouble. The rules are back enforced." She warned them.

"Okay."

"Yes."

"Goodnight," Ced told them one last time.

He and Vic turned and headed for their own bedroom. The doors closed behind them. Their stripped off clothes made it into the laundry hamper, and the three of them slipped beneath the covers of their bed. With all of them where they belonged, Ced kissed both wives' goodnight, he closed his eyes and opened his mind fully to the two most beautiful women in the whole world.

"I love you too."

"I love you."

And they slipped into their collective conscious.

Ced woke up later than normal the next morning, "Mi Amor, Mon Amor, it's time to get up." He said to them as he kissed them on the tops of their heads.

"Five more minutes," Cici mumbled tiredly as she rolled off of her husband.

"Five more minutes," Vic whined tiredly as she rolled off of her husband.

After Ced had slipped out from between the two tired witches, he watched as they snuggled together tightly. He turned and hurried to the loo to take care of his early morning urges. As he exited the loo, he found Cici waiting for her turn, and they exchanged morning kisses. Then he found Vic brushing her teeth and she gave him a kiss after she rinsed her mouth. As Cici and Vic exchanged places, they shared a good morning kiss also. When Ced returned to the bed, he found it made with their school uniforms laid out for him and his wives. He smiled at the efficiency of the house elves. One thing that he noticed was that the elves never laid out undergarments for the girls.

"They wouldn't know what to lay out because we don't know what we want until it's on our bodies," Cici told him.

"And even then, we're still not sure," Vic said.

Cici chuckled at the statement, "So true Little One, so true."

As they entered the sitting room of the married quarters, they found Julia just leaving her room also. They exchanged good mornings and headed down the stairs to the common room. Fred and the others were just coming down their stairs also. As the couples paired off, they checked the bulletin board for the current password to get back in, and then they were walking down the stairs to the Great Hall for breakfast. As they walked the halls, they saw posters for the dance that night. Everywhere they looked, there were posters for the dance. The Hogsmeade weekend was last weekend they noticed.

"I wonder who planned the dance?" Amber said.

"I wonder who put up all of the posters?" Angel said.

"Well, if you can take them down, then it wasn't me," Kitten said as she came up behind the group.

Ced turned around and gave his younger sister a huge hug which she returned forcefully. After he let her go then, Cici hugged her.

"We missed you, Lil Sis." She told her.

"Missed you too Big Sis."

Kitten and Vic exchanged bone-crushing hugs and missed yous.

"So, you planned the dance?" Amber asked her.

"Me, Solaria, and Willow did." She told them.

"Wow! And you got a Hogsmeade weekend out of it too?" Rose asked her.

The group of friends entered the Great Hall and took their usual place at the Gryffindor table. This early, the hall was still empty, and as they ate, it began to fill up. Some of the students noticed them, and some didn't. Ced was waiting for Professor McGonagall to take her seat before he went up to speak with her. He noticed a new professor with blue hair taking a seat at the Head Table.

He looked at Kitten for an explanation.

"She's the new DADA professor for first thru third years." She told him.

Ced raised his eyebrows in amazement.

"Her name is Delphini Riddle," Kitten told him.

"Okay, what do you think of her?" he asked.

"She's okay. She likes what she's doing, and she's a lot of fun."

Ced saw the Headmistress enter the hall from the side and he got up to go talk with her.

"Ah, Mr Potter." She said as she sat down.

"Professor."

"I trust that you had a pleasant trip?"

"It went better than expected in most areas and not as well as we had hoped in others." He answered her.

"Well enough. I will need to speak with you, Miss Ramos, and Miss Potter after breakfast."

"Yes, ma'am." He said as he turned to leave. While he was up there he noticed how young the new professor was, Uncle Draco hadn't made it in yet, and neither had Uncle Neville. When he had made it back to the table, he told Cici and Vic, "She wants to speak to us after breakfast."

"Okay.

"Did she say what it was about?" Cici asked.

"No, but we didn't do anything wrong before we left," Ced reassured her.

"No, but we were gone for a long time!" Vic said in defence of her wife.

Cici, Vic, and Ced entered the anteroom after Aunt Minerva, "I trust that your trip was successful?" she said to them.

"Yes, ma'am. Very successful. We saved almost twenty individuals and caught close to one-hundred, including dignitaries from multiple countries." Cici told her.

"Congratulations. Now, we need to talk about your teaching style."

"Is there something wrong?" Vic asked almost defensively.

"No, and yes. The no part is that all of your students were years ahead of where they should have been. The yes part is, the regular professors were caught completely unawares. They had no idea of how advanced your students were when they walked into the classrooms for the first time." She told them. "The result is, we are going to have to rework the complete Hogwarts curriculum for them."

"That's a good thing, right?" Ced asked her.

"Again, that's a yes and no question. Yes, because we have been using the same curriculum for the last 400 years. The no part is, it will be a lot of work to implement the new curriculum. The three of you blended ideas together to make things easier for the students to learn, you showed them how different spells could work together. Imagine the surprise when the professors watched as first-years were doing wordless magic!"

"But that's a good thing!" Vic said in defence of their ideas.

"Yes, it is, but we have professors here that can't do wordless magic." The Headmistress told her almost ashamed.

Vic looked at her, her mouth hanging open. But she knew it was true. Professor Binns was one of them, but all he talked about was Goblin wars anyway.

"So why don't you go and sit in on your classes and then plan on taking them back after spring break." She told them. Their students really missed them a lot. And with that, she dismissed them to go to their classes.

Vic headed off for Charms, Cici headed down to the dungeons, and Ced headed for Transfiguration, they shared a three-way kiss before they separated.

Cici walked into her classroom just before class started to yelling and cheering at her return. She went to the office to speak with Professor Lively.

"You're back!" the young professor exclaimed as she took her into a hug.

Cici returned the hug, she really did like the young professor.

"Your class is amazing! The ideas and concepts that you've built into your curriculum are astounding! The students are so advanced, the only thing holding them back is the time that it takes to brew the potions!" she was so excited! She loved teaching these kids!

For Vic, she walked into her classroom to find Professor Flitwick in the office studying for the upcoming class. "Good morning Professor," she said quietly.

He looked up startled, "Good morning!" he said joyously.

"Is everything okay?" she asked him.

"It's amazing what you've done with these kids! We're finishing up the third-year book today, and they'll be starting the fourth-year book when they return from spring break! It's truly amazing what you've done with these kids! I love the way that you've blended ideas together, and the concepts that you've taught them, Wow!" he told her still amazed at how advanced the kids were.

As the students filed into the classroom, they could hear someone talking to Professor Flitwick, and when Vic walked out of the office, all of the girls in the class squealed with joy and rushed forward to give her a hug to welcome her back. She hugged as many as she could, before urging them to take their seats.

For Ced, he found Professor Vector sitting in the office of his classroom going over the lesson plan for the day. "Good morning Professor," he said softly, not wanting to startle her too much.

Her head jerked up, "Oh, good morning Ced."

"Is everything okay?" he asked her.

"Yes, I'm just trying to keep up with your class. It was quite the shock trying to pick up where you left off. Oh, how was your trip?" she asked him.

"It was good. We made some new friends."

"That's good, new friends are always good." She encouraged him.

"Professor McGonagall wants us to sit in on our classes today and then take them over after spring break." He told her.

"That's good, we should be finishing up the third-year book today, and then they will be starting the fourth-year book when they return to class after the break. Would you mind if I started to implement some of your ideas and concepts into my normal classes?" she asked him.

"NO! that would be great!" he told her excitedly.

"I'm so tired of hedgehog teacups." She confided in him.

Ced laughed lightly at her remark. "But there are still basic concepts there." He told her.

"True, but I am so tired of teacups with legs running down the hallways!" she laughed with him.

The two of them could hear the first of the students entering the classroom. Ced followed her out of the office and into the classroom proper.

"Professor Potter!" almost the whole class yelled elatedly.

"I think they missed you Ced." She teased him gently.

In their off periods and when they were done with the classes they taught, they would go to their regular classes. All of their friends were teacher's assistants for their classes, it was good to see them up there helping the teacher with whatever the professor needed. It also seemed that the professors enjoyed having them back.

Lunch was a nightmare, Coldstone, Crabbe, Goyle, and the others had tried to expand their circle of influence while Ced and his group were out of the school.

"Oh, look, the professor's pets have come home. Was it too hard for you out in the real world to make it?" Coldstone said as she walked past their seats.

"If you touch her, I'll break your arm," Fred told the dyke.

"Ooo! That sounds like a threat!" Coldstone said.

"No, dear." Julia said to Fred, "If she touches me, I'll sue her family for sexual harassment, and then they can all live under a bridge."

Coldstone's head snapped back at that. When had Julia become so … confident?

But Coldstone didn't believe her, so she ran her finger across the back of Julia's shoulders, Julia spun in her seat and grabbed Candice's finger, snapping it as she did so. Candice roared in pain. As Crabbe and Goyle made a move to grab her, Angel and Rose stood up behind them and stunned them wandlessly and wordlessly in the back of the head. Julia grabbed Candice's hand and bent it backwards, threating to break her wrist. She lifted her hand bringing Candice up with it from the pain that Julia was inflicting upon her.

"See, now that you have assaulted me, this is all self-defence. And if you thought that I was bluffing about sueing your family for your sexual harassment, … I wasn't. Before this is over, I will own your family's home, and your family's vault at Gringotts will be empty." The ice in Julia's voice was chilling indeed. "Oh! I just had an idea!" she said brightly. "I will let you off, if you go up front right now, and apologise for sexually assaulting me in front of the whole school!" she was still twisting her hand, causing her a great deal of pain.

Candice nodded.

Julia guided her up in front of the whole school. Delphi started to stand up to come to the student's aid, but Draco put his arm on hers to keep her in place.

Once in front of the Great Hall, Julia turned her to face all of the students, "Okay, what do you have to say?"

"I'msorryforsexuallyharrassingyou." She mumbled all of the words together.

Julia applied more pressure to her wrist causing her to wince more from the added pain. "Let's try that again." She said. "This time a little louder so the people in the back of the hall can hear you and a lot slower so your friends can understand what it is that you are saying. Okay?" Julia added more pressure again to get the big dyke's attention.

She nodded her consent, Julia backed off on the pressure, "I'm sorry for sexually harassing you." She said it loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear.

Julia let her hand snap back into place, and Candice grabbed it with her uninjured hand, cradling it to her chest. Candice in her defiance, stuck her foot out to trip Julia to try and embarrass her in front of the whole school, just like she had embarrassed her.

Julia saw what she had done out of the corner of her eye, and as she moved to return to her seat, she stopped down as hard as she could with her spike heel breaking the arch of dyke's foot. Candice dropped to the cold stone floor of the Great Hall bellowing in pain, "Oh, I'm sorry, did I step on your foot?" she asked her in a gentle sarcastic tone. "THEN I GUESS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TRIED TO TRIP ME!" she yelled at her.

Lying on the floor with a broken finger and a broken foot, Candice rolled to her side to get her wand out to hex Julia. Julia spun around just in time for the hex to hit her square in her torso. Everyone gasped as the hex hit her, expecting her to go down in pain of some kind.

Julia's wand jumped into her hand, and a silent triple pack of spells shot from the end of the wand, Candice's body slid across the floor of the hall, then her wand flew towards Julia's outstretched hand, and then she was stunned. Julia thrust the wand into the air, "My wand! I won it through a rite of combat!" then she dropped the wand into the pocket of her school robes and started to walk back to her spot at the table.

"So, why do we have a Slytherin eating with the Gryffindors?" Delphi asked her cousin. Having caught sight of her green and silver tie, and the crest on her school robes.

"She and Fred Bones are boyfriend and girlfriend," Draco told her.

"So, we have a Gryffindor and a Slytherin dating?" she asked him to make sure of what she thought she had heard.

"Yes." He told her with a little smirk on his face.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked him in a hard tone of voice. She didn't like anybody making fun of her.

"We'll have to go and visit Harry over the spring break so you can get more answers to questions that you haven't even asked yet." He told her.

That was fine with her, she could talk to Cathaoir some more. He was really interesting to talk to.

The hall started to empty out, the Mediwitch and her assistants had come and collected the stunned student and transported her to the Hospital Wing. Delphi watched as Julia's boyfriend and her other friends held the chairs for their girlfriends, and all of them were rewarded with kisses, in the case of the one boy with the black hair, he was rewarded by two different girls, one with black hair and the other with light brown hair. A look of confusion was coming over her face as she watched all of them exit the hall. She thought about asking Kitten but decided that she could wait until Saturday.

.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 04.05.2018**


	48. Year Five Chapter 48

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 48

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Their afternoon classes were a lot of fun, they breezed through them all, getting reacquainted with their professors, and helping out their fellow classmates where needed. Some of their classmates just could not grasp the fundamental concepts of magic it seemed. As their last class ended for the day, they headed back to the Great Hall for dinner, the pizza had been nice, they had enjoyed the enchiladas, the burritos, and the tostadas, but right now? Roast beef and mash were sounding really tasty. With dinner being cut short to give the students time to decorate the hall, Ced asked his sister if they wanted any help with decorating.

"No, I don't think that we're going to get as elaborate as you guys did." She told him pleasantly.

"Okay, what can't I wear?" Cici asked her in faux annoyance.

"Aunt Minerva said no beach wear this year."

"Okay, I can live with that," Cici told her. "We'll see you after a while. If you need us just send for us." She told her kindly.

"I'll just summon you if I need you." She told her honestly.

"If you summon me, and I'm naked you and me, we'll have words," Cici told her.

"Just go and get changed," Kitten told her, having a hard time keeping a poker face. She kind of liked having two big sisters.

The two girls hugged quickly and went their separate ways.

With Vic in the middle, the group of friends headed up to Gryffindor Tower. This time they paid more attention to the theme of the dance that night. It was simple enough, just springtime. All of the girls realised that they all had dresses that would work for the dance.

"Do all of you want to get together in our room and see if someone else has a dress that you like better than one that you currently own?" Vic asked the other girls.

They all looked at each other as they walked.

"Sure," Rose said. "I think that I've got a dress that Julia might like." She told her brother's girlfriend.

"I've got one that Cici might like too," Angel told them.

The group of girls continued to discuss this as the traversed the corridors of the school. Eventually, they made it to the portrait of the Fat Lady and gave the correct password. The group of friends agreed to meet in the married quarters in fifteen minutes with all of their spring dresses.

Ced gave the passphrase and led the girls up the stairs, as he entered the sitting room, he rearranged the room giving everyone plenty of room to model the dresses.

"Leo!" Ced called out to the thin air.

Pop! "Yes, my Lord?" the elf asked with a bow. It had been some time since he had been called upon to serve his master. He knew that the Lord and Ladies Potter had been off on a special mission, but they had been gone for a very long time.

"Leo, would you please bring me a butterbeer?" Ced asked the elf kindly.

"Yes, …"

"I want one!"

"Me too!"

"Can I have one?"

"Leo, would you please bring, nine butterbeers?" Ced asked the elf.

With a knowing smile, the elf told him, "Yes, my Lord." And disappeared with a small pop.

Just before the rest of his friends showed up, Leo popped in and set a tray of butterbeers down on a side table and handed one to his master. With a bow and a thank you from Ced, Leo was gone with another small pop, just enough to announce his arrival or his departure.

With Fred and George walking up the stairs, "Oh, hey! Butterbeers!" and they each grabbed one and took a seat next to Ced on the far wall.

Amber, Rose, and Angel all showed up with two armloads of dresses each. "Oh, hey! Someone brought some butterbeers!" Angel said.

"Hey! Bring me one!" Julia called out from her room.

"Come and get it yourself!" Rose yelled at her.

"I would, but I'm in my birthday suit!" she yelled back.

Fred's head snapped up, and he started choking on his butterbeer.

"Are you okay mate?" Ced asked him with a small laugh in his voice.

"Yeah." He choked out.

"Who's running around out there in their birthday suit?" Cici yelled from her bedroom.

"Julia's out here running around naked!" Amber said loudly, grinning from ear to ear.

"I am not!" Julia defended herself.

Everyone had a pleasant laugh including Julia, Cici and Vic exited their bedroom and carried two armloads of dresses with them. As they walked into the sitting room, six coatracks appeared for the girls to hang their dresses on for the others to look through easier. Rose, Angel, and Amber all started to hang their dresses on a coatrack, Vic and Cici started to hang theirs also, and Julia exited her room with all of her dresses. With all of the dresses hung up, the girls began to look through all of them.

"Oh! I remember when you wore this dress!" Vic said to Amber.

"Oh, remember this dress?" Angel said as she pulled one of Cici's dresses down and held it against herself.

"Oh! I've always like this dress, ever since you got it." Julia said as she held one of Vic's dresses up to herself.

Each of the six girls grabbed a couple of dresses and headed to the master bedroom to change. Several minutes later all of the girls returned to the sitting room wearing a dress and walking barefoot, looking for the approval of their mate. Not getting the desired response from the guys, the girls turned and went back into the master bedroom. A moment later, the door opened again, and the six coatracks started to roll into the room. The guys had almost finished their butterbeers when the girls all came out of the room again. This time the response from the guys was much more appreciative of what they were seeing. Duly satisfied, the girls returned to the room with smiles on their faces. A few moments later the guys watched as a bunch of dresses flew out of the master bedroom, across the sitting room, and into Julia's room to hang themselves up correctly. Then a few minutes later, Rose, Angel, and Amber were exiting the room carrying their dresses back to their dorm rooms, walking across the floor barefoot again. As the guys watched them, the girls stopped and downed their butterbeers in one long pull. They sat the empty bottles down and headed down the stairs.

"We'll be back! We've got to go finish getting dressed!" Angel yelled over her shoulder.

"Bye!" Rose called out behind her.

A minute later, a barefoot Julia was walking across the sitting room, she stopped and took a sip of her beer. "Fred, do you want to help me please?" she asked her master.

Fred finished the last of his butterbeer and sprang to his feet to follow the love of his life, a goofy grin on his face.

"Ced! Will you zip me up please?" Vic called from the master bedroom.

Ced sat his empty bottle down and looked at George, "Duty calls mate!" he told him as he pushed himself up and out of the chair. He closed the bedroom door behind him.

George just hmphed to himself.

Several minutes later, Amber came walking back up the stairs into the married quarters, "Would you help me please?" she asked George.

George pushed himself out of the chair eagerly and into the waiting arms of his girl. He helped her fasten the necklace and the bracelets. The months spent living in America, sharing their own house, had spoiled them severely. He looked her over from head to toe and let her know that he appreciated what he saw.

A couple of minutes later found Ced, Vic, and Cici exiting their room. A couple of minutes after that, Julia and Fred exited Julia's bedroom, and the group of friends headed down the stairs to find Angel and Rose walking down the stairs from the girl's dorms wearing their six-inch platform heels. With a girl on each arm, the three guys headed for the portrait hole, to make their way down to the dance.

As they crossed the Entrance Hall, the nine of them appreciated the work that the third-year girls had put into decorating everything. They got there just as Solaria and Willow were opening the doors to the Great Hall.

"You did a fantastic job decorating!" all of them complimented the two girls causing them to blush.

"Thank you!" they said together. This was larger than any school project they had ever undertaken for a class. It also looked like it was going to be a lot more rewarding than just a grade on a piece of parchment.

As they entered the Great Hall, they went over to Kitten, "Wow! Kitten, you did a fantastic job decorating!" they told the third-year platinum blonde, causing her to blush also.

"Thank you!" she told them.

With three of the biggest bullies in the infirmary, the party was shaping up to be very pleasant indeed. The dance turned out to be four hours of dancing and fun for all of the students that chose to attend. By eleven-thirty, most of the students had already gone to their common rooms for the night.

"Did you want some help cleaning up?" Vic asked Daphne.

"Yes, please." She said tiredly.

The nine of them started to help her and her friends clean up after the dance. The DJ was putting his equipment away when a small army of house elves appeared and started helping also.

"Please, Masters and Mistresses go to their beds. We will finish." The old elf told them.

All most all of the students thanked the house elves for their help.

"Why do you thank your house elves?" Willow asked. Her family had never had a house elf, and all she ever heard of was how poorly people treated house elves. When she started to spend time with Daphne at her house, Daphne always said please and thank you to the elves, and so did her parents.

"We believe in treating them with respect and dignity," Kitten told her friend as they walked through the corridors back to their common room. Kitten was absent-mindedly removing the posters that she found still stuck to the walls of the castle.

At the correct intersection of hallways, "Goodnight!" a wherry Solaria bid her two friends as she turned to head up to Ravenclaw tower.

"Night!" her friends bid her as they turned to go to their dorms.

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It was a cold, wet, miserable morning that found the nine teenagers running on the treadmills in the Chamber of Secrets. The steady humming and the sounds of feet hitting the decks of the treadmills greeted Draco and Neville as they portkeyed into the chambers wanting to get their morning workouts in too. The teens watched as their two uncles landed gracefully at the entry point to the chambers.

"Good morning Uncle Draco!" the group of teens greeted him. "Good morning Uncle Neville!" they called out.

Draco turned to see Neville walking up behind him. The two wizards climbed onto an empty treadmill and started their morning run. Like their younger nieces and nephews, they felt that the treadmills provided a temporary substitute for getting to actually run outside in the fresh morning air. The conversations were sporadic as the magicals ran in place like a hamster on a hamster wheel. Eventually, they started their cooldown cycle and then they were done, with the chambers becoming quiet once again. The two uncles asked how their trip to America went. Uncle Draco complimented Julia on her handling of Coldstone yesterday at lunch.

"The girl's just thick!" Julia exclaimed, "She doesn't get it!"

"Maybe she doesn't want to get it," Draco told her, wanting to give her something to think about.

"I think that maybe she does want to get it!" Fred threw out there.

The others laughed a little at his small joke. But he could be right, maybe she was jealous of Fred and Julia, and wanted Julia back for herself. Julia had changed since she first joined their group looking for help. She had become a vision of youthful vitality, full of life and love. Her trim, athletic body, the glow of youthful energy, and her confidence in herself and her abilities, drew many a stare as she walked the halls of the different schools. She may not have seen the other boys checking her out, but the others in her group saw it whenever they were out and about.

Draco broke them up for duelling practice, four against two, it was George and Julia, against Angel, Amber, Rose, and Fred. He set the time limit at twenty minutes, and they were off firing hexes, jinxes, and curses at each other.

"So, what's with this new Defense professor?" Ced asked his uncle.

"She's a cousin of mine from way off. She's actually related to Sirius too." Draco told him as he watched the tactics being used by the two different sides.

"Really? I don't remember her being in school with us," he said.

"No, she went to school in America. The same school that Amber went to, I think." Draco told him.

"Oh! We went to visit that school just before we came home." Ced told him.

"Really? What'd you think of it?"

"Well, none of us like the idea of turning in our wands at the end of the school year, I can tell you that for sure!"

"They make them give up their wands?"

"Yeah! Every time they're going to leave school, they have to turn their wands in so they don't have an incident of underage magic."

"I visited Delphi there a couple of times, and she never mentioned that to me." Draco mused.

"So, they put on a demonstration of their duelling club for us, just before dinner the other night."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, and at the end, their seventh-years didn't have anyone to duel against, the coach asked us if a couple of us wanted to duel against them. Well, Amber jumps up, and has Angel go with her, as her second … "

"And?" Draco interrupted him.

"And Amber just defends herself, letting the two boys…"

"Two guys?" he asks excitedly.

"Yeah, she beat two guys without even breaking a sweat. So, the coach gets really angry at her, and starts to threaten her with legal action if the two boys don't recover, and all of that kind of stuff." Ced told him.

"So, the coach is a sore loser?" Neville asked.

"Yeah, we guess so," Ced told him. "So, what do you think of Delphi?" Ced addressed his other uncle.

"She seems like a good enough kid. She's young! She's only eighteen." Neville told him.

"She's only eighteen?" Vic asked in amazement.

"Yeah."

"Well, I guess that if Aunt Minerva's willing to hire her, that means that we've done a good job too!" Cici told them.

"Yeah, you have! The first-year Defense classes are moving really quick! Their wand work is incredible!" Draco praised the threesome.

"I've even seen it in Herbology, out in the greenhouses too," Neville told them.

"Ooo!" the collective group said as they watched Angel go down hard from an _expulso_ from Julia.

"Two minutes!" Draco yelled out.

"Why don't the five of us join them against George and Julia," Neville said.

"Okay!"

"Okay," Draco said, "but you two, play nice!" he teased Cici and Vic.

The two young women got offended looks on their faces at his teasing of them.

George and Julia weren't expecting the reinforcements to be joining the wrong side in their practice session. The two of them reverted to a tactic that they had learned a couple of years ago, of one-person casting shield spells while the other cast offensive spells. They had already taken down one opponent, but they had taken too long, and now they were fighting eight, the pressure was definitely on. The larger group was attempting to surround the two young adults when George tapped Julia on the shoulder and indicated a point behind the attacking forces. Julia nodded her head, and then George was gone, a second later Julia was right by his side. This time, George was casting the shield spells while Julia was throwing offensive spells. A rebounded curse took Fred out of the equation, and the two teens moved locations again. When they showed at the next location, George told Julia that they needed change locations even more frequently, they needed to get back to casting and moving, if they kept sitting still, then they would lose. The two teens pressed their backs against each other and stepped up the Shadow Dueling. George let Julia control the movements, and they would try to stun whomever she moved them next to. They appeared next to Amber, and George reached out quickly and touched her on the head with his wand. Then Julia moved them again, and she touched Rose. The four easiest were down, and she went after Vic. They showed up next to Vic and Vic ducked as she punched Julia in the stomach stopping the two of them from disappearing again. Julia doubled over, tears in her eyes as the duelling match ended at that point.

"Are you okay?" Vic asked her gently as she knelt down and took her into a hug.

"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting that!" she said weakly, "I thought that I was going to touch you and be gone!" she let out a weak laugh.

The other four members had rennervated the four fallen. Fred was quick to look for Julia, and he found her down on her knees being hugged by Vic.

"Is everything okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah, when I went to stun Vic, she ducked and caught me in my stomach. I wasn't expecting that." She told him as she tried to straighten up.

"Do you want a pain-relieving potion?" Cici asked her.

"No, but I think that I may want a bruise relieving potion though!" she said as she stood straight up, then she pulled up her workout shirt displaying her flat abs.

Cici stuck her hand out, and a small vial of red and blue potion flew into it. "Here, something to help with the bruising." She told her.

"Thanks," Julia said just before downing the potion. Her face scrunched up, and her tongue came out as her eyes squeezed closed.

"I didn't say that it was going to taste good!" Cici told her.

"Why don't all of you go and get your showers, and I'll probably see all of you tomorrow at the Potter Mansion," Draco told them.

As all of the kids were portkeying out, Neville looked at him with concern. "Is Toria okay?" he asked.

"We're not sure," He told him, "That's why we're going to go see Hermione on Saturday."

"Well, if you need anything, let me know," Neville told him sincerely.

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Sometime during breakfast, the weather broke, and the sun started peeking through the clouds. The anticipation of going home for a week had permeated the whole school. The students were rushing to finish their packing so they could catch the train leaving out of Hogsmeade in just a couple of hours.

"Does anybody want to fly home with me again?" Vic asked. She had ulterior motives to her question.

"I do, but my mum told me that I needed to let her know if I was going to do that again," George told her.

"My mum pretty much said the same thing to us too," Rose said.

"My dad told us too," Ced told the group.

"So, give them a call on your watch when nobody's looking!" Vic told them in a whisper as they headed back up the stairs to the common room. It's not that difficult! They all had communication watches after all!

The common room was a madhouse, with all of the students going every direction, all at once. With the use of the basic packing spell, the nine of them had gotten packed just after their showers that morning. The students in the common room were looking for their quills, their ink bottles, some of them were even looking for the pair of socks that they had left under the table last week! Shaking her head, Cici gave the gryphon the passphrase so they could head up the stairs to their quarters. As the gryphon slid closed, the noise from the common room was sealed out, so the sitting room was joyously quiet.

"Make the calls people! Unless you want to ride the train home." Vic threatened them. She already knew that her bond-mates were onboard with riding their brooms home again. She was guessing that the others were wanting to, but they must have gotten in more trouble than the threesome had.

Rose, Fred, and Julia had contacted their mum, and she was okay with them riding their brooms home.

Angel, George, and Amber had contacted George Sr. and he was okay with them riding their brooms too. He also let them know that Angelina was busy and to not try and contact her until after lunch.

So, to look like they were going to ride the train home, the nine of them waited until the last two carriages pulled up before they climbed in for the ride to the train station in town. Just after they went through the gates, all of them jumped off their carriage and pulled out their trunks so they could get their brooms out.

As they were getting their brooms, Vic told them, "Hey, by the way. I wanted to go over to Cleansweep and check up on them. I haven't been there in almost a year! The other thing that I wanted to do while I was there was to have the R and D department put the aerodynamic shield on all of our brooms."

"Really?"

"I ruined my robes when we flew home last year! The hem on them was shredded!" Angel told her.

"Mine too!" Vic told Angel.

"The three of us," gesturing amongst her bond-mates, "Had noticed how nice it was to fly without all of the buffeting from the wind flowing over us." Vic told them, "So, I wanted to have them do this for all of you too." She said.

"As big and as heavy as those brooms were, that aerodynamic shield was nice!" George told her.

"Yeah, it was." Fred agreed.

"If it weren't for that hair styling charm that you taught us, it would take me a week to get the tangles out of my hair!" Amber told them with a laugh. For the most part, Amber just let her hair go everywhere, her hair was well taken care of, clean, but it was the bushiest of the group. All of them laughed with her, as she shook her head for emphasis. Her parents really had no clue as to what their daughter had been up for the last few months. Monday, she and George would drop in on her parents, to get permission for her to spend spring break with his family since they would be too busy with work to spend any time with her. It helped that they liked George and thought that he was a good influence on her.

With all of their brooms out and enlarged, the group of students pulled their travelling cloaks tight around them, and they waited for the train to signal that it was leaving the station before they shot into the air. Once they were up into the air, Vic looked around for a moment before she pointed her broom towards where the northern edge of Nottingham should be. About an hour later, Vic slowed down some and she sat up straight on her broom, and then she disillusioned herself. When the others looked down, they could see that they were flying over more populated country now. Vic reoriented herself, and she changed course to get closer to her company, another simple course correction, and twenty minutes later the group of teens were landing behind the office building for Cleansweep Brooms. As they walked out of the alley, they noticed that none of the muggles was walking on this side of the street.

"Uncle Os told me that many years ago, this side of the street had been enchanted to keep muggles from walking on it. He said, later on, they added other enchantments to keep them from looking in this direction also." Vic informed them.

She walked around the corner and waited for Ced to open the door for her. She and all of the rest of them walked into the lobby carrying their brooms.

"Good morning." The receptionist greeted her. "May I help you?" she asked.

"No, I'm just going to go up to my office," Vic told her as she made to move around her desk.

"And what office would that be dearie?" she asked her.

"My office. I own this company." Vic told her firmly.

"I'm sorry dear. But this company is owned by Mr Mizpah." She told him.

"Really? And when did he buy the company?" Vic asked her.

"Almost a year ago." She said proudly.

"Really? That's odd, because my father and my two uncles gave me this company as a Christmas present two Christmases ago." Vic told her. "So, if you want, you can call security on me, but I am going to go and find out who is trying to steal my company from me," Vic said to her as she walked around the receptionist's desk and headed for the stairs.

All of the other's followed behind her. Ced and Cici had never been here, Vic had shared her memories of the place with them so they knew what Vic knew and they knew where she was going.

Vic walked to the top of the stairs and down the hallway to the end where she turned to find a different Executive Assistant sitting in Patricia's desk. "Excuse me, where's Patricia?" Vic asked the dark-haired woman.

"I'm sorry, there's no one here by that name," she told her.

"When did she quit?" Vic asked her.

"I don't know. Mr Mizpah hired me almost a year ago." The woman told her.

"And who is this Mr Mizpah exactly?" Vic asked her.

"Oh, he's the new owner of Cleansweep Brooms!" she informed Vic cheerfully.

"I'm sorry Miss?" and Vic waited for her to fill in the blank.

"Cassy." She said.

"Well, Cassy, I'm walking in that office and finding out who it is that is trying to steal my company from me!" and with that Vic walked around her desk and opened the door to her office to find an older man sitting behind her desk.

"May I help you?" he said rudely.

"Yes, you're sitting behind my desk," Vic told him coldly.

"And what makes you think that this is your desk, little lady?"

"The fact that I own this company."

"And what makes you think that you own this company?"

" _Ced, call dad and have him come over here now, please? Cici, call Uncle Os and have him come over here now please."_ She thought to her bonded.

"The fact that it was a gift from my father and my uncles." She told him.

"And just who are you?" he asked her smugly.

"My name is Victoria Potter, and I am the rightful owner of Cleansweep Brooms, I am also the Chief Executive Officer of this company.

" _Dad's on his way."_ Ced thought to her.

" _Call Uncle Sirius and Aunt Tonks please."_ She thought back to him.

" _Uncle Os is on his way too."_ Cici thought to her.

" _Thank you."_

" _Can you call Aunt Tonks while I talk to Uncle Sirius?"_

" _Sure."_

"Little lady, I suggest that you and your friends leave now before I send for the Aurors!" he huffed at her.

"Don't worry, they'll be here shortly," Vic told him coolly.

" _Tonks is downstairs now, and she brought Aunt Angelina with her."_ Cici thought to her.

" _Good."_

" _Uncle Sirius said that it will be a few minutes,"_ Ced told her.

" _Okay."_

"Hey, Vic? We've got security coming down the hallway." George told her.

"Why don't two of you go and hold them off until Tonks gets here." She told him.

George and Amber slipped out of the room to meet the security guards coming down the hallway. And right behind them was Aunt Tonks and his mum.

"Wotcher George! Wotcher Amber!" Tonks greeted them, from behind the four security guards.

The guards turned around to see two Aurors behind them, so they parted to let them through.

"Tonks, mum." the two teens said.

"What's going on Vic?" Tonks asked as she walked into the office.

"This man is trying to steal my company!" Vic told her.

"This is my company, and I have the paperwork to prove it," Mizpah told the Auror.

"Don't let him out of this room or you will never see him again!" Ced told Tonks.

Tonks looked at him, then she looked back at the man. "Is that true?" she asked him.

Harry and Os got there at the end of that sentence. "Is what true?" Os asked.

"That if this person leaves this room that we will never see him again," Tonks told the older wizard.

"Who are these people? What are they doing here? SECURITY!" he yelled.

The four guards tried to get into the room, but they were being blocked by six determined teens now.

"Get out of the way, or I'll force you to move!" the senior guard told the kids.

"Try it and see what happens," Fred told him coldly.

The six of them made like they were smoothing the wrinkles out of their travelling cloaks.

The senior guard reached into his pocket and pulled his wand out.

"If you pull it out, you better be ready to use it," Fred told him with ice in his voice.

The other five spread out forming a crescent moon around the four guards.

"Cassy, you might want to go someplace else to be safe," Angel told her.

Cassy scurried around her desk and down the hall to safety.

"Well, Mr whatever your name is, why are you sitting behind my daughter's desk? And more importantly how long have you been pulling this charade?" Harry asked him.

"I am sitting behind this desk because I own this company, and I have owned this company for almost a year now. And, the name is Tobias Mizpah, Mr?" he said.

"Let me introduce myself, I am Lord Gryffindor, this gentleman is Lord Greengrass, and the gentleman walking through the door right now is Lord Black. And we gave this company to my daughter as a Christmas present two years ago, so the question now is, what makes you think that you can steal it from her?"

"Is that true Sirius?" Tonks asked her cousin.

Sirius nodded to her.

"Well, Lord Gryffindor, if that is really your title like I have stated earlier, I have owned this company for almost a year now, and I have no intention of giving it up any time soon." He was saying.

"He's a conman!" Vic exclaimed. "He heard about the company while he was at a pub! One of the Heads of Department was at a pub, and this guy started to buy him some drinks. Then he started asking him questions about the company, and he learned that I had fired all of the Department Heads not once but twice, then he learned that I was young and still in school, after that he used an obliviate on him to make him forget that he had ever met this guy. So, this guy here comes in here claiming that he bought the company from me because it was too hard for me to run! The ones that were having a hard time buying his story he used some potion on to soften their minds so he could plant a false memory on them." Vic had just decided to overpower his mental shields and get the truth out of him. Then her face turned dark, "He killed Patricia because he couldn't change her memories, she was too loyal to me." She told them with tears running down her cheeks.

The conman reached inside of his suit coat, Cici's wand was in her hand, and she hit him with _petrificus totalus_ the man snapped to attention and fell over on his side, the strange object fell to the floor. As Tonks moved forward, the group of people parted to let her through, and levitated the object that he had tried to grab, she opened a plastic bag that she conjured and placed the object inside of it. Angelina stepped forward through the gap between people and levitated his petrified body out of the room. She placed an Auror portkey on his torso, stepped back and activated the portkey that would take him directly to a holding cell at the Ministry.

"I'll have an investigator check this out, but I'll bet you that it's an emergency portkey to try and get him out of a sticky situation." She told Vic. "Watch out for anything else that he might have done too, these kinds of people like to set little booby-traps to try and protect things of what they consider to be of value." She cautioned her. "You might want to have someone come in and sweep the place before you get too comfortable."

"Thanks, Tonks. We'll be careful, do you need me to come down to the Ministry to press charges or anything?"

"We'll get some veritaserum into him somehow," Sirius told her. "He'll either take it voluntarily, or he'll be forced to by the Wizengamot." After all these years he was still the Head of the Wizengamot.

"Thanks for coming, Uncle Sirius." She told him sincerely.

"No problem kid."

"I'll send over a team of accountants after the place has been swept and it's safe for them," Os told her as he started to follow Sirius out of the office.

"Thanks, Uncle Os." She said to him.

Vic looked at Harry, and Harry could see the frustration in her eyes, the tears clinging to the corners of them, the defiant set to her shoulders that she wasn't going to let some thief steal her company.

Then Vic walked over to the door to her office, "Cassy!" she called out. Then she looked at the four security guards, "Let them in." she told her friends as she turned to walk behind her desk.

The four guards walked into the office filled with people. The conman may not have known who the older wizards in the room were, but the four guards did, and probably the most famous wizard alive was still standing in that room. The four of them trembled as they walked past him and stood in front of the desk like they were about to be scolded by a teacher.

"How long have you worked for my company?" she asked them.

All of them answered that they had worked there less than a year.

"Is there anybody in this building that has worked here more than a year?" she asked them.

Silence.

"Cassy!" she called out again.

Nervously the buxom dark-haired witch entered the room, when she saw Harry, she got really nervous and curtsied as she walked past. Then she focused on the young witch behind the desk.

"Yes, ma'am?" her voice quivered.

"Please have all of the department heads meet me in the conference room in fifteen minutes." She told her gently.

"Yes, Ma'am." She said as she stood there.

"You may leave," Vic told her kindly.

"Yes, Ma'am." She said and then she turned quickly to go, again she curtsied as she passed Harry and left the room.

" _Tell everybody that they can put their brooms along that wall over there."_ She thought to her mates.

Ced informed the others quietly that they could put their brooms against the far wall in Vic's office. Then he told them to break up into pairs and walk around the place checking for things that seemed out of place magically, "If you find something odd, don't touch it but call for help." He told them. Then they all left to go searching.

Vic returned her focus to the four guards. "So, none of you can tell me how long anybody has worked in this building?" she asked them again.

Again, she was met with silence.

"Perhaps we should talk to them one at a time," Harry suggested to her.

" _Ced, Cici could you come back here please?"_ Vic thought to her mates.

" _On our way."_ Cici thought back to her.

While she waited for her spouses to return, Vic started scanning the minds of the four guards, and she made her selection of who she was going to speak to first.

"You, you, and you. Go with them." She told the three guards.

Ced and Cici stood by the door waiting for the other three guards to come to them. The guards reluctantly moved for the door with Ced on one side and Cici on the other. With the five of them out of the room, Vic closed the door with just a look. Just after the door closed, there was the sound of spellfire out in the hallway and some screams from the other people working in the office building.

Vic looked at the guard that was starting to get a smirk on his face, "It seems that your friends aren't as good with a wand as they thought they were." She told him just before she sat down in the chair.

The smirk on his face was replaced with determination. Vic leaned forward and stared at him, then she was in, and the man's face went blank. What she found in there was evil, he had raped Patricia repeatedly for over a month before he finally killed her, and it was his idea for his friend to take over the company. He had told him which pub to go to and who to look for, to get the most information. Before Vic left his mind, she planted an overwhelming desire to confess to all of his crimes. She made the desire to confess on the level of a starving man entering a buffet, it was so compelling.

"Could you ask Tonks to send a couple of more Aurors, dad?" Vic asked Harry.

"Sure." He told her as he turned his back to the criminal and spoke softly for a moment.

Then Vic looked at the man and told him, "The people that you want to confess everything to will be here in just a few minutes."

"That's good! I really need to tell someone everything!" he said like an overeager child.

"And you will get that chance soon!" she encouraged him.

There was a knock on the door before it opened. "Tonks said that you needed us?" a big burly Auror asked.

"Yes. Could you please take this man down to your HQ and take his statement?" Vic asked.

The Auror looked between Harry and the little girl behind the big desk, "She sent eight of us." he said in confusion.

"Good, have two of your men take him now because he really wants to confess to all of the rapes and murders that he has committed," Vic told him in a more urgent tone of voice.

The Auror opened the door fully and waved for two of the others to escort the criminal down to HQ.

" _Bring me the skinny one."_ Vic thought to her spouses.

As the two Aurors held on to the guard, Vic stunned him, they spun around with their wands in their hands, "What'd you do that for?"

"Put a portkey on him and get him down there now! The desire for him to confess to everything isn't going to last forever!" she told them forcefully.

Again, the Aurors looked to Harry for guidance. "Do what she said." He told them.

Cici was levitating another guard into the room as the Aurors were placing a portkey on the stunned man's back, then the three of them were gone. She dropped him in the middle of the floor and walked back out the door closing it behind her with a thought.

Vic rennervated the stunned guard. He got up groggily and looked around. He reached for his wand.

"Don't worry, you don't have your wand anymore, you lost it when you tried to attack my brother." She told him. "Please take a seat." And she indicated the seat that had just been vacated by the other guard. He shook his head 'No.' she just stared at him, his face went blank, and he took the seat willingly. She got up and walked around the desk, she ejected her wand and placed it against his temple, then she pulled out a long silvery thread and placed it into a vial that she conjured, she then sealed the vial and returned to her seat behind the desk. Before she left his mind, she planted an almost petrifying fear that if he didn't tell them everything, what he and the others had done, they would find out and make it worse on him.

Vic looked up at Harry, "Dad?" and Harry opened the door for two more Aurors to take the man away via portkey.

Vic got up from behind her desk and walked to the door, she looked at the Aurors and told them, "The last two are UAA that were trying to manipulate the situation to get galleons to fund their organisation."

Just before the Aurors left, Vic held up the vial containing the last man's memory, "Tell Aunt Tonks that if she needs this, I will give it to her, but for now, I need it to set my company back straight."

"Will do." He told her as he bent over and placed a portkey on the nearest terrorist.

Vic turned to walk to the conference room, Ced and Cici fell in with her and Harry as she walked down the hallway. She was five minutes late walking into her own meeting. Let them wait. They were gullible enough to follow that thief, they could wait on her. She walked into the impromptu board meeting still wearing her Hogwarts robes and her travelling cloak.

She looked around the conference table to see how many new faces were there. Half of her people were gone. "So, how does it feel to be brainwashed?" she asked the group of Department Heads. All of her women were gone.

"What do you mean? Where's Mr Mizpah?" one of the new hires asked her.

"How long have you worked for this company?" Vic asked him.

"Almost a year!" he told her.

"And what was the name of the person that you replaced?"

"I don't know. He said that she quit no notice. What's it matter?" he asked her, getting confrontational.

"We'll get back to that." She told him. Then she asked the next new guy the same questions, and the one after him, and then the one after him, and got all of the same answers, some with more hostility than others. "Now, back to the 'What's it matter' question." She started walking around the table. "What it matters is, I didn't hire you, I didn't promote you."

"And who are you supposed to be?" another new hire asked.

"My name is Victoria Potter," she started the spiel that she had said several times last year when she took over the company and cleaned house.

"So, who's Mr Mizpah then?" the first man that she had spoken to asked.

"He and all of his security guards are criminals. He and his head of security killed my former executive assistant after raping her repeatedly for a month. Makes you proud to know that, that's who you were working for, BLINDLY! Two of his security personnel are terrorist!

"Now, how did all of this happen?" someone made to answer her rhetorical question, "Tisk-tisk, don't answer that! It happened because one of you went out to the pub, and ran your mouth, about what was going on here at MY company! He bought you more and more drinks, learning everything he could about this company, while you just kept on talking. How does it make you feel, to know that you cost a single mum her livelihood? How does it make you feel, to know that because you couldn't shut your mouth! That you got someone killed? Understand this right here, and right now, I don't like you, you, or any of you!" She pointed out all of the new hires. "And I don't even know you!

"Now, when I came here on a spur of the moment idea, I had no idea that I was going to find my company being stolen from me." Another of the new hires made to interrupt her again. "How can I say that this is my company?" she looked at him and asked, and several heads nodded. "Because I am the sole shareholder of all of the stock. I own it all!" she told them.

"I can't work for some bitchy little girl."

"There's the door right there. There are two Aurors there to take you to HQ to ask you a few questions." She told him. "Next?" she said as she looked around the room. "Cassy, whoever he was, whatever department he headed up, I want the next woman in line for a promotion in that department sitting in that chair," and she pointed to the recently vacated chair, "In five minutes.

"I killed the good ole boy club the first time I came here, and I'm going to kill it now! If any of you have a problem working with a woman, I would suggest that you leave now." She paused for a moment.

"What makes you think that you can run this company?" another of the new hires asked her.

"Are you doubting my ability?" she asked him back.

"No, it's just that you don't seem to have a clue as to what's going on." He said to her.

"Well, I wasn't the one who was working for a terrorist. So, that must mean that you knew that you were working for a terrorist." And at that moment, Cassy's breasts came bouncing back into the room along with another young woman in her late twenties. Vic watched as two of the new hires elbowed each other, said something to each other and started laughing silently.

Vic walked around to that side of the table and said "You, you, and you are fired. Please go and see the Aurors outside of the doors."

"Witch!" the one that was doubting her abilities said.

"And you say that like it's a bad thing!" she retorted.

He spun around, wand in his hand, then he just hit the floor. Cici's wand retracted into its holster. The other two men opened the door so the Aurors could portkey the body down to HQ.

Vic looked at the last remaining new hire. "I work in R&D! my boss wasn't here for the last week, and I was told to come up to this meeting!" he said with a shaky voice, his hands raised in surrender.

"So, what do you think made your boss not show up for a week?" Vic asked him sincerely. She really did want to know what had happened to her people, were they all dead? Or had they just been let go for no reason?

"Cassy, I want to know what has happened to all of the female department heads that used to work here, and I want them back if they will come back." She told her executive assistant.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And, I want to know," she looked at her watch, "By lunchtime." She told her.

"Yes, Ma'am." She said as she hurried out the door to complete the task that had been assigned to her.

Vic stood on the opposite side of the table from the department heads that had not been replaced. "So, how many of you have been going out for drinks with Mr Mizpah?"

Slowly they all raised their hand, like a child that had been caught doing something wrong at school.

"Wonderful," she said sarcastically. Then she looked at each one of them individually, "My Accounting Head, my Head of Marketing, the Head of Sales, and Human Resources. Wonderful, so he had someone help him steal my money, someone help him raise the money to steal, someone get the money so he could steal it, and last but not least, someone hires the people to steal the money for him, wonderful, just wonderful.

"So, when was the last time that all of you, or any of you went out drinking with Mr Mizpah?" she stood there staring at them. Their heads started to drop in shame.

"Last night! All this week?" she looked at her father in despair. Her department head's heads hung lower.

She turned to the new guy from R&D, "Go back to your department, I'll come and talk to you after lunch.

"To find out what has happened here, I want to perform legilimency on each of you. I'm looking for something specific, I'm not going to go digging through your mind without your permission." She was telling them gently.

She wanted to know if the criminal had used a potion on them to make them more susceptible to mind control, and which ones he had done that too. Also, at this point, she wanted to know just how much damage had been done to her company. All of the men looked at her fearfully, did they really want a young woman digging around in their head?

"You gave me a chance when no one else would have. I'll go first if you want." The Head of Sales told her.

"Ced, Cici, would you please escort the others out of here for me?"

Her spouses moved behind the others and waited for them to get up.

"Okay, what I want you to do, is to just sit there, and lock eyes with me," Vic told the volunteer in front of the others.

He did as he was told, and then she was inside of his mind. The man had never learned any occlumency, so it was easy going, a total mess in there, but no defences at all.

"Are you doing okay?" she asked him inside of his mind. She wanted him to just relax.

She went back through his mind until a year ago, when he had first met Vic, she could feel the excitement of him finally getting his chance to prove himself. He had been so close to quitting, and going to work someplace else, but he really loved the company, despite what upper management was doing. She moved forward through time and came across when he had first been told that the company was going to be sold. It was the Head of Marketing that told him, and then they went to the pub that night and met with the man that was going to be buying the company. He wanted to know what kind of condition the company was in so that he could make a fair offer. She saw where he had told the man about the cancellation of the Afterburner and Mach 1 programs, but that they were working on an exotic to rival the Italians. The exotic program had never taken off because no one was there that could give permission for that to happen. Then she caught it, the shift in mental thinking after he had taken another sip of his lager. She knew right then that he had been poisoned. As she kept moving forward through his memories, it was always the same person suggesting that they all go out for a drink and they always seemed to meet Mr Mizpah at the different pubs. Through all of his memories, she never saw any sign of malicious intent, so she pulled out of his mind and let him regain his equilibrium.

"Thank you." She told him kindly. "The poison that they used on you will wear off slowly. It takes about a week or so for it to pass through your system."

He looked at her nervously, "They poisoned me?"

"Yes, it's a mind control potion that the terrorists use to control people. Just stay out of the pubs and away from other people for a while, until your mind clears. Also, please don't go talking to others about what we just did. It will make them fearful and right now, I don't need that, as I try again, to rebuild the company."

"Okay."

"You can go back to your office. If I need you, I will find you."

As he exited the room, Vic asked Ced to please send in the Head of Marketing.

"Please, have a seat." She told him, indicating where she wanted him to sit.

Nervously the man sat across from her. "Is this something that you are willing to do?" she asked him.

"Yes."

"Okay, we need to lock eyes, I'm not going to go digging through you mind looking for things. I am going to go back about a year or so and see what happened, is that okay with you?"

"Yes."

When Vic locked eyes with him, she slipped right in. He was another person that had not learned occlumency, so there were no defences to protect him at all. She went back over a year, and she found the first meeting between the marketing man and Mr Mizpah. It had actually occurred before Vic took over the company. She could see where he was in a pub and Mr Mizpah had targeted him. The two of them started talking about what it was that he did and Mr Mizpah had created a fictitious job for himself, and then he started buying the beers, a pint at a time. Marcus opened up to him about what was going on at Cleansweep Brooms and what he had learned about what upper management was doing. And then she saw the change in his mental thinking becoming clouded, and his judgement was off kilter. As she moved forward through his memories she saw them meeting a couple of times a week and then when he got his promotion from Vic, the meetings moved up to an almost nightly thing. Then Mr Mizpah created a story about how he had come into some money, and he had contacted the new owner of the company, and she had sold it to him. She watched as all of the different women she had promoted got let go for poor performance. She saw how he brought in his security guards. Then she saw how he had started to invite the others out for a drink and convinced them to go with him and somehow or another, Mr Mizpah was always there, or he just happened to show up. Vic learned from him that the takeover of the company had started before she came along. She saw nothing that would tell her that he had done any of this of his own free will. She extracted herself from his mind and let him readjust to the fact that she had been in there.

"Are you doing okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah."

"What happened to you is that you were poisoned over a year ago."

"What! Am I going to die!" he asked her, terrified of his own mortality.

"No, but you need to stop going to the pubs for a while. It will take about a week or two for the potion that they gave you to pass through your system. Last night was the last time that he put the potion in your beer. It's a mind control potion that lets him put thoughts and ideas in your mind, and then you feel compelled to carry them out."

"Oh, uh, okay, I think that I'm going to quit drinking altogether!" he told her.

"Please, do not tell anyone about what we've done in here today. It will just make them fearful, and I don't need that as I try to rebuild the company."

"Yes, Ma'am." He told her as he got up to leave.

She chose to work with Ian the Head of Accounting next and found that six different accounts had been set up with automatic transfers of 50,000 galleons, into all six accounts occurring every Friday. "I want all of the account numbers for Mr Mizpah, his four guards, the six accounts that we're transferring money into, and anything else that seems odd to you." She told him in thought.

"Yes, ma'am." His thought was sheepish as if he had been an idiot to have hurt the company in this way.

From the Human Resources head, Mike, she saw how most of the highest paying personal were let go under the guise of poor performance. "You need to get them all back." She told him inside of his head.

"Yes, Ma'am." He responded to her in thought.

"That's where all of our knowledge and experience is, they are the ones that should be training our new hires, so we don't lose all of that!"

In his head, he agreed with her. He was going to have a long afternoon.

When she was finished with that task, _"Can you find everyone and have them meet me here?"_ she thought to her loved ones.

" _Sure."_ Ced thought to her.

" _Okay, Little One."_

"Dad, will you go to Gringotts with us in a few minutes?" Vic asked.

"Yes, what's up? You haven't said much since you started performing the legilimency." He told her.

"They fired all of the highest paid people for poor work performance, and they've set up accounts for automatic transfers to go into." She said tiredly.

"We'll need to have Tonks or Angelina meet us there, so they can get the information to help cut the funding for terrorists."

"I need to hire someone that I can trust to watch over the company when I can't," she told him tiredly. "I need a Vitamix, digging around in other peoples' heads is exhausting."

" _I think that I have one in my trunk."_ Cici thought to her.

" _Let me look in mine really quick."_ She answered. She pulled her trunk out of her travelling cloak. I'm still in my travelling cloak, I haven't even slowed down enough to take it off and now I'm getting ready to go again! She set her trunk down on the conference room table and enlarged it, after she opened it up she just summoned the Vitamix to her. OH! YES! Thank you, Merlin! She thought as she downed the not too bad tasting potion. She closed it all up and shrank it again.

All of her friends had found areas around the company that concerned them. They hadn't touched any of the areas, they had just made mental notes of the locations.

"I guess that we'll be back tomorrow to see if we can take down their wards." Vic thought out loud.

"Do you want to do it? Or do you want the Aurors to do it?" Harry asked her.

"This could be good practice for our friends, is one thought that I had," She told him. "If they wanted to give up a Saturday. If we run into something too hard, we can always call in the Aurors and if they can't handle it, then, I guess, I could go to the Goblins." She told him as she looked at her friends. All of them had been taking Ancient Runes in school, and this would be a chance to practice in real life what they were learning in class.

"So, why'd you come here in the first place?" Harry asked her.

"Oh! I wanted to surprise everyone and have the aerodynamic shields installed on their brooms for them!" she said getting excited about something again.

"Okay, let's get the brooms and then I will show you who I deal with for that kind of stuff," Harry told her. "He's been here it seems like forever." He was saying as they headed back to her office.

"If he's been here forever, then he may not be here anymore," Vic told him.

"Why? He's great at this kind of thing!"

"One of the things that Mr Mizpah did, was to get rid of all the people that had the knowledge and experience." She told him. "Remember?"

"Sorry, I was thinking about how things are going to go at Gringotts. Well, let's go and see if he's still here, his workspace is tucked in behind a bunch of other things." He told her encouragingly.

.

.

"Miss Potter?" Cassy said in a scared voice.

"Yes?"

"I've managed to get a hold of all of the women that had been let go. I'm sorry!" she said through the free-flowing tears, "I didn't know what he was doing! I thought that I could trust him! And that he was telling the truth. I didn't know!" her mascara was starting to run down her cheeks.

" _You might want to look into this."_ Cici thought to her. _"Pillow talk."_ She suggested.

" _Yeah, you're right. Will you take my broom down for me while we go and talk?"_

" _Sure."_

" _Thanks, Dark One."_

" _If I don't get to work on my tan…"_

" _Love you too."_

" _Love you."_

"Cassy, why don't you come into my office with me?" Vic suggested to the tear-stained woman.

After she entered her office, Vic sat behind her desk and had Cassy sit across from her. With a thought, Vic closed her office door and locked it.

"What I want to do, is enter your mind. I'm not there to go digging around looking for trash, I'm there to find the things that he did to the company so I can fix them. Do you trust me enough to let me into your mind?" she asked the older woman.

"How can a girl your age be so powerful?" she asked.

"I have been given the gift of being able to learn magic at an accelerated rate," Vic told her.

"When I was your age, I was chasing all the boys in school." She said with a distant smile. She had gone on the potion by the time that she was twelve. When she was twelve, she looked more like a sixteen-year-old than a twelve-year-old. And if she did her makeup right, she could pass as even older than that!

Vic smiled back at her warmly. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, just look into my eyes," Vic told her.

"That's what he would tell me." She mentioned just before she felt Vic's presence in her head. "You're a lot gentler than he was." She thought to her.

"Then who was?" she asked her.

"Tobias's friend, Ashton. He didn't look like an Ashton though."

"Let's go back to the first time that you met Tobias."

Cassy's memories flew past in a blur.

"You've had a lot of experience with this," Vic mentioned to her. She checked to see that her own mental walls were up and firmly in place.

Cassy showed her the first time that she remembered seeing Tobias. It was at a pub, and she was there looking for some companionship for the night, to get her 'itch' scratched. He had seemed quite the gentleman at the time. They went back to her place and spent the night. That was all that she had been looking for at that time. Then they met again and again. Then the next time, he had offered her the job at his company, telling her that his last secretary had just quit on him and he really needed the help. She would be just perfect for the job. "He seemed to be paying me too much, but I could use the money." It was shortly after that that he took her to meet Ashton, and he was rough with her, she could handle rough to a point. But sometimes he would leave marks, and that was when he had first invaded her mind, it was exciting at first, but then it became darker and darker. She told Tobias that she didn't want to go and visit Ashton anymore, but then her thinking became clouded, and I just wanted to keep going. But I didn't want to, but I couldn't resist, I wasn't strong enough, and then we would end up back in Ashton's place, and he would do those things to me, to my mind.

"Do you want me to help you lock those memories away? I can help you put them behind a locked door so that they can't get out unless you let them out." Vic offered.

"YES! Please!" her thoughts begged her, for her help.

"Okay, would you be willing to show a team of Aurors where Ashton's place is?" Vic asked her.

"Yes, but I failed my apparition test, and Tobias was the one to always take me there when I was the weakest." She told her.

"Okay, when are you supposed to see Ashton again?"

"Tonight, about ten. It was fun and exciting at first, but then it just got scarier and scarier, and, and, evil. I never thought that sex could be evil. Sex had always been fun. Some great, most of it was okay, a lot of it was bad, but none of it was evil, not until he invaded my mind." She said, her thoughts were confused at how something that she enjoyed so much could become something that she was afraid of. Something that scared her.

Vic helped her lock all of it away, and as soon as the door was closed and locked, she could feel Cassy's mood getting lighter.

Cassy took a mental breath of fresh air, "I feel so much better! Thank you!" she told Vic just before Vic pulled out of her mind. This incredible sense of guilt had been lifted from her. She had never known anything so, so, crushing before.

Vic told her after she had recovered much quicker than any of the men had, "You've been poisoned, they used a mind control potion on you, and it will take about two weeks for it to pass through your system. After you help the Aurors tonight, stay away from people until your mind clears."

"Okay, and all of the women are looking forward to coming back to work on Monday," Cassy told her. "All of them are excited to be working for you again." She said sympathetically.

"Thank you, and I will see you on Monday," Vic told her. Cassy got up and left the office. As the door closed behind her, Vic opened her communications watch. "Tonks." She told the watch.

A moment later, Tonks' image came floating into view. "How can I help you Vic?" she asked.

"I have another terrorist for you." Vic pushed forward before Tonks could interrupt. "My executive assistant is supposed to meet him tonight, at his place, at ten."

Tonks made a face, "Okay, where do we meet your assistant?"

"I'll have her send you an owl with the information. She never passed her apparition test either." Vic told her.

"We can work around that," Tonks told her.

"Oh, and this guy is able to perform legilimency." Vic cautioned her.

"Thanks for the heads up."

"While I have you, could Angelina or yourself meet us at Gringotts in a bit? I've uncovered bank accounts that have been used to fund terrorist activities." Vic told her.

Tonks made another face, "Contact her on her watch and I'll tell her to expect your call."

"Thanks, and sorry for all of this excitement."

"Nothing to be sorry for, you're just helping to get the bad guys off of the street." She told the younger witch.

After they disconnected, Vic got out from behind her desk and walked to the door of her office. She looked around her office and then she left. As she left, she chose to leave the door open so Cassy could enter the room if she needed to.

"I need you to send an owl to Assistant Head of the DMLE, Tonks Lupin. You need to give her your address so she can send a team of Aurors to your place and escort you to Ashton's place. Our goal is to capture Ashton and learn as much from him as we can."

Vic watched as Cassy pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote down the requested information. "Thank you again, I haven't felt this free in over a year. I never understood just how oppressive my situation really was, until you helped me." She told her again.

"Well, just don't go talking about it please, it will make people fearful of me, and that will make it harder to rebuild the company," Vic told her softly. "And while you go and send that, I'm going to go find my friends and family," Vic told her as she left to find them.

With the help of Cici, she walked through the halls and corridors of the company. She walked across the near-idle production line, she checked her watch, and it was after lunch, she turned here, and she turned there, and then she found the hole in the wall that was the genius of the creator of the aerodynamic shield.

She looked at her friends and family, "Dad and I need to go to Gringotts." She told them.

"I'll go with you if you want," Ced told her. He wanted to be there for her.

"I'll go with you too," Cici told her.

"Thank you." She said relieved.

Harry looked at the others, "You can floo home from here if you want." He told them.

"Your mum is supposed to meet me at Gringotts." She told George, Angel, and Amber.

"Okay, is it okay with you, if we stay and watch? This is fascinating!" George said in awe.

"It's fine with me if it's fine with this gentleman," Vic told him.

"Well, I'm going to go home," Rose said.

"Me too." Said, Angel.

"Can I come over?" Amber asked.

"It's okay with me," Rose told her.

"I'll see you at home, honey," Julia told Fred.

"Where's the floo?" Angel asked.

"It's just off the main lobby," Vic told her.

"Okay, thanks, I'll see you in the morning," Angel said as she turned and started to leave. The other three girls headed out with her.

Harry looked at her, "Do we need to leave now?" he asked.

"Yes, I need to get Ian, and we need to get to Gringotts before it gets too late." She told him.

"Hey, Gus?" Harry called to the ancient wizard.

"Yeah, Harry?"

"Could you send me an owl and let me know when they're finished?" Harry asked him.

"Uh huh." The old wizard said as he focused on his work.

.

"Are you ready to go. Ian?" Vic said as she walked into his office.

"Go where?" he asked confused.

"Did you write down the account numbers that I told you to?"

"What account numbers?"

Vic's eyebrows furrowed in thought. What had happened here? "Look at me!" She commanded him softly. Their eyes met, and she was back in his mind, and almost as quickly she was back out. "His memory has been obliviated!" She told her family members.

"That means that there's someone else in the building," Ced said out loud.

Cici was gone in an instant. She reappeared in the main lobby next to the floo. "We need your help. We need you to guard all of the exits to the building." She told them in a rush. "There's someone else in the building that has obliviated the Head of Accounting's memories." And as fast as she had appeared, she was back with her family. "I caught the others before they could leave and asked them to guard the exits of the building."

"You need to get back in his head and see if you can get more information," Harry told her. "We need to know who we're looking for." He said taking charge of the situation.

Vic sat down, "Ian, look at me." She told him again.

Dumbly he looked at her and blinked once. Then she was back in his head for the third time that day. She searched for something, she could easily see where his memory had been obliviated, the person that did it didn't even try to cover their tracks! But who was it? What'd they look like? Slow down she told herself, slow down and look. Look for the little details, is there enough here to rebuild that memory? How much actually got obliviated? She slowed down, she started to look at things that had happened in the last four hours. He had shown up for work. Yes. He greeted everybody in a friendly manner. Yes. He was summoned to the conference room. Yes. He came back to his office. Yes. And then it went blank. Did he write down the account numbers? Yes. Now, where are they? She looked around in his head for where he had placed the parchment. It should be in the outbox.

Out loud she said, "The piece of parchment with the account numbers should be in his outbox."

Okay, that's good, hopefully. But, now, who did this to you? She thought to herself.

"I don't know." He told her inside of his head.

"Good, your still here. Together we can find out who did this."

"Please, it's not good for an accountant or a supervisor to have holes in their memory." He tried at a weak joke.

"You remember coming back to your office."

"Yes."

"You remember me coming into your office."

"Yes."

"You remember writing down the account numbers and putting the piece of parchment in your outbox." She told him.

"I do?"

"Yes, see, here's the memory." She showed him the memory.

"Oh! I do!"

"Now, let's see who came to visit you after you came back to your office." She started to dig around into the crevasses of his memories for the last two hours now. "Where's your secretary?" she asked him.

"I have a secretary?"

"Yes, see?" and she showed him a memory of his secretary.

"Abigale?" he asked himself.

"Is that her name?"

"Yes, yes, I think so!"

Then out loud she said, "We need to find Abigale. She's his secretary." And she gave a general description of what Abigale looked like.

"Cici and I are on it," Ced told her.

"Okay, now what is the name of your assistant?" she asked him.

Again, he didn't even know that he had an assistant until she pulled up an image of the young man.

"Oh, that's Andrew." He told her. "He's in the office next to mine. He's not very talkative, but he's really good at his job, and I like him." Ian thought to her.

"Okay, we're looking for Andrew also. He should be in the office next to this one." Vic said out loud.

"I'll check," Harry told her.

" _Cici!"_ she called to her wife. _"We're also looking for a woman in a purple sweater that sits in the office across from this one. Her desk faces out of the window so she can see everything that's going on. She's also a busybody." _ Vic thought to Cici.

"You can talk to your wife like this?" Ian asked her.

"Yes, and when we get finished, we're going to make sure that you've sworn an oath of loyalty to the Potter family."

"I think that I did that already. But I'll do it again if I need to."

" _Okay, I've got the purple lady."_ Cici thought to her. But this time, Ian couldn't hear what Cici was saying because it happened behind Vic's mental shields.

But he could hear Harry tell her that he had Andrew.

" _Amber found Abigale, she's in the loo. Amber thinks that she's dead."_ Ced told her.

" _Cici, get Harry to watch both Agnes and Andrew in Agnes's office."_

" _Okay."_

Vic could hear Cici and Harry talking, then "She's not dead, not yet at least." Cici said out loud. Cici started to run a basic diagnostic spell on her. "Her vitals are really low." She said with some concern.

" _Ced, can you start talking to Agnes and Andrew and find out from them who came into Ian's office in the last hour or two?"_

"You can talk to Ced like you can talk to your wife, Cici?" Ian asked her in thought.

"Yes," Vic told him, not wanting to expand upon that thought too much.

Several minutes past while Ced and Harry talked to Agnes and Andrew.

" _Okay, Agnes says that the only person that she saw go into Ian's office other than Abigale was Bert. Andrew says that he heard some commotion and then he saw Bert leave quickly, and he was following Abigale who had left a moment before he did."_ Ced thought to her.

"Do you remember Bert coming into your office for some reason?" Vic asked Ian.

"Who's Bert?"

" _Who's Bert?"_ Vic asked Ced.

Ced talked to Agnes and Andrew for a few moments. _"Bert's the new janitor. He's been working here less than a year, about the same amount of time as the guards."_ He thought to her.

"Bert's the janitor." She told him.

"The custodian's name is Bert?"

"Yes." And she started to dig through his memories going back almost a year before she found a young man wearing a custodian's uniform using a mop. "Is this what Bert looks like?" she asked him.

"I guess so." He said to her. "He's using a mop in this memory," and Ian was able to find some half a dozen different memories of the same man from different angles showing him using a broom, cleaning bathrooms, and washing the windows.

Vic built a picture of the man in her mind and shared that memory with Ced and Cici. She could hear them sharing the description of the man with their different friends. They left just one person watching each of the exits as they started a room by room search of the office building. It was beginning to feel like one of the simulations in the Potter Mansion.

"We really need to start learning some basic first aid." Vic heard George telling Ced. "Amber should have been able to run a simple diagnostic spell on that woman and tell if she was dead or alive."

"Yeah, we were supposed to have started that when all of you started learning how to fight with knives and swords," Ced told him.

"Yeah, I remember that things just kept getting busy and in the way," George told him as they checked another door.

Ced knocked on a door to an office, then he opened the door and asked the man behind the desk if he had seen Bert. Ced saw the man's eyes shift to look behind the door before he said, "No."

Then Ced was knocked off balance, and the door was shut on his wrist, breaking his wrist. Vic felt the pain for an instant before she couldn't feel anything from Ced again. Cici felt the same thing and then she shifted to Ced's side, leaving Amber in the loo with Abigale. George and Bert were in a running fight, as George chased Bert down the hallway. Thankfully, the others heard the spell work and started looking for where it was coming from. Those that were guarding the exits prepared themselves for the battle to burst out on to them. Julia charmed her cloak to act as a shield as the sounds of the fight were getting closer and closer to her.

Then she saw a man in a grey uniform running sideways down the hall towards the exit that she was guarding. He turned to see where he was going, and as he was bringing his wand to bear on her, she cast a triple pack of spells at him, hitting him with _expulso/stupefy/expelliarmus_ as fast and as hard as she could. The expulso hit him in his chest, stopping him in his tracks, with his feet coming out from under him as they kept trying to go forwards. The stupefy hit him while he was suspended in midair for just that brief moment before gravity took over and slammed him down on to the floor, then his wand was sailing through the air landing at Julia's feet. She bent down and collected his wand for the Aurors.

"Hey, George." She said.

"Nice work." He told her as he looked down at the guy. "Now, you need to bind him with chains, like this." He showed her. "That way, a little wandless _diffindo_ won't set him free."

She nodded appreciatively to him. "I thought I heard someone yell." She asked him.

"Yeah, the guy slammed the door on Ced's wrist when he was trying to get away."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know! Let me go see!" and George took off running back the way he had come. George found Cici finishing up healing Ced's wrist, and he watched as he flexed it and checked it for mobility.

A few minutes later, Vic, Harry, and Ian came walking down the stairs to find Julia levitating the custodian down the hallway.

Vic looked at him, " _Rennervate, petrificus totalus_." She said. Then she looked down into the floating man's eyes for a moment. "Tell the Aurors that he's UAA when they get here, they'll know what to do with him." Vic looked up and around at all of her friends, "I would like to thank all of you for your help today." She told them sincerely. "But I need to get down to Gringotts to try and save my company. Are you ready dad? Ian?"

They both nodded to her, and she checked her pocket for the piece of parchment that had the account numbers on it. She walked over to the floos then she grabbed Ian's arm and apparated to Diagon Alley, Harry, Ced, and Cici were right behind her.

Before she could ask, Ced told her, "Aunt Angelina will be here momentarily."

"Thank you."

And true to her word, Angelina appeared near the public floos a few moments later. "It sounds like all of you have had a busy day!" she said as a way of greeting them.

"It has been more exciting than I care to admit," Vic told her. Then she started to lead them across the street to the bank.

.

.

"Lord Gryffindor!" the goblin greeted them at the door.

"Good afternoon, I need to speak with Ragrok, please," Vic told the goblin.

"Yes, … mam." The goblin finished as he took in the non-family members of the party. "Please follow me to a private room." And he turned and led them across the lobby of the bank, to a large waiting room. "I will go and get Master Ragrok, would you like any refreshments while you wait?"

"Water please," Ced asked.

"Very well, sir." The goblin bowed as he left.

Another goblin arrived with refreshments, several glasses, and a pitcher of ice water. Then several minutes later, Master Ragrok arrived looking a little harried.

"Lord Gryffindor." He started, and then he stopped as he looked around the room and at the two people that were not a part of the family. He bowed briefly.

"Master Ragrok, this is a list of account numbers," Vic said as she pulled the parchment out of the inner pocket of her cloak, "That my company, Cleansweep Brooms has been making deposits into for almost a year. In my absence, a thief set himself up as the owner of the company and had all of this done. I have learned that all of these accounts are funding terrorist organisations. Is there a way that, that money could be recovered? Can Gringotts go into those terrorist's accounts and get some of my money back? Also, could the bank give a list of those accounts that money has been transferred to, to the Aurors?" Vic asked a little rushed.

"Without the proper warrants, there is little we can do to assist the Aurors. What I can do at this time is to stop any transfers and to reverse any transfers that have occurred today." He told her kindly.

"Thank you," Vic said a little relieved that at least something was going right today.

"Master Ragrok," Angelina said, "Here's a warrant for that information." And she stood up and passed the warrant to him.

Ragrok looked at the warrant, "When I am finished here, I will be able to assist you." He told her. Then he got up and left the room.

A long while later, Ragrok returned to the room with a goblin equivalent of a smile. "I was able to stop all of the transfers that were scheduled for today."

"Thank you!" Vic said tiredly.

"And I was able to recover some of the money that had been transferred to some of these accounts. For some of these accounts, the money had been sitting for several months. In fact, they showed no signs of any activity other than, they had been opened." He told her. Then he looked at Angelina, "Here is the information that was requested in the warrant. If you need any further information, please ask." Looking around, "Is there anything else that I can assist you with?" he said looking at Vic.

"No, not at this time." Vic had changed her mind about something that she was going to do. She stood up and bowed to the goblin that had been very helpful to her.

The others stood up with her, Angelina stepped forward to collect the information that Ragrok had for her. "Thank you." She said to the goblin.

The group moved quickly through the nearly vacant alley. Vic looked up and down the alley and then at her watch, the Hogwarts Express was due to pull into Kings Cross station sometime in the next fifteen minutes she realised.

"Do you want to go and get Kitten and Neville?" she asked her dad.

"Yeah, I need to do that. Are you three going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, "I'm more worried about Ian than I am us," she told him.

"Do you want me to take him to St. Mungos?" Harry asked.

"Ian, are you going to be able to floo home from here?" Vic asked him.

"Home? Yeah, I can floo home from here," he told her. "Thank you for rebuilding what you could of my memories."

As they approached the public floos, they let Ian go first.

"George, Angel, and Amber are probably over at Aunt Susan's," Vic told Angelina.

How had she become Amber's mum? She wondered. "Thank you." She told her. "I hope everything turns out okay with your company."

"Thank you," Vic told her, and then she stepped into the floo. Her spouses followed right behind her, and her dad flooed to Kings Cross station to collect her younger siblings.

"Welcome home Lady Potter." Charles greeted her as she stepped out of the floo.

"Welcome home Lady Potter." He greeted Cici as she stepped out of the floo.

"Welcome home Lord Potter." He greeted Ced as he stepped out of the floo.

"Good afternoon, Charles." the three of them greeted the Head House Elf.

Vic headed up the stairs like a woman on a mission, and that mission was to get out of her cloak, finally. She had been wearing the stupid thing all day, and she was tired of it. She walked down the hallway to their room, and she tossed her trunk on the bed, the cloak she stripped off and tossed it in the air, with a flick of her wrist it flew to her closet and hung itself on the coat hanger.

"Lucy!" she called a little more aggressively than she intended.

Pop, "Yes, my Lady?" the elf greeted her with a bow.

"Lucy? Would you please bring me six butter beers and set them by the tub?" she asked the elf as she started to strip out of her clothes. She walked over and looked at the empty tub. With a wave of her hand it began to fill, then she added soothing bubbles to the water.

With another pop, Lucy set the tray of butter beers next to the tub.

"Thank you very much, Lucy," Vic told her kindly.

With a bow, Lucy replied to her, "It is a pleasure to serve." And she was gone with a small pop.

Vic turned around to see Ced and Cici following her lead of stripping down. That vast tub of hot water was calling her name, and she was headed for it.

Ced and Cici could feel the tension leaving her body as she stepped down into the hot water, then she completely submerged herself and stood up with her eyes closed, in the waist deep water at the centre of the tub. She tilted her head back, her wet hair flowed down her back to her waist. Her hair was the longest it had been since she had gotten married. She waited for Ced and Cici to join her before she sat down in the tub between them.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 04.08.2018**


	49. Year Five Chapter 49

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 49

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.

As Vic rose out of the water with her head tilted back, her long wet hair slicked down her back reaching to her narrow waist. She ran her hands over her head forcing the water away from her honey coloured eyes. She turned and watched as her spouses finished shedding their clothing too. Ced stepped down into the hotter than normal water, he pulled her to him, kissing her intensely on the lips. It had been a trying day for her, and he could understand wanting to relax and let the stress just melt away in the tub full of soothing bubbles. Cici joined her spouses in the tub, pulling Little One towards her into a tight loving embrace, as Ced sat down against the side of the tub. He spread his muscular legs, letting Vic sit in front of him, leaning back against his broad chest. Vic in turn, spread her strong legs letting her wife sit between them and leaning back against her chest. Then Vic wrapped her legs and arms around her wife, as Ced wrapped his legs around both of them, then he wrapped his arms around both wives, Vic's arms rested on his arms, and Cici's breasts rested on her arms. They sat there, eyes closed and minds opened to each other, Vic shared her memories of what she had seen and learned earlier that day.

" _I agree, you need to find somebody to run the business for you that you can trust."_

" _But I'm scared to hire a guy to do the job!"_

" _I understand, with what has happened to you."_

" _I just need to find somebody that I can trust!"_

" _Well, let's talk to Uncle Os and Uncle Sirius."_

" _Or maybe Daphne and Cedric might have some ideas."_

A few hours later, the butterbeers forgot, the three teens opened their eyes and checked the time. They disentangled themselves and stood up in the tub. Cici climbed out first followed by Vic and then Ced. They dried themselves off and chose to dress casually and comfortably for dinner, neither young lady decided to wear a bra under their t-shirt that night. Holding hands, they walked down to the small dining room to join their family for dinner.

After they had eaten the pudding, Vic asked Harry, "Dad, I need some advice on hiring someone to run the company for me, while I'm away at school or doing other things."

"I think that Os and Sirius were talking about a young woman that was a superstar, but they didn't have anywhere to promote her to. I think that both of them should be coming over on Sunday for lunch. You could ask them then." He told her.

"Oh, thank you so much! This has really been something that I've been stressing over all afternoon!" she told him. It felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulders! She could finally relax!

Ced and Cici nodded in agreement that she had been stressing over this problem most of the afternoon.

"Well, like I said, Os and Sirius should be here on Sunday, did you want me to see if Daphne could come over too?" her dad asked her.

"It might be good to talk to another businesswoman." Her mum told her.

"Yeah, could you?" she asked. "Please?" she really did want as much advice as she could get. She had dealt with the 'good ole boys club,' and now she had just dealt with a conman that almost succeeded at stealing her company out from under her. If Ragrok hadn't recovered as much money as he had, she would have had to pull money out of hers and her spouse's vault to keep the company running. And they hadn't even been paid yet for the job that they had just finished on Tuesday!

.

.

"Mi Amor, Mon Amor, it's time to get up," Ced told both women occupying his bed.

"Uh, just five more minutes." They both murmured. Both wives rolled out of the way so he could get up and take care of his morning urges. After he was out of their way, the two women snuggled tightly together.

As Ced exited the loo, Cici was there to give him his morning kiss, then she closed the door behind her. Vic was just finishing brushing her teeth as her husband walked up to the second sink. She rinsed her mouth, and they exchanged kisses. Cici met Vic as she went to brush her teeth and they exchanged a good morning kiss as usual. Holding hands, the three of them met the others downstairs for their morning workout.

.

It was after breakfast when Draco exited out of the floo.

"Please, wait in the sitting room while I get the Lady of the House," Gareth told him. After escorting him to the sitting room, Gareth turned and went to get Hermione.

It was a few minutes later when Hermione entered the sitting room to talk with, what was obviously a very distressed Draco.

"What's wrong Draco?"

"It's Toria, this pregnancy is being much harder on her than the other two had been." A sunken-eyed Draco told her.

"What's the OBGYN saying?" she asked.

"He's just saying that some pregnancies are more difficult than others."

Draco could see the confused look on Hermione's face, "Who's the Healer?" she asked.

"Healer Patel." He told her.

The confused look got a little deeper than it was before. "I'm not familiar with him," she said. "Did you want me to take a look at her?" she offered.

"Would you please?" he leapt at the offer.

"When did you want to bring her by?"

"Would an hour be too soon?" he almost begged. Toria was his everything in this world. Her and his two daughters.

"Does Os and Felicia know about this?" Hermione asked him.

"No, and I would appreciate it if you didn't tell them just yet."

"Would you mind if Cici and Vic sat in on the examination?" she asked.

He scrunched up his face in thought, "No, they're both good with healing." He said.

"Actually, I would put Cici in the top five percent of Healers having seen some of her work," Hermione told him. "And when it comes to working with the mind, Vic is very good I am told. She may not be Luna, but she's one of the best."

"Okay, well, let me go get Toria ready, and we'll see you in an hour," Draco told her.

As he was walking to the floo, he heard the sound of the two dragons announcing their arrival for the rest of the spring break. Well, it wouldn't hurt to have one more healer, he thought just before he tossed the floo powder into the flames.

.

About an hour later the floo flared to life again, and Draco with a very weak Toria stepped out of the flames to be greeted by Charles.

"We're here to see Hermione." Draco addressed the Head Elf.

"Please follow me and I will get her for you." He told them as he led them to the sitting room.

Less than five minutes later, Hermione walked into the sitting room with Cici and Vic following behind her holding hands, and behind them was Angelica.

"Draco, Toria," Hermione said to them. "Please, follow me to the medical room." And she turned and led the group of people towards the training room, then through the training room to the medical room. Hermione indicated for Toria to climb up on to the examination table. "So, what's going on Toria? Draco's very worried about you."

"Oh, this pregnancy is just a little harder than the other two." She told her.

"Here, why don't you lay down and let me take a look at you," Hermione told her.

"Okay." She said, and then she struggled to lay back on the examination table.

Hermione and the others noted how difficult the simplest of actions seemed to be for her. Hermione ejected her wand and cast the first of several diagnostic spells that she would use that morning. All of her vitals were borderline green/yellow. She ran another diagnostic spell to check on the vitals of the baby, and the baby's vitals were all in the yellow. This put a frown on all of the women's faces. Hermione then started to run a much higher diagnostic spell over all of Astoria. She started down at her feet and then began to move up her legs, when she got to her swollen belly she pulled Draco over to show him that the baby was a boy. This put a smile on his and Toria's faces. They had been hoping for a boy this time. As Hermione move her wand farther up Astoria's body, she could see that her heart was labouring, but looked to be okay otherwise, when she reached her head, Hermione and the other women frowned at what they were seeing. It didn't make sense.

"This is odd," Hermione said.

"That doesn't make any sense." Angelica agreed.

"It doesn't make any sense." Cici and Vic agreed also.

"Let me see your arm, Uncle Draco." A new voice in the room said

Draco rolled up his sleeve.

"No, the other arm." She told him.

Draco rolled up the other sleeve of his shirt to show where he had been branded like a cow. The dark mark was near black after having been much lighter since the defeat of the dark lord. Draco wasn't sure when it had started to get darker he just knew that it had. And he had been hiding it as best as he could.

Kitten walked over to Aunt Astoria and looked at her.

"What's this mean?" Astoria asked scared.

"Shh," Kitten said. As she looked her over. Then she held out her hand for Synthia to appear. She kept looking at Astoria, and looking at her, and looking. The look of confusion grew deeper and deeper on her face. Then she looked at Draco. "You're the curse that is killing her," she said confused. She walked over and looked at a scared Draco.

"Me?" his voice quivered.

"Yes, it's you. But why is it you?" She asked as she looked at him in thought. "Ced." She paused as she had become accustomed to, "Come." And Ced was standing there with the others, looking confused also. Still looking at Draco with confusion on her face, she summoned her dad too.

"What's going on?" Harry asked. It had been over a year since his middle daughter had summoned him like this.

"It's Uncle Draco." She told him, "He's a curse. And I don't know how or why." She told the group of people in the room.

"Draco's a curse?" Harry asked, not believing his ears.

"Yes, and I don't understand how he became a curse or why he became a curse. It's so different." She said deep in thought.

Harry looked down at the dark mark on Draco's forearm, "When did that start to get dark again. I thought that it was almost gone."

"It was, and then it started to get darker." He told him.

Kitten looked at the dark mark intently. "That's the curse." She said quietly.

Draco's brow furrowed, "It's been a curse from the first day my father made me take it." he said angrily.

"No, it's the source of the curse. Is what I mean. When you turned your back on the dark lord, it activated the curse that's built into the mark. But why now?" she asked.

"Because Toria's pregnant?" Vic asked.

"Yes, but why now?" she was deep in thought.

"But why didn't it affect the first two pregnancies?" Toria asked.

"I don't know," Kitten said. "That's what I've got to figure out."

"But Venus and Centauri are just fine. Their pregnancies weren't any real troubles." Astoria said.

"But why now?" Hermione asked.

"Instead of looking for what's the same between the three pregnancies, what's different in them?" Harry said.

"Well, I'm older now," Toria said.

Draco's demeanour had turned dark and sullen.

"Well, Centauri and Venus are both healthy," Cici said.

"It's because it's a boy," Draco said darkly.

"What?" Vic said.

"It's because she's pregnant with my son." He said again, a little louder.

"So, when you turned your back on the dark lord, that triggered the curse, and the curse is targeted at male children to cost the traitors their families," Kitten said. "Do you want me to stun you or not?" she asked him.

"Can he at least get on the bed first?" Harry asked her.

"Oh, yeah, sure," she said.

"What are you going to do to me?" a fearful Draco said.

"I'm going to save Aunt Astoria and your son's lives. Now, do you want me to stun you or not?" she asked him as he lay down on the bed.

"Take the stunning, it will hurt less," Angelica told him.

Draco nodded at her and Kitten stunned him wordlessly.

As she looked at him, a stool appeared next to her, and she sat down on the seat. Without being asked, Ced, Vic, and Cici stood behind her and interlaced their fingers together.

"Dad, could you hold his arm for me?" Daphne asked her father.

"Sure," Harry told her as he moved around to hold Draco's arm. It was much colder than Harry had expected.

Kitten pointed her wand at the dark mark, and it lashed out at the wand. Kitten jerked her wand back reflexively. This was evil on a new level for her.

After her initial shock, of the dark mark lashing out at her, she experienced fear, fear that she had never known before, and then she became angry that a thing had scared her, and her jaw took a set to it.

"What was the dark lord the most afraid of?" she asked out loud to no one in particular.

"Dying." Said, one person.

"What else was he afraid of?" she asked again. She needed the correct answer, most everybody is afraid of dying.

"Love." Her dad said.

"He was afraid of love because he grew up in an orphanage." Her mum told her.

"He hated because he grew up without love. He even went as far as to kill his own family members when he had the chance." Harry told her.

"And then it was our love for each other that let us defeat him," Hermione told her middle daughter.

"And then it was Fawkes's love for us, that he gave up his own life, so your mum and I could be together," Harry told her.

"So," she thought for a moment. "Then we need to beat it with love. We need to surround Uncle Draco with love." Kitten said.

"How are we going to do that?" Astoria asked, confused. "His own father didn't love him."

"But, do you love him?" she asked the pointed question.

"Yes! Of course, I love him! He's my husband after all." Astoria retorted.

"Just because he's your husband, doesn't mean that you love him," Cici told her.

"What!?"

"There are plenty of loveless marriages out there," Angelica told her. "I was trapped in one for several years until my ex left me to move to Africa."

"That's not us!" she defended. "I love Draco, and I know that he loves me."

"How do you know that he loves you?"

"Because of all of the things that he does for me, for us, the kids and me." She told them defeated. Defiant. She wasn't going to give up without a fight. She wasn't going to lose her husband this way! She wasn't going to lose her family like this. She wasn't going to die today! THIS FAR AND NO FARTHER! Her innermost being was screaming. That bastard has taken enough from this family!

"What do you need me to do?" she asked.

"Well, with you and your daughters, Ced and his wives, mum and dad, Angelica and Charlie, we're going to form a circle of love around Uncle Draco and drive out the hatred with love." The third-year student told her.

Astoria started trying to get up, Cici and Vic moved over to either side of her and helped her get to a sitting position. "Wispy." She called out to the air.

Pop! And the elf appeared at the foot of the table. "Yes, Mistress." The elf said with a low bow.

"Wispy, bring Venus and Centauri to me." She told the elf.

"Yes, Mistress." The elf bowed again and was gone with another pop.

"I'll go get Charlie," Angelica told the group.

"We'll need a chair for her to sit in," Kitten said to no one. She could see that Astoria was in no condition to stand around for any length of time.

Eventually Wispy popped back into their existence with the two girls, one on each hand.

"What's going on?"

"What's wrong with dad?"

"Mom? Are you okay?"

"Mom, why are we here?"

"Why isn't dad moving?"

Eventually, Astoria told the girls, "Your dad is sick, and we need your magic, and your love to help heal him."

"Our love?"

"Why is dad sick?"

"How is our love going to help dad?"

"We need your love, because many years ago, even before your dad and I got married, a very hateful person put a curse on your dad," Astoria told her two girls.

"But why now?"

"You know that I am going to have a baby?"

"Yes."

"So."

"So, the curse wasn't activated until I was going to have a baby boy."

"So, how do you know that you're going to have a baby boy?"

"Because your Aunt Hermione was able to show us the baby," Astoria told them as their heads turned to look at Hermione.

"Angelica said that you needed my help?" Charlie said as he entered the small medical room.

"Yes, we need your love for Angelica to help us defeat the curse inside of Uncle Draco," Kitten told him.

"Okay, and how is that going to help you defeat a curse? Oh, wait, never mind. What do you need me to do?"

"Well, what I need everybody to do, is to form a circle around Uncle Draco and hold hands. We'll have Aunt Astoria sit at Uncle Draco's feet," and a large comfortable stool appeared there for her to sit in, "With Venus on one side of her and Centauri on the other side. Mum and dad on the side that they are already on, you and Angelica at his head and Ced and his wives behind me." Kitten was placing everybody where she wanted them.

"Girls, whatever you learn here you can never in your lives repeat," Astoria warned her girls upon hearing Kitten address Cici and Vic as Ced's wives. The two girls hadn't been there for either of the weddings.

"Everybody is going to need to hold hands and open your minds to the love that your family members have for you, you need to focus on your love for your family members. We're going to overpower this curse with love." She told them.

As all of them took each other's hands, Daphne could feel the love that her parents had for each other starting to radiate off of them, she could feel the waves of love that Ced and his wives had for each other also. Charlie had never been in a situation like this before, but he worked hard to try and let his love for Angelica flow out of him and to her. Angelica had seen the love that her in-laws had for each other, and the love that her daughter and her spouses had for themselves. Astoria focused on her love for her daughters and her unborn child that was poisoning her body. She focused on her love for Draco that worked every day to show his love for his family. She knew that he worked every day to redeem himself in the eyes of the wizarding world for being the son of a Death Eater and for having been branded with the Dark Mark.

As the love began to fill the room, Kitten once again began to focus on defeating the curse that was killing Astoria. Again, the Dark Mark tried lashing out at Synthia, but this time Kitten was ready for it, and when it lashed out, she trapped it and began to pull on it. The Dark Mark was being literally ripped off of Draco's skin. Another portion of the Dark Mark tried lashing out at Kitten herself, and she blocked it with a shield. The golden red glow that was surrounding Harry and Hermione deflected the black curse away from them. The golden red glow that had enveloped Ced and his wives had spread and was enveloping Daphne at this time, and she could feel the power of their love. She channelled that love down her arm, and down her wand, at the curse that was fighting like no other curse she had ever seen, fight back. It was fighting like a creature, trying to strike out and attack someone. All of the other curses that she had fought had always just tried to hang on to their victims. This one was actively fighting her, it was trying to strike at her like a snake would. She thought about that for a minute, if it was acting like a snake, then she needed to get it to uncoil from whatever it was coiled up around. What was it coiled up around though? She used her free hand and waved it over the curse to see where its tendrils were going. She followed the black trail down into Draco's arm, then up his arm into his shoulder, down his chest, and to his heart. The tendrils went from his heart across the open space to the child in Astoria's womb, through the child's heart down through the umbilical cord and up into Astoria's heart.

"Vic, without breaking the chain, can you slide down and put the hand that you're holding Venus's hand with on Aunt Astoria's shoulder? Venus, do not let go of Vic's hand until it is on your mum's shoulder." Kitten told the second-year student. "Dad, can you do the same with the hand that you're holding Centauri's hand with? And Centauri, do not let go of his hand until it is on your mum's shoulder." She told her dad and the fourth-year student.

Once they had done that. "You need to let your love envelope Astoria. The curse has invaded her heart and the baby's heart. I've got one end of the curse with Synthia but we need to drive the curse out of Astoria's body, and out of the baby's body too."

Harry and Hermione worked on letting their love flood over Astoria and her three children. Kitten could see the golden-red glow of their love stretching out to envelope her. She watched as the love from Vic and her spouses flowed off of them and was starting to cover Astoria too. Soon both of her daughters were covered fully in the love of the soul-bonded people in the room. Angelica could feel the love coming off of her daughter starting to cover her as Charlie could feel the love coming off of Hermione. Soon, Astoria began to shake as she sat in the chair, as the love she was being covered with drove the hatred out of her heart. It seemed as if it was taking forever as the love loosened the grip the hatred had on her and her unborn son. The tendrils let go of her heart and retreated down into the unborn child. The love in herself pushed down on the hatred, forcing it out of her womb and back to where it had come from. Kitten started to pull harder on the tendril that she had trapped with her wand. She didn't want to break the tendril, but she kept a steady pull on it.

"Venus, Centauri, without breaking the chain, take their hands again. We're going to use their love to build an unbreakable wall across your dad's body so the curse can't leave again.

Astoria and her girls watched as the golden red glow moved up their father's legs to his hips, and then it moved up to the bottom of his chest and stopped there. No, it didn't stop, it just slowed down. Still using her free hand, Kitten was able to see that the tendril had stopped at Draco's heart. Slowly the wall of love was creeping up Draco's torso until it touched his heart. The hatred, in its fight to stay inside of Draco, started to cause his body to thrash about. Immediately straps appeared to hold his body still so he wouldn't be injured by the curse. Now the golden red glow, advanced more from Ced's side of Draco's body than Harry's side, slowly the glow started to envelop Draco's heart, his right lung was fully covered, and then the tendrils retreated up into his shoulder and held on. With Draco's heart and both lungs now covered by the power of love, Kitten cast a bubble shield to envelope the curse and the portions of Draco's body that the curse was inhabiting. The golden red glow now started to come more from Cici's area of the chain of love and covered Draco's head, protecting his mind, and his right shoulder, it began pushing the hatred out of his left shoulder. Draco's body was bouncing around on the examination table, and if it weren't for the straps holding it in place, the curse would have done more harm to his body that it had already. As the golden red glow forced the curse down his arm, the bubble shield continued to collapse around the curse. Eventually, Kitten stopped using her free hand to track the curse, and she conjured a large unbreakable jar to hold the curse in. As the curse was driven back into Draco's left forearm, the Dark Mark started to become unstuck from his skin and Kitten was able to lift the Dark Mark off of his arm completely, transferring it into the unbreakable jar and sealing it. With the curse removed from Draco's body, his body relaxed once again and lay still. The golden red glow from Harry and Hermione finished covering Draco's body and changed in colour to a golden green glow as love began to heal his body from the ravages of the hatred. The golden glow that was enveloping Astoria and her girls changed to a golden green glow also as her body was being healed of all of the damages caused by the curse. Slowly Astoria's strength came back to her, she could feel her heart beating stronger in her chest, and she just knew that her son was growing in strength too. A calmness enveloped her, and she felt the intensity of the love that Ced, Vic, and Cici had for each other. She and her daughters were still, fully inside of the cocoon of love, it was hard for her to find a reason to want to leave this cocoon, but she knew she must. She could see Draco getting stronger, she saw as the Dark Mark was removed from his body, and she could see the black curse swirling in the unbreakable jar that Kitten had levitated over his body. Eventually, she decided to push herself up and out of the stool that had been conjured for her, as she did so, the cocoon of love that had covered her, pulled back into the soul-bonded threesome. She moved forward, along her husband's body, to take his free hand and squeeze it lovingly.

She saw that Kitten looked tired as she moved past her, Astoria said, "Thank you. Thank you, to all of you. Thank you, for what you have done here today for us."

As the golden red glow pulled back into Hermione and Harry, Kitten rennervated Draco.

Draco blinked his eyes trying to get used to the amount of light in the room. He turned his head and saw Harry and Hermione on one side of him, he looked in the other direction, and he saw Astoria standing next to him holding his hand lovingly, there was Kitten, and Ced and his wives. He looked down at his feet, and he could see Venus and Centauri, when had they gotten there? He tilted his head upwards, and he could see Angelica and Charlie there upside down. When had Charlie come into the room? He slowly became aware that he felt different, he somehow felt less angry, he felt more at peace. That was unusual, the anger had been a part of his life for as long as he could remember, this could take a while to think about. Astoria looked better than she had in a long time. He could feel that his left forearm was uncovered and he moved quickly to cover his arm and hide the mark that he was ashamed of. As he tried to move, he could feel the restraints releasing. Why had he been restrained? He looked down at the arm he was trying to cover, to see, to see, the Dark Mark was gone. Where did the Dark Mark go? When had it been removed? He had been told that the mark could never be removed, and those that had tried to remove it had died. Off to the side, he could see a jar with a black mist swirling around in it, and if a mist could look hateful, this one did.

"Did that come out of me?" he asked. Even his voice seemed different. It seemed more pleasant?

"Well, actually, it came out of Astoria, and it came out of Scorpius, and then it came out of you," Kitten told him.

"Who's Scorpius?" Draco asked in confusion. He looked around the room again to see if there was someone there that he had missed.

"Scorpius," Kitten said as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world.

Draco just looked at her blankly.

Kitten sighed heavily, "Scorpius is your son's name." she told him.

"How do you know that's my son's name?" he asked her.

"Draco," Harry said.

Draco's head turned to look at Harry.

"Are you really going to argue with her? You know it's a lost cause."

"He told me his name when we were talking." She told him.

Now it was Astoria's turn, "You were talking to my son?"

"Yes! He's very excited to be a part of your family. He says that he likes Venus and Centauri though he wished that Centauri wouldn't dye her hair green, he likes red better." Kitten told her.

Centauri's hands flew up to her Slytherin green hair.

.

.

The floo flaring to life found the group of teenagers sitting in the living room talking and just being teenagers, Uncle Oswald and Aunt Felicia stepped out of the floo together, to be greeted by Gareth. He led them to the sitting room before he turned to go inform the Head of the House. A moment later the floo came to life again, as Sirius and Amelia stepped through and into the Potter Mansion. Dobby was there to greet them and led them to the sitting room to wait with Lord and Lady Greengrass.

Sirius looked at the group of teens and briefly wondered why James hadn't meshed with Cedric and Cecilia. It seemed as if they were starting to get along but then, … Maybe it was the age difference. Two and a half years didn't seem all that much, but did a sixteen-year-old really want to hang out with a couple of fourteen-year old's? Probably not, not at that age anyway. James already had his group of friends in school, and now he had graduated and was helping him at the office. He had a nice girl, and things looked like they could have a future together.

Ced looked up, then Cici and Vic looked up, and they all waved to them briefly. They really didn't see Aunt Am as the Minister of Magic. She was just Aunt Amelia, Uncle Sirius's wife. Like Tonks was Tonks.

Harry noted that none of the teenagers wasn't sitting on any of the furniture. They were all sitting on the rug leaning up against the couches and chairs. Ced, Cici, and Vic were all interlaced together as Ced leaned against the couch behind them. George had Amber leaning up against him, Rose was leaning against a chair while Julia was pressed up against Fred. Angel was sitting next to Vic as they all were talking animatedly about something or another.

" _I'm glad that they're getting a chance to be kids."_ Hermione thought to him.

" _Me too,"_ he said.

He stopped on the landing and pulled her in against his body tightly to give her a kiss.

" _I love you so much."_ He thought to her.

" _I love you too,"_ she replied as they kissed again.

Harry let her go so they could continue to walk down the stairs to the sitting room.

.

.

After lunch, Cici and her spouses saw the other teens off to their homes before Vic went to talk with Uncle Os, Sirius, and her dad about the young woman they were so impressed with.

"She works for one of our companies, and we have no place to promote her too." Os was telling her.

"Her division has the highest rate of employee retention," Sirius told her.

"It also has the highest productivity of any in the company," Os said.

"I'm worried that we're going to lose her if we don't find her another challenge," Sirius said.

"Is she honest?" was the only question that Vic could think of to ask. She was tired of dealing with people in the business world trying to steal from her. She didn't like that men wanted to keep her below the glass ceiling, she had broken that barrier years ago, and she had no intention of ever letting it hold her back. She didn't want much, but she knew that she was asking a lot.

"Is she honest?" Sirius looked at Os and then at Harry. "I guess so," He said. He had never considered that before, he had just assumed that she would be honest.

"I don't think that Sirius and I would recommend her to you if we felt that she wasn't," Os told her gently.

"I'm sorry," Vic said sheepishly. "It's just that on Friday, I dropped in on the company and I find a guy trying to steal my company from me. Then I find out that he had set up six different accounts, that he was transferring money into, to help fund terrorists. And before that, I found everybody in the company was stealing money for their own good! And the men that I replaced them with were all sexual perverts or were stealing money too! And the guy that was trying to steal my company had raped and murdered my executive assistant!

"I can't run the company, go to school, and do what we do for the government, all at the same time!" She seemed to deflate for a second. "But I don't want to sell the company, but I make more money being a contractor for the government than I have off of owning the company. But the company has never really had a chance to perform! Everybody has been trying to bleed it dry! If Ragrok hadn't been able to recover as much money as he did on Friday, I would've had to take money out of my vault, our vault, and transfer it into the companies account to keep the company afloat." She gave them the abbreviated version of what she had discovered on Friday and what she was feeling.

Os and Sirius really hadn't known what all had been happening at Cleansweep, but now they could see how the only question that Vic could come up with, was, was the woman that they were recommending to her, honest.

"Is she honest? I am forced to assume so. I haven't asked her to take veritaserum, but if you would like to meet her, I would be willing to bring her to your office on Monday before lunch." Os told her kindly.

"I agree with Os. I don't think that she could be doing as good a job as she's doing if she wasn't honest. All of her numbers would say that she is honest. If you want, you can ask her if she would be willing to take veritaserum before you hire her." Sirius offered a compromise.

Vic looked over at Harry to see what he thought of the situation. "It wouldn't hurt to meet her, and who knows, you might even like her." He told her.

Vic looked at Os and Sirius, "I apologise for being emotional about this. It's been a rough start to my spring break." She told them as she stood up, signalling an end to the meeting "I look forward to meeting her at the office on Monday morning before lunch. I need to have another board meeting to find out where things are and start getting things back on track."

"That sounds good, and no need to apologise for what's happened. To be honest, I think that you've handled this better than I would. I remember watching you clean house, and we were all amazed at how much corruption was there." Sirius told her.

"You showed a lot of restraint in not hexing all of them!" Os told her jokingly as he pushed himself up, onto his artificial legs.

"Yeah, she did," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Uncle Os, Uncle Sirius, dad, I'm going to go and try and relax before tomorrow. Thank you all for all of your help." Vic told the adults in the room. With a simple wave of her hand, all of the charms and spells were cancelled, and the doors opened before her. She turned and headed for the stairs.

"So, Harry, tell us what happened on Friday." Sirius sat back down and asked his godson.

Harry and Os both sat back down as Harry started to tell them about what had happened at Cleansweep Brooms on Friday.

.

Up in her room, Ced and Vic looked up from the bed. "What's going on Little One?" Cici asked her.

"Do, you all want to go into the house for a while? I need a holiday." She told them.

"Sure, what's happening on Monday?" Ced asked her as Cici rolled off of him.

"Uncle Os and Uncle Sirius are going to bring a woman over to the company for me to meet. They're really impressed with her, and they don't have any place for her to get promoted to, so they're offering her to me." Vic told them

"Okay, that sounds good," Cici told her.

"Let me tell mum and dad that we're going into the house and that we will see them in the morning," Ced told his wives.

"We will see you there," Cici told him as she stood next to Vic.

A moment later and Vic was gone. A moment after her and Cici was gone. Ced stood there looking at two runes fading into the carpet. He walked out the door and down the hall to his parent's room.

He knocked on the door, and it swung open a little. "Mum? Dad?" he called out as he peaked through the crack in the door.

"Back here honey!" his mum called to him.

He pushed the door open a little more and headed for the study in his parent's bedroom. As he rounded the corner to the study, he could see his mum reading a medical journal.

"Hey, we were going to go into the house for a little while. We'll see you in the morning." He told her.

"Um, okay." She said as she closed the journal down onto one finger to hold her place. "Is Vic doing okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, all of this stuff with the company is just getting her down. I think that when she hires the right person to be there when she can't, her life will get a lot easier." He told her.

"It will, and she'll find the right person. I hope that this woman that Os is bringing tomorrow morning works out for her."

"We do too," he answered her. "Well, I need to hurry up, they've probably been in there for a week already, and now they don't need me anymore!" he joked with his mum.

"You better hurry!" she teased him back.

"See you in the morning." He told her.

"See you then. Night honey!" she called after him.

.

.

Ced stepped off of the marble platform and started walking towards their bedroom in the house. "Good afternoon Ced," Ade called to him from nowhere and from everywhere at the same time.

"Good afternoon Ade, what is the time difference for the house?" he asked her as he walked.

"Your wives want a total of three years in the house after you arrived." She told him. "Since you are here, I have already made the correct adjustments." She told him.

"Thank you, Ade." He told her. _"Where are you?"_ he thought to his wives.

" _On the beach where we belong."_ Cici thought back to him.

" _What she said,"_ Vic replied.

" _Why'd you choose three years?"_ he asked.

" _Well, we need to study up on curse breaking! Who do you think is going to be removing any wards and curses left by those guys?"_ Cici asked him.

" _I thought that we'd let all of the others have a crack at it."_ He told her.

" _And who's going to be there if something goes wrong_?" she asked him.

" _Well, we would be."_

" _And what if the curse is something that's above our level?"_

" _Well…"_

" _We don't need anybody getting hurt. So, we need to be up to the task."_ She told him.

" _What about, …"_

" _Vic's going to be busy with her board meeting. And then after that, she's going to be busy interviewing this woman to be her new COO."_ She scolded him.

" _Why are you so hostile?"_ he asked.

" _Your wife's hurting Ced!"_

" _Well, I'm going as fast as I can! Unless you just want me to come down there naked!"_

He could feel both of his wives perk up at that thought.

" _Really?"_ he thought back to them.

" _Works for me."_

" _Works for me too."_

" _Whatever."_ He thought to them as he shifted to their side, holding the skimpy little swim trunks in his hand.

" _I don't think those swim trunks are going to be big enough."_ Cici thought.

Vic's head rolled to the side, and she looked at her husband standing there holding the skimpy little trunks that they had chosen for him. _"I think you're right, they may not be big enough."_ She thought as she looked at her husband's naked form.

Ced started to put the trunks on, first one leg then the other. He could feel his wives watching him with interest. Then he began to work the green trunks up over his thighs. They were stretchy, and he did manage to work them up his thighs, then he worked at getting them over his bum, but when it came time to put the rest of him in them, well, the girls were right, there was more of him than what the trunks would hold comfortably.

Vic watched as her husband worked the trunks up his legs and over his tight arse. She watched with interest as he pulled and tugged on the stretchy material, and worked to get his equipment into the pouch of the skimpy trunks, but alas, his swelling member was already too large to fit.

Cici watched as Ced was working to get his enlarging equipment into the skimpy trunks. All of the physical, as well as the mental stimulation, was causing his stuff to swell in size. She knew without a doubt, that when he was fully grown, the trunks wouldn't fit, they wouldn't even cover half of what was there.

The girls' excitement at watching him, was causing Ced's body to send blood to his enlarging equipment. With this mental stimulation, as well as the constant jostling of trying to make things fit where they were no longer going to fit, was causing him to become even more aroused. Cici was right, when he gave up, and played their game, more than half of Ced was sticking out of the trunks when he placed the waistband where it should have been.

With a flick of her wrist, Vic banished the swim trunks, and the pressure that was against Ced's equipment was gone, letting it spring free. Cici lay there and looked up at her naked husband standing there in all of his glory.

" _You're a good-looking man Ced."_ She thought to him.

" _Yeah, he is."_ Vic agreed with her.

They watched as his cheeks turned pink at the complements, then Cici conjured a pair of Bermuda style trunks for him to slip on, knowing that he really didn't enjoy being naked. She might not like clothes, and her wife was okay going topless, but she knew that Ced really did not enjoy being naked. Naked in bed was one thing, but being outside of the bedroom without clothes on, was not Ced's cup of tea.

" _Thank you."_ He said as he started to pull on the trunks. _"Yes, I enjoy seeing you naked."_ He said as he made eye contact with Cici. _"And yes, I enjoy seeing you going topless."_ He told Vic as he made eye contact with her. _"But no, I do not enjoy running around outside without any clothes on."_ He told them.

Before Ced could lay down, Vic rolled over and got to her feet. _"Let's go for a walk."_ She said to her mates.

" _Okay,"_ Cici said before she got to her feet.

With Cici on one side of her and Ced on the other, hand in hand, the loving trio headed off down the beach.

Three years of studying Ancient Runes and curse breaking. Three years of talking with Edmund on how to be more effective teachers. Three years of studying business management, for Vic and Ced. Three years of studying pre-med and the Healing Arts, for Cici. Then for the last week, the three of them did as little as possible so they would be as rested for Monday morning as they could be.

.

.

Their return to reality was met with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. They stripped out of their regular clothes to put on their workout clothes, and their trainers. Together, holding hands, they descended the stairs to the main floor of the house. Harry and Hermione were a little behind them. Charlie and Angelica were at the bottom waiting. George, Amber, and Angel were talking with Charlie and Angelica when the floo flared to life, and Rose stepped through, followed by Fred and Julia.

As the group was getting ready to head to the training room, the floo flared to life again and out stepped Draco.

"Uncle Draco! Is everything okay?" Cici asked worriedly.

"Yes, and thank you again for your help." He told her. "Harry, I was wondering if it would be okay for Delphi to join us this morning?" he asked.

"Sure." His brow furrowed. "Just a moment while I give her permission to come through the floo." He said as he walked over to the floo. His wand ejected into his hand and then he started to move it in an intricate manner. A couple of minutes later he said. "Okay, you can bring her through."

Draco walked over to the floo and stepped back in. Less than a minute later he and Professor Riddle stepped back through the floo. Delphi had never been to the Potter mansion, between the large group of people awake at this early hour, and the overall splendour of the mansion she was close to being overwhelmed.

"Delphi, you've met Ced, Cici, and Vic at school." Draco started helping her take it all in, one piece at a time. "This is Fred, Rose, and Julia." They waved to her politely. "This is George, Angel, and Amber." They waved to her politely also. "Harry you've met. This is his wife, Hermione."

"Lady Gryffindor!" she curtsied, and she looked at the floor.

"Please call me Hermione."

"This is Cici's mum Angelica and her husband, Charlie." Draco finished the introductions.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you!" she said. Why are there so many students here? And they're all good students too! She thought.

"Why don't you come to the training room with us?" Harry suggested. "We were about to go get on some treadmills." He turned indicating that he wanted to go that way, and was trying to get others to follow his lead.

"Okay," Draco said. "I just wanted her to meet all of you in a less formal setting, and someplace other than school." He told them.

The group moved down the hallway towards the back of the house and then they turned and entered the training room. With a wave of his hand, Harry added some more treadmills, and then one more when he saw his son Neville come running into the room.

Neville skidded to a stop when he saw one of his professors standing in the room too. He stood there looking at her, why was she here?

"I think that Nev's worried that he might be in some kind of trouble!" Ced commented out loud to the group with mirth.

The two professors, his mum and dad all turned around to look at him, "Oh, no, dear. You're not in any kind of trouble!" Delphi told him as her hair changed to a warm shade of red. "My cousin, Draco just wanted me to meet his group of friends!" she told him in a warm, caring voice.

"Are you going to stay and practice with us?" Nev asked her timidly.

"Practice? Practice what?" she asked looking around like she was an intruder again.

"Whenever we're home, we practice duelling. And we also go out running, but it's raining outside." He told her.

"So, you get to do magic outside of school?" she asked in amazement.

"Yes," Harry started to tell her. "The laws for the regulation of underage magic can't distinguish between Mione's magic and Neville's magic. It's this kind of loopholes that we take advantage of to help our kids." He explained.

"So, by Ilvermorny taking our wands away from us on the holidays they were really holding us back!" she said in an angry, shocked tone of voice.

"Correct," Draco told her.

"To my way of thinking, the laws are there to keep the kids from using magic when they're out in the muggle world. Not when they're out in the magical world." Harry told her. "Would you like to go for a run with us?" he asked as he got on one of the treadmills.

All of the teenagers had begun their warmup routine, and the noise in the room was getting louder with the sounds of feet hitting the decks of the treadmills. The whirring of the motors was adding to the hirer pitched noises in the room. Draco looked at her questioningly. Delphi shook her head no, not today.

"They'll be done in about half an hour if you want to stay and watch them practice." He leaned over and said into her ear so he wouldn't have to yell.

She leaned back towards him, "Okay!" she replied. She was curious as to the rest of their training.

Draco led her over to some of the chairs against the wall so they could sit down and talk. He put up a silencing charm so they wouldn't have to yell at each other as the rest ran on the treadmills. As they sat there and talked, Delphi looked around the room, taking in as much as she could. Her room had been in the attic of an old wizarding family that had supported the dark lord. Her upbringing had mirrored Harry's quite a lot. Both of them were orphans. Both of them were raised by people that didn't want them. Both of them had been made to feel less than what they truly were. Delphi had been raised by magicals where she knew that Harry had been raised by no-Majs. Muggles. As she was lost in thought about their similarities, the noise in the room died down, and Draco cancelled the silencing charm. His movement to get up yanked her back to the present. She looked around quickly to see what she had missed.

A sweaty Harry was walking over towards Draco and herself. "Did you want to try out the new room?" Harry asked Draco.

"Sure!" he said excitedly, almost like a kid in a toy store.

"Do you want to go with Ced and his wives?" Harry said to him.

Delphi's mind started to spin again, she was getting dizzy, did he just say 'Ced and his wives?'

Harry watched her calculatedly. Cici and her spouses had caught part of what Harry had said too. They watched also.

She had heard rumours of their special sleeping arrangements, theirs and Miss Berkshire's. Was he married to all three girls? But she never saw him holding her hand at all. He just seemed to hold his sister's hand and Miss Ramos's hand. Dang! She had only seen them for a couple of days! All of these kids had missed a lot of school, and it didn't seem to hold them back any. What did Harry just say?!

"Sure, four opponents each would be good," Draco told him as he transfigured his robes into something better suited to what he was about to start doing.

Delphi watched as Ced, Vic, Cici, and her cousin walked to the centre of the empty room. Harry started speaking into the air. Her mind drifted for a moment. Dang! I need to learn to focus more! Then she watched as the room seemed to get fuzzy, then it changed into a banking institution. Eight men dressed in a variety of clothing came running at the three teens and her cousin.

An hour later, the last opponent fell to a _diffindo_ cast by her cousin, and the room fuzzed again returning the four combatants back to the empty training room.

"Come on," Hermione told the other teens. "Let me start teaching you some basic first aid."

Delphi was in awe as the other teens went out into the training room and started to practice some simple first aid skills. She watched as Cici was dripping blood and she was healing Draco as Hermione was teaching Julia a simple spell to treat Cici's cut. Once the worst of Draco was taken care of, Vic started to teach George some other basic first aid spells to heal some of the other non-life-threatening injuries that they had.

Harry moved over to where Delphi was standing, taking all of the teamwork in. "It's kind of amazing to see what all of them can do, isn't it?"

"Hermione said that Ced was married? To more than one girl?" she asked. "You're okay with that? And yes, the level of knowledge is amazing. They're not being held back, simply because they're young." She told him.

"No, they're not. In answer to your other questions. Yes. Yes. And yes."

"But that's illegal." She told him.

"In some countries it is. They can show you their marriage certificate where it is blessed by the Creator himself if you want." He told her.

"The Creator?"

"Yes, Edmund, the creator of the magical world," Harry told her. "Hold on a minute."

"Who wants to go next?" he called out to the others.

Neville was bouncing in his spot with his hand raised high, Delphi saw. So, this explained why he was so good in her class. She watched as both Julia and Amber volunteered to go with him. Harry selected a simple magical scenario with three opponents each, he also decided on a split skill level too. The room fuzzed as he left the centre of the room, then it was an office filled with cubicles, and offices down the sides and around the walls. Delphi watched as four opponents entered the room alertly as if they had been warned that there could be escaped prisoners hiding in there. Neville got off the first shot, but he missed as the opponent rolled to the side. She saw Julia move to help Neville with his opponent when Amber yelled something, and she turned just in time to miss getting hit herself. With her back turned to Neville's opponent the bad guy tried to take the easy shot but Neville blocked the curse headed her way, and she saw him point for her to go and help Amber. While Julia was getting her head on straight, Amber had managed to take down another opponent. Delphi watched as three new opponents entered the room full of cubicles, now she counted a total of five opponents against the three of them, and Neville hadn't even taken out his first opponent yet. Neville looked around the office furniture to see where Amber and Julia were. They were about six cubicles down from where he was taking cover. 'Come on Neville!' she thought to herself, 'Change locations! You've been there too long!' Then as if he had heard her thoughts Neville darted to the cubicle across from his. When his opponent stuck his head out to get a look, Neville hit him with a _stupefy_ dropping him in his tracks. 'Move again!' Delphi willed him to move. Neville checked that it was safe and he darted to a cubicle closer to the two more skilled witches. As he was running across the aisle, he fired a stupefy down the aisle to help keep whoever else might be down there hidden. He ducked down just as an ugly red curse flew over the top of the cubicle. Neville looked to see how his teammates were fairing and saw them casting and moving, casting and moving. In fact, they had moved down two more cubicles already! He saw another head pop out and made a note of its location, she saw him tense as he prepared to cast another hex in that direction. 'There's the movement Neville fire! Fire!' she willed him to cast that hex. And he hesitated! 'No! No! You waited too long!' Then she watched as he cast another hex down the aisle and got lucky with it. He moved quickly to a cubicle two down from where he was last. As he was running, he took another shot and got the third opponent from his end of the aisle, and it was as if it was happening in slow motion. Delphi watched as the hex flew over the heads of the two girls and caught Neville in the back dropping him hard against one of the desktops, she watched as his head snapped back, and his body lay crumpled up against a filing cabinet holding the desktop in place. Delphi started to rush into the scenario with both of her wands in her hands when the last of the opponents fell to the ground. Hermione, Cici, Angelica, and Vic were rushing to check on Neville too, as the training room fuzzed again.

As Delphi was bending over to lift Neville, Hermione shouted, "Don't touch him!"

Delphi stopped and looked at her with an 'I'm not good enough to touch your child?' kind of look.

"I need to check him for spinal injuries," Hermione told her more gently.

"Oh, okay," Delphi replied relieved.

With her wand in her hand, Hermione ran a high-level diagnostic spell over the full length of Neville's spine. Other than a mild concussion, he was just going to have a wicked black eye.

" _Rennervate!"_ Hermione said after she was finished checking Neville over.

As soon as he was rennervated, Neville's hand went to his eye, "Ow! That hurts!" he whined.

"Yeah! You should have seen what the desk looked like!" Ced teased his little brother.

"Did we win?" he asked.

"Sit up and don't move for me." His mum told him.

Hermione looked around for the other teens, when she had their attention, she said, "You can use this spell to help with things like black eyes and severe bruising." And she went ahead and used the spell on Neville's black eye that was swelling shut. When she had finished with the spell, his eye was still bruised, but it was no longer as swollen. Then she summoned a couple of vials to her, one of them was a pain reliever, and the other was a Vitamix to help him get some of his pep back.

Harry looked at his watch, "Well, it's time for everyone to get their showers so we can have breakfast on time! Vic and I have an appointment this morning!" he told them. He looked at Delphi, "You are welcome to join us for breakfast if you would like. It would give you a chance to meet the rest of the family." He offered to her.

Delphi's hair changed from red to purple and then slowly back to the blue that she had been wearing for the last couple of years. She looked over at Draco.

"Don't look at me! I think that you would have a lot of fun if you stayed for breakfast." He told her. "Just remember your manners though!"

Delphi's eyes scrunched closed as her brow furrowed in thought.

Draco looked at Harry, "Would you ask Charles if he could go easy on her? Please?" Draco asked gently.

"Who's Charles?" Delphi asked.

"You'll see. I want to get back home to Toria. She's doing amazing since yesterday." Draco told Harry. "Thank you again."

"Don't thank me! Thank Kitten! It was a team effort too." Harry reminded him.

"Hey! Speaking of thanking people, did you ever get Car-baun that cow you were supposed to get him? Weren't you supposed to get one for Uasal and one for Car-baun?" Vic asked him, the slightest hint of a smirk on her face.

Hermione turned around and looked at Draco, all of the teens gathered around to watch what he was going to do.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Draco asked her.

"CAR-BAUN!" Vic started to yell at the top of her lungs. "UASAL!" she screamed again.

Draco waved his hand quickly casting a gag charm on Vic.

Vic's eyes went wide at what he had just done to her. She waved her hand and cancelled the gag charm, "You did not just put a gag charm on me!" her tone threatening.

"I did! And I'll do it again if I have to!" he told her defiantly.

"Try it, and I'll hex you like you've never been hexed before!" she threatened him.

"Big talk for a little girl!" he antagonised her.

"Bring it on, old man." She told him her tone turning icy.

"Any time anywhere." He matched her tone going toe to toe with her.

"I've kicked your arse once, I can do it again." She told him the smirk finally breaking through.

"You got lucky, and you know it!" he smiled at her.

"Do you want to go double or nothing?" she asked him.

"Are we talking galleons or cows?" he asked her. He still remembered the scolding he got from Toria last Christmas.

"Cows, because I don't want Aunt Astoria getting mad at me." She told him.

"So, if you lose you buy the dragons their stupid cows, if I win I'll buy them four cows." He confirmed the bet.

"Deal." She told him.

"Fifteen minutes?" he asked her.

"I'm going to need less than five." She told him coldly.

"Put your cows where your mouth is." He teased her.

"Dad." She said, not taking her eyes off of Uncle Draco, lest he apparate out of the room somehow.

Dad? Delphi thought to herself.

"Room, training room delta," Harry told the room.

The room fuzzed for a moment, and then it reappeared with several barricades and other spots for opponents to hide behind. Harry looked at the two opponents to make sure the room was acceptable to both of them.

"Time to put up or shut up," Vic told her uncle.

"Are you going to pick a side or just talk me into unconsciousness?" he antagonised her some more.

Delphi watched as the well-built young woman with almost zero body fat, dressed in a black sports bra, skin-tight black running shorts, and trainers moved over to the far-right side of the room. What was she? A fifth-year? Her cousin had been teaching for more years than she had been alive. Draco threw the first hex at Vic's back. She didn't even turn around she just flicked her wand and deflected the spell.

"You know what happened to the last guy that tried to attack me from behind!?" she yelled across the room. "I kicked his teeth down his throat! Just ask my mum! Because she was the one that put them all back in place!"

"The clock's set! Fifteen minutes! GO!" Harry yelled.

Ced and Cici knew that Vic wasn't wearing enough clothing to make it worth her while to charm them into a shield.

But what she did do, surprised everyone, she put a lot of power into a disillusionment charm making herself virtually invisible. This impressed both Harry and Hermione. Delphi was amazed by what she saw, the only thing that could have been better was an invisibility cloak. Vic listened for Draco to make a sound, she waited, and then his shoe creaked, and she changed locations in a blink of an eye. The crowd of people watched as Draco stood up with his hands in the air, then he was gone. Vic changed locations, cast and move, cast and move, and she had yet to cast a single hex. But then again, Draco hadn't cast one either. She had to think, she had to think, what could she do? Her elemental magic! Vic conjured heavy, thick, glass walls around the whole room. Then she fused the walls together to make them watertight. As she looked at her spouses, they looked a little distorted because of the glass, then she caused the room to start filling with water. She knew that she didn't have very long before their time was up, but she needed to flush him out of where ever he was hiding. Finally! When the water was above her hips, Draco stood up and cast the first hex at her. Vic used _protego alavaris_ to reflect the hex back at him. He was quick enough that he side-stepped the hex. Draco tried to force his way through the water to get to a taller barricade. Vic just parted the water as she walked towards him. She was on the hunt now, and her quarry was in sight. Draco tried shadow duelling, but when he reappeared, he made a splash and Vic changed directions towards him. He cast another spell at her, and she raised a wall of water up to block the curse. Using both hands, she commanded the water to go to the far side of the room suddenly. As the water obeyed her command, it swept Draco's feet out from under him causing him to fall hard on his backside. She had closed the distance on him, he was less than seven metres away when he disappeared again. Vic turned and released the wall of water, and it surged through the room again, this time it brought a curse from Draco's mouth as he fell again and landed on his backside.

"That bloody hurts! I think that you broke my tailbone!" he yelled out from behind a barricade.

Vic turned towards the sound of his voice, then she commanded the water to lift Draco up and into view. She walked towards him, "If you try to hex me again, I will drop you from that height on your arse again." She threatened him. She walked over to him and cast a mid-level diagnostic spell and examined his tailbone. He was right, it was splintered.

"Well?" he asked as she examined him.

"Are you going to buy the cows?" she asked.

"Yes, I'll buy the stupid cows."

"This week?"

"Yes, this week." He told her.

"Alright, I'm going to set you down." She told him as she removed the water from the room and then the glass walls.

"Is he okay?" Hermione asked.

"He went down pretty hard," Ced told her.

"Can you walk to the medical room?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I think so." He told her. Geez! I was just in here yesterday!

"Okay, lay down on your belly," Hermione told him.

Then she motioned for the teens to come over so they could learn. She taught them the basic diagnostic spell to get a patient's vitals. Then she showed them the mid-level diagnostic spell that Vic had just used a few moments before. Then while she had Draco laid out on an examination table, she showed the teens a high-level diagnostic spell. They all got to see the differences between the spells and what they were good for. Once she was finished with that lesson, she taught them how to repair broken bones. After she was finished, she checked on her work by using the mid-level diagnostic spell, and they could see how the bones had been returned to their correct places and healed.

"Does that feel better?" Hermione asked Draco.

"Yes, thank you." He told her.

"If you are still going to have breakfast with Toria, you had best hurry up. It's getting late." Hermione told him.

"Thank you again," Draco said as he rolled over and sat up to get off of the table. "I'll see you later." He said to Delphi. Then he rushed out of the room and to the floo.

As the group of people moved out of the room and down the hall at a much slower pace, "If you want to get a shower, I can have one of the elves show you to a room." Harry told Delphi.

"No, I'll be okay. I really didn't do anything." She said in reply.

As they left the hallway, Cathaoir was waiting for them at the bottom of the Grand Staircase. _"Hi, Delphi."_ Boomed inside of their heads.

"Good morning, Cathaoir." She said in reply.

All of the other teens said some version of good morning to him also.

" _I'll keep her company as you go and get ready for your day,"_ Cathaoir told Harry and Hermione.

"Thank you, Cathaoir." They both said to him as they started up the stairs after the kids.

Cathaoir looked at Delphi, and then he started walking towards the sitting room, _"Did I ever tell you about the time that Edmund and I were out walking, and he tripped over a …"_

.

At the breakfast table, Cici, Vic, and Ced were the last to arrive as was almost normal. After he had seated both girls, Ced was rewarded with a kiss on the lips from each of them. Then each of them ordered what they wanted for breakfast that morning.

As the group of friends were talking over breakfast, Charles popped in with a louder than normal pop, "If Mistress Riddle would please refrain from speaking with her mouth full, it would be a more pleasant experience for the others at the table." he told her with the infamous stick laid across the back of her hand.

Delphi's eyes were wide looking at the stick laid across the back of her hand. She didn't even notice every other pair of eyes on the same stick. Or that the conversation in the room had come to a complete stop. She followed the stick down to the small creature that was holding it and saw one of the oldest house elves that she had ever seen in her life.

"Good manners help make the meal more enjoyable for everyone else at the table," he told her kindly. Then he was gone with the faintest of pops.

Delphi looked up, was this what Draco had warned her about?

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 04.13.2018**


	50. Year Five Chapter 50

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 50

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Caroline Coulter stepped out of the floo and into the reception area of Cleansweep Brooms. She was dressed very well in a grey wool business suit consisting of a knee length skirt, matching coat, and white silk blouse. Her red Prada heels clicked as she walked across the tiled floor, holding her red Prada clutch. A moment after her, Oswald Greengrass and then Sirius Black stepped through the floo also.

After brushing himself off, Os looked over at Caroline, "Please follow me." He said as he started up the stairs to the second floor of the office.

Oswald led them down the hallway to the end where it formed a 'T' and stopped.

Caroline looked at the large breasted, dark-haired witch sitting behind the desk, already forming opinions about who this person was, that she was to meet with this morning.

"Just a minute sir," Cassy said as she stood up and went over and knocked softly on a door. Then she opened the door without waiting for permission. She only stuck her head inside of the crack that was made by the open door, she pulled her head back out and closed the door. "Follow me please." She addressed the group of business people. Then she turned led them down the hallway to the conference room.

Cassy led the group of business people into the conference room, both doors open, and pulled out a rolling highbacked office chair, "Mam, if you would please sit here." she said.

Caroline didn't like the chair; her back was to the doors, and she was looking out of the windows into the bright sunlight that had broken through the clouds, causing a lot of glare. It put her in a weak position for negotiations.

Several minutes later, Cassy reentered the room, "Would you like something to drink?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine," Caroline said. She was getting tired of waiting.

Cassy looked at the two men in the room.

"No, I'm good," Os said.

"I'll be okay," Sirius told her.

Several minutes later, Caroline heard the doors open again, she looked to the side to see Lord Gryffindor enter the room and start walking around the conference room table. She didn't see the young woman dressed in business attire that he was leading until she sat down across the table from her. Her gazed shifted from the end of the table, where Lord Gryffindor sat with her other bosses. Then she snapped her gaze back to the young woman sitting across from her. She didn't see the two other occupants of the room enter and sit against the wall behind her.

Vic introduced herself to Caroline, "Good morning, I'm Victoria Potter, and you come highly recommended to me." She said leaning across the table to shake the woman's hand, before sitting down.

Caroline stood up quickly to take the offered hand, "I'm Caroline Coulter." She said, trying to figure out what was going on here.

"I can see that you're a little confused," Vic told her.

"Yes."

"You were probably expecting to be speaking with some stodgy old men about this new position." She summed up her thoughts for her. Well, at least she knows some occlumency.

"Yes, I wasn't given much information before I came here. I was just told that there was an opportunity for advancement if I was interested." She said looking between her bosses and this young girl in a thousand-galleon business suit.

"I apologise for that. The decision wasn't made until this past weekend." Vic told her. "Please, tell me about yourself."

Caroline told her about her O.W.L.s, her N.E.W.T.s, and that she had gotten her Masters in Arithmancy. She had worked for this company until she had gotten passed over for a promotion. Then she had worked for another company until Lord Black had found her, and he had hired her away from there, that's how she had met Lord Greengrass and his daughter.

"They were willing to give me a chance." She finished up.

"What's employee retention like in your department?" Vic asked her.

"I have the lowest employee turnover in the company, and we have the highest productivity in the company." She bragged about her accomplishments to her.

"How did you achieve such an outstanding feat?" Vic asked her.

"I believe in training my people and paying them what they're worth. With even as much as I pay my people, which are some of the best paid in the company, my numbers are as good as, if not better than, any other division in the company." She told her firmly.

"So, you believe in paying your people well then," Vic stated, reiterating what Caroline had just told her.

"Yes, I believe in paying for experience." She told her.

"So, do you know what you're here for?" Vic asked her.

"If I were to guess, I would say that you're interviewing me for some position, but I don't know what position." She told her hesitantly.

"You are correct, I am interviewing you for a position. What do you know about Cleansweep Brooms?" she asked her.

"Honestly, not a lot. I know that they're the largest broom manufacturer in Great Britain. But not much more than that."

"Cleansweep Brooms is the largest broom manufacturer in all of Europe. We own Nimbus and Firebolt brooms too. I am the sole owner of Cleansweep Brooms. On my first board meeting, I fired the entire board of directors for embezzlement. I fired the whole second board of directors for theft and sexual immorality. I killed the good ole boys' club in this company, and I was unable to keep tabs on my own company for a wide variety of reasons. I am fully capable of running my own company, but outside obligations prevent me from doing that.

"That is why I am interviewing you. I am looking at you, to be my new COO, as the muggles would call it. Is that something that you would be interested in doing?" Vic asked her.

All of this revelation knocked Caroline back in her seat. This little girl, she was what? Fifteen? Sixteen at the most? And she owned the largest broom manufacturer in all of Europe? Plus, she had the courage to fire her full board of directors, not once but twice? Who are you?

"So, if I understand what you're looking for; is someone to run your company for you?" she asked.

"Yes. I will check up on you from time to time. Is this something that you're interested in?"

Again, Caroline was knocked back in her seat, she wasn't expecting something so significant as to be the COO!

"What are we talking about in compensation? And when would you want me to start?" she was almost overwhelmed! This is what she had been working towards! But so soon? She wasn't expecting something like this for another ten or more years!

"Your pay would be performance-based, you would have a base salary, plus a quarterly bonus. And, as far as when would I would want you to start?" Vic looked at her watch for emphasis. "In the next forty-five minutes."

For the third time in this meeting, she was knocked back in her chair. Now?! She wants an answer now? How old will I be when something like this comes around again? Will something like this come around again?

"I'll do it." She told Victoria.

Vic stood up and shook her hand sealing the deal. "Okay, first things first. Congratulations on becoming the first COO of Cleansweep Brooms! The second is; we're going to need you to give an Oath of Loyalty." Vic told her firmly.

"Why would I need to give an oath of loyalty?" she asked nervously. She knew that if she ever broke it, she would lose her magic.

"Because, there are things that you might see, and things that you might hear that we want to be protected," Harry told her, speaking for the first time since he had entered the room, over an hour ago.

She had forgotten that Lord Gryffindor was even in the room! Caroline looked back and forth between Vic and Lord Gryffindor quickly. Then she settled her eyes on him. She had heard that he was big on this kind of thing, but she had never heard of anyone regretting to give the oath. She looked at Lord Greengrass and at Lord Black, then back to Lord Gryffindor. This young woman sure moved in some powerful circles!

Caroline pulled out her wand and started to give a blanket wizard's oath, "I Caroline …"

"No! There's specific wording that we want in the oath. I'll walk you through it." Harry told her gently. Then he walked her through the oath as he wanted it worded.

"… so mote it be." Caroline finished with her magic sealing the oath. "Okay, so, what's so secret that I needed to do that?" she asked.

"What I am about to tell you," Vic started, "Nobody outside of this room knows."

This ought to be good!

"I would like to introduce you to my spouses." Vic knocked her back down into the chair with that revelation. She waited for the woman to stand back up and turn around to face the two people that she didn't even know were in the room. "This is my husband Cedric, and my wife, Cecilia."

Caroline turned around with eyes as wide as saucers, she at least had her mouth closed she hoped.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ced told her as he held out his hand.

Caroline's mouth dropped open as she took his offered hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Cici said as she held out her hand to the awe-struck woman.

"The reason," Vic started to talk to her again, wanting to get her attention, "That I am telling you this, is you may see my spouses and me walking around holding hands. And now you have an understanding of what may seem an odd behaviour to others.

"Let's talk compensation, now, shall we?" Vic was bringing her back to the meeting.

"Okay." An overwhelmed Caroline said softly.

"Are you with me Caroline?" Vic asked her.

Caroline forced herself to get refocused on the young lady sitting across from her. "Yes."

"For your base salary, you will be paid 125,000 galleons a year. For your performance bonus you will receive 1 ½ % of the profit quarterly," Vic told her. She knew that that was a very generous amount and that Caroline couldn't beat it anywhere that she went.

"That's more than generous. Thank you very much." She told her humbly.

"The dark-haired woman with the, …" Vic paused for a moment, "Anyway, the dark-haired woman that you met as you came in here?"

"Yes."

"She's our executive assistant, Cassy. She was hired by the man that just tried to steal my company from me." Vic looked over at Sirius, "If my Uncle Sirius will get back to work, the man should get the veil this afternoon for murdering my last executive assistant who was loyal to me to the bitter end. So please, don't fire her. Teach her whatever it is that you need her to know." Vic told her tenderly.

Vic looked at her watch again. They still had close to half an hour before the next board meeting was to take place. "Do you have any questions for me? Or would you like to take a look around?" Vic asked her.

"I'd like to take a look around if you don't mind." She said calmly. "How is it that you're married to a guy and a girl, and you're still so very young?" she blurted out. "What did your parents say?"

"My natural mother was killed in a terrorist attack over a year ago."

"Oh, Merlin! I'm so sorry!"

"Thank you, But, my spouses and I are something that doesn't exist." She told her cryptically.

"And what's that?"

"We are a soul-bonded threesome," Vic answered. "That is one of the reasons that you took the Oath of Loyalty today. There are things about us that we don't want just anybody to know.

"So," Vic said as she stood up to walk around the table, "Let's go show you to your office."

Caroline stood up also, and when she turned around, she paid a lot more attention to the two younger people in the room. She noticed that all three of them were much better looking than average, none of them looked their age, and she also saw that they were all impeccably dressed.

As Vic approached the conference room doors, they opened for her without a wave of her hand or anything. "We learn magic at an accelerated pace," Vic answered the unasked question.

"Okay," Caroline said sheepishly.

Vic led her down the short hallway to the big office in the corner with windows on both out-facing sides. Caroline noticed that the two walls without glass were covered in Maple wood shelves, her desk was also made out of Maple. The light coloured wood, along with all of the glass, gave the office a very light and open feeling. She decided that she liked that, after living in an indoor office, where the only window that she had looked out onto the production floor.

"Cassy!" Vic called her assistant.

"Yes, mam?" the dark-haired woman with deep blue eyes said as she approached the empty office.

"Cassy, this is Caroline, Caroline this is Cassy, your executive assistant." Vic introduced them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Cassy said a little nervously.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," Caroline said.

"Well, it looks as if things are going well enough here." Sirius said, "I have a murder to convict this afternoon, so I need to be going."

"I'll also be leaving," Os said.

"Thank you both, very much!" Vic told them excitedly.

"Do you need me to stick around some more?" Harry asked.

"No, thank you for your help, dad," Vic said to him. Just before she gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I will see you tonight at dinner then." He told the whole group of his kids.

"Bye, dad!"

"Bye Harry!"

Vic checked her watch again.

"You keep checking your watch. Is everything okay?" Caroline asked her.

"I'm just trying to keep track of the time. Our friends are coming over to help us break some wards that have been set up, and you and I have a board meeting in less than fifteen minutes.

"Did you want me to have some house elves help you move your stuff into your new office?" Vic asked her.

"Um, that would probably help." She said, still overwhelmed by the activities of this morning.

Vic walked into the empty office, "Lucy, Maco, Leo!" she called out to their elves.

Pop, pop, pop! "Yes, Mistress?" all of the elves bowed to her.

"Would you please go to Caroline's old office and get all of her things and bring them to this office please?" Vic asked.

Please? Did she just say please to a house elf?

Vic caught the look of surprise on Caroline's face at her display of respect to the house elves. "All of the house elves at the Potter Mansion are free elves, but one, and she couldn't deal with being a free elf, so they allowed her to be bound to the family. All of the others are paid a fair negotiated wage, with scheduled time off." Vic told her.

A moment later all three elves were back, and then a bunch of boxes appeared around them.

"Thank you very much for your help," Vic told the elves.

"It is a pleasure to serve." They said, bowed, and popped away.

"You're an amazing young woman," Caroline said almost in awe.

"Thank you, but if you want to meet an amazing woman, then you need to meet my mum, well, my adopted mum," Vic told her.

As they were stepping out of the office that now had a bunch of boxes in it, they could hear a bunch of commotion from down the stairs. Ced and Cici were walking that way quickly.

"It sounds like our friends are here!" Vic told her. "Are you ready for your first board meeting?" she asked her. "Cassy? Are you ready to take notes?"

"Yes, mam!"

In the conference room, Vic took the same chair that she had before, with Caroline sitting next to her, their backs to the sunlit windows. Caroline watched as five women and four men entered the room. Not one of them was over the age of thirty. She really had gotten rid of the good ole boys' club. Vic had everyone go around and introduce themselves again for Caroline's sake. Caroline was taking notes as quickly as she could. She got a feel for where everyone was at, in the company, and as she looked over the financials, she could see just how much damage had been done to the company over the last several years. She also saw how much had been recovered from all of the embezzlements that the company had suffered through. Then they walked through product development.

"What's an exotic broom? And why are we only looking for two hundred sales of this broom?" Caroline asked.

"Lucy!" Vic called again.

Pop, "Yes, Mistress?" she said with a bow.

"Would you please bring me my broom?"

"Yes, Mistress." And she was gone with another pop. Almost instantly she was back with the red broom.

"Thank you."

A bow and a pop, and she was gone again.

Vic levitated the broom to the centre of the table.

When Caroline saw the Italian Exotic, she let out a low moan of "That's beautiful!"

"That, is an exotic broom. And until I came here, they had never considered building one. They did have a poorly executed broom that cost us several tens of thousands of galleons and not one sale. We should have gotten all of those back by now. Is that correct?" she asked, looking at the Head of Sales.

"Yes, ma'am! All of the brooms are back and accounted for."

"Good. Disassemble all of them, but ten. And I want the ten of them." She told him. "The good thing about the program is that we have been able to salvage a lot of the technology that went into the broom, and use that in other places," Vic told Caroline.

"That's good, so it's not a total loss." She commented.

"Correct, and that's how I look at it.

"As of right this moment, we only have one supplier for each of our components. That's a direct result of the man that tried to steal the company." Vic looked at the Head of Procurement.

"Yes, ma'am." She said to her.

"How can they only have one supplier for each item? That's insane! We should have at least two and closer to four or five!" Caroline said.

"Correct, and they're working on that as we speak, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

And so, it went with getting Caroline up to speed on what was happening at Cleansweep Brooms.

.

As Vic was taking care of her board meeting, Cici, Ced, and the others had selected a couple of different wards to start working on. Julia, George, and Rose were working with Cici, while Amber, Angel, and Fred were working with Ced. The two groups had chosen to work on opposite sides of the office, to keep from getting distracted by each other.

Cici quickly learned that Julia had a knack for working with disabling the curses and the wards. She made it look easy.

Over with Ced, Angel was having a blast disabling the wards and curses, to her it was a lot of fun.

"Hum," Julia said under her breath.

"What's it?" Cici asked.

"It's just something odd."

"Like what?"

"It's like it's connected."

"Connected to what?" asked Rose.

"That's just it. I don't know."

"Okay, so what do we do now?" George asked.

"Hold on a second, Angel found something too," Cici told them.

"What'd they find?" George asked.

"They're not sure, either," Cici told them.

"Yeah?" asked Julia.

"Angel says that it's like hers is connected to something too," Cici informed her group.

"Okay, so what do we do now?" George asked again.

"Go to Ced." She looked at George. "He's got an idea. Rose, come with me. Ced thinks that all of the wards are connected somehow and have to be taken down together."

"All of them?" Fred asked? He was probably the worst when it came to working with Ancient Runes.

"Yeah, I think that whoever set this up, set it up that way as a booby trap," Ced told him.

"We only found seven of them," Amber said.

"Yeah, but all seven of them have to come down together to avoid setting off the trap," Ced told her.

"Right, with you and Cici helping us, we should be able to get it done."

"It would be nice to have a set of walkie-talkies about now," Ced mumbled.

"Let's go out and buy a set!" she told him like it was the most natural solution in the world.

Maybe she's right, Ced thought to himself.

" _It would definitely help."_ Cici thought to him.

" _But can we get everybody in the building to stop using magic for an hour or so?"_ Ced thought back to her.

" _I'll just send everybody home for the rest of the day,"_ Vic told them. _"I'll just tell them that we found something and they all need to go home for the rest of the day with pay."_

" _While you do that Cici and I will go out and buy a bunch of walkie-talkies. Any idea where though?"_ he asked.

" _Try a muggle sporting goods store,"_ Cici said. _"That's where my dad bought his from when he bought some."_

" _Okay, I'm going to wrap this meeting up and have them all send all of their employees' home for the rest of the day,"_ Vic told her mates.

" _Okay, Cici and I are going to go find a muggle sporting goods store. Where would we look for one?"_ Ced asked.

" _Let's just ask a cabbie,"_ Cici told him.

" _Okay, before you go, come up and visit me, so I don't have to explain anything to anybody in here,"_ Vic told her spouses.

" _We'll be there in a few minutes. Then we can have everyone else sweep the building to make sure everyone is out of here. I don't need a dedicated worker to screw this up for all of us."_ Ced told them.

The two spouses gathered up their groups and headed for the conference room and Vic's office.

For her part, Vic started to wrap up the meeting sooner than planned. Then she heard a knock on the door.

"Can I speak to you for a moment please?" Ced asked through the partially opened door.

"Yes, just a moment." She told him.

Ced slipped around the door and headed for a corner of the room.

"Excuse me please." Vic looked at her employees.

Then she walked over to Ced and turned her back to them. As Ced talked to her and told her how much he loved her, then she got a shocked look on her face and covered her mouth. She nodded vigorously and walked back over to the conference room table.

"Okay, I was just informed that the criminals had left some booby traps behind and that we are going to need to send everyone home for the rest of the day, with pay of course." She said to them. "So, I need all of you to go back to your departments and make sure that everyone leaves the building for the rest of the day. They assure me that everything will be fine by tomorrow morning."

All of the Department Heads gathered up their things and hurried to the doors and their departments. Ced followed them out of the door after giving Vic a kiss.

"What's really going on?" Caroline asked Vic.

With the coast clear, Vic told her, "All of the wards are linked together. There are seven of them, and they all have to come down at the same time. The only way that we can think to make that happen is by using some muggle technology that runs on electricity. And as you know, magic and electricity don't mix. That's why we need everyone to leave, what we don't need is for someone to use a spell at the wrong time and kill the walkie-talkies." Vic told her.

"And you can do this?" Caroline asked her in amazement.

"Yes, we can do this," Vic told her.

"You're amazing!" she told her in awe.

"No, my mum is amazing." Vic corrected her.

"Who's your mum again?"

"You've probably heard of her, Healer Potter?" Vic said.

"She's your mum?!" Caroline said in surprise. "I've only heard stories about what she can do!" Her voice filled with wonder.

If you only knew the half of it, Vic thought. "Well, I need for you and Cassy to leave. I will see you tomorrow." Vic told her.

"Okay, good luck." She said as she headed for her office.

Vic walked over to Cassy's desk and explained the situation. Cassy told her thank you and wished her luck also, as she collected her purse. Then the older witch grabbed her and pulled her into a big hug. After the hug, Vic followed Cassy and Caroline down the stairs to inform the receptionist.

After the receptionist went through the floo, Vic walked over to the bottom of the stairs and _teleportused_ to the top. She walked into her office and told her friends that they needed to do a full sweep of the building, a room by room search, to make sure that everyone was out of the building.

"I'll stay up front to make sure they all leave," Vic told them. As the new face of her company, she felt that it would give her employees reassurance that everything would be okay in the morning, and she was putting their safety above company profits.

Almost a dozen stragglers came moping down the hallway to the floo. Then Vic heard spellfire, the stragglers were no longer moping as they heard the spellfire too, now it was up to Vic, to make sure that they entered the floo safely, and that no one got hurt because of a panic.

"Come on! Hurry up!" She encouraged them. "One at a time! No pushing!" the flames would hardly go out before the next person was in the floo.

After the last person flooed out of the building, Vic shut down the floo to keep whoever was fighting from having an escape route. She turned around and warded the front doors of the building so they couldn't get out that way, and no one could come in from that direction. Then, as she turned to run down the hallway, she charmed her business suit to act as a shield. One hell of an expensive shield, she thought.

" _Is everything okay?"_ Cici's voice rang out in her head.

" _So far, I am going to say yes. Have you even made it to the store yet?"_

" _We just checked out."_ Ced thought to her.

" _Well, I'm almost there. I can hear Rose and Julia."_ She said.

Vic slowed down as she was about to round a corner, she cleared the corner with a quick glance, and then she walked around it to find a stranger in a red robe lying on the floor wrapped tightly in chains. Julia was performing basic first aid on Rose's midsection where she was bleeding profusely.

When Julia saw Vic, she moved aside so Vic could finish healing Rose.

"We were going room to room when this guy jumps out at us and catches Rose with a cutting curse. I hit him with a _reducto/stupefy/expelliarmus_ , I didn't know that I had put that much power into it. I don't think that I killed him, did I?" she asked.

"I really don't care right now. He got her good." She told Julia.

Rose was the closest thing to a sister that Julia had ever had in her life. "Is she going to be okay?" she asked.

"Yes, you did a good job. See? Not even a scar." Vic moved aside to show her that Rose was going to be okay. "Now, if she survives me telling her mum all of those words that came out of her mouth, that's a different story," Vic teased the two girls. Silently, Vic summoned her clutch to her, and as she saw it sailing down the hallway, she could hear more spell fire coming from across the production floor. Julia was up and running as fast as she could. Vic's purse landed in her hand, and she started digging through it.

"You know, if somebody had told me two years ago that I would be carrying blood replenishing potion in my purse, I would have looked at them like they were daft," Vic said to Rose.

"You're not really going to tell my mum what I said, are you?"

"I think that you might be going into shock. Here take this and let me see," she said as she dug around in her purse. "Here, take this also." She said as she handed her a Vitamix to wash down the blood replenishing potion.

Rose looked down at her top, "Oh, and I just bought this in America too!" she whined. "Jerk!" she said at the unconscious guy. She ejected her wand again and pointed it at her shirt.

Vic watched as the shirt was repaired. As the colour returned to Rose's face, Vic stood up and held out her hand to help her friend get to her feet. They walked for the first several offices, and then they picked up the pace a little, to get to where the sound of the other fight had been.

Once they had cleared the production floor, they looked down a couple of different hallways until they found their friends standing there looking down at two more bodies in red robes.

What is this? Terrorist central? Vic thought.

" _How many do you have?"_ Cici thought to her.

" _Three!"_

"Have we cleared out all of the building yet?" Vic asked worriedly.

"We got our side," Fred told her.

"I just finished ours," George said as he walked up alone.

"Okay, let's sweep it one more time quickly and then meet in the lobby," Vic asked of them. "And charm your clothes!" she told them insistently. She didn't want another incident like what had happened to Rose.

Vic headed off to one of the emergency exits that she could see. She was going to seal this place as tight as she could, she was tired of these people messing with her life. As she walked past one of the stunned terrorists lying on the cold concrete floor, she had to resist the urge to kick him in the face, no, wait! It was a woman!

She flipped open her communications watch, "Aunt Tonks." She said to the screen on the watch. Then she waited for a moment, then Aunt Angelina was calling her. Vic released the first call and answered the incoming call.

"Hello?"

"What do you need?" Angelina asked her quickly.

"I've got three more terrorists at my company." She told her. "And one of them is a woman."

"Are they wrapped like normal?" Angelina asked her. Well, normal for her daughter and her friends anyway, Angelina thought.

"Yes, they're stunned and wrapped in chains, just like we were taught," Vic told her.

"Okay, I'll have a couple of Aurors come by in," she paused, "In almost an hour." She told her.

"Okay, I'm going to stun them again really hard. And lay them out back. We had to go and buy muggle walkie-talkies so we can take down the wards that were left behind by these prats." Vic told her aunt.

"Okay, I'll tell the Aurors to look behind the building and to go easy on the magic."

"Thanks," Vic told her, just before she closed her watch.

" _Do you want to let us in?"_ Ced asked her.

" _Can you just shift to me?"_ Vic asked.

" _Do you want me to kill the batteries?"_ he replied.

" _Grrr!"_ Vic thought.

Vic teleportused to the front doors of the office and removed the wards. She pushed the front doors open and saw her spouses across the street waiting to cross.

Once they were back inside the building with her, she told them, "Why don't you go to the production floor and get those things ready, while I go around, take out the trash, and seal the building?"

"How are the others doing?" Ced asked. He knew what they were doing, but he didn't know how they were doing.

"Well, I haven't heard any more spellfire. So, I guess that they're doing fine." She told him. She waited until they were at least halfway down the hall before she teleportused to the far side of the production floor. She levitated the two stunned terrorists and headed for the back of the building. She pushed the back door of the building open and dumped the bodies across the alley next to that building. _Stupefy! Stupefy!_ She stunned them again. Then she teleportused back to the lobby of her building and started to walk to where the first terrorist was lying. She looked to see how far Ced and Cici were, and then she stunned him again too. She levitated the body and started to walk to one of the side exits of the building, she was getting angry again. She pushed the door open and guided the body around the back of the building. When she cleared the corner, she could see that the Aurors were early.

"Hey! How's it going?" she asked loudly.

Her question was rewarded with both Aurors spinning around with their wands out casting hexes at her. She levitated the body of the stunned terrorist as a shield and watched as the two _diffindos_ cut right through the man. Using _expulso,_ she threw the body at the two Aurors. At least one of them deflected the body away from them, and it landed down the alley, rolling as it hit the ground. Vic hit the free Auror with a triple pack of spells, overpowering his shield and slamming him into the wall behind him. His limp body slid down the wall as Vic's business suit absorbed the spell thrown her way. The next one she rolled out of the way of and came up casting another triple pack of spells. The Auror sidestepped the spells. But it put his back against the wall, and Vic pinned him there with _petrificus totalus._ Before the body fell forward, she levitated him, and with her free hand she placed a sticky rune on the wall, then she slammed the Auror against the wall, watching as his eyes rolled up into his head.

"Bugger!" she said to the unconscious Auror.

She looked down the alley, and summoned the dead body of the terrorist to her and then she guided it to the other two terrorists.

Opening her watch again, "Aunt Angelina." She said to the watch and then she waited for a few seconds.

"What happened?" she asked. She could see Vic was angry and she looked like she had just been in a fight.

"Those two Aurors that you sent me?" she didn't wait for a response. "They were terrorists too!"

"What two Aurors?" Angelina asked.

"You told me that you were going to send me a couple of Aurors less than half an hour ago!"

"Yes, and I told you that it would be about an hour before they got there."

"Then who are these two guys?" Vic asked as she held her watch face, to the face, of each of the Aurors.

"I don't know, I've never seen them before," Angelina told her.

"Another question is, how did they know to come back here to the alley?" Vic could see Angelina looking off to each side.

Bugger. Vic thought again, and she closed her watch.

" _What's wrong?"_ Ced thought to her.

" _The terrorists are inside of the Aurors again!"_

" _Shit!"_ Cici thought.

Vic looked at the terrorist stuck to the wall of the building, _"Stupefy!"_ she thought and stunned the man. She turned and left him hanging there on the wall. _"Teleportus."_ And she was back in her lobby. She walked to the production floor and all of her friends and family.

All of them had used walkie-talkies in America to stay in touch with each other during the training scenarios. What Ced and Cici had decided, and run past the others while Vic was dealing with the problems in the alley was, they would turn the volume up as high as it would go and then set the walkie-talkie behind them so they could use magic to disable the wards and stay in touch with the others. Vic would take Fred's place in disabling the assigned ward. They each walked to their assigned wards, Julia, and Angel had to wait while the others caught up to where they were so they could all take the next steps together.

.

It was after dinner time when they had finally finished removing the wards so they could figure out what the terrorists were hiding inside of the building.

"That's a lot of explosives!" George whistled.

"Yeah, it is!" Fred agreed.

Vic flipped open her watch again, "Aunt Angelina." She said once more.

"Is everything okay! I've been trying to call you for hours!"

"Yes, we just finished taking down the wards. Do you have a bomb squad?" Vic asked.

"A WHAT!" Angelina almost screamed. "Stay right there! I'm coming over!"

"Give me five minutes to turn the floo back on," Vic told her.

"SHITE! That's a lot of explosives!" Angelina said when she saw all of the different stashes of bomb-making materials.

"That's what all of us said too, mum," George said to her.

Angelina looked at Vic, "What happened with the terrorists that all of you captured?"

Vic shrugged, "I don't know. We got focused on taking down all of these different wards, and well, then I called you. It took a lot longer than we had expected."

"Where did you put them, again?"

"I put the trash out back with the trash. Here, I'll show you." She said as she indicated for the Auror to follow her to the back alley.

Vic opened the door onto the darkening alley, and the two of them could see that there weren't any bodies still there. Angelina walked over to the wall that Vic had stuck the one terrorist to with the sticky rune. She ejected her wand and ran a magic detection spell over the spot.

"Well, I can detect your magical signature, I can detect Wolfe's magical signature too. I can't really detect anyone else's magic here, Vic." She looked up and down the alley as if hoping that she had missed something the first two times she had scanned the alley as they walked across the narrow thing. "Could you give me a copy of your memory of the fight that took place here? I want to see if I can recognise anyone. Or maybe, just maybe, the two Aurors that I did send, came and went without making a scene like I told them." She sighed heavily, would she at least catch a break? For once, today?

The raid with Tonks this afternoon had tried its best to go pear-shaped, and now, she had more explosives than she had ever seen in one place to deal with. She would need to call Tonks, and have her call the muggle police for the bomb squad, she and her guys were nervous handling something the size of a toaster!

"Why don't you go back inside with the others and go home and get some dinner. Are all of the doors unlocked?" she added as an afterthought. If Harry saw his daughter's picture on the front page of the newspaper, she knew that he would be mad! Plus, with what all of the kids were doing now to earn money, none of them needed to be in the papers. It would destroy their careers.

"No, I'll unlock them and turn the floo back on fully," Vic told her, then she turned to go back into the building.

" _Tell the others to put the walkie-talkies in my office and then we're going to floo home for some dinner."_ She thought to her spouses.

" _We'll see you in your office, Mon Amor."_ Ced thought to her.

" _I'll see you in a minute, Little One."_

Vic left one of her desk drawers open, so everyone could put their walkie-talkie in it before they headed to the Potter Mansion for a late dinner. She looked down at her business suit, it was dirty, torn, and wrinkled. She sighed again, and her shoulders slumped, as she was looking down at her feet, she noticed that her heels were scuffed also. She shook her head to let her hair flow freely when she saw George and Amber walking to her office, followed by Ced and Cici, Rose and Angel, then Fred and Julia with their arms wrapped around each other. This is what's important, her family and her friends.

" _I want to go to our house in Greece tomorrow afternoon."_ Vic thought. _"Rose and Angel can come if they want. I'm getting tired of wearing clothes."_

" _Sounds good to me! I haven't like wearing clothes for a long time."_

" _What do you want to tell Fred and George?"_ Ced asked.

" _Nothing. As far as I 'm aware of, neither one of them has seen me in the nude."_ Vic thought back to him. _"And when Angel and Rose get boyfriends, we'll stop inviting them too."_

Vic got everyone's attention, "We're going to head to the Potter Mansion for dinner. Aunt Angelina will probably want to get some statements from all of us. Aunt Tonks should be talking to the muggle police about getting their bomb squad to take care of all of the explosives and the other bomb-making materials. Any questions?"

"Yeah! Are we getting paid for this?" Fred asked humorously.

"Yeah! We're feeding you dinner!" Vic joked back with him.

With that, Ced started to herd the group down to the floo. Vic walked over to the floo and cast the correct spells to allow full access again, she checked that the front doors were unlocked, and then she nodded that it was okay to start going through the floo. In ones and twos, they all went through the floo, for her and her spouses, they went through it as a trio. All of them were greeted by Gareth, with a bow.

He looked at the lot of them, "If you would like to freshen up, dinner will be ready for you shortly." He told them with another bow, and he was gone.

.

Angelina showed up just as dinner was finishing up. Harry and Hermione had joined the kids at the dining room table to talk with them, and see how things had gone after he had left. Harry told Angelina to have a seat and order herself something to eat because Vic had cut her dinner short with the news of the explosives. All of the adults were very impressed with the level of teamwork the group had shown in disabling all of the wards at the same time. After Angelina had finished her dinner, the group moved to the library where there would be enough tables and chairs for all of them to write out their statements for her. As she collected the statements, she asked that the ones that had been in the fighting to please give her a copy of their memories so they could be analysed later before the trials. She was a little frightened when she picked up the vials of memories from Angel, George, and Amber. Her babies were growing up too fast. She was proud of them because they had beaten full grown wizards in an unfair fight. Angelina was also amazed that all of the kids could give her a copy of their memories without help from her. She collected the memories from Rose and Julia, and she saw that they seemed to be doing just fine. Then she collected a couple of vials of Vic's memories of the fight in the alley, too.

.

.

Tuesday morning came earlier than what they had wanted, but as one muggle said, time and tide wait for no man. Their morning run helped to clear the cobwebs out of their minds, and the group of teens were feeling better as they walked back to the mansion. All of them waved at Uasal and Car-baun as the two of them headed out to find breakfast.

Inside of the training room, Harry looked at them as they were all clustered in a group. "Sean McMillian contacted me yesterday afternoon. It seems that all of you made an impression on the American government. They would like to work with all of you again." Harry informed the teens.

At this news, the teens became wary, they liked the money, but they didn't want to become famous. The one thing that had been ingrained in them from the time they were born was to stay hidden. Wizarding law punished them if they flaunted their magic in front of non-wizards. Part of their History of Magic classes dealt with magicals being burned at the stake. Being thrown into freezing lakes to see if they would float or sink, (if they floated they were a witch if they sank and drowned, then they must have been innocent. This is where the Bubblehead charm came from.)

"Is it Robins?" Ced asked.

"He didn't say who it was," Harry told them.

The group moved to the weight room to work on their strength and flexibility training. After everyone had done a complete circuit of the weight machines, all of them headed up to get their showers before breakfast.

.

As breakfast was coming to an end, Charles brought the morning mail into the dining room. Harry held out his hand to his Head House Elf. Charles placed all of the letters in his hand.

"Thank you, Charles."

"It is a pleasure to serve." The old elf said with a bow.

"Humm, we have a letter here for Rose. And we have a letter for Angel." Harry looked at the envelopes, then he looked up and handed the letters to the people next to him, so the letters could make their way to their recipients.

All of the other teens looked at the two girls.

Rose opened her envelope just moments before Angel opened hers. These weren't envelopes like what they were used to. These were more muggle envelopes. Both girls scanned the letters quickly to see who had written to them. When Rose got to the bottom, she froze. Her letter was from Marc, in the United States, Angel's response was similar.

"Who's your letter from?" Rose asked Angel.

"Gregg." She told her.

The two girls read their letters over much slower and more thoroughly than the first quick scan of the letters. When they had finished rereading their letters, they looked up at their group of friends.

"What'd they want?" Fred asked a little more roughly than he had intended.

"Gregg wants to know if he can visit me during the summer holidays.

Rose turned and looked at her, "Marc is asking the same thing." She said.

"Why do they want to do that?" George asked.

All of the females at the table stopped and stared at him. George started to blush intensely at the intense stares from all of the women.

"Mate, why do you think they want to come and visit them?" Ced asked his close friend.

"I don't know."

"Well, why wouldn't they want to come and visit them?" Ced asked, trying some of that reverse psychology stuff on him.

"Well, because they live in America."

"Okay, now, what reasons can you think of, that they may want to come here, to visit Rose and Angel?"

Everybody at the table watched as George's eyes got full, and then his mouth hung open. He closed his mouth and said, "He likes her! He wants to come here and shag my sister!" at this revelation, George's face turned an angry red.

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Vic, Ced, and Cici were the first ones to show up Tuesday morning in the lobby to find half a dozen Aurors still in the building. The place was a mess. Vic started using both hands as she walked, to try and clean up the business.

"Halt! Identify yourselves!" a gruff voice yelled at them.

The trio stopped walking and turned slowly towards the voice.

"Identify yourselves!"

"I am Victoria Potter, this is my brother Cedric Potter, and his girlfriend, Cecilia Ramos. I am the owner of this company." Vic told the Auror, slowly and clearly.

The three of them could see the mental gears turning in his head.

"May I go to my office?" Vic asked him while he was thinking. She had work that needed to get done, and cleaning her business was not on that list five minutes ago.

"Where's your office?" he asked. Maybe that would help him figure out who these kids were.

She almost told him, but then she changed mental gears and said, "If you will follow me, I can show you. I came in early to see what had happened after I had left last night." She started walking towards the steps to go up to her office. "When I had left, the bomb squad was on their way here, did they get everything removed safely?" she asked him.

"I uh, um, uh, they left a couple of hours ago. Who did you say you were again?" he asked more confused than he had been just a moment ago.

"I am Victoria Potter, I own this place." She gave him the shortened version.

"Uh, do you have some form of identification?"

"Is my Uncle King, here?" she asked.

Uncle King? "Who's that?" he asked.

"Uncle King? Kingsley Shacklebolt? The Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?" she asked him.

"Um, no," he said sheepishly.

"Is Aunt Tonks, here then?" she pressed her advantage. Plus, she was almost to her office, about ten more steps.

"You know Assistant Director Tonks?" he asked.

"Yes," she said slowly, "Is she here?" and the door in front of her opened without her touching it. Her office! Well, at least now I can start on the mountain of paperwork!

"Uh, yeah, I think that she's still downstairs. Are you supposed to be in here?" he asked as he looked around the spacious office.

Vic had given up her original office for her COO. Caroline was going to be the one running the company most of the time, so she wanted to spoil her as much as she could.

"Yes, this is my office." She told him again. "Could you take my brother and his girlfriend to Aunt Tonks, please? While I get started on my paperwork?" Vic asked the Auror.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so." He replied dully. This isn't what he thought he would be doing when he became an Auror. He had gotten the required number of O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s but, escorting kids?

"If you see Caroline," Vic said as she looked at her watch. People should be starting to get to work by now, especially the ones that like to show up early. "Please send her up to me."

"What the hell happened here!" they all heard the screeching voice.

Caroline was here.

"Good morning Caroline," Cici said pleasantly.

"What happened?" she asked her. Her eyes were wide with shock.

"I am sure that Vic will tell you everything," Cici told her.

"Okay, where are you two going?" she asked like her life preserver was floating away from her.

"We're going to go talk with our Aunt Tonks," Ced told her.

"Oh, okay." She said as she looked around some more and then moved slowly to the stairs. What was she getting into?

Caroline climbed the carpeted stairs slowly. She looked around as she approached the second floor. At least the second floor looked normal, so far. She reached the landing and headed to Vic's office.

"What happened yesterday?" Caroline asked, dreading the answer.

"Well, once we got all of the employees out of the building, I had Ced, Cici, and all of our friends do a room by room search of the building. We found three more terrorists inside of the building, and then we found two more outside of the building. After they were dealt with, we were able to bring down all of the wards at the same time."

"What were the wards guarding?" she asked naively.

"What the terrorists were storing here was more bomb-making material than any of us have ever seen in our lives."

"Oh, Merlin!"

"We contacted the Aurors, and they said that they would need to have the muggle police bomb squad come and remove the explosives," Vic told her.

Caroline was as white as a ghost by now.

"I think that we should have some house elves come in and clean up. I really don't want to have our employees spending their time cleaning this mess up." Vic suggested to her.

"Do you know where we can get that many house elves on a moment's notice?" Caroline asked her sarcastically.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Vic told her. "Lucy! Maco! Leo!" she called out.

Pop, pop, pop, the three elves went. "Yes, Mistress?" they asked with a bow.

"Could the three of you get enough elves to clean the bottom floor of this building up in less than an hour?" Vic asked them.

"Yes, Mistress. We will need to go to the House Elf village to get that many elves." Lucy told her.

"What will I need to pay them for their services?" Vic asked.

"I think that one galleon each would be more than adequate," Leo told her.

"That will be fine. Please let me know when they are finished so that I may pay them in person." Vic told him.

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said with a low bow.

Then the three elves were gone with a quiet pop each.

Vic saw all of the questions that Caroline had on her face.

"There is a Free House Elf village on the Potter Estate. And as I told you yesterday, all of the elves that work for the Potter Estate are free elves except for the one. All of the elves receive compensation for their services," Vic told her. "We will probably have over a hundred elves here in less than fifteen minutes, and they will be done in less than an hour," Vic said matter of factually.

Vic could see that Caroline's head was spinning. "I'll be in my office," Caroline told her as she was turning for the door.

"Okay. If Cassy is here, could you send her to me?" Vic asked.

A moment later Cassy entered Vic's office.

"When you see Ian, could you send him to me please?"

"Yes, mam." Her executive assistant said before she left.

Vic went back to reading papers and signing them, or rejecting the majority of them.

"Mam?" Cassy said from the doorway.

"Yes?" Vic was looking at another letter about something.

"Did you request over a hundred house elves?" she asked. She had only ever seen a couple of house elves in her life, and they were dirty creatures. The ones that she was seeing now were well dressed and very clean. Plus, they were cleaning everything as they walked past it!

"Yes, are they here?"

"Yes."

"Good, and Ian?" Vic asked.

"Here I am," Ian answered her.

"Good, I need to know how many house elves are here and will need enough galleons to pay all of them," Vic told him without looking up.

"Yes, ma'am. But, how much are we paying them?" Ian asked.

"I have agreed that I would personally pay them one galleon each for cleaning the entire bottom floor of the building." She told him looking up at him.

Ian didn't move.

Vic continued to look at him, "I can either pay 150 galleons and get the building cleaned and ready to work in again, or would you rather pay all of the people that work in this building a full day's salary to have them clean the building? So, doing it that way, we would lose a full day of production, and they might not get it cleaned in one day!" Vic startled him out of his trance.

"Yes, ma'am, I'll pull it out of petty cash, and you will need to sign a receipt for the money." He told her.

"That will be fine. Bring me the money before the elves are finished cleaning." She told him.

"Okay."

Less than an hour later, the army of elves had started to clean the second floor of the building. They just cleaned everything as they walked past it. Even the ceiling was cleaned and looked new.

"Cassy! Where's Ian?" Vic hollered.

"Here I am! I had to go to the bank to get the money. The petty cash box was empty. Someone stole all of the money in it." He told her.

"Get in touch with the Aurors and file a report." Was all she could say.

After Ian had handed her the bag of gold, Vic could see Lucy waiting at her door. Vic waved her hand and opened the other door fully. Outside of her door, the line of house elves stretched down the stairs and around the corner of the lobby towards the production floor. In less than an hour, the house elves had cleaned both floors of the building. From what Vic could see, everything looked like it was new again.

The line of elves caught Caroline's attention, as she walked over to Vic's office.

Vic got down on one knee and had Lucy send in the first of the elves. "Thank you very much for your help," Vic said and then handed the elf one gold coin.

"It is a pleasure to serve." The elf said with a low bow.

One hundred thirty times Vic thanked the elves and one hundred thirty times the elves told her 'It is a pleasure to serve,' and bowed to her as they accepted payment for their services. As each elf reached the lobby downstairs, they elf apparated home. While Caroline was watching what was happening, Lucy, Maco, and Leo went into her office and cleaned it. They were the last three elves in the line, the three of them walked into Vic's office and cleaned it as the witches and wizards watched.

When they had finished, Vic looked at them, "I know that the best way for me to pay you for your service, is for me to give you my sincere gratitude for your help. Thank you very much for all of your help." She told her elves.

With another low bow, "It is a pleasure to serve." They said together, and then they walked towards the lobby.

"The place looks amazing!" Ian said to her.

"Worth every galleon." She told her Head of Accounting.

"Yes, it was," Caroline told her.

Vic moved to her desk to fill out a receipt, when Ian told her, "Don't worry about it, I'll fill out the receipt." Then he left.

Vic closed the second door to her office. "When I'm finished with the stack of paperwork on my desk, I'm leaving." She told her new COO.

"Okay, when are you coming back?" Caroline asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm taking the rest of the week off. Then I've got school to go back and teach. Then there may be something coming up that will suck up my summer holidays. So, it could be the end of summer before I step foot back in here." Vic told her firmly.

"You teach at school too?" Caroline asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Ced, Cici, and I are student teachers. We have done such a good job of it, that they hired another young teacher to start teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts! She's only a couple of years older than us!" Vic told her enthusiastically.

"When I was there, Professor Greengrass was teaching that."

"Uncle Draco's still there. He's teaching the older students." Vic told her.

"A lot of the girls had a crush on him when I was in school," Caroline told her conspiratorially.

"They still do!" Vic told her likewise. "Well, I need to get back to work so that I can get out of here at lunchtime!" Vic told her new Chief of Operations Officer.

.

.

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 **A/N:**

 **Revised 04.15.2018**


	51. Year Five Chapter 51

C O Potter

Year Five

Chapter 51

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Ced was in the middle, holding both Cici and Vics' hands as they fell towards the white house sitting on the beach. After a graceful landing, he wrapped his arm's around their waists and pulled them in against him. Together they fell into step as they walked towards the front doors of their home.

While Vic had been tied down taking care of necessary paperwork in her office. Ced and Cici had done another sweep of the building to make sure that there were no more unauthorized wards in or on the building. They had added a couple of newer wards to help keep the security of the building as high as they possible could. Once they had finished with that they caught another taxi and had him take them to several different donut shops so they could get enough donuts for all of the employees. They knew that it was simple things like this that would help keep moral high, and after yesterday, they wanted to not let employee moral slip in the slightest.

As they approached the front doors, Cici and Vic, who had always been amazed that they would open automatically for them, had begun to get used to that happening now. Inside they were greeted by their three elves.

"Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter." The elves greeted them with a bow.

The three teens thanked the elves and then Vic "Thank you again for all of your hard work today at my company." She told them.

"It is a pleasure to serve." They said with another bow.

After the elves had disappeared, it was almost a race, to see which wife could lose her clothes the fastest. And as if the elves could read their minds, the girls' preferred bikini bottoms were laying on the bed along with three vials of sunblock.

With their clothes changed and their water socks on, Ced found the bag that had all of the snorkeling gear in it, the three of them walked hand in hand down the beech to their favorite spot to go swimming. The temperature here was much warmer than it had been back in Great Britain and the time difference only gave them about two hours of swimming. This time they were lucky enough to see a couple of sea turtles swimming with them, they were amazed at the fact that the turtles breathed air like they did, and they could hold their breath for as long as they could. The three very excited teenagers walked out of the water carrying their fins and masks. Holding each other tightly, they walked back home talking about the sea turtles they had gotten to watch. The group of lovers stopped to watch the sunset across the Mediterranean Sea and then they walked up the stairs to rinse off in the outdoor shower before getting changed for dinner.

After dinner, the trio walked to the library and found a book to read. They lay down and snuggled on a magically enlarged couch as Cici read the book and the others listened to her. As they lay there, contentment over took them and a golden red glow engulfed them. Eventually the three of them fell asleep on the couch, the elves turned the lights down in the home and let them sleep. They knew from experience, that the threesome would eventually move to their bed for the remainder of the night.

"Mi amor, mon amour," Ced said in the morning. "I need to get up."

The two women grumbled at him and rolled away so he could get out of bed. Then after he left their bed, they scooted close together and continued to snuggle, drawing warmth and comfort from each other, as they waited for the time to pass. Eventually their own internal clocks told them that they needed to get out of bed. First one rolled to the edge of the bed and then the other followed her lead. Both of them summoned their morning workout clothes to them, and this time of year it wasn't much, just the black sports bra and the black skin-tight running shorts. Vic slipped her clothes on as Cici moved to stand next to the door for the loo. As Cici waited, Vic walked to the restroom to start brushing her teeth, then she could hear Ced and Cici wish each other a good morning, and Vic would rinse her mouth out to exchange a kiss with her husband. After that, she would walk to the loo and she and Cici would exchange their good morning kiss. By this time, Cici was already dressed, and ready to brush her teeth. As Cici brushed her teeth Ced would get dressed in his morning workout clothes, then the three of them would put on their trainers for the morning run.

Today, for whatever reason they chose to run for an hour instead of their normal thirty minutes. They ran farther down the beach than they ever had. One of the problems of running in a straight line, instead of a circle or a loop, is, that you have just as far to run back, but for this morning, they were rewarded with a discovery. They came across a shipwreck of a large boat. This was both exciting and worrisome to the trio. It was exciting because it was something new for them to examine. The worrisome part was; was there someone else on the island with them? And if so, who? And how many? They walked around the large boat as best as they could, part of it was still in the water. How long has it been there? As they looked at it, they noticed that it was laying over on one side partially, so the deck of the boat was tilted at a steep angle. From what they could see, there weren't any holes in the bottom of the boat. With the tide out at this time of day, they could make out the large propeller sitting just below the surface of the water. They walked around the bow of the boat holding hands as they went. On this side of the boat, the deck was much closer to the beach than from the other side because the boat was tilted in this direction. Looking at the deck, they could see that it was too steep to stand on. The boat was covered in rust, and parts of the boat had rusted through, weakening other parts to the point that they had collapsed. With what they were seeing, they could tell that the boat had been here for many, many, years and they had nothing to worry about.

Vic looked at the boat and then she ejected her wand and enchanted the boat with a notice me not enchantment, so the wreck wouldn't attract any unwanted visitors to their island paradise. The trio looked around for close to an hour and they didn't see any signs of human remains.

Knowing what Ced was thinking, Cici and Vic took one of his hands each and then Ced apparated them to the apparition point of their house. As they walked to the front doors of the house, Ced opened and closed the gate magically. And the front doors of their home opened for them, Leo was standing there and greeted them with a bow.

"Good morning, Leo." The three of them said.

They chose to skip the rest of their morning workout and headed for their shower. After a long, hot, loving shower, the trio headed down the stairs to the dining room and a filling breakfast.

As they sat there at the table, having eaten their fill, "My Lord, my Ladies." Maco said as she bowed. "Mistress Bones and Mistress Weasley are here." She informed them.

"Please show them in here." Cici told her elf.

"Yes, my Lady." She said as she disappeared.

A moment later, Rose and Angel followed Maco into the dining room.

"Thank you, Maco." the two new witches told the elf.

"Yes, thank you, Maco." Cici told her elf.

"It is a pleasure to serve." She said with a huge smile, just before she disappeared.

Ced added some more chairs and enlarged the table for their guests.

"We, came over just after our workout!" Angel told them.

"You did take a shower, right?" Vic scrunched her nose at her.

"Yes! Silly!" Angel told her with a smile.

"We skipped breakfast to eat here with you." Rose told her friends.

"Please, have a seat!" Ced told them.

"Lucy?" Vic said to the air.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Could you please get Rose and Angel a place setting? They would like to join us for breakfast." She told her elf.

"Yes, my Lady." Lucy told her with a smile. A snap of her fingers, and two place settings appeared in front of their guests.

"Thank you, Lucy!" the two young women said to the elf.

"It is a pleasure to serve." She told them as she disappeared.

Rose and Angel ordered what they wanted for breakfast and a few minutes later their food showed on their plates. Their drink cups filled, and so did their drinking glasses.

The conversation was light and easy as the two new arrivals finished their breakfast. Once they were finished eating, the group of friends started to talk more animatedly. As they talked about the two guys in America, Angel told them that George was having a real hard time with the idea that Angel could start to see someone. Both of their parents were coming to grips with the idea of their daughters having boyfriends.

"Ced's parents didn't have much say in what happened with us." Cici told them.

"Neither did your parents!" Angel told her.

"And then there's what happened with you two and Vic." Rose said.

"Yeah, I think that took everyone by surprise!" Vic chuckled.

"You should have seen the look on Mask's face when Kitten asked her why she bonded Vic to us!" Ced laughed at the memory.

"Oh, that first night was rough!" Vic told them.

"Why is that?" Rose asked.

"I was separated from Ced and Cici for too long and too early! It got really painful for a while." She told them seriously.

"She was in a lot of pain." Cici recalled.

"So, what did the two American's say?" Ced asked bringing the topic back to the letters and away from themselves.

"Not, much. Just that they missed us and wanted to know if they could come and visit during the summer holidays. I wrote back and told Marc that I would need to talk with my parents about it." Rose told their friends.

"I pretty much did the same thing. I still need to talk to my mum." Angel said.

"Scared?" Cici asked.

"Not all of our parents are as understanding as Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione." Angel chastised her.

"My dad was having a really hard time with it, he started to become belligerent with Harry." Cici started to tell her. "He went out and got so drunk, that I left him in the bathtub, so when he woke up to throw up, my mom wouldn't have to clean the house again. I miss him, but I am so glad that he's not in my life anymore."

"Uncle Charlie is so happy being married to your mum! Everybody had given up on him ever getting married!" Angel told her.

"I know that my mum and dad had talked about why he had never gotten married." Rose said.

"Do you want to go lay in the sun? or go swimming?" Vic changed the subject.

"Both!" their friends yelled.

The group of friends got up and headed up the stairs to get changed for the rest of their day. Ced made sure to pack all of the snorkeling gear in the bag, before he and his two bare breasted wives headed down the stairs to get more sunblock potion.

Cici looked at their supply of sunblock potion and told Rose and Angel that they would need to brew more of it tonight.

"Okay!" the two of them said. It was always good to learn something new.

"Everything that you will need is here in the potions lab." Cici told them.

"How long does it take?" Angel asked.

"Once you get everything added to the potion, it needs to simmer about four hours." She said.

The two witches did some quick mental calculations, "Okay, that's not too bad. If we get it started just before supper, then it should be finished before we go to bed." Rose told her.

"That's the way Cici and I do it too." Vic told them.

Once they were out in the sun, Rose and Angel shed their bikini tops also, they dropped them near where they would come back to, to lay out in the sun for a while. As they walked to the cove, they talked some more about the two boys that might come to visit them. The girls didn't even know if they had their parent's permission to come and visit them. One of the things the girls liked, is that they maybe cousins somehow, but they weren't close cousins, like Draco and Sirius were either second or third cousins!

"The guys at school are so, so, so, thick! Or immature! Or something!" Angel said in exasperation.

"Oh, my Merlin! Almost half of the guys in our year are scared that they're going to fail their O.W.L.s!" she paused. "And they grew up in pureblood families!" she paused again. "The magic runs through their veins; and they still can't cast a patronus!" Rose lamented.

"And the other half is scared of us!" Angel added.

"Well, just don't get your hopes up to high with these two guys. I don't want to see you get hurt." Ced told them sincerely.

They continued to walk to the cove and they brought the conversation around to lighter subjects. Ced handed everyone a mask, snorkel, and a set of flippers. Together they waded into the water, the water was still kind of cool, so all of them got goosebumps all over until they started swimming. All of them swam out farther than they had before, they could feel the currents pushing them and pulling them. They would dive down and swim as far as the could underwater, then they would have to swim for the surface when they couldn't hold their breath any longer. They went snorkeling for close to an hour before the sea turtles came swimming by. Rose and Angel got a real treat when they were able to hitch a ride on one of the huge sea turtles' back. Vic, Cici, and Ced kept a close watch in case they were needed to help their friends get back to shore. When the turtles dove deeper the two girls let go and swam for the surface to get a breath of fresh air. The group of friends started to swim for the shore. The huge smiles on Rose's and Angel's faces let the others know that they had really enjoyed the treat from the turtles. They started to talk about their experience with the turtles as Ced put the equipment away so they could start walking back to the beach by the house.

For the next three days, the five of them would do their morning workout routines, they would go swimming and venture farther away from the cove in search of different things to see, and they would lay out in the sun all afternoon. Cici and Angel became so dark compared to the other three. Rose was finally taking on a light honey colour, similar to Vic or Ced. But for Angel and Cici? They were easily getting close to dark brown sugar.

"Well, at least I'm not as white as a ghost anymore!" Rose exclaimed.

"You know, if someone had told me that I would be laying out on a beach topless two years ago, I would have called them a liar to their face." Angel said.

"They've corrupted us!" Rose said scandalously.

"If you want to have tan lines, that's on you." Cici told the two of them. "I still remember your faces when I showed you that I didn't have any tan lines the first time."

"We thought that you were so brave!" Rose told her.

Saturday afternoon, with all of them fully clothed, the five of them touched the portkey and they were sucked in and then they were falling to the apparition point for the Potter Mansion. The five of them landed gracefully and started walking to the front doors of the Mansion.

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As they sat in their train compartment, Rose said, "I wonder if you could create a ward to block a dyke?"

The four girls got thoughtful for a moment and then they all turned to look at Julia.

"What are you looking at me for?" she said. "How would I know?"

"I think that you could make a ward for a specific person." Amber said thoughtfully.

The five girls all looked at her, now.

Julia got a thoughtful face for a bit, "But wouldn't you need some of their blood to key it to them specifically?" she said.

"I'll bust her nose for you, if you want!" Fred sat up straighter.

"I know, baby. Lean back against the corner again for me." She patted his chest tenderly.

"Most likely." Vic said. "But to make a ward to block someone based on their sexual orientation?" she paused for a moment of thought, "I don't think that you could do that. At least not easily."

"But to block Coldstone specifically, you would need some of her blood." Cici said.

"True, but at that point, you're working with blood wards, and getting into some dark magic there." Vic warned them.

The six girls looked at each other thoughtfully for a while.

Ced moved some, "I need to go check up on Neville." He told them. The two wives disentangled themselves from him so he could get up to go check on their younger brother.

Ced walked a couple of train cars back before he found the compartment with Neville in it. He looked in the window for a moment before he slid the door open to talk with the older witch with the blue hair sitting in the compartment.

"Hi!" he said to her.

"Hi, yourself." She replied.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was asked by Draco to keep an eye on things." Delphi said.

"She means that my dad asked her to babysit us on the train ride." Venus clarified things.

"Well, considering what happened at the start of the year, I think that may have been a good idea!" Ced told her teasingly.

"Those girls were creepy! They made me feel uncomfortable!" Venus exclaimed to him.

"Yes, she and her friends are not good people." Ced told her. "They're out to hurt people for their own pleasure."

"I like Delphi anyway!" Neville chimed in.

"Well, thank you!" she told him.

"You're welcome." He said politely.

"Have you seen Coldstone?" Ced asked Delphi.

"I don't even know who she is." She told him.

"Well, if I see her, I'll point her out to you. Maybe I'll walk the whole train and see if she's even here." Ced told her. "She might not be here, she's a seventh-year, and a lot of students chose not to go their seventh-year." He told her.

"She's come this far; do you think that she's dropped out?" Delphi asked.

Ced shrugged, "I don't know. I'll be back." He told her before sliding the door shut.

Ced continued on down the train looking briefly into each compartment, he saw Daphne and her friends, as he worked his way to the last compartment. Then he turned around and worked his way all the way to the first compartment. He had seen some of Coldstone's friends, but her and her older friends, he hadn't seen. He made it back to the compartment that had Neville and his friends in it.

He slid the door open again, "Well, I've walked the whole train twice, and I didn't see Coldstone, I did see some of her younger friends, but I didn't see her and her older friends. Does that mean that it's safe for you to leave your younger cousin? I'm not going to say that, she could be using a disillusionment charm on herself, or she may not be here at all, if she passed her apparition test and got her license. Me personally? I trust her, I trust her to be making somebody's life miserable." He told Delphi with a combination of mirth and seriousness.

She thought about it for a moment, she had given her word, "I'll stay here and keep them occupied." She told him.

"Okay, if you need us, just come and get one of us." he told her, then he slid the door closed again and left.

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Their time back from spring break, found Cici and her spouses, giving their friends pop quizzes on O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. questions. The time in the Chamber of Secrets was spent going over the practical side of the tests, they just wanted to make sure they wouldn't have any problems taking twenty tests. The Potions practical's and the Astronomy practical's would be the two longest tests, they really didn't have a way to make time go faster for brewing the potions, but they all stayed up late to do the Astronomy practical's.

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The morning of the first day of testing the group scanned the hall as the entered to eat breakfast. As they walked down the table, they could see the sunken eyes of their classmates from the lack of sleep. There were those that were trying to reread several years' worth of class material in the matter of minutes, and hardly any of them had eaten their breakfast. Pieces of toast had one, maybe two bites out of them and lay on their plates ignored. Some of the students looked like they were going to be sick.

"Well, we have classes!" Vic said as she moved to get up.

Ced was on his feet to get her chair for her, then after her kiss, he turned to help Cici with her chair, and claim his reward of a kiss from her.

"All of you will do just fine!" Cici told them.

"All of you …" Ced started to say.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Potter, Miss Ramos! If you and your friends could join me please?" the Headmistress's shrill voice rang out across the Great Hall.

It was too much for one student about five students down the table from them, at the sound of her voice, he let go all over the table. At the sound of his regurgitation, two other students couldn't hold it anymore and they too became sick.

Fred and George quickly got the chairs for their significant others and everyone headed away from the table. The two girls kissed their men as they entered the anteroom.

The students formed a group in front of the professor. "Now, I want to make sure that all of you are ready for what you are about to try." She looked over the lot of them.

There were nods of yes, she saw determination in the set of jaw lines on others. She looked to Ced, Cici, and Vic who gave her nods of affirmation, their friends could do it, in fact, they had done it!

"Professor, like we've told them many times, these tests haven't changed in 400 hundred years or more! Over the last couple of weeks, we have administered all of the tests to them and they have all passed the tests, written and practical." Ced worked to encourage them. He knew they could do this.

Minerva looked over the group with admiration, "Okay, follow me." She told them.

"We're not going to take the test with the others?" Fred's voice almost cracked.

"No, Mr. Bones, you and your friends will be taking the tests privately. It seems that the Head of Student Testing wished to administer the tests himself." She told him as she led them out of the side door and down a hallway.

Ced caught up to him quickly, "Hey!" He said softly, "It's just like jumping out of a plane at 13,500m!"

Fred grinned at that, he had actually liked doing that, to him it had been fun.

"When we were learning to do that, did they take us up there and shove us out the back of the plane?"

He shook his head no.

"Right! They built us up to that point. Just like we did with this test. You have all of the knowledge that you need. Use your occlumency skills and you will see that you have already answered all of the questions, they're in your head."

Fred's head snapped around to look at Ced, in fact he quit walking so fast that it jerked Julia to a stop.

Ced stopped with them, he gave Fred a small smile and nodded his head at the unasked question. Yes Fred, you have already taken the tests and passed all of them.

Julia had already figured that out, she thought that her fiancée had figured it out too. Cici and the others had been having them practice the tests for months! Even during their down time in America!

Ced tapped his head, "It's all in here, mate!" he said again with a smile.

Julia noticed that the others hadn't stopped for them, she leaned over and up on to her tippy toes to kiss Fred on the cheek, he was still taller than her, even in her four-inch heels, "Come on babe, we need to catch up." Then she looked at Ced, "I'll take care of him." She promised as she took him by the hand.

The group ran the short distance down the hallway to where Professor McGonagall was waiting at the door to the classroom. The three of them rounded the corner into the classroom. Fred and Julia found a table where they could sit together while Vic, Cici, and Ced stood at the back of the room.

"Don't be late to your classes!" Minerva told them softly. Then she turned to leave.

The proctor looked up at the sound of Minerva's voice. "Ah! Miss Potter! How have you been?" he asked her, a smile beaming from his face.

"Fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"I still feel amazing!" he said as he looked out over the group of students he was testing this time.

"Well, we need to get to our classes before the students tear down the walls!" she told him.

The three of them waved at the proctor as they made their way out of the door.

Ced checked on Fred one last time and he saw that Julia and Fred had locked eyes on each other. _"Somebody's performing legilimency on someone."_ He thought.

Vic and Cici casually looked over their friends again before leaving.

" _Fred's always had a bit of a confidence problem."_ Cici thought.

" _She's probably helping him with some of his insecurities."_ Vic thought. _"He knows the material but he gets nervous."_

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The trio found Fred grinning from ear to ear when they took their seats at the house table.

"You told me that all of the information was in my head!" Fred started to tell Ced. "But before the start of the testing, Julia showed me where it was, in my head!" he said quietly.

After listening to Fred for a second, Ced turned and kissed both wives on the lips. He was glad that Julia had helped one of his oldest mates with this breakthrough.

With all of the privacy charms in place, the others started talking about how their testing had gone. They were shocked when the proctor hadn't turned the giant hourglass over but instead, let them work at their own pace. When they finished with one test, they would just get up, turn in that test, and take the next test in the stack. All of them had completed four written tests that morning; O.W.L. Charms, N.E.W.T. Charms, O.W.L. Transfiguration and N.E.W.T. Transfiguration.

"You were right! Taking the N.E.W.T. test right after the O.W.L. test made it so much easier!" Rose said.

"He told us that he would have our test scores for us after lunch!" Angel said excitedly.

"Good!" Cici told her friends.

"As good as all of you are, your practical tests will be so easy!" Vic encouraged them.

"You know, I'm looking forward to Ancient Runes." Julia confessed quietly.

"Me too!" Angel said excitedly.

"Well, think about it! All of you helped take down some very complex wards last month!" Vic told them.

"Look at the other students! They're all stressed out about their tests. And then, they have to wait all summer to get their results. Just when they forget about their test scores, BOOM! The results show up just before their school letters! All of that fear again!" Ced told them. "At least this guy is grading your tests on the same day."

"Yeah, and uh, thanks for that!" Amber said.

"Don't thank us! Thank Kitten, it's all her doing." Vic told them.

"Kitten? What'd she do? Threaten to freeze somebody to death?" George asked with mirth filling his voice.

"No, not exactly." Ced started.

"She removed a curse from the man, that had been there since childhood. He was about to die and didn't know it." Cici told the group.

"Wow! Really?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, she's good at what she does." Ced told her.

"She really is." Amber agreed.

Vic nodded her head.

The rest of the week went by smoothly. The Potions and Astronomy practical tests were both done on Thursday night. While the potions were simmering, they went up to the Astronomy Tower and did their practical there. Friday afternoon came quickly and as they sat there at the Gryffindor table, they realized that they had done the impossible, they had taken twenty tests in five days. Ten O.W.L.s and ten N.E.W.T.s in the same week.

"What do you want to take for your Masters tests?" Ced asked the group.

"I don't know, I've never thought that far ahead!" Angel said.

"Mum and dad have always stressed on the O.W.L.s." George said.

"Ours too." Fred told them.

"So, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Ced asked them with a smile.

"I don't know." Julia said. "If you would have asked me that two years ago, I would have said free. But now, I have over a million U.S. dollars in my vault. Can Fred and I get married on this next mission and not tell anybody?" she blurted out suddenly.

Rose almost fell out of her seat when Julia said that. "Mum would be so mad!" she told her.

"I know, but we could do a wedding ceremony after we graduate. I just want to get married!" Julia told her. "That's the part about keeping it a secret." She said.

"Also, remember what we talked about, not rushing something that doesn't need to be rushed?" Cici told her.

"You would have to keep it a secret. Hogwarts has some very archaic rules about students getting married. Remember what happened to Grandma and Grandpa Weasley?" Angel said. "They got kicked out of school for getting married before they graduated."

"Really? They jumped over the broom?" Julia said.

"Yeah! She was betrothed to some other boy that she didn't like, so she and Grandpa Arthur eloped!"

"Your grandma broke a Betrothal Contract?" Ced said wide eyed.

"What's wrong with that?" Cici and Vic both asked.

Amber was curious too, she had heard of being betrothed but nothing else. These people over here, lived in the dark ages!

"A Betrothal Contract is signed between two Heads of Houses. Remember, here in Great Britain, the Magical World is still living in a Feudal Society." He was laying the ground work for his explanation. "So, when Arthur eloped with Molly that broke the contract and Molly's parents would be on the hook for all of the damages in the contract. They could have lost all of the family lands and properties. As it was, the Prewets' were disgraced and they had to buy their way out of the contract. The two families blame Arthur for what happened. That's why Arthur is stuck in a dead-end job, he has risen as far as he's going to rise in the Ministry. Don't get me wrong, Arthur is a great guy and he is great at his job, but that is why he has not risen any higher in the Ministry of Magic." Ced told the group.

"I've never thought of it that way." Fred said.

"Don't worry about it, the three of us have talked about going to the Middle East and getting married there, because it's legal for a man to have more than one wife. We would just have to find the right muggle priest to perform the marriage." Ced told him.

"Really?" Rose asked.

"Yes." Cici said. "We're planning on doing this after we graduate and before we go to university."

"You're going to go to university?" George said in dismay. The thought of going to school more than he had to was, was, was crazy talk!

"Sure! Why not?" Ced told his old mate.

"Cici wants to study muggle medicine to be a doctor like her mum. I'm thinking about studying Criminal Justice and Crime Scene Investigation, myself." Vic told the group. "It will help me move up in the aurors."

"And I'm going to study business management." Ced told them. "That way I will be ready to take over the family businesses from my dad when he's ready to let go."

"Another thing is, we're all just sixteen." Angel told them.

"What are we going to do next week?" Amber asked.

"Next week?" Rose said.

"Yeah, all of our classes are canceled because of testing." George told her.

"Do you want to work on first aid and healing?" Cici asked.

They all perked up at that thought. It was something that they all needed to know, and the little bit that Julia knew had helped Rose just last month.

As they were sitting there talking, the testing proctor came walking up to the group. Amber canceled the privacy charms as he approached.

"Well, I just wanted to stop by and let all of you know how you did." He told them excitedly.

With everybody's attention focused on him, the group didn't see Professor McGonagall and Professor Vector approaching the group from the other direction.

"Minerva!" the old proctor said excitedly.

All of the teens spun around to face her.

"Lenard, how are they doing?" she asked.

Then the group spun around to face him.

Vic cast all of the privacy charms again to include the testing proctor and the two professors. Professor McGonagall and Professor Vector both looked at her briefly.

"They're finished! I was just about to give them their scores. They all did excellent!" he exclaimed.

"Really?" Professor Vector said.

All of their heads turned to face her.

"Really! Miss Berkshire, here's your O.W.L.s, Miss Bones, here's your O.W.L.s, Mr. Bones, here are yours." And on down the line he went.

Then they all looked at him excitedly. He had been very encouraging throughout all of their testing.

"Well? How did you do?" Cici asked expectantly.

"Well, on their practical tests, all of them received a grade of Outstanding on all of their tests." Lenard said.

"Wow! Really? That's great!" Vic said enthusiastically.

"How did all of you do on your written tests?" Professor Vector asked.

They started at one end of the group and worked their way around the group as a whole. All of them had gotten some combination of Outstanding and Exceeds Expectations. Julia and Amber had scored nine Outstandings and just one Exceeds Expectations.

"Okay, now here are your N.E.W.T. scores." Lenard said to them. "First, let me say that all of you got Outstanding on all of your practical tests. Now Miss Berkshire here's your N.E.W.T. scores." And on down the line he went again, handing out their written test scores.

"Well? How did all of you do?" the Headmistress asked them.

Again, the group of students went around and told the Headmistress how they had done. It was a combination of Outstanding scores and Exceeds Expectations. The four girls had out done the two guys. And again, Julia and Amber had gotten nine Outstandings and just one Exceeds.

"Well, I must really be going, I am running late. I would like to wish all of you, success in all of your future endeavors." Lenard told them before he walked through the privacy charms.

"Excellent work! All of you, Excellent work." The Headmistress told them with a rare smile on her face. It had been a big gamble to let the six of them try and take all of their tests at once. Normally, they would take their O.W.L.s at the end of their fifth-year and their N.E.W.T.s at the end of their seventh-year. The six of them had just done it all in one week!

Her life was so blessed, she had seen the rise and fall of the dark lord. She got to teach the first soul-bonded couple in close to a thousand years, and she was a pseudo part of their family. She got to see how the students that chose to be apart of their extended family had started to excel at school and then in life. As if that weren't enough, she got to be apart of a second soul-bonded couple, from the same family! One of the most generous families in the Wizarding World. A family that demanded unwavering loyalty from it's friends, and in return they gave unwavering loyalty to their friends. A loyalty and a love that had created the first soul-bonded threesome in the history of the world! She watched as that threesome had set some very high goals for themselves, and had exceeded them, not once, not twice, but a third time as well. They in turn had set high standards of their friends and now, their friends had exceeded those goals that had been set for them, not goals that maybe their parents had set for them, not goals that their professors had set for them, but exceedingly high goals that had been set by their friends, and their friends had helped them meet and exceed all of those goals. This group of friends had the highest ethical standards, they didn't go out and act like a bully because of their skills, no, they stood up for the victims when no one else would, and they would use their skills to fight for the side of light every single time.

"If I may ask," she started when she found her voice again, "what are you going to do with your week off?"

"Well, the three of us, are going to teach our classes, and in our free time; we thought that we would help them learn some more of the healing arts." Cici told her.

"That is very admirable of you." She told the group. Poppy had told her more than once about how good the three of them were with the healing arts, and how exceptional Cici was with them. Maybe they should start offering classes to the sixth and seventh years in the healing arts, she would have to talk to Poppy about that.

"How is it that the three of you have learned so much?" Professor Vector broke down and asked. The 'you're still so young' part was implied.

"As you know," Ced started to tell her, "we're bonded. You've been there for both of our weddings, and being bonded has allowed us to learn magic at an accelerated pace. As far as these six go, well, we just expect more out of them! We expect great things from them and they have exceeded our expectations of them. High goals have been set for them and they have always reached, and exceeded those goals."

"Look at the other students that are struggling with their O.W.L.s," Vic started to tell her, "the O.W.L.s have always been something to be scared of, not a challenge to be met. When I came to this school, I couldn't read or write. I could barely identify my primary colours, and I could hardly count past two; because my natural mum didn't take the time to teach me, and I'm in Ravenclaw! With the brainiacs! But it wasn't until fate brought me to Ced and Cici that I've strived to reach my full potential, we just expect more from each other." Vic shared with Professor Vector.

She was right, the professors both knew, the O.W.L.s represented doom and gloom, the end of life as the students knew it. The students had been taught that the tests weren't something to be afraid of, no, they weren't something to be scared of, no, the tests were something to be terrified of, if you didn't pass a certain number of O.W.L.s, your life was over, it was finished when you were only fifteen years old! Sorry! End of the line! Your life is over! There's nothing else for you. Go away!

"We had to help them get over the fear." Cici started to tell her two favorite professors, well two of her favorite professors, she really like Professor Lively. "We worked with them on taking the tests several times. We encouraged them to take the N.E.W.T. tests at the same time as the O.W.L.s! First you would take the O.W.L. Charms test, then you would take the N.E.W.T. Charms test. The N.E.W.T.s just build upon the O.W.L.s. It's easier that way!" Cici told them.

The two professors looked at the six students that had just taken both sets of tests in five days and had scored a majority of 'O's on all of those tests. All six of them were nodding their heads in agreement with what Cici was telling them.

"That's very enlightening, Lady Potter." Minerva told her.

"So, the nine of you just study all of the time?" Professor Vector asked them.

All of them said 'No!'

"No! We do study a lot, but we also have a lot of down time to learn other things that we're interested in. All of us love to dance, and if somebody doesn't like the colour of their dress or shoes, then, we're witches! Just change it to a colour that you do like!" Cici told them.

"If something doesn't fit right, transfigure it to fit right! You are a wizard after all." Ced added in.

"If you don't have the right jewelry for an outfit, conjure up the right jewelry!" Angel said.

"Yeah!" Amber agreed.

"If you want to go lay out in the sun and try to get as dark as Angel or Cici, you had best learn to brew some sunblock potion!" Rose told them. Everyone had a good laugh at that.

"If you want to workout for two to two and a half hours every morning, you had best learn to brew some vitamix potion as well." Fred told them.

That explained why this group of students, was considered to be the best-looking kids in the school, Professor Vector realized. All nine of them were on one of the two top ten lists.

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"We've already done some basic first aid training in the past." Cici started to teach their friends, "And that training paid off when Julia saved Rose's life after she got ambushed and hit with a cutting curse."

For this week, they would be working in the Room of Requirement so they would have access to all of the different training dummies they would be needing. Her goal was to get them to a combat medic level of training on some things. She knew that they would need to learn some of the major muscle groups, the names of the major internal organs. She also understood, that by using magic, there were things that they could skip for now, unless they wanted to become a healer, then they could go back and learn those parts. If everything worked out just right, then she would start to teach them about physical wounds from magical creatures and those specialized healing techniques.

"Let's start with learning the most basic of the diagnostic spells. What this spell will show you, are the patient's vital signs. What are the patient's vitals?" she asked, and waited for a response.

"Heart beat!" Amber said enthusiastically.

"Temperature." Rose said with a little less enthusiasm.

"How fast they're breathing?" George asked.

"Yes, that's one of them." Cici told him.

"Something to do with their blood." Fred said as he thought really hard.

"Blood pressure?" Julia asked.

"Yes!" Cici told them. "Now you can add to that things like oxygen saturation, how much oxygen is in their blood."

Cici turned around and there were six training dummies lying on examination tables.

"Okay, all of you go and pick a training dummy." She told the group.

After they had selected their dummy. "This is the spell, and this is the wand motion that goes with the spell."

The six students began looking at the vitals of their training dummies.

"For now, if you notice, all of your dummy's vitals are in the green." She waved her hand and all of the dummies had one of the four vitals drop into the red and another drop into the yellow. "Several years ago, a healer modified this spell to have the colour coding added into the spell. If you notice, there are also numbers associated with those colours. He added the colours, so when emergency personal responded to a crisis situation, they could just look at the colours instead of trying to read and decipher what the numbers were trying to tell them. The numbers will tell you more than the colours ever could.

"So, all of you have at least one vital in the red. What vital is that and what is it telling you?" she asked them.

"Mine's saying that their body temperature is too low." Julia said with a confused look on her face.

As they discussed this, the other vitals moved into the yellow or the red zones. Then the group of students began to cast warming charms on their patients to warm them back up. They had decided that their dummies were suffering from hypothermia, and they discussed other cold related illnesses, including frostbite.

The next cases that they worked on were heat related health issues, from just getting over heated, to heat exhaustion, all the way to heat stroke, and how to treat their patient, and what the preventative measures are for heat related illnesses.

Cici moved on to teaching them the midlevel diagnostic spell and let them practice that for a few minutes before they needed to head down for dinner.

"I'm hungry!" Angel said suddenly.

The others blinked for a second, then they all agreed with her.

"The healing spells take a lot of magic out of you." Cici told them. "That's why my mom and Hermione are so strong magically. That and they workout everyday just like we do."

While the trio were teaching classes, the other six of them went down to the library and found some books on the healing arts and started to read up on it. It turns out that it was an interesting subject and something good to know. Especially with the type of work they had fallen into. Being a private contractor for the parts of government that they worked with, was not the safest job on the planet. They had learned that in Cameroon and Nigeria when there were bullets flying past their heads!

The next afternoon, Cici reviewed the two different diagnostic spells they had learned the day before.

"Alright! I want you to use both of the diagnostic spells and tell me what you find out about you dummy." Cici told the group of friends.

She watched as some of them went straight to the midlevel diagnostic spell and found a broken leg. The others used the basic diagnostic spell and saw how the vitals were skewed indicating that something was wrong, then they ran the midlevel diagnostic spell and found the broken leg. Then she watched as Rose kept looking for what would make the dummy's blood pressure so low and found the broken artery.

"Very good, Rose!" Cici said loudly. "How many of you found the second problem with your training dummy?"

She had five more heads look at her.

"Run your basic diagnostic spells and tell me what you see." She told them. She wasn't a dictator, she was there to help them learn.

"The blood pressure is too low." Angel said.

"Good. Now run your midlevel spell and tell me why the blood pressure is to low." She instructed her students.

Using the midlevel spell, Fred said, "Oh! There's a broken artery in the leg!"

"So, what are you going to fix first? The broken bone, or the broken artery?" she asked them.

Ced moved forward, "These are questions that you will have to answer. When Cici was beaten so badly a year ago? I had to make these choices. I could have chosen to put her eye back into it's socket, but that wouldn't have saved her life. She had so many broken ribs, and some of those ribs were pressing against her heart, keeping it from working properly. Eventually, my mum and her mum arrived, that the four of us, working together were able to heal her and save her life.

"Here, you have a choice, heal the broken leg first, or heal the broken artery first. Which one is going to cause them to die?"

All of their friends knew which injury was the life-threatening injury. But the temptation was there to heal the broken bone first, but if something came up that caused them to have to leave their patient for a few minutes, their patient may not be alive when they returned.

On Wednesday, they kept working with the two diagnostic spells that they had learned. Their practice scenarios kept getting more and more complex. Cici kept teaching them new spells for the different challenges they faced.

Thursday, Cici taught them a high level diagnostic spell. She explained what it was used for and gave them scenarios to practice with; things like heart problems, kidney problems, and liver problems. For the last scenario for the day, Cici gave them multiple life-threatening problems with their dummies.

"Your patient had been out walking in the heat of a summer day without enough water, they had passed out and fallen down a small cliff. The bystanders have everything that you need to save your patient's life. Go." Cici told them.

The trio watched as their friends took different paths to success. Some of them just felt the skin of their training dummy to get an idea of their body temperature, others used the basic diagnostic spell, but all of them cast a cooling charm on their patient. And on they went healing their patient and getting some water into them to start rehydrating the patient. In the end, they had followed the proper steps in the proper order and saved their patient's lives.

"And if we don't hurry, we're going to miss dinner!" Ced told the lot of them.

Over dinner they all talked enthusiastically about the challenges they had overcome.

Friday afternoon, as the group got together again after lunch in the Room of Requirement, Cici had them practice again. She wasn't trying to make Healers out of them, just competent field medics, somebody that could save your life in the heat of a battle. After they had done a couple of scenarios, she gathered them around another training dummy, to just show them one last diagnostic spell.

"This is a diagnostic spell that Hermione used to help save Julia's life after she had been beaten." And standing at the head of the training dummy she cast the spell. "When you use this spell, you're looking to see if your patient is suffering from some sort of brain injury. It generally takes two people to do this, one person to cast the spell, and the other to heal the patient. So, I cast the spell, while Hermione repaired the damages done to Julia's head." She told them humbly.

The others went back to their dummies and tried the spell, they could feel the power that the spell was taking from them, to just hold the spell over their dummies heads.

Cici started to lecture them on the last subject, "Okay! We're going to touch on one last subject. And that is, a physical wound caused by a magical creature. For this scenario, we're going to deal with a wound caused by a Manticore's dart, and we're also going to deal with a wound caused by its claws. As we have learned in school, a Manticore's darts are poisonous, but they also pierce the skin of its victim. So, you're going to need two things to save your patients life. Antidote and a way to stop the bleeding. If you run across this scenario, get them to a hospital before they bleed out or die from the poison. For the other scenario, where the patient has been clawed by the Manticore, you will need an old fashion needle and thread. You're going to have to sew the wound closed because it won't heal on its own. When you go to sew your patient closed, you need to make sure that the wound is clean, your hands are clean, and the needle and thread are sterile. Otherwise, the patient could become infected with something and die from the infection."

The Room of Requirement changed the dummies to have a gash on their thigh that was bleeding and it provided a curved needle and some surgical thread for the students to learn to sew a wound shut.

Cici walked around watching each of them start trying to work with the needle and thread. Most of them had never even seen a needle and thread.

"Okay, let me teach you how to do it first." She told them. she picked up a needle and a piece of thread. "If you notice, on one end of the needle there's a hole. The thread goes through the hole and you pull it out the other side, about this far. Then when you go to sew the wound closed you don't want to make it too tight, but then again, you don't want it to be too loose either. Remember, your patient is going to be moving around after you're finished, the muscle and the skin is going to get tighter and looser. So, you have to make it look something like this, she showed them. Then you tie it off and cut the thread. Then you do another one, and another one, until you're finished. There have actually been cases where medics and doctors have run out of surgical thread when trying to save a patient's life. Okay, go ahead and try it again." She told them encouragingly.

This time the group had an idea of what needed to be done to save their patients life.

The last days of school went by quietly. As much as they wanted to fly home, the group of friends rode the train. With Coldstone and her older friends gone, the younger dykes didn't cause any problems, they just kept to themselves. Neville, Venus, and their friends had a lot of fun riding the train. Daphne and her friends had added Centauri to their group this year. They too were enjoying the train ride. All in all, it was a quiet peaceful ride into London this year.

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 **A/N:**


	52. Year Six Chapter 52

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 52

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The powerful wings of the dragon helped it pull up and away as the young boy shot past it. He banked hard hoping to salvage his try at tagging Angelica and Uasal. He kept his eyes on them as he turned as tight as he could but when the dragon folded her wings in, she dropped like a stone, and he knew he had no hope of catching her. He rolled on over and turned in the other direction, being a reserve chaser for the house Quidditch team, he had learned a lot from his teammates about flying, but trying to tag a creature that was born to fly, was teaching him a lot more.

He looked and caught Rose and Angel watching Charlie and Car-baun, at this point he didn't care who he tagged as long as the game didn't end with him still being 'it'. He tucked in tight against his broom, he had to get one of them quickly because those Ferrarginies were fast! He slowed down enough that he could sit up and he tagged Angel just before his father called an end to the game. Yes! He wasn't 'it'!

The group of family and friends landed on the ground and grasped their brooms in their hands. Neville watched as Angelica slid off of Uasal and then kissed her on her snout and gave her a big hug. With a wave of her wand, the saddle was banished, and she was free to do whatever she and her son wanted to do.

Angelica walked over towards Cici, "I'm going to say something here, and the words are going to be wrong, but I'm going to say it anyway. But if someone had told me that I would have a dragon as a pet, I would never have believed them! But now I have a dragon as a friend! This is an amazing life!" and she hugged her daughter tightly.

"Yes, it is, mom!" Cici hugged her mom back.

The two women kept walking towards the house as Charlie caught up to his wife, he slipped his arm around her shoulder, and she slipped hers around his waist.

"Car-baun wants to know when Draco is going to give him his second cow, he says that he wants a treat," Charlie addressed Cici.

Ced and Vic walking with their arms wrapped around each other's waists, moved over to collect their missing piece, Ced moved his arms up around the women's shoulders as Cici slipped her arm around his waist too.

"Uncle Draco still hasn't given them their second cow?" Cici said in disbelief.

"According to Car-baun, no."

"I'll ask Harry how I go about buying a couple of cows," Cici told him. The dragons had been promised two cows, and Draco, it seems, had only given them one each.

.

The group of people sat down for lunch after getting their second shower of the day. Even Charlie had started holding Angelica's chair for her, and like her daughter and daughter-in-law, she gave her man a kiss.

"A letter my Lord," Gareth said with a bow.

Harry turned to look at the elf. Who would be sending him a letter this time of day? He took the envelope from the elf and thanked him.

"It is a pleasure to serve," Gareth said with a bow, before turning to leave.

Harry slid his finger under the sealed flap of the envelope to open it. Inside, on a plain white piece of copy paper was a hand-written note.

.

 _Can you and I meet this afternoon? I have someone that would like to meet the kids._

 _Sean_

 _._

Harry's brow furrowed. Hermione stopped what she was doing and looked at her husband.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"Sean," He said. "He wants to meet this afternoon."

"What else?" Hermione asked. Unlike her kids, she and Harry didn't have their mental link fully opened to each other the majority of the time. It was better now, then it had been all those years ago, but she knew that Ced, Cici, and Vic had their mental link fully open the majority of the time, and they only closed it off to protect the others from an incapacitating pain.

"He said that he had someone that wanted to meet the kids."

At this revelation, all of the older teens stopped and looked at Harry. Someone was requesting to meet them? Who else on this planet knew about them? And, how did they find them? They had layers of security. How did they tie McMillian to them?

"What are you going to do dad?" Ced asked.

"Go and meet this person. If worse comes to worse, I'll obliviate their memory," Harry said bluntly, with a shrug of his shoulders.

"If you want, I'll go with you," Vic told him. "I can always go poking around in Sean's head some more." She told him with a smirk.

That brought a smile to Harry's face, he knew how nervous Sean got the last time the three of them went poking around in the spy's head. "No, I'll be okay." He told her. "Thanks for the offer though."

Harry thought for a moment, "Gareth." He said politely.

Pop, "Yes, my Lord?" the elf said with another bow.

"Would you please bring me a quill and a piece of parchment?" Harry asked.

"Yes, my Lord." And he was gone for a few seconds. "Here, my Lord." The elf said as he held out everything that Harry would need to write a reply to the note.

Gareth waited for Harry to pen his reply. When he had finished, Gareth held out his hand for the note to take to an owl.

"Thank you, Gareth."

"My pleasure, my Lord." He replied.

When Harry turned back around, there were trays of sandwiches and crisps on the table for their lunch.

.

.

At a little after five o'clock, the floo flared to life and out stepped Harry, a few moments later Agent Robins stumbled through the floo, then Sean McMillan, and after him, another man stepped out of the floo like he had done it thousands of times before. All of the teens stopped what they were doing when they saw Rob come through the floo and then they stared when the other man stepped out.

Ced moved to get up off of the rug they were all sitting on, Vic and Cici moved so he could get to his feet. Ced knew that his dad would never let a threat through the floo, so who was this new wizard? And why was he here? Was this the man that Sean had hinted to his dad? As Ced walked over to his dad, the others got up and started to move that way also.

As Ced greeted his dad after Gareth had left, the others had fanned out behind Harry, as Hermione came walking gracefully down the stairs. Her mate had been gone for close to four hours.

Ced greeted and shook Rob's hand. He welcomed and shook Sean's hand.

Harry waited just a moment until Hermione was where she belonged, right next to him. Harry introduced Hermione first. "Zander, this is my wife, Hermione. Hermione, this is Zander Williams." They shook hands.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Zander said politely.

As Harry was going around and introducing all of the others, Zander's attention wavered for a moment as he looked over at the front doors of the mansion.

Gareth had opened the doors for Ginny Weasley, who had come to collect Willow. Harry followed Zander's stare and saw Ginny walking towards the group of kids.

Harry motioned for her to come the rest of the way over. Ginny walked on over, she had caught a glimpse of the tall man with light brown hair, in the middle of the group.

"Ginny, this is Zander Williams, from America. Zander, this is Ginny Weasley." Harry told the star-struck wizard.

Ginny looked at the tall, tanned man, and the dancing blue eyes, dressed in wizarding business robes. "Pleased to meet you." She said.

Zander held his hand out to Ginny, "It is my pleasure." He said with a slight bow, to the incredibly beautiful witch, dressed in casual business robes.

Ginny accepted his offered hand, and he held it tenderly for just a moment longer than needed.

"Ginny, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?" Harry asked her.

Ginny looked around.

"I would be honoured if you would." Zander prompted her.

Ginny looked at Harry and Hermione, "I would love to." She told them.

Harry finished introducing the rest of the teens that had fanned out behind him.

"Let's go to the sitting room, while we wait for dinner," Harry told everyone.

Cici, Ced, and Vic led the way to the sitting room, as they entered the room, they conjured more chairs and couches for all of the people that were there. As the others entered the room and took a seat, the trio claimed the largest couch.

As the last of the group entered the room, Sean remained standing. "I realise that most of you are nervous about having a stranger come into your home, and I would like to apologise for that." He started off. "When I was initially contacted by Agent Robins, we weren't sure if this would be something that all of you would be interested in. Today, Agent Robins travelled by portkey for the first time when he brought Zander Williams of the Redwood Institute for Magical Education to meet me. After hearing his story, I contacted Harry, to have him meet Zander, and now we are here." Sean indicated for Zander to take over from there.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you in person. I had heard rumours about a remarkable group of young adults that had the ability to accomplish the impossible. Well, I kept following that rumour until it led me to Agent Robins. After I told Agent Robins, why I had been searching for all of you, he told me he had no way of getting in direct contact with you. But he did tell me, we might be able to meet with someone, that might, be able to get in touch with all of you." Zander was walking and talking like he was used to speaking in front of a group of people. "When Agent Robins contacted me again, to let me know that Mr McMillian would be willing to meet with me, hope began to rise in me once again. When I first met Harry, I was awestruck to be meeting a legend, The Lord Gryffindor. After I talked to him and told him my story, he made me take an Oath of Loyalty to the family, before we would go any farther. Once that was finished he brought me here to meet all of you." When he finished, he was looking at Ginny, who blushed a little.

The others hadn't even realised that she was in the room with them.

"Would you be willing to share your story with the rest of us?" Ced asked politely.

"Forgive me, please." And he launched into his story and why he needed their help. The group of people that he represented was willing to pay a lot for their help.

"I told him that you all were not cheap," Rob told them from where he sat. "But he told me, that cost was not an issue. So, that's why we came looking for you. All of you did an excellent job for me. You were able to accomplish what experienced agents couldn't," he praised them.

"Like Agent Robins has said, the cost is not an issue. The parents just want their children back."

"How long have these children been missing?" Cici asked in dismay.

"For over a month now." He looked down at the floor in shame, when he had finished.

"For over a month?!" Vic said in dismay.

"Yes."

"By the name of your school, is it safe to assume that these are magical children?" Rose asked.

"Yes, they're all magical children."

"And how many kids are missing?" George asked.

"Thirteen, we think."

"You don't know how many kids are missing?" Angel said in shock.

"No, because some of the kids each year leave without telling their parents or us. But they generally show up, sometime, somewhere, during the summer months." He told her.

"How old are we talking here?" Julia asked.

"They're all between fourteen and sixteen years of age." He told her.

"How old are the ones that leave on their own, typically?" Ced asked.

"Those are almost always seventeen or eighteen-years-old." He said more positively.

"Would everyone involved in this, be willing to talk with us?" Angel asked.

"As far as I know, yes." He told her looking sincere.

"Well, not to be the greedy one in the bunch, but as Agent Robins has said. Our services don't come cheap." Vic started talking to him.

"Like I said, the cost is no object. Whatever you want, we will pay."

"Well, we need to get this stumbling block cleared up." Ced started telling him.

"Cost is no object." He repeated.

"You keep saying that, and it's starting to make me nervous." Fred finally spoke up.

"Like I was saying, not to be the greedy one in the bunch, but we typically get one million U.S. dollars for our services, each, and you pick up the expenses." She told him.

The tall American man's tan faded, his mouth started to work like a fish's out of water.

"You said it several times, 'Cost is no object', and we tried several times to get you to talk to us about it, but you just kept saying the same thing, 'Cost is no object.' Well, now, it seems that the cost, is an object." Cici told him bluntly.

"No, the cost is not a factor. All of these parents are well off, and they all want their children returned. One million dollars shouldn't be a problem." He cut the amount slyly.

"I apologise, but you must have heard me wrong. The price is ten million U.S. dollars. One million for each of us." Vic was including Ginny in this deal. For some reason, she had the feeling that Ginny was going to be a part of this solution.

Again, Zander choked on the amount. These were just kids he was dealing with.

"No, we are not just kids that you are dealing with. What we are, are independent contractors, we work off of the books. And as you have heard from different sources, we get the job done, when others can't. These children have already been missing for over a month. What have you learned in that month?" Cici attacked him verbally.

Sean and Rob stayed out of it. They both knew that the kids were worth every penny they had spent.

"So why have you chosen ten million?" Hermione finally asked.

Zander looked like someone had finally thrown him a life preserver.

Vic looked at her for a second, her mum had never gotten involved in their negotiations before. "The tenth person is Ginny." She told her.

Ginny's head snapped around to look at Vic. She knew Vic was a very business savvy young woman, but why had she included her? "Why are you including me?" Ginny asked.

"For whatever reason, I just know that you are a part of the solution to this problem. I can't tell you why, but I just know it." Vic told her.

"Well, I'm not paying for something that I don't know about." Zander was putting his foot down.

"Would you like to challenge the three of us to a duel?" Vic asked him. "If we lose, we'll do it for free, but if we win, you're going to pay us double; twenty million dollars. No, let's make that twenty million Euros." She looked him straight in the eye. "Deal?"

"You're what? Fifth years? You've just finished up your fifth year in school?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I'm pretty sure that I can take a couple of fifth years in a wizard's duel. So, yeah, I'll take that deal." He told her cockily.

"Now, just to make this clear. This is not a formal duel on a duelling platform, but more of a combat duel. Is that going to be okay with you?" she clarified the situation.

"Whatever you want little girl. If I can save ten million dollars, then I'm money ahead." He put her down.

"Great, and if you lose, the new price is twenty million Euros." She repeated for him.

"Agreed. When do you want to do this?" he asked her.

"Let's get it over with now. And then we can have dinner." She told him. "The elves will understand."

Rob, Ginny, and Sean were all interested in this. None of them had ever seen the teens fight, especially with magic.

Harry stood up, then he turned and offered his hand to Hermione, she had been sitting next to him, and not on his lap as she usually would. "Please follow me," Harry said to the group.

Harry led the large group of people across the living room and down a hallway to the training room. He entered the room and said out loud, "Room, empty space."

And the room lit up with just an open floor for the duel.

Harry looked at Zander, "Do you want just an open space or would you prefer some pre-placed barricades?"

"I'm fine with just an open room." He told Harry, self assuredly.

"Would you like to set a time limit? Or would you just like to duel until it's over?" Harry asked him again.

"Let's just go until it's finished." He said to him. Why all the questions? He wondered.

"Do you want to double down on the bet again? If we beat you in less than fifteen minutes, it doubles to forty million Euros?" Vic asked him. "After all, we're just a couple of fifth years." She taunted him a little more.

"I'll take that bet and I'll up you one. If I beat you three, in less than fifteen minutes, you pay me ten million dollars." Put your money where your mouth is.

Vic thought for a moment. Actually, she talked with Ced and Cici. "We can't cover the ten million, but we can cover five million."

"I'll spot you the other five," Harry told her.

"There, see. Now you're covered." He said to her face, cheekily.

"Okay, pick a side," Harry told them.

Zander walked one way, and the trio walked the other.

"Okay! This is a no time limit fight! No unforgivable curses!" Harry said just to clarify something that popped into his mind. "Three, two, one, go!" and Harry stepped out of the way.

The three teens had already charmed their clothes on the walk to the training room, and on the count of two, Ced had already cast a shield spell to cover the three of them.

"What? Do you think that I'm going to cheat?" Zander asked almost, but not quite offended.

"It has been our experience, that most of our opponents prefer to; let's just say, take every advantage they can get over their victims," Ced told him.

As Ced was talking, the three of them spread out, presenting three separate targets.

He may have been Ilvermorny's Dueling Champion, twenty years ago, but he may have underestimated his opponents too.

"We get that a lot," Cici told him.

"People underestimate us," Ced told him.

"Because of our age," Vic told him.

"Sorry, Mr Williams," Cici said just before she opened fire on him. _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Ced thought.

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Vic thought.

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Cici thought.

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Ced thought.

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Vic thought.

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Cici thought.

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Ced thought.

 _Reducto/expulso/stupefy._ Vic thought.

Silently the three of them just pounded him into the ground. It was a steady stream of spellfire that was intended to overpower his shield by brute force. They quickly overcame his shield spell. They had crushed his shield spell with overwhelming firepower. The talking had lasted longer than the actual duel had.

He faced his opponents, they were sixteen at the most. He had been watching how the two young girls just hung all over the boy. He was good-looking, and the two girls were gorgeous. His parents must be very open-minded to let their son behave this way in front of other people. They probably even let them sleep together, by the looks of things. He had seen the girls and the boys hanging all over each other at R.I.M.E. In fact, they didn't discourage it, they wanted their students to find themselves, in a safe place, before they went off, out into the world. Their campus was an open campus, people were free to come and go as they wished. They had a small school of about 150 students. The only walls they had, were the walls of the buildings, and the natural wall that the trees made as they surrounded their campus. People were free to come and go as they wanted. They had had troublemakers before, but they always seemed to get bored and move on after a couple of days. His school, at the request of the parents, didn't even teach Defense classes, preferring to let MACUSA take care of things like that.

Now here he was trying to use skills that he had developed over twenty years ago. He looked at the three opponents, and he judged the boy to be the biggest threat, based merely on his physical size and the fact that he was a boy. The fact that he had already cast a shield spell before the duel actually began, in his mind told him that they were scared of him. Well, he would teach these little kids a lesson this evening. After all, parents had been bringing him their children to teach for the last fifteen years. Why are they talking to me like they can read my mind? First one of them, then another one of them, and then another. It's like they can speak to each other without talking. He assumed a proper defensive stance. Why is she apologising to me?

" _Protego."_ He said out loud, out of self-preservation he put all of his strength into his shield spell. He could feel the pounding of the spells just hitting the shield, pushing him backwards. He just kept drawing on his magic to sustain the shield. He had never experienced anything like this in his life! All of his duelling opponents back in school, it was just one spell at a time. They would cast a jinx, then he would cast a jinx. They would step it up, then he would step it up, and so it went until one of them. Generally, it would be him, would land a lucky shot on the other person.

Rob had never seen anything like this in his life. As they walked down the hallways, the people in the paintings actually could move! And they would move from one painting to another! He had seen that the kids used candles for lighting in their houses at Quantico. But here, the whole mansion was lit by candles! When he walked into the training room, he could see where they had gotten the idea from for the training room they had made at Quantico too. And did Harry just talk to the room? And these kids are pretty cocky to quadruple the bet like this, I mean, I know that Ced can defend himself, and the two girls put Johnson in his place quick enough, but forty million Euros? Come on! Oh, and now if they lose, they're going to pay Zander ten million dollars? What kind of circles did these kids move in? And Harry just covered their bet for them too? He had never seen the kids fight with magic before, something flashed around them while Harry was counting down to the start of the duel. What's that? Is Zander, right? Are the kids scared of him? He is older than they are. Now they're accusing him of judging them because of their age. Why did Cici just apologise to him? Look at all of that coming out of their wands! He had seen this tactic used in the Navy when the battleships and destroyers would start to pound a beach before a landing party would get there.

Sean was watching as Ced, and the two girls moved out on to the open floor. He watched as they spread apart so that the American wouldn't have one big target. He had been taught this back in Infantry training school, spread out so that the enemy has multiple targets, not just one big target. He had seen the kids use magic before, but he had never seen them fight. They must be pretty sure of themselves to quadruple the bet like that, and then offer to pay ten million if they lost. Harry must believe in them too if he's willing to cover the bet if they lost. What's that? Ced's getting jumpy? Why did Cici apologise to the guy? Wow! Look at them go! He'd seen the Royal Navy use this tactic before when they were doing amphibious landing exercises. They're just pounding on the guy! There he goes! He's down.

He saw his shield fail, and then he felt the hardest punch he had ever felt in his life throw him backwards through the air, then while he was floating he felt …

"Are you okay, Mr Williams?" the black-haired, dark-skinned girl was asking him. If he weren't in England, he would say that she's Mexican. He felt stiff and a little sore, his head was kind of foggy, but he didn't think that he was injured in any way.

"How, what, why are you standing over me? Did I lose?" he asked groggily. The good-looking boy with the black hair and the green eyes was holding out a hand to help him up. He reached up and took his hand. He lifted him up with ease! Wow was he strong!

"Here," the light-skinned, witch with light brown hair said to him as he watched a vial flying through the air into her hand. "My name is Vic." She told him as she handed the vial of potion to him. "It's a Vitamix potion. It will help with the fogginess in your head."

"Oh, okay, thank you." He downed the whole thing in one shot. "Well, what happened?"

"What happened is, what happens to a lot of our opponents. You judged us by our age. You looked at us and saw a little boy with two little girls playing house, with two very liberal parents. You underestimated us. You said to yourself, that because you are older than us, that you are stronger, faster, smarter, and better than us." Ced scolded him.

Zander looked down sheepishly, the boy was right.

"The 'boy' as you keep calling him, has a name." Vic scolded him again. "His name is Ced. You really should make an effort to learn our names. Especially since you're going to be paying us forty million Euros." Vic told him with a smile on her face.

"Uh, yeah huh," Zander said as he looked around. Then his eyes met the older, good-looking redheaded witch's eyes.

"Are you coming?"

"Huh? What?" Zander shook his head. Wow, she's incredible!

"Yes, she is. Now, are you coming to eat with us?" Harry asked him again.

Can everybody here read my mind? Zander thought.

"Most of us can. It's one of the things that helps us." Harry answered his unasked question.

.

At the dining room table, Harry sat Zander next to Ginny, and Ginny was sitting next to Cici. Zander watched all of the couples, the guys would hold the chair for their significant other, and then the girls would give the guys a kiss, either on the cheek or on the lips. He watched as the others at the table looked at a menu and then spoke to their plate the selection they had made. A few minutes later, their food would appear. He looked at Robins and Sean, both of them seemed almost as confused as he was. Then one of the redheaded boys started to explain how things worked. On the other side, the dark-skinned girl with the bushy hair began to explain how it worked to Sean. He watched as they spoke their selection to their plate.

"Here, what you need to do is pick up your menu, and make your selection. What is it that you would like for dinner tonight?" Ginny asked him.

Zander looked over the menu. "I think I would like to try the seafood dinner." He told her incredibly beautiful eyes.

The intensity of his stare was a little unnerving to Ginny, she had never in her life had a man look at her like this. "Okay, then just tell your plate that you would like the seafood platter. Then in a few minutes, your dinner will appear on your plate." She broke his gaze by looking away. She could feel her cheeks getting warm. She saw Charlie at the other end of the table watching her. He smiled to her, to let her know that he was happy for her, then he went back to paying attention to Angelica. It had been a long time since Ginny could remember her cheeks getting warm like this. Back then, it used to make her angry when the boys would make her blush. But then, she had started to become hard.

Then she heard him speaking to her. "I'm sorry, I must have gotten lost in thought." She told the good-looking American.

"I was asking what it is that you do?" But what he wanted to ask was, is there anyone else in your life? Are you seeing anyone? I don't see a ring on your finger.

"Oh, sorry, I work for the Ministry of Magic." She told him, blushing again. Why does he keep making me blush? Why does he keep staring at me?

"Oh, wow! What do you do for them? That seems like an awfully big place." He said to her. You are so beautiful. How can you be so gorgeous?

"I work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department." She told him. How can your eyes be so blue? They're so beautiful!

"Oh, muggles?" he asked. Your eyes are so incredible, I have never seen eyes the colour of yours, they almost glow!

"Uh, muggles are what we call non-magical people." She stammered out. How can you make me feel this way? After all of these years!

"Oh, we call them no-Majs," he told her. You have such beautiful, creamy white skin. I love the colour of your hair, it's so amazing, like you.

"What is it that you do?" she asked him. Other than sitting there looking so fantastic.

"Me? Oh, I'm the School Director for R.I.M.E." He said to her. What I have been doing is looking for you, for my whole life. And now that I have found you, I never want to let you go. What do I have to do to get you to stay with me forever?

"Oh, that sounds interesting. What's R.I.M.E. stand for?" she asked him. Is there anybody else in your life that I need to worry about? A wife? A girlfriend? Why are you interested in me? I'm broken.

At that last thought, every female at the table over the age of fifteen, except Angelica, frowned at her, they all dropped their silverware on their plates, suddenly.

"We need to go and talk, now!" Cici said facing Ginny and getting up before Ced could move. In fact, all of the females at the table over the age of fifteen, got up before their men could even think about moving.

"Is something wrong?" Ginny asked, a little afraid.

"Yes!" was the unanimous response from all of the women but Angelica.

"How about that Irish Quidditch team?" Ced said as he got another piece of the fish. The elves had really outdone themselves with the fish tonight.

"Was it something that I said?" Zander asked confused.

"No, it's a girl thing," Harry said.

"Oh, what's a girl thing?"

"Don't worry about it, mate," Fred told him.

They had all been listening to the unspoken conversation happening between the two adults. The women had just moved over to the smaller dining room to talk to Ginny.

.

A long while later, the women all returned to the dining room to finish their meals. All of the men seated the women again and received their reward of a kiss.

"Is everything okay?" Zander asked Ginny softly.

"Yes, it was just a girl thing." She told him.

"Oh, okay." He said.

.

After the pudding had been served and eaten. The group moved to the sitting room again to keep the conversation going. Sean excused himself, saying that he needed to get home for the night. Ced and Harry escorted him to the floo, where he would floo to the Leaky Cauldron to catch a cab. This time, Hermione sat across Harry's lap, signalling to the other girls that chose to, that they could do the same.

Harry offered a room to Robins, Zander, and Ginny for the night. He was very excited to see one of his oldest friends coming back to life. Daphne and Willow had become inseparable, both at school and here at the house. Cathaoir was delighted with the way their relationship was growing, and Willow loved to hear the stories that Cathaoir would tell them before going to sleep. All three of them accepted the offered rooms for the night. As the hours slipped past, Charlie and Angelica excused themselves saying that they needed to go and check on Uasal and Car-baun. They left out of the room, with their arms wrapped around each other.

"What time do you normally get up around here?" Rob asked Harry.

"Well, we usually get up early for our morning workout," Harry told him.

"Okay, what time would that be?"

"Well, Hermione and I get up at five to be down the stairs at five-thirty. The others join us about that time too." Harry told him.

"Okay, would you mind if I joined you?" Rob asked.

"Sure, we'd like that," Harry told their guest.

"Um, which room would be mine?" Rob asked.

"Dobby!" Harry called out to the air.

"Yes, my Lord." The tiny creature popped in and said with a bow.

"Would you please show Rob to his room?" Harry asked the excitable elf.

"Yes, my Lord." The elf said again with a bow. Then he turned and faced the man. "If you would please follow me." Then Dobby headed for the doors of the sitting room.

"What can you tell us about these missing students? Did they all go missing at once? Did anybody see anything strange before they went missing? What kind of wards do you have around your school to keep unauthorised people away?" Ced started to hit the man with some basic questions.

"We have an open campus policy and the only wards that we employ, are basic no-Maj repelling wards. To my knowledge, no one had reported anything out of the ordinary. People are free to come and go as they wish, we believe that students learn best if they're not forced into learning." Zander told Ced.

"So, you don't know when the first student went missing," Cici stated.

"No, not really. The parents were away, and when they returned, their daughter was missing." He told Cici.

"Will you be able to give us a list of the students and their parents?" Vic asked.

"I would have to ask the parents before I could share that information with you." He told her.

"Do you even have the forty million Euros?" George asked harshly.

"Yes! That, the school does have." He told the group brightly.

"Good, because we're going to want half up front," Rose told him.

Cici looked at Rose. Rose looked back at Cici with her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I can do that, I'll just need your account numbers to make the transfers." He told them.

"Good, then we can go to Gringotts in the morning after breakfast," Angel told him.

"Gringotts? What's that? We work with a no-Maj bank." Zander told her.

"That's fine, Gringotts Bank will be able to set up the transfers with your bank. All they'll need is your authorisation." Harry told the wizard.

"Would I be able to get an elf to take me to my room? I think that I'm ready to call it a night." He told Harry.

Hermione slipped off of Harry's lap, she held out her hand slightly, below her waist, to signal to the others that there was no need to get up. All of the girls relaxed a little.

"Dobby!" Harry called out.

With a soft pop, Dobby appeared, "Yes, my Lord?" the elf said with a low bow.

"Would you show Zander to his room please?" Harry asked the elf politely.

Dobby looked up at the man's face, then he looked at Harry, "Yes, my Lord." Then looking at the man again, "Please follow me." He instructed the guest.

Once he was out of earshot, "He's being really vague." Ced said.

"Did you see the way that Dobby looked at him?" Fred said.

"I don't think Dobby likes him, I wonder why?" Angel said. She had known Dobby her entire life, and she had never seen him behave this way.

"An open campus? How are they going to provide for their student's safety with an open campus?" Cici asked.

"The man has no occlumency skills at all!" then Vic looked at Ginny, "And we're going to start teaching you some tomorrow! Nothing will get us killed faster than the bad guys being able to read your mind!"

"Why am I even going on this mission of yours?" Ginny asked hotly.

Vic looked at her, "I don't know. For whatever reason, all I do know, is you are vital to the success of this mission. Plus, it's going to put four million Euros into your bank vault."

For four million Euros, she could take a leave of absence. Her dad would just have to understand. "What am I going to tell my dad?" she asked suddenly.

"We need to tell mum and dad," Fred said suddenly.

"Us too!" George said, a little worried about what his parents would say, but for twelve million Euros coming into the household? They might not like them being gone so soon after just getting back, but he knew they wouldn't say 'No.'

"For your dad," Harry was talking to Ginny, "Tell him as little as possible. Just the bare necessities. Anything more than that could come back to bite you later on. It's called Operational Security or Opsec for short. Good Opsec leads to successful missions, bad Opsec leads to dead bodies on the wrong side." Harry told her.

"Do you think that we need to get Zander to sign a contract?" Ced asked his dad.

Kitten appeared in the room at that moment.

"Where's Willow?" Ginny asked worriedly. All of this talk about Opsec was making her nervous.

"Oh, hi Aunt Ginny! Willow's with Cathaoir listening to a story about the time that Edmund played a practical joke on the leader of the Goblin Nation." She told her.

"Oh, okay," Ginny said relieved.

"Dobby doesn't like this new guest that we have in the house, but he's too scared to tell you," Daphne told her father.

"Dobby's too scared to tell me? Is he scared of me, or Zander?"

"He's scared of Zander because Zander isn't Zander, Zander's an imposter, but the imposter's real name is Zander too," Daphne told the group.

"Just my luck," Ginny grumbled. "So, is this Zander a good guy or a bad guy?" she asked Kitten.

"He's a good guy who just wants his daughter back." She told them sincerely.

"So how did he get all of the other Zander's memories?" Vic asked her.

"He got all of the bad Zander's memories because of some ancient artefact that let him absorb the bad Zander's memories."

"So, where's the bad Zander now?" Cici asked.

"He's dead, the UAA killed him, well they left him for dead when good Zander found him, and he was dying. Good Zander used the artefact to get bad Zander's memories, in the hopes that he would be able to find his daughter, but instead, he found all of you. That's why he's willing to pay all of you so much, and he has a serious crush on you Aunt Ginny." Kitten told all of them with a straight face.

"So, if he's a good guy, then why is Dobby afraid of him?" Ced asked.

"Dobby!" Harry called out, louder than usual.

"Yes, my Lord?" Dobby asked shakenly.

"Why are you afraid of our guest Zander?" Harry asked him gently.

Dobby looked around nervously, his first instinct was to protect Harry. "Because he is not who he says he is, and he is desperate, and desperate people often do bad things!" Dobby explained this to his Lord, as he looked up at Harry and then down at his feet. Then he would look back up at Harry and then back down at the floor.

"You are correct, Dobby. Often, desperate people do desperate things that are not good things. Will it make you feel better if I shut the floo off to him and we put wards on his door? Or, would you prefer if a couple of house elves keep watch over him tonight?"

Everyone could see Dobby thinking this through. "I think that it would be best if a couple of elves kept watch over him tonight. I would sleep better knowing that my Lord and his family are safe tonight!"

"Thank you, Dobby. Please, go and select the elves that you want, to keep watch over our guest tonight. We will all sleep better tonight, knowing that he is being watched over." Harry informed his old friend.

With a pop, Dobby was gone to select the elves that he wanted to watch over his friend and family.

.

.

The next morning, Rob joined the group getting ready to go out for their morning run. Just as he was reaching the bottom stairs, of the Grand Staircase, Fred and Julia came running down the stairs, and Julia was giggling. Rob looked around, all of the teen girls were dressed the same, in a black sports bra, and skin-tight, black running shorts. The other thing he noticed, was that none of the girls was carrying any body fat and he doubted that any of the guys had any body fat also.

When Fred and Julia hit the bottom of the stairs, Hermione asked, "Are we ready to go?" before she turned and led everyone out the back of the house.

Outside, the two dragons were up early, getting ready to go find their own breakfast. All of the magicals waved at them as the two dragons gave a soft roar of good morning. Ced watched as Rob blinked in disbelief, his whole life he had been told that dragons weren't real, and now he just saw two of them, and these people; waved at them! Ced continued to watch Rob, he looked like one of those toys that the head just bounced and turned every direction, as he tried to take it all in.

"You have a confidence course?" Rob said mostly to himself.

"Yes, do you want to run it when we're finished?" Ced asked him.

"Okay, I guess." He told Ced.

Hermione started to pick up the pace when she had reached the running path. Parts of the path were single file, while other parts were wide enough for people to run side by side. The farther they went, the faster Hermione would run, until their muscles had warmed up sufficiently, then she started to stretch her legs out, so they were truly running.

A little over half an hour later, Hermione started to lead the group back to the house.

"Hey, mum!" Ced yelled out to her.

Hermione finished the run, and the group was walking around cooling down.

"Yes?"

"Rob wants to run the confidence course. Would that be okay with you?" Ced asked his mum.

Hermione looked at the others, not seeing any signs of discontent, "Sure, let me get the safety harnesses." She told him. A moment later the safety harnesses came flying through the air, and she directed them up to the top of the tower to hang in their correct places.

"Do you want to time it? Or do you just want to run it?" Harry asked the American Agent.

"I doubt that I'm as fast as the kids are, judging by the run this morning, but I would like to run it for fun. The last time I ran one of these was when I was a trainee." He told Harry.

"Let Hermione, and I get to the top, then I'll blow the whistle. Let all of the kids go first, and Ced can be your partner." Harry said to him. He knew that the other teens would be too focused on winning.

Rob watched as Harry and Hermione climbed the cargo net, almost competing with themselves to get to the top. Harry beat her, then he held a hand out to her, to help her over the edge. He looked around at the kids, their clothing had changed to cover them up more and protect their arms and legs. The kids looked like racehorses, waiting for the gates to open. Harry blew the whistle, and he was right, the kids all scrambled for the cargo net. Rob looked over at the other two adults standing there with him. What were their names again? Angie and Chuck? Or something like that. Once the majority of the kids had hit the top of the cargo net, Ced and Rob took off for the climb up. At the top, Harry and Hermione helped them over the edge. They slipped the harnesses on and checked each other to make sure that it was fastened correctly, a pair of gloves, and over the side, they went. Four hops later and they were on the ground removing their harnesses. They let them drop there on the ground and took off at a fast jog, or a slow run for the next obstacle.

"Why do you have an obstacle course in your backyard?" Rob asked Ced.

"So, we could teach the others how to run one." He told the agent.

"So, … you just built one for fun?" Rob pressed for a better answer.

"No, we did some private contractor work for the British government, and we knew from experience, that they would be tested on a confidence course like this one. We built it to help them pass." Ced told him.

Rob was professional enough not to ask what kind of mission that they had done, or where they had gone. Still, having a full-blown confidence course in your backyard was kind of cool.

At the end, the two of them hit the wall and cleared it without any needed help. Then they started the run back to the starting line.

Rob looked around at all of the girls again, they were all covered in mud and dirt, just like the guys, these were definitely not girly-girls.

Ced noticed that all of the girls' heads turned to look at Rob for a moment.

" _What's up?"_ he thought to his wives.

" _Rob doesn't think that we're sexy girls."_ Cici thought to him.

" _He thinks that because we don't mind getting dirty, that we're not feminine enough."_ Vic thought to him.

Cici caught Rose and Amber's eyes for a moment, then she jerked her head to the side subtly, indicating that she wanted to talk with them in private.

Vic caught Angel and Julia's eyes and did the same thing.

Once all of the girls had walked a little way off towards the house, they all stopped and talked for a moment. Ced could see the dirty looks that they were giving Rob, and Rob was oblivious to the looks.

"Let's go get our showers so we will be ready for breakfast," Harry said to the group. "Then after breakfast, we will need to go to Gringotts to set up the bank transfers."

By the time Harry had finished speaking, the girls were almost to the house. When the girls didn't wait for the guys, this kind of caught Rob's attention again, he couldn't remember a time when the boys and the girls weren't holding hands, and now, the guys were giving him dirty looks.

Seeing Rob's confusion, "You insulted the girls." Ced told the agent.

"How did I insult the girls?" he asked.

"When they were covered in mud and dirt, you had the stray thought that they weren't girly-girls, and that offended them," Ced told him.

.

After their showers, the six girls timed it so they would arrive for breakfast as the last to arrive. Zander had joined them for breakfast also and was sitting next to Ginny. There were two house elves standing by the doors to the dining room. Angelica and Charlie were sitting across from Zander and Ginny, at the end of the table closest to Hermione.

Why does he have this effect on me? She wondered to herself.

With Robins on the far side of the table from the entrance to the room, Julia was the first to enter the room, walking one foot in front of the other making her hips roll in her dress, and Fred liked what he saw. Julia was rewarded with an ear to ear smile from her future mate. Robins stopped what he was doing to stare at the Strawberry blonde, with milky white skin, dressed in all red wearing her ruby jewellery. As Julia was circling around the table to sit between Fred and Robins, Amber was the next to walk into the room, upon seeing his future mate dress in solid black, wearing onyx jewellery, George was all smiles as her hips rolled in her dress, while walking to sit between Robins and George. Next was Angel, dressed in yellow, with her yellow topaz jewellery. Then Rose entered dressed in blue with white diamonds and white heels. Cici and Vic both entered the dining room wearing white, Cici was wearing white pearls and white heels, while Vic was wearing black pearls, black heels, and a black belt because she had the smallest waist of all the girls.

Through all of this, Zander only had eyes for the redhead he was seated next to.

After seating Cici and Vic, Ced sat directly across from Robins. "The girls decided to show you that even though they may be covered in mud and dirt; and helping troops in battle, but underneath all of that mud and dirt, they are still young women. And they hope that you won't underestimate their femininity again." Ced told Agent Robins.

"I apologise for offending you." He started his apology. "But when I had that thought, it wasn't to offend you, it was actually a compliment; in that, you are not the type of woman that would spend a whole afternoon crying over a broken nail. You are much stronger than that. Again, I apologise if I made you feel that you were not girl enough. And any guy that doesn't think that any of you are sexy is brain dead." He told them.

Breakfast was a much happier affair after Robins had clarified his thoughts.

.

"Is this how all of you are going to Gringotts?" Hermione asked.

Seeing all of the girls' nod and smile, Hermione told them. "I hope that all of your jewellery has anti summoning charms on it. Because between all of you, I would guess that you're wearing close to 100,000 galleons of jewellery."

"Well, we're all dressed up, and we have someplace to go!" Vic said cheerfully.

"Rob, are you staying here? Or would you like to go with us?" Harry asked the agent.

"Both! But for now, I think that I would like to go with you and see more of your world." The agent told him. "But then I would like to learn more about what's going on here too."

"Excellent, where we are going first will be directly to Diagon Alley. Make sure that you say the name clearly, or you could end up someplace less than pleasant. Trust me, I know from experience!" Harry said with a chuckle.

"Diagon Alley." The agent repeated.

"Correct, two separate words. If you run them together into diagonally, you will end up in the wrong place, and it can be very unpleasant there." Harry warned him again.

"Okay, got it, Diagon, Alley." He said slowly and clearly.

As the group got up from the table to leave, Zander looked around for the first time since he had sat down. "What's everybody all dressed up for?" he asked in shock.

All of them had a little laugh at his expense. For the whole meal, what little he ate, he had sat there focused only on Ginny. And now she blushed when she realised what had happened.

"Zander, how is it that you actually came into your money. We know now that you're not the Director of R.I.M.E." Harry called out the imposter.

"No, and I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry that I've lied to all of you. I'm sorry because I didn't tell you the truth of who I am. My name really is Zander Williams, and I just happen to share the same name as the director of the school. I'm not sorry, because I was able to find you and get your help. All I want to do is to find my daughter. Raven is all I have left after her mother was killed in a car crash several years ago, and now they have taken her from me."

"Who has taken her from you?" Cici asked sympathetically.

"I don't know," he sobbed. "She wrote me and said that there were some people on campus that made her feel uncomfortable. It was a group, and they all wore red robes."

Upon hearing this, Amber and Vic's jaws took a hard set to them. From what they had learned the day before, R.I.M.E. was an easy target, much more accessible than Hogwarts had been, with all of its holes in security.

"I have the money to pay you, and all of the other parents will pay you too, they're all rich, most of them work in Silicon Valley. I won the Power Ball Lottery when it was close to a billion dollars. I took Raven out of Ilvermorny when the other Zander convinced me that he could give her a better education at R.I.M.E. It was just me and a couple of others that split the winnings. So, I have your forty million Euros, and I will give it all to you today if you will just help me get my Raven back. The other Zander is dead, I found him in a cave, and there was this artefact that he had, and it gave me all of his memories, but they started fading yesterday, and today, I don't know, I can hardly feel him anymore. He's gone."

"Do you remember where this cave is?" Vic asked.

"Yeah, and I hid the artefact. I think it's what the people in the red robes wanted. But Zander told me where to hide it so they couldn't get to it. I'll give it to you too, if you want it, just help me get my Raven back!" he pleaded again.

"Okay, I think that all of us are willing to help you," Cici said as she looked around at all of her friends. She even saw that Ginny was holding Zander's hand. I wonder if she even knows that she's holding his hand, she asked herself.

" _No, I don't think so,"_ Vic answered her thought.

.

The large group of people moved quickly across the populated street to the bank. With school out, parents and children were getting the things they would be needing for their summer holidays. And it was already an hour after the opening time for the bank. All of the women, except for Ginny had placed the charm back on their clothing to help control their breasts from swaying and bouncing too much, as they hurried to keep up with Harry. The last thing they needed was to get swamped with admirers. The threesome was keeping an eye out for fans of The-Boy-Who-Lived. Vic reached up and tapped on Fred's shoulder, he looked at her, and she pointed with her nose at a couple of fans starting to move in their direction. Fred and Julia moved off to the side in that direction to intercept the fans.

Off on Cici's side of the group, "It's Harry Potter! It's The-Boy-Who-Lived!" some guy shouted, and then another, and another, and so on.

At this proclamation, all of the teens formed a protective detail around Harry, Hermione, Rob, and Zander. Ginny stuck with the group that was less than 100 metres from the entrance to the bank.

Almost imperceptibly, all of the teens charmed their clothing to act as a shield as they kept up the pace to make it to the safety of the bank.

As the news of Harry's presence spread, the group of fans was growing exponentially. Ginny looked on in amazement as a couple of fans evolved into a group, and that kept growing into a mob. And as the group turned into a mob, Ginny's amazement turned into apprehension, and her apprehension turned into fear, as the mob became aggressive, all wanting something from Harry. She tried to keep up as Harry quickened his pace, she was almost running, to get to the safety of the bank.

.

She looked out of the windows in the doors of the bank, as the goblins locked the doors. Then she slowed down enough, and she felt something in her hand. She looked down at her hand and found Zander's hand in hers. Did she take his hand? She didn't remember. Did he take her hand? She didn't know. All she knew, was right then, right there, they were holding hands like a couple of teenagers. But then, Hermione was holding Harry's hand, Amber was holding George's hand, and Julia was holding Fred's hand.

Then the group of people were moving again. She looked around, and everywhere she looked, people were staring. Then she realised, they weren't staring at Harry, they didn't even see Harry, all they saw was, The-Boy-Who-Lived. She remembered now, how much he hated that title and all of the celebrity fame that came with it. She remembered how he hated how people would constantly want to be his friend so they could advance their own agenda, they never cared about Harry the boy, or Harry, the man, they just wanted Harry-The-Boy-Who-Lived. She vaguely remembered all of the Harry authorised this, or the Harry indorsed that's, that came out after the defeat of You-Know-Who. They couldn't even bring themselves to say his name now! And the things that her mother had taught her, had ingrained into her psyche, made her embarrassed to be in this group now.

"You don't need to go down that road now, or ever again," Vic told her. "I can help you with it if you want." She told her caringly.

Ginny blinked at her, how did she know what I was thinking?

Then she heard in her head, "Because, all of your thoughts are on blast! You're broadcasting all of your thoughts to everyone around you!"

Then out loud, Vic said, "When we get back to the house, you and I can go someplace quiet, and I can help you lock all of those negative thoughts behind a closed door."

"How do you know how to do that stuff? Why hasn't the Healers at St. Mungo's ever offered to help that way?" Ginny asked her softly.

"The Healers want you to work through your problems, not run away from your problems. But sometimes, we just need a little bit of space and time, before we can successfully deal with our problems. That's what I am offering you. It was something that was done for me, and something that I have helped others with." Vic told her quietly.

"But why you and not Kitten?"

"Kitten is good, but it is not her speciality. Kitten and Luna have both helped me, but it was Luna that taught this to me. The past can go into the past and stay there. Where it belongs."

"You're not going to go digging around inside of my head, are you?" Ginny asked worriedly.

"No, I'm not here to judge you. I'm here to help." Vic said to her with a small smile.

"Remember how we pulled you aside yesterday and we kept telling you that you're not broken?" Cici asked her in hushed tones. Ced could deal with the banking stuff for now.

"Yes."

"It will let you put all of that away until you're ready to deal with it. Whether that's tomorrow or never. It's your choice. But why are you going to let your past, wreck your future? This Zander, thinks that you are so amazing! Give yourself a chance! Everybody had given up on Charlie ever getting married, why give up on yourself?" Cici told her earnestly.

"They're ready for you Aunt Ginny," Rose said to her softly. She had caught a small part of what Vic and Cici were talking to her aunt about. She was glad that they were trying to help her, she had had a lot of bad luck in her life, and now she was due some good luck. Besides, Zander was kind of good-looking, in an older man kind of way!

"Thank you, Rose." Then Ginny turned to address Vic, "We'll talk more when we get back to your place." Then she got up and moved to the desk to give the goblin her information.

.

The crowd outside had died down some, but the hardcore Boy-Who-Lived fans were still there, outside of the front doors to the bank, waiting.

"Ragrok, is there another way out of the bank, other than the front doors?" Harry asked.

Ragrok suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Do you need Director Ragnarok's permission to show us?" Harry asked.

Ragrok still looked uncomfortable, Lord Gryffindor was a friend to the Goblin Nation and a personal friend of the Directors. "Please excuse me. I will be back shortly." Ragrok excused himself from the large private room.

"Oh, before you go, could you have one of your subordinates bring Ginny her new debit card, while you're gone? She'll need it soon." Harry asked the goblin.

"Yes, I will get one of them working on that right away!" then the anxious goblin left the room.

A while later, Ragrok came back into the room with Ginny's new debit card and explained how it worked to her.

"Please, follow me." He told the group when he had finished with Ginny.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 04.21.2018**


	53. Year Six Chapter 53

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 53

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.

Once the group had used the private entrance for Director Ragnarok, they were back at the floo for the Potter Mansion. Cici and Hermione went with Vic, as she led Ginny to the medical room, off the side of the training room. Vic looked around, and she didn't like it. She wasn't sure that the training room would be able to make what she wanted either. So, she waved her hand and made the two examination tables turn sideways and go up against the wall. She conjured a beautiful thick rug with extra padding for them to sit on, she turned the lights down lower, so it wasn't too bright in the room. Once she was happy, she slipped off her heels and had Ginny sit down across from her.

"What we're going to do is to lock eyes with each other. It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Then, I'm going to enter your mind, remember, I'm not there to go digging around in your mind, if at any time, you start to feel uncomfortable with me, all you need to do is to ask me to leave and I will." Vic told her.

A very nervous Ginny told her, "Okay, that's fine."

"I'm not here to judge you. If you knew what had been done to me and to some of our friends, you would know that none of us is here to judge you or anyone else. If you have any memories that you want to be locked away, just bring them to me and we will put them behind a locked door until you feel that you're ready to deal with them. If you pull one of them out and you can't get it put away, all you have to do is to come and ask us for help." Vic told her in a soothing, non-threatening tone. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Ginny said very faintly. She had been judging herself for so many years. She had been judging herself since before either of the girls in the room were even a thought in their parent's head. Then she locked eyes with Vic, and she could feel her inside of her head again.

For the next four hours, Vic and Ginny worked together to identify and lock away the memories that Ginny had been beating herself up with for the last several years. Ginny showed her the memories of her mother telling her that she had to do whatever it took to make Harry her husband, whatever it took, no matter what. She showed Vic the memory of her holding a wand at Hermione's throat and wanting to kill her so she could have Harry all to herself. Then there was the guilt she felt when she learned that if she had killed Hermione, she would have killed Harry too. There were the months in St. Mungo's mental ward and all of the potions that they had given her. The years of psychiatric help she had received. The innumerable bad relationships that she had sought out, to punish herself. There was the embarrassment that she hadn't lived up to the standard that the twins had achieved. Then there was the blessing that her daughter had become to her. The love and support that her father had given her. The love and encouragement she received from Bill and Charlie. In all of this bad, her life had started to get better when she had met Harry and Hermione again, because of her daughter's friendship with Kitten.

The two of them had decided to set up multiple rooms for the different groups of memories. The older ones would be the more difficult ones to deal with. But even some of those had started to heal. They sorted through her memories and locked all of them away that needed to be locked away. Then Vic slipped out of her mind and back to reality.

Ginny blinked a couple of times, "I feel amazing! I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off of my shoulders! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so very much! I can't possibly thank you enough! I don't think that I have ever felt this good before! Or at least not in a long time!" Ginny told her, her voice filled with gratitude.

The two women hugged for a while, and Vic could feel tears soaking through her dress. And she knew that they were tears of happiness at being freed from a self-imposed prison. When Ginny finally released Vic and dabbed at her eyes.

Vic asked her, "Can I teach you something else?"

"Sure! Anything!"

"This is a spell that all of us girls use." And Vic taught her the spell to put on her bras to make them work better. "I kind of noticed that things up here were getting out of control when Harry started walking just short of a run."

"That and cheap bras!" Ginny laughed with them.

"Well, now you have four million Euros in your vault to go and buy some better-quality bras!" Vic told her.

"Two days ago, I was stressing over making the rent." Then she looked over at Hermione, "And I've been feeling guilty about not being able to give you anything for taking care of Willow for me for the last couple of summers, and all of the other holidays that the kids are home and I'm at work." Ginny told her.

"There's no need to feel guilty, Kitten has a friend to spend time with, and Cathaoir loves her a lot!" Hermione told her. "With you letting her spend time with Kitten, is all the payment that we need."

"Oh Merlin!" and she looked at Vic again, "How long is what we're going to do for Zander going to take?"

"I don't know, it could take us all summer to solve this puzzle, because we have to find all of the pieces, to find out what pieces are missing. And the fact that the school has an open campus, is only going to make things harder." She told Ginny.

"What am I going to tell my dad? I don't have that kind of vacation time saved up!"

"Well, once we find Zander's daughter, I don't really think that you would have to go back to work unless you wanted to. Or, you could go ahead and get your Masters in an area that you want to. There's a big difference between going to work because you have to, and going to work because you want to." Cici told her.

"Are you sure that you can't do this without me?"

"For whatever reason, we can't solve this puzzle without your help," Vic told her. "Cici, Ced, and I have looked this premonition over several times, and we all come to the same conclusion, we can't rescue Raven without your help."

"What about Willow?" Ginny asked.

"Willow is more than welcome to stay with us for the whole summer. If you want, we can let her spend time with your dad or whoever you want her to be able to spend time with. I'll tell Harry to get you a communications watch, like what we wear so you can both see her and talk to her. Oh, that reminds me, we need to talk to Sirius about getting you some things." Hermione said suddenly.

"Like what?" Ginny asked.

"We also need to start working with you on occlumency," Vic told her distracting her from her question.

"Why?"

"So that you stop broadcasting your thoughts to everyone that wants to hear them!" Cici told her.

"The terrorists like to use legilimency on you to make you do what they want you to do. And they have a potion that they will use to make it easier to control you too." Vic told her. "I know, it happened to me."

"Well, we've missed lunch, and if you're getting hungry, we can get some snacks before supper. Besides, I bet that Zander is worried about you." Hermione told Ginny.

"He is. Ced just told me that Zander is worried sick about you." Cici told her.

"Now, you can go into this relationship fresh and clean, with all of your excess baggage locked away," Vic said with a smile.

The four women got back to their feet, and with a wave of Hermione's hand, she returned the medical room back to its original condition, the way that she had set it up initially. The group of women followed Hermione back out to the central part of the mansion and over to the small dining room. Vic didn't know how hungry she really was until a tray of sandwiches appeared in front of her.

"Hi! How are you feeling? Are you doing better?" Zander asked as he smiled the most incredible smile that Ginny had ever seen in her life. Could he be any more perfect? She wondered to herself.

.

.

That night, the sounds of a woman screaming woke most of the occupants of the mansion up. Silently they followed the screams to Ginny's bedroom door. With their wands drawn, Harry and Hermione on one side of the door, Ced and Cici on the other side, Vic had the centre, on the count of three they burst through her door to find Zander on top of Ginny in a very compromising position. The two lovers tried to cover themselves up quickly. Then they looked at the open door, and the five-people standing there, with their wands, pointed at them. Then, they watched as they lowered their wands and the wands disappeared.

"What are you doing!" Ginny screeched at them, red-faced. "Why'd you come charging into my room?" she shrieked, offended.

"We heard you screaming all the way down the hall!" Ced told her angrily.

"We thought that somebody was dying!"

"Well, I'm not!" offended.

"We know that now!" kind of embarrassed at having burst in on them in the middle of something.

"Next time, knock!" still offended.

"It's called a privacy charm!" incredulous.

"Learn it!" mad.

"Use it!" angry.

"You two have fun!" Hermione said overly cheery.

"We were until the five of you came bursting in here!" Ginny shot back sarcastically.

.

.

After breakfast Gareth carried in a box, "For Mistress Ginny, from Lord Black," the elf said as he handed the box to Harry.

"Thank you, Gareth," Harry told the elf.

"Ooo! I wonder if they've made any improvements to it?" Angel said.

Ginny looked at her niece in confusion.

"Here, Ginny," Harry said as he turned and handed the box to her. The incident from last night was in the past as far as he was concerned.

Ginny accepted the box but still looked confused.

"Why don't a couple of you girls go with her and help her with her present?" Harry suggested.

"Oh! I'll go! I'll do it!" Rose and Angel both said at the same time.

Harry turned to look at Ced, "Ced, why don't you, George, and Fred come with me." Then the four men kissed the girls and excused themselves from the table.

Hermione looked at Cici, "Why don't the five of you come with me." She told them. They all got up and followed her.

This left Zander and Rob at the table with the younger children, and Willow was quick to pull Kitten away asking if she thought that they could go over to Solaria's house for part of the day.

.

Rose and Angel followed their aunt back up to her room.

"What did Lord Black send me?" she asked the two girls.

"It's amazing!" Angel said to her.

"It's actually comfortable," Rose told her.

"Well, open it up!" Angel said excitedly.

There was a pop in the room, and the three women turned around to look at the source of the pop.

"Hi, Winky. Is everything okay?" Rose asked the tiny elf.

"From Lord Gryffindor for Miss Ginny." And she held out her hands cupping a small box.

Ginny took the box and absent-mindedly told the elf thank you, she had at least been raised with manners. Unlike so many of the people that she dealt with on a daily basis.

"What'd Harry get me?" she said just above a whisper.

When Ginny opened the box, she found a mid-priced watch inside of the box. She looked at it in confusion for a moment.

"Oh, it's just like ours! See!" the two girls stuck their wrists out to show off their watches.

Ginny still looked confused.

"It's a communications watch!" Rose told her.

"Here, it works like this." Angel started to show her how the watch worked. "The reason that he didn't get you an expensive watch is that he didn't want someone to try and steal your watch from you. It looks nice, but to a thief that knows their stuff, it's a cheap watch not worth stealing." She explained to her.

"Oh, okay," blink, blink, like any of this, made sense at all.

As Angel showed her the many different features of the watch, Ginny began to understand just how amazing her nieces really were. After Angel had finished showing her the watch. Ginny turned back to the box sitting on her perfectly made bed. As she began to fumble around at trying to open the box, Rose pulled out a combat knife to help her open the box.

Absentmindedly Ginny took the knife and started to open the box, then, "Where'd you get a knife from?" she asked her niece.

"Oh, we've started carrying them a couple of years ago. You never know when it might come in handy, like now!" she deflected the question.

Ginny looked into the box at the black shimmering object. She could see that it was made up of different sized circles, and each of the circles seemed to have runes etched into them. She reached in and lifted out the weightless object. Eventually, she was holding it above her head, and as she turned to lift it out of the box, it slipped over the lip of the box, and she could see that it was a suit of armour.

"Why did Lord Black send me a suit of armour?"

"Oh, it's not just a suit of armour. It's dragon scale armour!" Angel told her excitedly.

Ginny laid the gift down on the bed and looked inside of the box to find more in there. She reached in and pulled out the matching boots.

"Oh, those are sooo comfortable!" Rose told her.

Ginny found the matching gloves.

"On those, when you're wearing them, and you have one of the bad guys by the throat, if you think about your nails growing, then the nails on the gloves will grow cutting into the guy's throat!" Angel told her menacingly.

"I don't think the guy's armour does that, do you?" she looked at Rose.

"I don't know, I don't think so though," Rose told her.

Then Ginny pulled out the head covering, and she just looked at all of the tiny dragon scales that covered it.

"The balaclava is incredible! Our dads and Uncle Remus really did an amazing job with it." Angel told her.

"When you're in the dark, you can switch it so you can see in the dark, and if there's no light at all, you can change it so that you can see people by their body heat! I think that it's called infrared technology," Rose explained to her.

"Oh, and when you put it on. Your voice changes to the scariest voice ever!" Angel told her, still very excited.

Ginny reached into the box again and pulled out a piece of very slick lightweight black material.

"Oh, look! They've changed it some from what we've got!" Rose said out loud.

"You girls have all of this stuff too?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, this is long underwear. It will keep you warm when it's cold outside, and it will help keep you cool when it's hot."

"They made it out of super slick material, so if you're ever fighting somebody, they can't get a grip on you. Their hands will just slide right off of you. Here let me show you." Angel told her aunt.

"Stick your arm in there," Rose said to her.

Ginny stuck one of her arms in the sleeve of the material. She could feel how slick it was against her skin. Then Angel grabbed her arm and squeezed tightly. Ginny was able to just slide her arm out of Angel's amazingly tight grip. Then Angel tried using her nails to get a grip on her arm, and it just kept slipping out of her grip.

"Wow! That is amazing! What have you girls been doing that you would need stuff like this?" Ginny asked innocently, looking to see if there was anything else in the box.

"We can't tell you. We signed contracts, whenever we did work for them." Rose told her gravely.

"Here, get undressed, and we will show you how to put it on, and you can look at yourself in the mirror when you're finished!" Angel instructed her aunt, excitedly.

When Ginny had stripped down to her underwear, she saw the two girls crinkle their noses at her.

"What?" she asked.

"We need to take you shopping!" was all that they said to her.

"Yes, I guess that you do." She told them. What she didn't tell them was, all of her extra galleons had gone to buying Willow new clothes and making sure that Willow had grown up with mostly new things. She had bought her second-hand things, but she had always tried to buy her new clothes, a new wand, not a hand me down wand like she had been forced to use. She still hated that wand. The new broom had been a big sacrifice to her, so Willow could try out for the Quidditch team. She was proud of her daughter, she had made chaser like Ginny had always wanted.

Then Ginny was back in the present slipping on the super slick, stretchy long underwear. It adjusted to fit her form and actually made her look better! Then the girls helped her with the body armour, which adjusted magically to fit her also. The boots she expected to adjust to fit her, then she pulled on the balaclava and finally the gloves. The two girls encouraged her to go look at herself in the mirror.

"I look like death!" the terrifying voice said, actually scaring herself when she heard it.

"That's actually the remarks that we get from the enemy combatants that get captured!" Angel told her aunt.

"The armour is bulletproof, both Fred and Ced have been shot. For Ced, he actually got injured when the hail of bullets knocked him over, and one of the bullets got under one of the dragon scales." Rose informed her.

"Fred got shot!" Ginny almost shouted. Why hadn't she been told? "What did your parents say!?" she turned to face her two nieces.

"We haven't told them," Rose told her. "And we would both really appreciate it if you didn't say anything either."

"George, Amber, and I have been able to pay off our parent's house for them as a present," Angel told her.

"For what your making, you could go and buy a house instead of living in a flat," Rose told her.

"You had better get changed back if you still want to go shopping for some new smalls," Angel said. "And you will probably want to pack a bag of some kind. I don't think that anybody is going to be giving us any clothes this trip."

"Alright, I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes. Let me get changed really quick." Ginny told her nieces.

"Okay, bye!"

"See you downstairs!"

.

.

While the girls were shopping for new bras and panties for Ginny, the guys were talking about what else they should take on this mission. This would be the first mission that they didn't have any government support.

"Do you still have the backpacks that Rob gave you?" Ced asked.

"Yeah, I thought that I would charm it to be weightless and bottomless."

"Yeah me too," George said.

"Yeah, Cici and Vic are thinking along the same lines. Hermione loaded them down with medical potions." Ced told them.

"I think that everyone should carry their own broom. That way, if we get separated, everyone still has a broom." Fred suggested.

"Yeah, I like that idea," George said looking at Ced.

"To bad that we had to turn in our sleeping bags," Ced grumbled

"Yeah, that's true." Fred agreed.

"Do you still have your driver's license?" Ced asked.

"Yeah," George said.

"Me too," Fred told them.

"I think all of us kept them," George said.

"Yeah, I think that the only thing that Rob was worried about was the credit cards and the debit cards," Fred told him.

"I still have my passport that he gave us," George told them.

"Yeah, me too," Fred mentioned as he looked over at the girls headed for the dressing rooms.

"Okay, so everybody should bring their backpacks, and we'll give Ginny one of our extras." Ced started planning.

" _We can give Ginny one of the original brooms that we used with Shaw and Winkelmann. That will make up the for the extra person that we have now."_ Cici thought to him.

" _Good idea,"_ Ced replied to her. "I'll talk to dad."

"What did the girls say?" George asked.

"Cici was saying that Ginny could use one of the big brooms, that we used with Shaw and Winkelmann." He told his friends.

"That will help," Fred replied.

"What time are we going to try and leave?" George asked him.

"I don't know, this shopping trip was unplanned, but from what I understand it was desperately needed," Ced told the guys.

"So, we're portkeying from here to California?" George asked.

"Yeah, from what Zander was saying, it's a seven-hour time difference!"

Fred looked down at his watch and started counting the hours. "Wow! If we left right now, it would be five o'clock in the morning there!"

"I think that we have time to go shopping," Ced told them.

"It's going to be a long day," George grumbled.

"Yeah, it is," Fred grumbled with him.

A little while later, Fred, George, and Ced all entered the dressing room of their significant others to see what the girls wanted to show them. A little after that, the group headed for the counter to pay for their new purchases.

.

.

"While all of you were off taking care your business, we had to head over to the International Portkey Office to buy some new portkeys. We needed to get one from here to Washington D.C. so Rob could get back before he's missed too much. And then we needed to get at least one from Washington D.C. to Monterey, California. The rest of you will be going directly from here to Monterey, California." Harry informed them when they returned home.

"Okay, when do you think we should leave? The others still need to go home and pack." Ced told his dad.

"That's fine if we leave anytime before dinner that will put us into California before lunch. And it would get Rob back to work just after lunch, at the latest."

"Okay, because we still need to say goodbye to mum and dad," George told them. "And Amber will need to at least let her parents know that she's still alive. Not that she's had much contact with them, but they probably still think that she's still in school. You know, I don't ever want to be so wrapped up in my job that I miss my kids." George said.

"Well, doing this kind of stuff has definitely made sure that you don't have to work unless you want to. You could just stay at home and manage your investments. If you learn to manage your investments, invest wisely, and not get greedy, you and your future family could live very comfortably on what you and Amber have earned so far," Harry told him. "It's said that a wise man leaves an inheritance to his children's children. That was done for me, many centuries ago, and it is what I am working on for our kids," Harry said to him.

"Our dads never learned to do that," Fred told him.

"Well, you both need to learn to do it, and you need to teach your children. I'm sure that Amelia taught Susan, but that whole situation was thrust upon them. Os was managing everything for everybody when I claimed my Lordship. It took several years for him to teach me, and for me to read and study, to learn what I know today. And still, things slip through the cracks, like all of the corruption at Vic's company. Os, Sirius, and I had no clue what was happening there until she told us that she wanted a forensic accounting team to go in and look over all of the books, and then that led to us having to get search warrants to find out the truth!"

"For me, when I won the lotto in California, once people found out who I was, or who they thought that I was, they all had their hand out, looking for free money. I had people claiming to be my relatives showing up on my doorstep wanting me to buy them, buy them, buy them everything they had ever wanted in life! We had to go into hiding! After my wife died, I thought that winning the lotto would solve all of my problems, but all it did was create problems that I didn't even know could exist! I had people promising to take care of my money for me, and all they did was to figure out new ways to steal it. Even the Director of R.I.M.E. sought me out under the pretext of helping me give Raven a better education, and all he did was to cost me my Raven! I eventually bought a house on a piece of land, outside of Monterey for us to hide in, and that's where we're headed when we leave here." Zander tried to encourage them to learn to manage their new-found wealth. "If I could go back and undo it all, I would, because that would mean that I would still have my daughter."

"We'll help you find your daughter," Ginny told him, gripping one of his arms with both of her hands.

Harry looked at his watch, "Let's meet back here in a couple of hours. That should give everyone enough time to get packed and say their goodbyes."

.

.

Two and a half hours later, the group of young adults were falling out of the sky into a foreign landscape of trees, water, and sandy beaches. Then they were inside of the Magical Beings Customs Office, Monterey, California.

The customs officer looked up at the clock on the wall, hum, an unscheduled arrival. "Documents please." She grumbled out.

Cici, Ced, and Vic all handed her their Great Britain Magical Person passports.

"Reason for visiting?"

"Pleasure." All three of them said.

"How long will you be staying?" she said without even looking up.

"For the summer." They all said again.

She looked up at them, "I need a number, the number of days, the number of weeks, the number of months. How long will you be staying?"

"How long can we stay before we have to get a visa?" Cici asked her pleasantly.

"Will three months be long enough?" she asked the attractive young witch.

"Yes, thank you," Cici told her.

Stamp-stamp-stamp. "Next!"

All of the others showed her their U.S. passports. She collected all of them, glanced at them, and then handed them back almost as quickly.

"Enjoy your visit." She told the group.

A moment later, Harry and Hermione landed in the customs office and went through the same scrutiny.

Zander led them outside of the office into the rising sun and the warming weather. He looked up at the sky and saw that it was going to be another beautiful California day. Then he started walking to his car. The twelve-additional people followed him. He stopped next to a small, white, four-door Hybrid Electric vehicle. He turned around and looked at the group of people there with him. They were never going to fit.

The twelve of them stared at the one of him.

"Can't you apparate?" Amber asked him.

"No, I never learned how." He told her a little embarrassed at the admission.

"How do you get around then?" Fred asked him confused. Once Ced and his wives had taught them how to apparate, he couldn't imagine going back to a life where he couldn't.

"I drive, or I walk. Like everyone else in California."

"Could you drive us over to a couple of different car rental agencies?" Angel asked him.

"Sure! You can drive?" he asked in amazement.

"Yes, we have our driver's license." She told him in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

Fred, Amber, and Rose all slipped their backpacks off and handed them to one of the others before they slipped into the small car. Once the car was gone, the group looked around for someplace to sit. They moved over to some benches that were under some pine trees, with a flick of his wrist, Harry conjured some more benches for the rest to sit on, and wait, and wait, and wait some more.

"Do you think that they stopped and had a second breakfast?" George asked, almost serious in his tone.

"I don't know. Do you think that they got lost?" Julia asked.

"Did you keep the cell phone that Rob gave you? Or did he collect that too?" Ced asked her.

"No, he said that we could keep them," she told him.

"Did the others take theirs with them?"

"I don't know, let me look in Fred's backpack." She said, just as she was tilting it in her direction to open it up and look. She dug around in his backpack for a few minutes, then she pulled it out.

"Is it charged?" Ced asked hopefully.

Julia gave him a 'you've got to be kidding me look.' "And where would we plug them in at?" she asked him sarcastically.

All of the others had nothing better to do than to watch the two of them talk. Julia pressed the power button, and the screen lit up as the phone started to power up, when the phone made the powered-on melody, the rest of them started to dig their phones out too.

"It has half a battery!" Julia told the group.

The others started to dig frantically for their cell phones and get them powered on too.

Harry looked at all of the kids powering on the cell phones, he chuckled a little because the communication watches that he had given all of them, were powered by their magic.

Eventually, a large van showed up in front of the group. The driver got out of the van, "I'm here to pick up a group for Williams?" he said a little unsure of his pickup.

"That would be us," Ginny said as she got to her feet.

The others looked at her and then got to their feet also. The driver opened the double doors on the side of the van. Cici slipped in first, followed by Ced, and then Vic. Ginny climbed into the front row seat along with Angel sitting next to her. Harry and Hermione took the second-row seat and then George and Julia claimed the third-row seating. The driver looked around for anything that may have been left behind, then he closed the doors and walked around the front of the large white van.

"Do you have a way for us to charge our phones?" Julia called out from the back of the van once the driver was in his seat with the door closed.

"There should be USB charging ports on the side of the van, all you would need is a cable." He said over his shoulder.

"Oh! I see them, thank you!" Julia said as she started to dig through the backpack again. She pulled out a charging cord and held it aloft in triumph.

George and Angel were digging furiously for their charging cords too.

"Here, could you plug this in for me?" Angel asked Ginny.

Ginny looked at the charging cable as if it might bite her.

"It goes like this, and then you just push it gently into the slot there on the side of the van." Angel showed her how to hold the cord so she could slip it into the slot. She watched as her aunt plugged the cord in for her. "Thank you!" Angel told her as she was rewarded with a chirp from her phone telling her that it was charging.

The sounds of other phones starting to charge filled the van for a few more seconds. Then one by one, the people riding in the back of the van began to close their eyes and get some rest on the drive to wherever it was they were headed. A skill they had learned from the more experienced combat soldiers they had worked with.

.

"Hello! Hi! We are almost there!" the driver of the van said loud enough to start waking the people riding in the back of the shuttle van.

As the others looked out of the windows in the van, the van turned into a lot filled with vehicles of all different colours and sizes, some of the cars, had balloons attached to them, to draw attention to them. The driver slowly and smoothly manoeuvred the van around all of the shiny cars, up to the side of the building where Rose, Fred, and Amber were sitting at a table with benches around it. The driver stopped the van, got out, and walked around to the side of the vehicle to open the doors for his passengers. Once all of the people were out of the van, all of the couples kissed, hugged, and held hands as they stood or sat next to each other.

"Thank you." The driver said in parting, then he backed the van out of the spot and drove off somewhere.

"What are we here for?" Julia asked Fred.

"As we were on our way to the rental agency, Zander called up the car rental place and asked how much it was going to cost him to rent some SUVs, well when he heard the amount, he changed directions and came here." He told his future wife.

"And?" she asked him.

"And, we drove two Jeeps and a pickup truck." He told her.

"So, where are they?"

"I don't know. He and the guy that talked to us about it went in back, and I haven't seen them in a couple of hours. But they said that it might take a couple of hours."

"So, what is this place? It doesn't look like one of the rental agencies that we've dealt with."

"I think that they sell vehicles here. Because when we were looking around, some of the cars have prices on them on a piece of paper stuck to a window, and others of them have prices in big orange or green numbers on the windshield and a piece of paper that says something like as is no warranty." He explained as best as he could to her.

"So, what's a Jeep? I've seen a pickup, especially in Texas when we went through there." She told him.

"Here, I'll show one to you. Now they have some that have four doors, and they have some with only two doors. The ones that we drove had four doors, and they were a lot taller than the other ones." Fred got up and took her hand.

"Where are you going?" Ced asked, curiously.

"To show her what a Jeep looks like." He told him.

All of the other teens got up and started to follow him and Julia. At least it was something to do other than sit around and do nothing. Fred led them across the parking lot to a row of Jeeps with the stickers on the window. There was a wide variety of different Jeeps to choose from.

"This is the kind that we test drove, and the salesman took back somewhere." He told them as he showed them a rugged looking vehicle. "But the ones that we drove was a lot taller than these are, and the tires are a lot bigger too."

The teens wandered around the car lot looking at all of the different variety of vehicles they had. The dealership had small cars all the way up to large pickup trucks with four doors and six tires on them.

"The salesman said that it was called a dually because it has four tires on the back. It's made to carry heavy loads or to pull heavy trailers. What Zander had us drive is more like this one over here." And he led them over to a smaller version of the one that they were just looking at. It had four doors also, but it didn't look as heavy duty as the one with six tires on it.

When the kids got tired of walking around the lot in the sun, they headed back to the shade and the adults. As they were walking, there was a bright red Jeep four-door with tinted windows, that came around the side of the building and seemed to be headed to where the adults were. A couple of minutes after the red one showed up, a bright blue four-door Jeep with tinted windows also, backed in beside the first one. The kids moved over to start inspecting the two Jeeps. Fred was right, the tires were a lot bigger than the one that he had shown them, and they were a lot taller than that one too.

While the group of teens were inspecting the two Jeeps, a bright yellow pickup truck with four doors came around the corner, it also had big tires on it, and on the back of the truck, it said 4X4.

As the driver of the yellow truck got out and started to wipe the truck down one more time, Zander and some other guy came out of the glass doors with big smiles on their faces.

"Wow! This is quite the group you've got here!" everyone guessed that he was the salesman.

The salesman took the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the red Jeep. He opened the door, and Rose was the first to look inside.

"Where's the rubber floor mats to keep the carpet clean?" she demanded in a harsh voice.

The salesman backed up a couple of steps. "Um, there aren't any. It wasn't part of the deal." He told her.

"Well," she said like she was mad at a six-year-old, "Let's look at the other ones too," she said.

The salesman eyed her warily, but he opened up the blue Jeep too.

Again, she was the first to look inside, "This one doesn't have the rubber mats either. Why not?" she said angrily.

"It wasn't a part of the deal." He told her again.

"Let's look at the last one." She sounded just like an angry mum.

He opened the last vehicle up, the yellow pickup.

She looked inside, and there were no rubber mats on the floor to protect the carpet from dirt. "Why doesn't this one, have the rubber mats too?" she asked, knowing the answer before she even asked the question.

The salesman gave her a 'what do you want me to do about it' look.

"I expect you to get a complete set of floormats for all three of these vehicles, and not charge him for them either." She told him.

"I can't do that." He told her.

"Well, in that case, I will tell Zander to call the bank and put a stop payment on the check. He just bought three vehicles from you, all at once, and you're telling me that you can't put rubber floormats in them? What kind of cheap place is this?" and she stood there with her hands on her hips, elbows out.

It became a staring contest. The customer had already signed for the vehicles, but he had not yet taken delivery of them, and the check wouldn't clear the bank until midnight, that night; it was still pending.

"Let me go talk to my boss." The salesman caved in.

"Well, tell your boss, that I'm going to call Uber, and whichever one gets here first, we're leaving in. If the rubber floormats get here first, then we're leaving in the vehicles that Zander just bought, from you. If Uber gets here first, then we're leaving in the Uber cars."

As the salesman walked back into the dealership to talk to his boss, Rose walked over to her backpack and pulled out her cell phone. She made sure that the salesman and his boss could see her ordering the Uber rides. Then she laid the phone down on the top of the table that the adults were sitting at and walked away from her phone. The salesman came rushing back out the door.

"You've got to work with me on this!" he whined at her.

Then her phone rang.

"That's the check call from Uber. And I don't see any floormats." She walked over to the phone and picked it up.

"I need more time!"

As the phone started to ring the fourth time she swiped her finger across the screen to answer it. "Hello?" she said, then she took the phone away from her ear and looked at him. "I still don't see any floormats." Then she placed the phone back to her ear, "Hi, sorry about that. Yes, I did order a ride. Yes, I'll need three cars, and we will follow another car to our destination. Thirty minutes? Yes, that will be fine. See you then." And she disconnected the call. "You have thirty minutes to get rubber floormats in the vehicles, Uber is on their way."

Harry, Hermione, Zander, and Ginny just watched her in amazement.

"So, why did you choose to buy these three vehicles instead of renting?" she asked him.

"Well, when we were driving, I called the rental agency. Then I did the math in my head, and for what they were going to charge me to rent three SUVs for three months, I could buy all three of these, and then sell them at the end and get some of my money back!" he told her. "Now, why are you so insistent on them putting the rubber floormats in them?"

"I just know how dirty they can get on the inside from muddy parking lots and stuff." She told him as vaguely as she could.

He nodded thoughtfully at her, "Well, thanks for looking out for my interests." He replied to her.

.

The salesman came rushing out of the doors holding three complete sets of rubber floormats for the vehicles, as he was installing the first set of floormats, the three Uber rides showed up.

Rose walked up to the first of the Uber cars, the driver rolled the window down and asked if she was Rose, "Yes, we don't need you anymore. Go ahead and charge my card. Thank you for showing up so quickly." Then she stepped away from the car, and the driver pulled away. She did the same thing to the last two cars.

Rose walked over to the salesman, "Thank you for getting Zander the rubber floormats. Do you have the keys to the yellow one? That's mine." She told him.

He handed her two complete sets of keys to the yellow truck. Rose jumped up into the truck, and he showed her how to start the truck and get the air conditioner running. Then he told her, "I'll be back, let me go and get the others situated and then I will show you the different features of the truck, and the owner's manual will be out here in a minute too."

"Thank you." She told him as she began to look around the inside of the truck. She saw Angel looking at her, and she waved her over. Then she waved Ced and the girls over too. Angel climbed in up front, while Ced and Cici climbed in the back seat on one side and Vic climbed in on the other.

As the salesman was finishing up with teaching George and Amber about the Jeep that they were going to be driving, another man came walking out, like he had all the time in the world, with the owner's manuals for the three vehicles. Then finally the salesman came back to teach Rose and Angel how to operate the different features of the pickup, including how to use the four-wheel drive. Then he handed them the owner's manual, thanked them profusely, and he shook Zander's hand. The salesman watched as Zander, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry climbed into the small car that Zander was driving.

Angel picked up her phone and called Fred, "Hey! We need gas! Tell my brother!"

When Ced heard that he called his dad on his communications watch to tell him that they needed to go to a gas station when they left. He heard his dad tell Zander and then he told his dad goodbye.

.

It was late afternoon when the four vehicles pulled through an electric gate, and up a long winding driveway, to Zander's Mansion.

"It may not be as large as what you're used to, but this is home for my daughter and me. The high wall surrounds the whole property to help keep strangers away." He told the group.

"It's very nice," Hermione told him. "But, I didn't feel any wards when we came in."

"It's not warded. I don't know how to do that, and I don't know who to contact, that I can trust to do that for me." He told her.

Hermione sighed heavily, "Do you trust us?" she asked him.

"Yes, of course! Everyone that I've spoken to about all of you has had nothing but the highest of praise for all of you." He told her like he was apologising for offending her.

"Okay, then I will have the kids go out and place some basic wards on your property. They will be things like notice-me-not enchantments, basic muggle, sorry, no-Maj repelling enchantments, and a basic intruder alarm to let you know when someone that is not with you enters your property. Then you're going to want to get in contact with the goblins and have them do a full set of wards on your property. Harry and I will do the enchantments on your floo." She informed him.

"I don't have a floo, or at least not one that's connected to the rest of the floo network," he told her.

"That's one way of keeping people out!" Harry told him with a chuckle.

"Where do you want us to put our stuff?" Angel asked him.

"Oh! Let me show you to your rooms!" and he led them up the staircase and down the hallway.

Ginny took the one closest to the master bedroom, Angel took a full-sized bed for herself, and Rose did the same. Fred and Julia took a queen-sized bed, so did George and Amber, then Zander led Ced and his wives to a second master bedroom.

"Thank you," Ced told him.

All of the bedrooms had en-suite bathrooms, so for this mission, no one was sharing a bathroom with the rest of them.

All of them tossed their backpacks on their beds and then headed out to the wall to start warding the property. Vic, Julia, and Amber were the strongest at warding, but these were some pretty basic wards they were putting up. Even Fred, once he learned the runes was able to help with the warding of the wall. While the rest of them were setting up the wards on the wall, Vic opened the gate and started to walk down the long driveway, at the bottom of the driveway, she began to place the no-Maj repelling wards, and the notice me not wards. Then a little way back up the driveway she set a simple fear ward to help scare more determined intruders off. Then a little farther up the driveway, she put an even stronger fear ward to drive the most determined of intruders away. Once she was finished, the majority of the no-Majs would just go on past without even looking in their direction twice. Once she was back at the wall, she walked to the ends of the wall, in both directions, casting no-Maj repelling wards as she went to keep the paparazzi away. When she had finished with her project, she reentered the grounds through the gate and closed it behind her. As she walked along, checking on her friends' work, she began to wonder how a magical being could live so long in a non-magical world.

" _We've been wondering that too,"_ her spouses thought to her.

" _Everything in the house runs on electricity."_ Vic thought to them.

" _How can his daughter expect to be successful in the magical world if she never uses magic?"_ Cici thought to her.

" _What about him?"_ Ced thought.

" _He's pretty weak magically,"_ Vic said.

" _He can't even apparate,"_ Cici said to them.

" _That's my point."_ Ced thought. _"How has he been getting by? Or does he not use magic at all?"_

" _Is he a squib?"_

" _No, he was able to cast a shield spell."_

" _Was that him, or was that the other Zander's memories?"_

" _Well, once we get to R.I.M.E. then we can start apparating back and forth between here and there."_

" _I would like it if our elves were here to help take care of everything."_ Vic thought to them.

" _I agree, it will make life easier for us,"_ Cici said.

" _I'll ask my dad what he thinks, and he can ask them,"_ Ced told them.

Once Vic was satisfied with the wards, all of them headed back inside to look around. Ced went looking for the kitchen.

" _Isn't there a way to shield parts of a house from magic?"_ he asked.

" _I think so."_

" _I just don't want to disconnect the whole house from electricity,"_ Ced told them.

" _It just might be easier and then run the whole house on magic,"_ Cici said.

" _I just don't think that I'm ready to go a whole summer without magic,"_ Vic told him.

" _It will make it easier on the elves,"_ Cici told him.

While Ced talked to his mum and dad, the girls went to find Zander and talk to him. They found Ginny attached to Zander in the master bedroom, out back on the balcony overlooking the expansive rear garden, with the huge swimming pool.

They knocked on the partially open bedroom door to get their attention.

"Oh, please come in. We were just out here looking at things." Zander told them.

As the girls started asking him questions about him choosing to live without magic. He told them how he had hated going to school as a child. He had been bullied for most of the years that he was at Ilvermorny, and he just kept drifting farther and farther to the back of the classroom and farther down in his class standings too. He hadn't passed any of his final tests to graduate from the school and at the time he took pride in his rebellion. Then he met Raven's mom, and he tried to turn his life around, but he had been out in the no-Maj world for a long time. He had distanced himself from his own kind, rejecting them, more than they had rejected him. Then, when Karen had been killed in the car crash, he just crawled into a hole and hid.

"There are some things that I can do, but there are many more things that I can't do." He told them.

"Why are you asking?" Ginny came to his defence.

"Well, for one thing. This whole place runs on electricity." Vic started.

"And we really don't want to live a whole summer without magic. We want to bring our house elves here to help take care of things." Cici told her.

"So, we want to disconnect the house from the electricity," Vic told them.

"What would we do at night?" Zander asked.

"I know what you two will be doing!" Cici teased them.

Ginny blushed a bright pink.

"We would replace all of the electric lights with magical lighting. There wouldn't be a telly, but there would be plenty of books to read on learning magic." Vic told him.

"All of the things that run on electricity would be replaced with a magical equivalent," Cici told him.

Zander looked at Ginny for advice. "I have never used electricity. Everything that I do is with magic, from turning on the lights in the morning and cooking breakfast, to cooking dinner and turning off the lights at night, I use magic." She told him.

"Okay, go ahead and do it." He told them a little fearfully. "But what about the pool pump? If it doesn't circulate the water, the pool will turn green."

"We'll fix it so that it runs on magic," Cici told him.

"How will we charge our phones?" he asked suddenly.

"We can charge them in the cars. All we need to do is to park the cars about fifteen or twenty metres from the house to protect them." Vic told him.

The two girls gathered up all of their friends, Ginny, Hermione, and with Harry's help they set about disconnecting the house from electricity and converting it into a magical home. Then at the end, the threesome enchanted the house to always be twenty-four degrees Celsius.

The group of friends went out to eat that night at a seafood restaurant that looked out over the ocean. The one side of the restaurant was glass, and the parking lot was above and behind the building. The group was the last to leave, closing the restaurant for the night.

"We're going to head home from here. We'll talk to the elves and give them a portkey to get to the house tonight. They will probably be waiting for you when you get back to the house. Zander will need to give them access to his account so they can buy food and things like that. It would be best if he opened an account at a magical bank. You'll need to figure that out on your own." Harry gave final instructions to the trio.

With hugs and goodbyes all around, Harry pulled out the napkin that he had taken from the restaurant, held Hermione's hand, and when she touched the napkin they were sucked into the portkey network.

The three trucks followed the small car back to the mansion that night, the gate opened automatically for them as it sensed their approach, then they parked away from the brightly lit house and walked to the front doors. As they climbed the steps to the doors, they opened automatically and were greeted by Lucy, Maco, and Leo.

It was nine very excited teens to see the three elves, for some of them, they represented normalcy in a world that was not normal for them, but all of them appreciated what the elves did for them on a daily basis.

Ced looked at Zander, "We need to give them a room while they stay here with us." Ced told him.

"Master Cedric, that will not be needed. We have found a room that we will be comfortable in." Maco told him.

"Okay," then he addressed the three elves, "If any of you needs anything, please come and tell Cici, Vic, or myself so we can get it for you."

"Yes, Master," Maco told him with a bow.

Vic looked at Ginny, "Will you be joining us for our run in the morning? And then after that, we can work some more on your occlumency." She asked her.

"What time do you go out for your run?" Ginny asked.

"We generally wake up at five and start our run at about five-thirty."

"Okay, I can do that. Rose and Angel helped me buy a good pair of trainers to go with the workout clothes they helped me select too." Ginny told her.

"Well, we will see all of you in the morning!" Ced wished all of his friends a good night.

Everyone headed up the stairs to their rooms for the night.

.

.

After a long day, five o'clock in the morning came very early, but Ced's eyes sprung open on their own. After letting him slip out from between them, the two young women snuggled tightly together, until their eyes opened also. Cici rolled over to her edge of the bed and then sat up, while Vic did the same on her side of the bed. Both of them summoned their morning clothes to themselves, while one was getting dressed the other went to wait her turn by the door to the loo. After Vic had gotten completely dressed she headed for the sinks to brush her teeth, then Ced exited the water closet to kiss Cici good morning. She tilted her mouth up to his, for her goodmorning kiss. Then she entered the water closet to do her business. Ced walked over to the sinks to kiss Vic good morning after she rinsed her mouth out. She too tilted her head up, so her lips would meet his. After their kiss, Ced started to brush his teeth. Vic walked the short distance to the loo and gave Cici her good morning kiss, after which, Vic entered to take care of her morning business.

Everybody met downstairs that morning, even Zander joined the group. As the group walked down to the road that led past their driveway, Ced selected a direction for them to start running in slowly. On the walk down to the road, Angel reminded Ginny to use the charm on her bra so she wouldn't be so sore later in the day. It was a slow easy jog up the hill that the road followed. On one side of the road were several driveways leading to houses, and on the side of the road, that Zander's mansion was on, was covered in forest. As they climbed the hill, they were able to look out and see the ocean as the sun rose at their backs. Fifteen minutes later, Ced turned the group around to run back down the hill they had just climbed. He noticed that both Ginny and Zander were winded. But, he knew that this was to be expected. Back at Zander's estate, Ced led the group in a walk around to the back of the house next to the pool so Vic and Cici could help Ginny and Zander with their occlumency lessons. The rest of the group sat down and began meditating.

George's eyes popped open, and he looked at the love of his life. Amber could feel him staring at her, and she opened her eyes to look at him too.

He reached out and grasped a lock of her hair, from underneath all of the rest, "Do you mind?" he asked her lovingly.

"No," she said.

Then with his free hand, he used a weak diffindo to cut the lock off.

Her eyes went wide for just a moment, then she looked at him intently. "A token?" she asked him.

"I don't know, I just had an overwhelming urge to collect a lock of your hair." He told her.

By this time, all of the other teens were watching the couple intently. Was George on his way to becoming Animagus? They really hadn't focused on it a lot, since Harry and Hermione started coaching them on the meditation. Was George going to be the first of them to discover his Animagus form?

It was an excited group that got up and started to do some basic stretching exercises before they headed up to their showers.

.

After breakfast, Zander led the convoy of vehicles on a drive to R.I.M.E. that lasted over an hour before the turn off onto a smaller paved road that quickly changed into a dirt road that went back into the forest. Another hour of driving on the dirt road brought them to the entrance of the school. The trees stretched high into the sky and were some of the largest trees that any of them had ever seen in their lives. It took seven of them with their arms stretched wide, holding hands, to form a chain around one of the trees.

Zander led them all the way to the R.I.M.E. campus. The four vehicles pulled into four different parking spots, leaving an empty spot between them so the could open their doors all of the ways without hitting the truck next to them. The eleven of them got out and stretched their arms and backs, then as they looked around the campus, they could see that there were seven buildings. Three of them appeared to be dormitories, three of them looked to be classrooms, and one of them looked to be a dining facility or a meeting hall of some kind.

Zander lead them towards one of the buildings that looked like it was built for classrooms. The group followed him inside and down a hallway. Then he opened a door with a window in it and walked into an office. The woman behind the counter looked up at him.

"Good morning Mr Williams! How may I help you?" she asked cheerfully.

"Good morning, Becky." He said.

Off to the side of the office, a door with Director on the glass opened up, and a man stepped out into the office.

"May I help you?" he asked in faux pleasantness. This wasn't the Mr Williams that he was hoping to find again. But maybe this Mr Williams would be able to lead him to the other one.

"Yes, I was telling my nieces and nephews about the school, and they just had to come and see it. My sister is thinking about having her children go here," he lied to the man.

The Director looked over the group of young people. They were all well dressed in quality clothing, the little bit of jewellery looked to be of quality too, even if the watches weren't.

"I would love to show all of you around! Just give me a moment to finish up what I was doing." He told them with a huge smile, that didn't seem to reach his eyes.

Less than five minutes later, the Director closed his office door behind him and walked past the counter, "Please follow me, and I will show you around our amazing school!" he told them.

The Director gave them the grand tour of the facilities, he started with the Quidditch pitch, he pointed out where the hot springs and the waterfalls were located, and then he took them through the classroom buildings, the whole time giving them the sales pitch.

And in all honesty, the place did look amazing. But not once did any of them feel any of the wards that should be protecting the place.

" _It's like all of the wards are depleted!"_ Vic thought to her mates.

" _It sure seems that way to me too,"_ the others thought back to her.

"… and about three times a year we go to visit the magical community in San Francisco." He finished saying.

"I see that there are still students around the campus," Amber asked.

"Yes, we have students that stay through the summers to take care of their animals and some of the older students stay to keep working on some of their school work." He told her. "For our school, our students range in age from ten years old up to eighteen years of age. Most of the eighteen-year-olds that are staying are working on becoming Animagus. We are one of the few schools in the world that teach the subject." He bragged on that.

The Director talked about their core classes and the fact that they didn't teach a specific class on Defense Against Dark Magic, at the request of the parents, preferring to let the proper authorities take care of those things. He then went on to talk about their advanced classes.

There were some classes that caught the attention of the teenagers, Theory of Potions and Experimental Potions were two of them. Also, Combat Magic and the Pre-Healer Training programs interested the group.

He took them through the dormitories, which were very nice. He explained to them that for students that were from ten to fourteen years of age, the dorms were segregated, but from fifteen and up, the dorms were co-ed. So, our first through fifth years, all live on the first floor of the dorms, and the sixth and seventh years live on the second floor, while the eighth years have their own rooms, and live on the third floor of the dorms. The main meeting hall and the dining facility are right over here. It is open all day long to serve three meals a day plus any snacks that are wanted, and it also serves as a place for students to get together and study.

"Wow! This place sounds amazing!" Ginny said excitedly. "Would you mind if we just wandered around and talked about it some more?"

"No, please, be my guest. If you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them for you, Mrs.?" He asked for her name.

"Weasley, Jennifer Weasley." She lied to him.

"Well, pleased to meet you, Jennifer."

"Oh, call me Jenny. Everyone does!" she gushed, bending her knees just a little and twisting her body a tiny bit.

"Like I said, if you need anything, just come and find me and I will be glad to help," and he excused himself.

The group of people huddled together once he had left.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 04.21.2018**


	54. Year Six Chapter 54

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 54

.

.

"Becky? Is Mr Williams still in?" Jennifer asked the secretary.

"Why yes he is!" she chirped, as she got up to go and knock on the Directors door.

"Yes? Mrs Weasley?" he asked, "How may I help you?"

"Well, my boys wanted to go and see the Quidditch pitch again, and they were wondering if you could please show us some more about it. They've only ever been on one that's older than dirt," she told him.

"I'd be glad too," he told her.

"Oh, the girls aren't interested, they just want to stay here until the boys are finished with that boy stuff as they call it," she told him.

.

Once they were out of the door and down the hallway, Julia gave Vic the all clear, and Vic locked eyes with Becky.

Vic needed Ginny and the guys to keep the fake Mr Williams occupied until she had finished. As she moved around inside of Becky's mind, she found a woman imprisoned in her mind. Between the potions, the emotional abuse, and the physical abuse, a significant portion of Becky had gone into hiding and was terrified of everything. The happy secretary thing was just a façade for visitors and the man that was dominating her. Vic learned that a group of wizards had come into their school teaching things that were contrary to what the school taught and believed. After they had won over enough students, the current Mr Williams had come in and taken over the institute. The real Mr Williams had become fearful, he had always been a bit of a conman, but she just figured that was something that was needed to keep new students coming into the school. But before he had disappeared, he had gotten to the point that even a loud noise would scare him, a door slamming had him jumping out of his skin! Vic asked her for the list of the missing students, and Becky gave her the list that Vic recited out loud for the others to write down. Becky even told her where to find the student's folders that the current Mr Williams had hidden. When Vic had asked Becky how many bad guys there were, she told her that there were about twelve more bad guys, all of them posing as teachers at the school. When Vic asked about the students that they had seen at the school that day, she told her that all of them were taking the potion. Most of them were girls between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, but there were some boys there too. It seemed like some of the men preferred young boys over girls. Becky told her that if she wanted to meet the other bad guys that she could do that at lunch. Vic asked her if she knew where the abducted girls were.

"No, but they had a camp farther up north someplace, Yosemite, I think," Becky told her.

Then on a whim, Vic asked if the original Mr Williams had talked about finding an ancient artefact.

"No, not really," she told her, "but several months ago, he got very excited about something, and it was after that, that he became scared, then he was downright terrified," she told Vic.

When Vic offered to free her from her mental prison, the old witch told her, "No, not yet. I don't have any place to go, I've lived here for fifty years, and my absence will make it more dangerous for you. Just come back and help me when all of this is over."

Vic promised her that she would come back and help her gain her freedom back. Then Vic slipped out of her mind, and the woman that they had met was sitting behind the desk again looking at them like they had forgotten to answer her question.

Cici told Ced that it was safe for them to return to the office now.

Julia and Amber had gone into where Mr Williams had hidden the folders on the students they had abducted and made duplicates of the student's files.

"Well, I think that we're going to go ahead and leave once my sister and the boys get back," Zander told Becky.

"Okay, I'll see you later!" she said optimistically, but she was looking directly at Vic.

All of the girls waved goodbye to her as they filed out of the office and down the hall to the door. They walked over to where the vehicles were parked to wait on the boys and Ginny.

When the five of them came into view, four of them changed direction to head for the cars, and they waved goodbye to the fifth one that angled back to his office.

"Did you get what you were after?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, but let's talk more back at the house," Vic told her.

.

The caravan of vehicles pulled off of the street and into the private driveway leading up to the small mansion. The gates opened for them, automatically and when the bright yellow pickup was through the gates, the gates swung shut on their own. Again, they parked away from the house so the use of magic in the home wouldn't affect the sensitive electronics in the vehicles. As they walked towards the front doors, they opened for them.

"Welcome home." Leo greeted the group., he bowed to Ced, Cici, and Vic. "Lunch will be ready in a few minutes," Leo told them.

Everyone thanked the elf for preparing lunch for them.

It was after lunch when Vic started to tell everyone what she had learned from probing Becky's mind.

"The whole school is controlled by terrorists!?" Zander almost shouted.

The others looked to Ced and his spouses for guidance on how they should proceed.

"I think that we need to go over the file folders for the students," Cici suggested.

The others agreed, and Amber pulled out a stack of folders that she had shrunken. Then Julia did the same thing.

"How many students are missing?" Ginny asked in shock at the number of folders.

"More than thirteen, that's for sure!" Fred commented.

Both Julia and Amber started to count their folders.

"I've got sixteen folders," Julia said.

"I think that I counted seventeen folders." Amber looked at the group, she had done the math in her head, and thirty-three students were missing.

"How far do they go back?" Zander asked in amazement.

"Why don't you give everybody three folders each so we can look into that," Rose told the two girls.

The two girls started to pass groups of three folders to the person next to them, and they just kept handing them around the table until everyone had a small stack of files. Each of them started to look through the folders. They quickly learned that the terrorists were equal opportunity abductors, as long as they were females.

"Mine are all girls," George said. "The oldest happened almost two years ago." He told them.

There were a bunch of mines too that followed from the rest of them.

"Two, years ago?" Zander sounded like the situation was hopeless.

"Does anybody have anyone older than two years?" Ced asked.

Everyone said no and shook their heads.

"Okay, how long ago was the newest abduction?" he asked his friends.

"Back in May, for Raven," Julia said.

"I've got one in May also, for Karen Karpenter," Zander said. "I think that Raven and Karen used to be friends," he commented.

"I've got one here from April, a Jannette," Ginny said.

"Let's start laying the folders out. We'll put the newest ones down at that end of the table and the oldest ones at this end of the table. And open them up so we can see their pictures," Vic told the group.

Everybody stood up and started to move around the table to place their folders in chronological order. They had sixteen rows of two in each row except the last row; the newest row had three in it. Three girls had gone missing in May.

"Do they have anything in common, other than they're all girls? Hair colour, height, weight, eye colour, anything?" Vic asked.

All of them looked at the folders, and it all just seemed so random.

"They're all witches," Ginny said. "The magic gene is passed down through the female," she told them.

"That's why that witch cursed my mom!" Cici said just above a whisper.

"I don't get it," George said.

"They want to use the girls to have more magical babies," Amber told him.

"Why do they want the girls to have babies?" he asked.

"So, they can build a magical army," Ced told him, glumly.

"We need to find where they're hiding in Yosemite," Cici said.

"The cave that I followed the other Zander to, is near Yosemite," Zander told them.

"How far is that from here?" Ced asked him.

"Not far, four or five hours, depending on traffic," Zander told him.

"Do we want to try and free the school tonight?" Fred asked hopefully.

"No, we need to talk to the other parents. If we hit the school, then they could warn the others at the Yosemite place and take the girls and disappear," Ced told him.

"When we do hit them, we're going to have to hit both of them at the same time, or very close together," Cici said.

"Once we free the school, we're going to need people to hold it for us," Angel said.

"I wish we could just call Aunt Tonks and Uncle King," Rose said whimsically.

"What are your local Aurors like?" Ced asked Zander.

"I don't know really. I pretty much dropped out of the wizarding world several years ago." He told them.

The group sat there frustrated for several minutes, thinking. Then Angel picked up one of the folders, then Rose picked up another folder, and they started to look at the papers inside of them. They had the names of the mother, the name of the father, where they lived, all of that kind of stuff! And then Rose saw it, Mother's Occupation: Homemaker, Father's Occupation: Clerk, MACUSA. She dropped the folder like it had burned her hands and she grabbed another folder and looked in the same spot, and then she closed that one and grabbed another, and then another, and then; she saw what she the information they needed.

"Here! Here's our answer!" and she thrust the folder at Ced.

Ced looked at her like, yeah, it's a folder.

"Look! Look inside!" And she opened the folder for him. "Right there! Mother's Occupation! Auror! Father's Occupation! Auror! This girl's parents are Aurors! Don't you see! All we have to do is to find them first!" she said excitedly.

She was right; this was part of the solution to their problem. All of the others started to pick up the folders and look through them. They found a wide variety of occupations and they also saw two more Aurors in the group.

"We need to find out where they live," Ced told them.

"Do you have something to write with and on?" Rose asked Zander.

Once he had returned with a pen and some paper, Vic started to write the names and the addresses down so they could try and visit the parents.

"Here's a phone number, why don't we just try and call them?" Fred asked.

"They have phone numbers listed?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, look here, under the emergency contact info." He told her.

"Look, it's a 415-area code, that's about two hours from here," Zander said.

"Well, these two are in area code 206. Where's that?" Amber asked.

"I don't know, let's try the internet," Zander said as he pulled his phone out.

"You had better use one of ours," Amber told him.

"Why's that? What's wrong with mine?" he asked her.

"Our phones are protected from some magic," she told him.

"How'd you get a phone that's protected from magic?" he asked her, as he looked around at the other teenagers.

"I can't tell you that. We had to sign a contract that said we wouldn't tell," Amber told him.

"Area code 206 is in Seattle, Washington," Julia said looking up from her phone.

All of the teenagers and Ginny looked at him.

"Seattle? Washington is two states above us so that would be about a two-day drive," he told them.

"Well, let's see if we can find the two Aurors here," Ced told them.

Then they heard Rose, "Hi, my name is Rose Bones, and I've been contracted to try and find a Zander Williams' daughter, Raven. I was wondering if my friends and I could meet with you and your wife this afternoon," she asked the man on the phone.

In response to something on the phone, "Right now, we're down in Monterey," she told him.

He said something else on the phone. "Well, you can choose where we meet. I want you to be comfortable with us meeting. And just to let you know in advance, there will be eleven of us coming to this meeting."

To something else he said. "I would be more comfortable discussing that in person," she told him.

He said something else. "Laguna Creek Beach, north of Santa Cruz? In an hour and a half?" she looked at Zander, he nodded his head. "Sure, we can be there. We'll be driving a bright red Jeep, a bright blue Jeep, and a bright yellow pickup," she told him.

Then she chuckled at something he said, "No, not very stealthy at all are they?"

"We'll see you in an hour and a half," then she touched the screen of her phone and let her arm hang once she saw the screen change.

She looked at her friends, and they looked at her.

"So, who did you call?" Ced asked her.

She turned and picked up the folder that was folded back over itself to stay open, "Karen Karpenter's dad, her mum is an Auror also." And she tossed the file folder back on to the table.

"Well if we're going to be on time, then we're going to need to leave soon," Zander told them. "If anybody needs to use the bathroom, now's your chance," he said sounding just like a parent.

.

An hour and thirty minutes later the three vehicles were turning off of California Highway 1 and into the Coast Dairies State Park, parking area across from the state park. The two SUVs and the pickup parked so that they had plenty of room between them for the doors to open fully. Two vehicles down from them a large, barrel-chested man climbed out of a nondescript car.

" _Doesn't anyone in this country apparate?"_ Ced asked his wives.

" _Really huh?"_ was the response back to him.

The man approached the group of kids and the two adults. Zander took the lead and walked up to the man.

"Jesse Karpenter?" he asked.

"Yes," and he stuck his hand out.

Zander took his offered hand, "Zander Williams. I think that our children were friends at school," he said.

"Okay, and who are all of them?" he asked, as he gestured to the rest of the people.

"This is a group of people that I contracted to find my daughter," he told him.

"Yeah? They're just a bunch of kids," he scoffed at him. Then he turned to leave.

Ced _teleportused_ in front of him. He caught the Auror off guard. "Then what would you like for us to do when we find Karen? Just leave her with the terrorists?"

"Son, you had best get out of my way," Jesse told Ced threateningly.

Ced held his hands out to the side to show that he was not a threat, then slowly he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a business card. "Here, you can call this person, and he will vouch for us. Then you can call Rose back when you're ready to meet. But right now, we're ready to move to free a dozen more children from terrorist control, as soon as we find the thirty missing girls from that school," Ced told him.

This information slowed Auror Karpenter down a little. "Terrorists?"

"Yes, we believe from the descriptions of the people, that they are UAA," Ced told the wizard.

"There are thirty-three girls? Not just my Karen?" he asked, the fear and concern breaking through now. Was this actually hope, in the form of a bunch of kids?

"Yes, there have been thirty-three girls taken over the last twenty-two months," Ced told him gently.

"Where'd they take them?" he asked concerned for his daughter's safety.

"We don't have an exact location yet. But we need your help. That's the purpose of us meeting you today," Ced told him.

"What do you need from me?" he asked.

"Once we free the girls, and in the case of the school itself, some boys are being held hostage there too. We need the Aurors to come in behind us and hold the school, and their second base of operations, while we get the girls to safety."

"Where's that going to be?" he scoffed at him.

Ced ignored his tone, "It has to be someplace close by, we're going to transport them by broom, and we can carry twenty-seven people in one trip. But from looking at the data that we've gathered, our best guess is that some of these girls have already given birth to a child."

"What!"

"We believe that the reason they have abducted only girls is they want to build a magical army. The magic gene is passed through the female," he told the outraged man.

Jesse closed his mouth.

"Can I ask you a question?" Ced asked soothingly.

"What's that?" Jesse asked him just below a boil.

"Doesn't anybody in this country, apparate?" Ced looked confused, kind of pleading.

Jesse kind of laughed at him, "Yes, it's just that there are so many people, it's hard to have a spot that's safe to apparate to."

"It's so much faster and easier!" Ced told him shaking his head in disbelief.

"Aren't you a little young to be able to apparate?" Jesse's Auror side coming out now.

"We fall into a special circumstances category," Ced bent the truth a little.

" _Almost broke it in two!"_ Vic chided him.

When the young man standing in front of him said 'we,' Jesse turned around again remembering the rest of the group of people there. He looked at all of them, they were young! Even the two adults weren't really that old.

"Here, let me introduce the rest of them to you. I'm Ced, this is Vic, Cici, and Rose is the one that spoke to you on the phone. This is Fred, Julia, George, and Amber. You've met Zander, this is Ginny and Angel." The girls all waved at him, George and Fred shook his hand.

"I'm going to need to talk to my wife before we can talk again," Jesse told them.

"If you want to bring her to meet us, I would be willing to show you where we're staying, so you don't have to spend two and a half hours driving," Ced told him.

"Okay, and how do you expect to do that?" Jesse asked him.

"Take hold of my arm," and Ced moved his arm closer to the Auror.

Jesse grabbed his arm, and they were gone. Then the next thing Jesse knew, was that they were standing in front of the gates at Zander's mansion. The gates sensing their magic opened for Ced. Jesse let go of Ced's arm, and they walked into the estate's grounds. Ced caught Jesse looking the place over.

"We had to do a lot to convert the place from a no-Maj house into a magical house," Ced told him. "We need help. We need to know where we can apparate into and from. All of this driving is taking up valuable time. We're not from here, so we've never been to where we need to go."

"What about Zander? Can't he help you?"

"No, he never got his license to apparate and to hear him tell it, he basically dropped out of the Wizarding World. He's as helpful as he can, but driving everywhere is too slow. We have thirty-two more sets of parents that we need to contact, and the other Aurors are up in Seattle Washington. To go and talk to them is a two-day drive unless we can get a portkey," Ced told Jesse.

"So, how many terrorists are at the school?" Jesse asked him.

"Our best guess from what we were told, is that there is a dozen or a baker's dozen," Ced replied.

"How's a bunch of kids going to fight thirteen terrorists?" Jesse just could not get past their age!

"That's something that we're equipped and trained to do. You can test us if you want," Ced told the large man. "Another thing that we need to know is, where are the magical communities around here?" he asked.

"Here, take my arm, and I'll take you there," Jesse told the kid.

Ced did as he was instructed and then he felt the familiar squeezing sensation. When it was over he was standing in a back alley, he could smell the familiar scent of the water, and could hear all of the noises associated with traffic, then Jesse led him down the alleyway, and he was back in the magical world. Ced made sure to get all of his bearings so he could return to this place. When they broke out of the alley, they were in a back street with open-air vendors, and shops alike.

"Where's the magical bank?" Ced asked.

"You mean Gringotts?" Jesse asked him.

Hearing the familiar name, helped to ease some of Ced's fears. He didn't realise just how removed from the magical world Zander really was until they had gotten to his home.

Jesse led Ced down another couple of streets until the came to a large white building. It wasn't the same as the bank in Diagon Alley, but it was unmistakably a Gringotts Bank.

While they were standing there for a couple of seconds, Ced called out, "Maco, Leo, Lucy!" and he was rewarded with three small but familiar pops.

"Yes, Master?" the three elves said with a low bow.

"I just wanted you three to know where the magical community was if you needed anything from here," Ced told the elves.

"Thank you, Master." The elves bowed again, "It is a pleasure to serve," and they were gone with three pops again.

Jesse looked at Ced with newfound amazement. "You have house elves?"

"Yes, we were spending so much time driving places, that spending another hour or two preparing dinners, leaves very little time for actually doing what we were hired to do," Ced told him quietly. He didn't want the wrong ears to hear what it was they were talking about.

"Stop sleeping in!" Jesse teased him.

"We get up at five in the morning for our morning workout," Ced told him flatly.

"Okay, hey, we probably should get back to the others before we're missed," Jesse told the remarkable kid standing next to him.

"See you there," and Ced was gone silently.

That kid's amazing! Maybe there was hope. He had known Aurors for years that couldn't apparate silently. Then he was standing in the centre of a circle of teenagers in the middle of a dirt parking lot.

He looked around, and then he saw Ced standing in-between two good looking girls holding hands, "You should really go and see the beach down there. It is quite pretty," The man told the group.

"Thank you, for everything, I think that since we took the time to drive all the way here, we should do that," Ced told his newest friend. "Will we be seeing you and your wife tonight? Come for dinner, about seven," Ced told him.

"I think we will," Jesse told him. Then he turned and walked to his car.

The group of friends walked over to where the crosswalk was and checked for traffic before walking down to the beautiful beach.

.

.

Once they had gotten back to Zander's place, Ced took Cici and Vic to the apparition point for the magical community that he had been shown. Then the three of them helped their friends there so they would know where it was. Rose and Angel went back to collect Zander and Aunt Ginny so they would know too. They spent the next couple of hours walking around the place and getting to know it better.

Amber and Julia went into the apothecary to purchase more of their individual potions while the others went in to get the supplies to set up a potions lab back at Zander's home. Ginny watched as her two future nieces calmly bought their needed supplies. Once everything was paid for, Zander watched, as calm as could be, they all shrank their purchases to fit in their handbags or pockets.

Back outside of the store, Ced told Zander, "You need to set up a Gringotts account and give permission for the elves to use it to buy supplies for the house." Then he started to lead their employer towards the bank. "I'll meet you at the clothing store, the fashions here are a little different than they are at home. Oh, and we're going to need clothes to go hiking in." Ced told his wives.

"Alright, we'll meet you there, love you, babe," Cici told him out loud.

" _Love you, babe,"_ Vic said silently.

.

As they walked through the front doors of the bank, the goblin greeted Ced, "Lord Potter, it is an honour to have you in our bank," he said with a bow.

"It is an honour to be here," Ced returned in Gobbledygook and a bow.

The impressed goblin led the two men across the lobby and into a private room. "I will inform Master Rookwood that you are here," he said as he exited with a bow.

Minutes later, another finely dressed, much older goblin entered the room and greeted the two wizards with the traditional goblin greeting which Ced returned with a bow also.

An hour later, with everything completed the two wizards were exiting the bank and headed for the clothing store, down the street and to the left they had been told by a passing stranger. As they approached the store, Ced looked it over, it was larger than Madam Malkin's that was for sure, it was also a lot more modern looking too. Susan's Magical Creations was across the tops of the windows. The large, clean windows were inviting with their displays of enchanted mannequins showing off the latest in inventory.

Zander spotted Ginny and left Ced to go to in that direction. Ced found Cici, Vic, Rose, and Angel in the back of the store at a small display of swimwear.

He was greeted with a kiss from both of his girls.

"It says that it's tan through, not see through," Cici told him in amazement.

Yet when she held it up to the light, you could see right through the material. The other thing was, was that you bought the tops and the bottoms separately. Ced encouraged her to pick out a couple that she liked, and she could go and try on the top part to see if she enjoyed them. At that, the other girls started to look for what they wanted. They also liked the idea of no tan lines, but all of them knew that they wouldn't be comfortable going topless at Zander's pool. Ced followed Cici over to one of the changing rooms and waited outside while she went in and released the top to her dress. When she opened the door to model the bikini top for Ced, he could see the bikini top, and that the different colours of her breasts didn't show through the top, just like the manufacturer said. He also saw how she had left the top of her dress hanging around her waist. Vic, Angel, and Rose all liked what they saw. Vic joined her wife in the changing room as both of them changed out tops. Rose and Angel modelled their tops for Ced's approval, too. Once all of the girls were happy, they handed Ced eight bikinis to hold for them while they started to shop for what they would need to go hiking in. The sales girl picked up on the big spenders and was quick to help all of them select what they would need to go hiking in the mountains of California. She guided them to more durable jeans and shirts that wouldn't tear as quickly as they walked along the trails. Once the large group had selected a couple of pairs of pants, and two or three shirts, the sales girl, helped them choose some shoes that would be suitable for backcountry hiking. She was quick to pick up on that none of them had the correct socks for hiking or hiking boots. She rushed across the store to select eleven pairs of socks for her customers to use while trying on the different pairs of boots and shoes. When she returned, all of them were amazed at how thick the socks were!

"You will probably want three or four pairs of them, that way if your feet get wet, you can change into a pair of dry socks, it makes a big difference having dry socks or not." She told them.

With the right socks on their feet, they found some hiking boots and hiking shoes that were comfortable for each individual's tastes. Now the group headed to the other side of the store to select enough socks for the week ahead.

.

Everything selected, everything paid for, and everything shrank down, so they leave, the group headed back to the apparition point for the magical community, and back to Zander's house. They walked back inside of the gates to the estate so they could put their purchases away and the girls could change into their new swimwear to go lay out by the pool.

"Do you think that Hermione packed any sunblock potion?" A naked Vic asked as she was searching hers and Cici's backpacks.

"I don't know." A nude Cici said coming out of the bathroom. She walked across the room to help Vic look for any sunblock potion.

"Here, I found some in my backpack," Ced told them. The girls had him wearing Bermuda shorts.

"How many do you have?" Vic asked.

"One, two, four, eight, ten, fourteen." Ced counted off.

"Okay, we need to get somebody to brew some more sunblock tonight so we will have it tomorrow," Vic said as she was pulling on her new tan through bikini bottoms.

"Who were you thinking?" Cici asked her, as she was finishing adjusting her tan through bottoms too.

"Ginny and Zander. Zander needs to get caught up with the rest of the magical world. Right now, he's running twenty years behind the rest of the magical world. I would bet that his daughter is more magically advanced than he is," she told her as she was tying Cici's top for her.

"I would agree, and the fact that he has chosen to raise her in a muggle environment is only holding her back," Cici replied, returning the favour by tying Vic's top for her.

The three of them summoned some towels to them as they were walking out of their room barefoot. Ced had twelve potions in is two hands, so Cici caught his towel as it flew through the air towards him. They met a couple of the others in the hallway, Julia and Fred took a couple of the potions out of his hands, to help him out. As they past Amber's and George's room those two grabbed a couple of sunblock's also. Then finally Rose and Angel took one each leaving Ced with enough for Zander, Ginny, Cici, Vic, and himself.

When Ginny and Zander came out of the master bedroom, "Did you want a sunblock potion, Aunt Ginny?" Angel asked.

"Yes, please." She told her.

The group of kids looked at Zander who was painted whiteish.

"He says that it's called sunblock. It came in a bottle, and you rub it all over your skin." Ginny told them.

Vic looked at him, it must have been a pathetic look because Zander started to become defensive. "I'm sorry that I'm not as good at magic as you are." He told her.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel that way." She told him. "If you want, I would be willing …"

"I would too."

"Me too."

"I would also."

"… all of us would be willing to help you learn more magic. We could start tonight if you want. We need to brew more sunblock potion, and that's a good, useful, potion to know. It's also simple to brew. You can get it started before dinner, and it's usually finished before ten at night." She told him.

Even Ginny seemed interested in learning the potion. So many of the concoctions that they learned in school were not very useful in everyday life. To be kind about it.

"I'd like to help." She told Vic.

"Great! I would love to have you," she told her. Ginny was looking good in her one piece. She was gifted with a slim body that would only become more attractive with physical activity.

The other teens, sensing the conversation was coming to an end had started to walk down the broad wooden staircase to get to the pool. Outside along the edge of the pool were several lounge chairs, Angel did a quick count and conjured enough chairs for everyone to have one. They all dropped their towels next to their selected chair to begin working on their tans.

"What did you and Jesse talk about, babe?" Cici asked him out loud.

"We talked about finding his daughter and helping the other missing students," Ced told her.

"Okay, what else?" she asked.

"Well, I explained that we needed his help because we don't know anyone here. Oh, he and his wife should be coming over for dinner tonight to talk more about it too," Ced answered.

"Okay, sounds good, did you let the elves know?" Cici asked him.

"No, not yet. I need to do that," Ced replied to her. "Leo," he called to the air.

"Yes, my Lord?" Leo responded with a bow.

"Leo, we will be having two extra guests for dinner," Ced told him respectfully.

"Yes, my Lord, we will make the necessary adjustments," he replied to Ced.

"Thank you, Leo."

"It is a pleasure to serve," he said with a bow and a soft pop.

"When are you going to try and find their other camp?" Zander asked Ced since he's the apparent leader of this group.

"I think that we should wait until after we have spoken to as many parents as possible. Plus, the information that we'll get from Jesse and his wife tonight will help us greatly. We need to get some portkeys to get to these other cities, driving is just too time-consuming, we wasted three hours today just driving to meet Jesse! Plus, the three hours that we spent driving to and from R.I.M.E. so, just in today, we've spent six hours driving, and we didn't go anywhere!" Ced told him exasperatedly.

Zander couldn't argue with that, they had spent six-hours driving from place to place, and the time that it took to apparate was negligible.

Right around five o'clock, Cici rolled back over and sat up. "It's five o'clock she told everyone, we need to get ready for dinner, our guests will be here about seven," she announced to everyone.

All of the others got up and got ready to go back inside.

"What are you wearing?" Angel asked her.

"Something nice but not to fancy, something conservative," she told her.

"Okay," she said as she stepped through the sliding glass doors.

Cici took Ginny and Zander to the new potions lab to teach them how to brew the sunblock potion. She had to explain to both of them how to cut up the ingredients first, and then how to brew the potion. She was glad that it was a simple enough potion that didn't take a lot of attention after it was set to simmer.

.

At 6:55, Maco opened the front doors of the mansion to let their guests in.

"Please, follow me," she told the two visitors.

She led them to the sitting room of the house.

"I will inform the Master of the house that you are here," she told the two magicals. She turned and started to walk away and then she was gone.

About five minutes later, Ced and Zander walked into the sitting room.

Ced took the lead, "Good evening, Jesse. I am so glad that you and your wife could make it," Ced stuck his hand out to shake Jesse's.

"Ced, Zander, this is my wife, Sara. Sara, this is Zander and Ced," and he shook Ced's offered hand.

Ced held his hand out to Sara and took her hand firmly, but gently. "It is a pleasure to meet you," Ced told her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you too," she responded politely.

Zander was in awe, of Ced's skills as a host.

"Please, follow us. Dinner should be almost ready," Ced told the couple, before turning and leading them to the formal dining room.

The elves put on a magnificent three-course meal consisting of a simple garden salad, a main course of either prime rib or salmon, with either a baked potato or wild rice, and vegetable of choice, followed by a dessert of apple pie ala mode.

Over dessert, the group started to discuss what Jesse and Sara had learned about the disappearance of their daughter. After the table was cleared, Ced summoned the copies of the student folders and spread them out on the dining room table.

"How did you get these?" Sara asked going into Auror mode.

"We made copies of the files that the terrorists had," Julia told her.

"Terrorists?" then looking at Jesse, "Jesse never said anything about terrorists!" looking back at the group of teenagers running this thing. Hell, she was older than they were and pretty sure she could run things better than they could!

"Okay, back to the problem at hand," Ced was trying to get the discussion back on the problems at hand. "Did Karen ever say anything in her letters about people at school that made her feel uncomfortable?" Ced asked her.

"Yes, she said that there were people that made her feel uncomfortable. She also said that they were teaching things contrary to the beliefs of the school," she told him.

"Did she ever mention any friends to you in her letters?"

"Well, she mentioned Raven and another girl named Jannette. But, in one letter she said that Jannette was going to leave school and go with her new friends," Sara told the group.

"What did she say after Jannette left?" Ced asked her.

"I don't know, that was her last letter that we got."

"Did you try and contact the school about this?" Ced asked the question anyway.

"Yes! And that new Director guy, he just said that sometimes the students do this, but they usually go home sometime during the summer." She told him.

"Okay, what we want to do is to get in contact with the parents of the other missing girls to find out if their daughters have come home or not. Right now, we're looking at thirty-three missing girls," Ced told her.

"Why can't we just get MACUSA involved?" she asked knowing the answer before she asked the question.

"Because as soon as they go sniffing around, they're going to leave and take all of the girls with them, if they don't just decide to kill some of them," Ced told her. "One of our biggest advantages is our age. We can pose as incoming students and with six beautiful young women, ripe for breeding, they would take us in a heartbeat. Another problem that we have run into on multiple occasions are spies within the organisations that have hired us."

The couple just stared at him.

"Would you be willing to stake your daughter's life that there's not an informant somewhere in your organisation?" he paused for a moment, "The terrorists exploit our weaknesses. They exploit our trust in our coworkers, our trust in the security of government organisations, and our trust in the security of our buildings."

"So, what's your plan?" she asked. There were people that she didn't trust in her precinct.

Ced glossed over the rough outline of his plan to attack both camps simultaneously or one right after the other, depending on what they learned when they found the second encampment.

"The nine of us can capture both bases, but we can't capture one, and hold it, and be successful, there aren't enough of us. The last time that we did something similar to this, we had house elves that helped us, and just one terrorist disabled a team of four Aurors that knew he was coming." Ced told them gravely.

"We don't even know where the nearest wizarding hospital is!" Cici told them.

"We're working in an information vacuum," Vic told them.

"It was just today that we were shown where the magical community is located," Ced told her. "Who do you trust? That's who we need to work with."

They discussed more details about what they knew about the school and the former Director. They talked about other concerns that they had, but the biggest concern they had, was the age of the teenagers.

"I tell you what, we can have a duel, you two against any one of us," Ced told them sternly. "We can use your Auror training camp, or we can do this later in the week after we set up a training room here in the house. Or if you want, we can do it right now in the back garden of the estate, your choice," they still hadn't left the dining room table.

"Let's go now," she said. "If I'm going to hitch my wagon to your star, I want to know that I've made the right choice before I go any farther. And I chose her," and she pointed to Cici.

Cici kind of blinked at her a couple of times, before she responded, "May I go and change clothes? Or do you want me to duel in this?" she said as she indicated and charmed the dress she was wearing.

"You can change, I don't want you to ruin your pretty dress, and get grass stains on your heels," Sara told her.

"Thank you, if you will please excuse me, I will go and get changed now," and she made to get up.

Ced stood up quickly and helped her out of her chair. Cici kissed him sweetly on the lips before she went to change.

Sara checked out the young woman as she left the room, it really was a pretty dress, and she loved the fabulous heels that Cici was wearing with it, the jewellery was magnificent!

All of the others took this opportunity to get up and stretch.

"If you would like, we can go out back while we wait for Cici to get changed," Ced informed their guests.

At this cue, the others moved towards the doors to the formal dining room. When Sara and Jesse turned in that direction, George and Amber exited the room, leading the others to the back of the house.

"I think that it would be best to have the duel on the side of the house farthest from my neighbours," Zander told Ced and the others.

"Please, lead the way!" Ced told him. "I'll wait here for Cici, so she doesn't have to walk all the way around the house looking for us," he chuckled slightly.

The group was moving slow enough, that Cici was at the top of the stairs as the last of them was leaving the house. With Sara and Jesse out of view, she shifted to Ced's side and took his hand. Together they walked to the side garden of the estate.

When Ced was standing in front of Sara and Jesse, he said to them, "I know that I can't ask you for a Wizards Oath of Loyalty, because it could possibly interfere with your jobs as Aurors. But I want your word that anything that you learn, hear, or see while you're with us you won't tell anyone."

Both of them gave their word.

"Pick a side," he told them.

They turned and walked to their left, and with their backs turned to her, Cici once again charmed her clothes to act as a shield, and she walked to the right side of the yard.

"Now, do you want this to be a timed duel or until one side wins?" Ced asked their visitors.

"There's only one of her, so until one side wins," Sara said coolly, confidently.

"The rules are simple enough, anything goes, no unforgivable curses," Ced told them.

"Easy enough," Jesse said.

"On the count of three. Oh, please don't anyone deplete your magical cores. Ready?" They nodded. "Three, two, one," and Ced stepped over to the sidelines.

Sara was the first to throw a curse. Cici deflected it easy enough. Then it was Jesse who tossed the next hex. Cici threw up a wall and was gone. A hit from Sara and another from Jesse blasted the wall. They were holding back, not wanting to hurt the little girl. Then they exploded the decoy that was left behind. Sara barely had enough time to cast a _protego_ to protect Jesse from a spell coming in from their left side. Another wall absorbed the two hexes cast in retaliation. Then the decoy suffered the wrath of the two Aurors, but Cici was nowhere to be seen. A ripple in the moonlight caught the Aurors' attention off to their right, close to the trees. This girl wasn't what they were expecting. The Aurors were reactive, not proactive in this fight. Two more hexes fired into the trees, and both Aurors were hit with stinging jinxes from behind. When they spun around, there wasn't anything to see, just another ripple in the light of the night, next to the trees. They turned and fired at the ripple in the night, to get hit again with two more stinging jinxes from behind. Cici was controlling this fight, the two Aurors hadn't had the opportunity to spread out yet, they were still one big object, instead of two smaller targets. As Sara tried to put some space between her and her husband, a sickly yellow curse just missed her arm, causing her to jump closer to her husband, Jesse turned and fired a hex back from where the yellow curse had come from. Another ugly purple hex flew past his arm, from the opposite direction, forcing him to dodge towards his wife.

"Do you want to admit that we're good enough? Or do you want her to finish this?" Ced called out to the two Aurors.

They both looked at him, then a bright blue hex flew past their chests from the right, the side that was open with no trees to hide in, then the ripple was gone. They realised that Cici was shadow duelling while using a disillusionment charm making Cici almost invisible.

They looked at each other, "We'll admit that you're better than we thought," Sara told him.

The two of them retracted their wands, and then Cici cancelled the disillusionment charm, and she was standing behind the two Aurors, about two metres away, close enough that it caused them to start a little. They just caught her wand disappearing.

Cici ran over and was almost crushed in the hug that Ced gave her. He lifted her up and spun her around and around, then as he set her back down, they kissed a hot passionate kiss. Then Vic and Cici had another bone-crushing hug, without the kiss.

"How did you learn all of that?" Jesse asked. This should have been an easy victory for them.

"That's something that we can't tell you," Ced replied to his question.

.

.

In the shower, as Ced was bathing his two wives. He was caressing Cici's bare skin as he washed her. He gently massaged her feet as he rubbed them, forcing all of the stress out of her body. His strong hands moved up her shapely calf to her muscular thigh. Vic could feel the tingling sensations flowing through their mental connection, the three who became one. Cici twitched as Ced large hand brushed past her sensitive zone and on to her torso. He reached around and pulled her into him with one large hand gripping each cheek of her bum, pressing her body into his, with his arms. He tilted his head down, as she tilted her head up, so their lips met with passion. Then his soapy hands released her bum and slid up her back, washing it in one crushing pass to her neck. They broke their kiss as Ced pulled away to scrub her belly and her breasts. His fingers slid up her sides as his thumbs caressed her abs, up past her ample breasts, to her pits, and out her arms. He ran his hands down each arm, massaging her wrists, her hands, and her fingers as he washed her. She turned around, as he began to soap her frontside. Again, with both hands across her lower abdomen, he pressed her into himself, then he started to rub her clean, from her shaved nether region; slowly, lovingly, sensually, he moved his way up across her flat hard belly, to her large firm breasts, to her slender neck. She tilted her head back to kiss her lover again, as she kissed him, the water washed away the soap. She turned in his arms so her wife could start to wash her hair. Her legs spread instinctively as Ced's large hand slid lower across her fit body to her sensitive area. With Vic washing her hair and massaging her scalp, to Ced touching her in the way she liked for him too when he sucked her sensitive nipple into his hot mouth, she crested her peak both vocally and physically as her body began to shudder. Vic caught her wife by the shoulders, to help support her weight, as she crested her wave. She could feel Ced slowing down while Cici returns to the here and now, gently. He didn't just stop, as Cici regained her strength, Ced pulled her into him and held her there as Vic finished with her long hair. With her head tilted back like it was, Ced kissed her again lovingly, tenderly. Cici's hair was down to the middle of her bum once more, as Vic showed her love for her wife.

As the conditioner rinsed out of Cici's hair, the two spouses began to show Vic how much she meant to them. From massaging her feet and her toes to washing her hair. All of the attention that Cici got, Vic got that and more. As Ced's strong soapy hands moved up from Vic's foot, past her shapely calf, to her firm sensitive thigh, Vic let out a small scream of pleasure from her heightened state of sexual awareness. Cici was there to support her when the times came, but she too was reaching another peak, as her sensitive wife went from peak to peak, as Ced washed her clean. With her back pressed into Ced, and her face turned up to his for another passionate kiss, Ced supported her, as he ran his other hand across her front side. As her nipple slid under his palm, he could feel Vic shudder through another climax, her hardened nipple brushed against the skin of his forearm making her crest another peak. He held her tightly, supporting her full weight with his one strong arm, slowly she regained her strength and was able to stand on her own. She turned in his arm and tilted her head back, letting the water wash over her head and down her waist-length hair to the drain below. Ced guided her back into the water, so it was washing across her sensitive breasts, and Cici could begin to wash her hair. The shower water formed a pool where her large breasts were press against Ced's broad chest. Slowly he released her, so she could stand on her own. As Cici was finishing with Vic's hair, she could feel his big hand sliding down her wife's hard flat belly to her sensitive zone. Vic's legs spread willingly to let her lovers hand work its magic on her private area. Soon, Cici was supporting Vic's weight, as she, herself, peaked with her wife, her arms wrapped around her torso, as Vic's spasms receded, Cici's grip loosened so she could stand on her own again.

The two very gratified women began to wash their lover's body to show him how much he meant to them. As they finished soaping his body, with one hand each on his hardened member, and one arm each wrapped around his waist, they helped him crest his peak too.

As the three of them rinsed off one last time, Vic turned off the water with a wave of her hand. With a movement of both of his hands, both wives were dried off magically. They, in turn, used a towel to dry him off, rubbing each part of his well-defined muscular body. As they finished drying his hair, each wife did the other's hair for her, then they jumped up on Ced's hips, with him supporting each of them as he carried them to their large bed. With the way this bed faced. Ced sat Cici down on the mattress first so she could roll to her side of the bed, then he sat Vic down, and lastly, he crawled to the middle of the bed and held his arm out for her, as he wrapped his other arm around Cici. As the two women assumed their positions, all three of them touching as much as possible, Ced covered them all up with another wave of his hand. The very satisfied trio drifted off quickly to sleep and their shared dreams.

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After breakfast, they laid the folders back out on the dining room table, it was the biggest table in the house, they started calling all of the parents to get more information about their missing children. All of the stories had a similar theme, strangers came on campus and began to present new ideas, and new ways of thinking, then the parents wouldn't hear from their daughters again.

As each of them explained that they didn't work for the government, that they were private contractors, most of the parents were willing to pay exorbitant amounts of money if they could return their daughters to them. At one point, the number offered made Julia blush it was so much.

After they had gathered as much information as they could, they spent the afternoon putting all of it together. The group of young adults called the other parents of missing girls that were not in the pile of folders that they had. Their list of names grew to almost fifty missing students over five years.

"Do you even think that they're still in the country?" Jesse asked that night.

"We won't know until we can get inside of one of their leader's heads," Vic told him.

"You know Legilimency too?" he asked in surprise.

"It's been a useful skill to have." She told him.

"I bet!" he told her. "Working outside of the law has its advantages."

"She works within the law," Ced told him. "It's when a terrorist tries to perform legilimency on one of us that it opens the door to return the favour."

"Why should she be punished when they throw the first punch?" Cici asked him.

"It gets into a grey area of the laws on the use of excessive force. Meaning, if a perp uses a stinging jinx on me, I can't respond with the killing curse, as an extreme example," Sara told them.

"Well, most of the bad guys that we meet, don't throw a stinging jinx at us as their first choice of curses," Cici told her.

"I guess not!" she teased her.

"When do you think that you're going to go looking for their second camp?" Jesse asked.

"How long do you think that it will take to drive from here to Yosemite?" Ced asked him.

Jesse frowned in concentration, "Four, maybe five hours depending on the day of the week and the time of day." He told him. "Why, is that where their second base is?"

"We're not sure, just yet," Ced told him.

"I followed Mr Williams to a cave where he died in front of me," Zander told the Auror.

"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Sara accused him.

"Because all I want to do is to find my daughter! That's why I hired these people," his voice turned stony at that last bit.

In his mind, no one else has done anything, at least these kids have made some progress, and this field trip tomorrow, well maybe they can learn something more. Zander didn't know where the cave was that he had been to, but he knew that he could find it again. The four-wheel-drive vehicles would make it easier to get to because it had been a hell of a hike after he had to leave his hybrid on the side of the road.

Once Jesse and Sara had left, Zander pulled Ced aside in the library. "We're going to need to get some camping gear," Zander told him.

"Why?" Ced asked.

"Because, when I was following the other Zander, I drove for almost six hours before I had to abandon my car on the side of the road. We can't drive there and search the area and get back here and do it all over again the next day. There's just not enough daylight to do that."

"This is where being a wizard comes in handy," Ced told him. "Once we've been someplace, then we can get back to that place by apparating!"

"Oh, I had never thought of that," he said, kind of downcast. He had never realised just how much he was giving up, by being so rebellious against society, and not getting his apparition license.

"We'll spend the six hours driving to where we need to search. Then we'll apparate home for dinner and start over again the next morning," Ced tried to comfort him.

"I'm sorry that I'm not more helpful in all of this," Zander apologised for his shortcomings.

"It's okay, you know where to find the other Zander, and that will be a good place to start. From there, we can break up into teams and start searching the surrounding area. If we're lucky, maybe we can find a magical trace to follow. That would make everything that much faster," Ced tried to be encouraging.

"Thanks," he told Ced.

"I'm going to head to bed, tomorrow is going to be a long day," Ced told him.

.

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 **A/N:**


	55. Year Six Chapter 55

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 55

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Five hours after they'd left, they were sitting in tourist traffic for Yosemite National Park. The bright red Jeep was the one in the lead, and when the exit came up to go to the ski resort, it turned right and headed down that road. The blue Jeep followed, and then the yellow pickup followed that. Once they were past the ski resort, the asphalt gave way to dirt, and their speed slowed down. The pine trees outside, along the sides of the road, reached for the sky, blocking the people inside of the truck's view of the blue sky. Slowly the road narrowed, and as it did, the road became bumpier, and their speed slowed even more. A clearing signalled an intersection of dirt roads in the forest. At the fork in the road, the red Jeep stayed to the right and once again they were swallowed up by the trees and the dirt road deteriorated to a two-track. The three vehicles rocked side to side and bounced up and down as the drivers slowed, even more, to keep from damaging them. Eventually, the lead Jeep stopped in the middle of the road if you wanted to call it that, at this point, it was more of a trail that had been used by prospectors looking for gold in the mountains of California over a hundred years ago. Everyone took this opportunity to get out of their trucks and stretch. The guys all walk off in different directions to find a tree to water. Once they returned to the girls, the girls just looked at them, then they headed off as a group, Vic waved her hand, and a building appeared before the group, Cici looked at it, and then she waved her hand and the building quadrupled in size. Julia waved her hand, and a nice wide gravel path appeared beneath their feet to walk on. Amber added clearstory windows to the building, for lighting. Rose added flowerbeds around the building, and when they stepped inside of the building, Angel added flushing toilets and sinks with running water. Ginny added hand towels to dry their hands with, and when the smiling, happy, women got back to the trucks, it all disappeared behind them.

"I think that we should go ahead and engage the four-wheel drive at this point," Zander said to the three drivers.

Fred, Amber, and Angel looked at him.

"The road's going to get much worse before we get to where we need to go." He told them.

It was so quiet where they were. The could hear the breeze blowing through the treetops. The sounds of the dry pine needles crunching under their feet sounded loudly through the silence of the forest. The size of the pinecones was almost as large as a gallon milk jug. They watched as a couple of squirrels were burying nuts for the next winter. The sounds of the doors of the trucks closing were close to deafening as they got back into their vehicles. The whirring of the electric motors rolling down the windows drowned out the sounds of the birds singing. The group of trucks headed on up the road, all of them had taken Zander's advice and engaged the 4X4 option on their truck. As the road became worse, the spacing between vehicles became larger. They bounced over potholes worn into the surface of the road. They crossed a couple of streams one at a time. The group crawled over boulders buried in the path of the trail as they moved slowly upwards to were bad Zander's body lay. If it weren't for the people being seat belted in, they would have bounced around inside of the trucks, even as slow as they were going. At a couple of different points, Julia got out of the Jeep to guide Fred over some of the obstacles in their way. She stayed there to help Amber and then to help Angel over the same obstacles.

Two hours after they had left the tourist traffic they stopped again. Roses' communications watch buzzed for attention. She opened the watch, and Julia's face came into view.

"This is the end of the road, all of us need to find a place to park off the road." She told her.

"Thanks," Rose said before the watch went dark.

Angel looked at the GPS display in the centre of the dash of their truck. It showed one mountain peak in front of them, Gray Peak. She bent down and tried to look up at the top of the mountain and couldn't see anything but more trees in front of her. She sat up straight and looked around her, she spun the steering wheel and gave the pickup a little throttle to move forward to her selected parking spot. Before she turned off the truck, she rolled all of the windows back up, checked that the headlights were off, and then she shut off the engine, unfastened her seatbelt, opened her door, and slid out of the truck. Pressed the door lock button and closed her door. All of their backpacks were in the bed of the truck. She held out her hand, and her pack came to her like the faithful puppy that it was.

The group formed up in a loose circle; they could all see the dirty, pine needle covered black SUV parked off on the side of the road, in the shade, under the trees.

"Well, that tells me that the authorities haven't found him yet," Zander said smugly.

Ced looked at Julia and Amber, "Check it for wards, and be careful; they may have put a perimeter ward on it too." Ced told the two young women.

They moved off to check the SUV, about ten metres from the truck they started to check for wards. Yup, right there in front of them was a perimeter ward at ten metres. The two witches studied it for a moment or two, and then they deactivated it.

While Amber and Julia were working on the wards surrounding bad Zander's truck, Ced looked at Angel, Rose, and Vic. "Why don't you three get on your brooms and see what you can see from the air. The three of you decide how you want to do that. The rest of us will follow Zander up to the cave."

The three witches slipped off their backpacks and pulled out their shrunken brooms. They talked for a few minutes; then it was zoom zoom zoom as the three of them streaked into the air. As they were rocketing skyward, they disappeared as they cast disillusionment charms on themselves.

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The group, quickly formed a single file line, as they left the end of the road, and headed up the footpath. The trail wound its way through the trees and on up the side of the mountain. How desperate the miners must have been, to come this far, looking for the precious yellow metal. Some people learned quickly that the money wasn't in the gold, it was in selling the miners the equipment to get to the gold. Selling them the mules to carry the equipment, to dig for the precious yellow metal. Selling them, enough food to last for a week or two before they had to come back into town to buy more supplies. For the more significant operations, they had to have a way to carry the overhead hoists to lift the small heavy rail cars off of the wagons, and the rail cars needed metal rails to roll on, so the miners could move more rock, and more dirt faster, to find the gold quicker or in more significant quantities. And those rails, need spikes and plates to hold them in place so the rail cars could roll on them. And those spikes and plates needed something to secure the iron rails too. And to make the rail ties that the spikes and plates would attach the rails to, the miners needed saws and axes. They needed big saws, and they needed smaller saws, they needed big saws to cut down the big trees, and they needed big saws to cut the trees up into smaller pieces that the smaller saws could then form into rail ties that the spikes and plates would secure the rails to. They needed TNT to blast the rock, and to use the dynamite; they needed drill bits to make the holes in the rock for the dynamite. The drill bits needed sledgehammers to make them chip away at the rock, and the sledgehammers needed someone to swing them, and the someone to swing them, needed a partner to hold the drill bits. And having a partner meant that you needed to have trust, and having trust, meant that you could sleep at night with both eyes closed, and not worry about not waking up in the morning. And if you didn't have trust, that meant that you had to sleep with one eye open, and one hand on your pistol, to make sure that you, if you were lucky, you would wake up in the morning. And sometimes, that trust was misplaced, and sometimes, that misplaced trust resulted in broken hands and broken arms from missed swings of the sledgehammer, and sometimes, that misplaced trust, meant that you didn't wake up in the morning and that your luck had run out.

And for evil Zander, his luck had run out five metres from the mouth of the mine. The stench of death filled the air inside of the shaft. The group of wizards went back outside to cast a bubblehead charm on themselves in the clean, fresh air. Ginny cast one on her Zander, and they went back inside of the mine entrance to see what they could learn.

"I put the artefact farther down the cave, and I buried it under some rocks to keep it hidden," Zander told them.

"Well, for one, this isn't a cave. It's mine," Ced corrected him. The hairs on the back of his neck had been sticking up for some time. Something wasn't right.

Zander went to go farther in the mine to retrieve the artefact when Ced stuck his hand out to stop him.

"Let's go back outside for a moment." He told the group.

"Mi Amor, can you throw a fireball down the mineshaft?" Ced asked Cici.

She shrugged at him and stepped back into the entrance of the mine. She summoned her elemental magic and let it grow to the size of the opening of the mineshaft; then she threw it sidearm down the shaft of the abandoned mine. The ball of fire filled the mineshaft, going from being round in shape to being a square, pressed up against the walls as it travelled down the mineshaft. Seconds later, they heard a scream as the massive ball of fire flying down the mine shaft to the end, consumed all of the oxygen in the air.

Ced summoned a small breeze to replenish the oxygen in the mine, and soon the smell of burned flesh was pushed out of the mineshaft. While they sat there waiting, Julia and Amber came walking up to them. They explained that the only thing inside of the SUV was an empty box, and it was cursed. They told them that they had built a small fire pit, levitated the box into the fire pit and then set _fiendfyre_ on it and let it burn until the fire went out, then they cleaned up the area to make it look like no one had ever been there.

Once the mineshaft was flush of the stench of death, the group reentered the mine and used the _Lumos_ charm to light their way to go farther down the shaft to find the artefact and to see who was there waiting on them. They walked past evil Zander's chard remains, they passed the spot where good Zander had buried the artefact, and the group kept walking for several more metres when they came upon another chard body. Using magic, they rolled the body over to find the red robes of the UAA. They rolled it back to its original position, facing upwards, when the unimaginable happened, the eyes of the body flew open scaring all of them. The nearly dead corpse tried to raise its hand to curse them. Ced knelt down next to the person and locked eyes with them. He could feel the terrorist trying to attack him mentally but Ced's mind was far stronger, and he was able to overpower the dying man's defences. As Ced moved around in the angry man's mind, he learned that from a young age, this person was raised to hate. He had been taught to hate anyone that was not of his narrow belief system. Anyone that did not belong to their tiny fraction, of their particular belief system, was seen as the enemy, and the had to destroy the enemy at all costs, there was nothing off limits in working to achieve their goals. There was nothing too extreme, no act of violence, no act of immorality, no act of inhumanity, was off limits to achieve their success. Ced dug forcefully to find the information that they needed to rescue the stolen girls. He was forcing the terrorist to live so he could get the needed information. Ced had to wade through the mental filth, the acts of inhumanity, that filled the dying terrorist's mind. When he had found the information that he was looking for, he was getting ready to pull out of his mind, when Ced found a room with a closed and locked door. He opened the door to discover a small happy boy playing with a smiling young woman and a laughing young man. Ced realised that this must have been the terrorist's childhood before all of this. Ced pulled out of the man's mind leaving him with one last happy memory before dying there on the cold, damp, hard, mineshaft floor.

After Ced had regained control of his own mental wellbeing, he opened his mind to his wives, and he pulled the memory up, of the location of the second and third terrorist camps so Vic could begin searching in those areas.

" _I'll contact Angel and Rose, to let them know where we need to focus on."_ Vic thought back to him.

"What do you want to do with the bodies?" Ginny asked him.

"We'll tell the Aurors where to find them, once we've rescued the girls." He replied to her question. "There are not two terrorist camps, but three of them." He told the group of friends.

"Three?" squeaked Zander. One was bad, two sucked, but three?

"One of them is close to Mt. Lyell, and the other is near Volcanic Ridge West," Ced told them.

"Okay, and that means what to us?" Fred asked sardonically.

Ced couldn't blame him for his attitude about the newest problem. "They're just names for now. Vic is looking for one of the places, and Rose and Angel are looking for the other one," Ced told him.

"So, what are we going to do?" Fred asked him.

"What do you want to do about the artefact?" Amber asked.

Honestly, Ced had forgotten about the stupid thing. It was dangerous things like this that needed to be locked away so that stupid people wouldn't get dumb ideas. He also knew that they really couldn't destroy the cursed thing too. But who could they trust with it? Who didn't want it? Rightfully it belonged to the Americans, but who could he trust in MACUSA? Mask he trusted, he could give it to Daphne. Between Daphne and Cathaoir they could figure it out, but there was that pesky problem of it being in America. Screw it; he'd ask Jesse and Sara who they would trust with the most dangerous thing they had ever had.

" _Good! Because giving it to Kitten would just be wrong_." Cici told him.

" _Plus, it's dangerous!"_ Vic thought to them.

 _"Any luck?"_ Ced thought to Vic.

" _Well going by the memory, you gave me. The place is less than five minutes from where you are now."_

" _How's Rose and Angel doing?"_

" _I don't know; they took off in a different direction. Their destination seemed to be farther away than mine."_

" _Stay safe Little One."_

" _I will Dark One."_

Ced flipped open his watch, "Rose." He said into the watch.

A few seconds later, Rose's face came into view on the screen of his watch; it was against a background of blue sky. "Yes?" she asked him.

"Any luck?" Ced asked her. He looked around. They really should get out of this stupid mineshaft.

"We're almost there. I can see a lake, and we're about to slow down and descend some so we can get a better look," Rose told him.

"Okay, call me back," Ced told her. Then his screen went blank. He closed his watch and stood up. "Let's go outside," he said to no one in particular.

On the way out of the mineshaft, they stopped and collected the artefact. Cici conjured a magically protected, unbreakable box to carry it in, then she shrank the box and put it in her backpack.

They sat outside the opening to the mineshaft and waited.

" _I can feel their magic, but I can't see their camp."_ Vic thought to Ced.

" _Are they using a notice me not charm on the whole thing?"_ Ced asked her.

" _I don't think so. It could just be the trees, or it could be some wards. Either way, we're going to have to search for it on foot."_ She told him.

He had hoped for better news than that. But at least they had the general area of one of the camps.

" _Stay safe and keep looking, Mon Amour."_

" _Love you too, babe."_

"Let's head back to the trucks," George said. "We can apparate back here in the morning."

Ced stood up. "Sounds good," he told him.

George and Amber started to lead the group back down the trail, to the trucks.

Ced's watch started to vibrate, demanding his attention. He stopped walking so he could pay attention to the watch.

"Yes," he said when Rose's face appeared on the screen.

"We found it!" she said softly. "We had to get lower than we liked, but we found them."

"Good! The best news that I've had all day!" Ced told her calmly. "Is there a safe place to apparate into?" he asked her.

"Angel's looking now; the whole place is covered with wards! Probably a hundred metres out from the edge of their camp," she told him.

Well, that put a damper on his mood, but it didn't really surprise him. "Okay, both of you stay safe! Constant Vigilance!" and he closed his watch.

Once he closed his watch, Ced started walking again. He looked up at the sky, it was getting dark, and Vic hadn't contacted him yet. He could feel that she was doing okay, but that was about all.

The group was milling around the trucks for a few minutes when both Rose and Angel came streaking across the sky above them. They had cancelled the disillusionment charms when they could see the vehicles below them.

"Where's Vic?" Angel asked as she looked around for her friend.

"She hasn't made it back yet," Cici told her.

Rose and Angel both frowned at that news.

"Do you want us to go looking for her?" Rose asked. The aerodynamic shield had added close to sixty-five kph to the top speed of their brooms.

"No, she's still doing okay," Ced told them. "We just need to wait," with calmness; he really wasn't feeling. She had taken off before, and he hadn't fared well then either.

The group stood around, and they waited for her. The evening was turning into the night when Vic came flying back to the trucks. She cancelled her disillusionment charm after she had gotten off of her broom.

"Wow! That aerodynamic shield helps a lot!" she said when they could see her again.

"Yeah, it does! What took you so long?" Angel asked her.

"It was all of those bloody wards!" Vic told her.

"Ours was warded pretty well too," she told her.

"Let's head back to Zander's so we can get something to eat," Fred scolded them.

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The group looked at him for a minute; then Ginny told Zander to grasp her arm and hold on tight. Several soft pops and a loud crack later they were all standing outside of the gates to Zander's Estate. As they walked towards the gates, they opened automatically for them. The same happened when they approached the front doors of the house.

"That certainly is a faster way to travel than driving," Zander told them.

"Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes, Master," Leo told Ced.

"Thank you very much, Leo," Ced told his elf.

"Well, I for one, am going to go upstairs and change," Rose told the group.

The rest of them followed her lead and joined her in the climb up the large wooden staircase.

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The next morning two owls arrived, demanding the attention of Rose and Angel. The two witches conjured some owl treats and a couple of small bowls of water for the two owls. Opening their letters, they found that Marc and Gregg had gotten permission from their parents to come to England to visit the two girls. The two guys were still under the impression that Rose and Angel were still at home for the summer holidays.

Rose looked up at Angel, "This is going to get complex," she told her.

"Yeah, it is," she agreed. Then Angel looked over at Ced, "When do you think we'll finish with this?" she asked, meaning when would they be done rescuing the kidnapped girls.

Ced looked at her thoughtfully, "Maybe a week from now; it could be sooner if everything goes easy enough. I doubt that it will take longer than by next Friday," he looked at the others around the table.

They all thought about it and gave indications of agreement with him. Why would it take longer than that? They had found the other camp, they had found a third base, now all they had to do was to figure out how to attack them, and save the girls, all at the same time.

After the table was cleared, they got serious about learning everything they could concerning the two new camps.

"I wish that Jesse and Sara were here to see all of this, so we don't have to do it twice," Ced grumbled.

The three girls had conjured small replicas of the terrorist camps from their memories, and they were there for them to look at on the table.

"Angel, could you call Jesse and see if he and Sara can come over for lunch today?" Ced asked her.

"Sure," she told him.

Then Ced went back to studying the dioramas of the two camps.

"Can you add in where the perimeters of the wards were?" he asked Vic and Rose.

Angel had moved back over to the table, she touched the disconnect button on the phone, "They say they'll be here about twelve-thirty," and then she looked at the perimeter that Rose had added to the diorama. "We also had those wards up here in the rocks that I disabled," Angel added her part to the diorama.

"So how far is it from here to here?" Ced asked as he indicated from camp to camp.

Vic and the other two looked at him, then they looked at each other, then they studied the dioramas. Rose enlarged the room magically, and Angle expanded the table to accommodate the space needed to accurately display the distances they were working with, to keep everything to scale.

"And if we added in R.I.M.E.?" he asked.

Cici walked into the formal living room and conjured a separate table and a to scale diorama of R.I.M.E.

George looked at the distances involved to get from R.I.M.E. to either of the other terrorist camps. "Can we even apparate that far?"

"What are we talking about for distances?" Fred asked looking dishearten.

"How far is it from your house to my house?" Amber asked George. "And we live in two separate countries."

"The problem isn't borders, its distance. There's a point at which apparition becomes unsafe, that's why we use portkeys," Julia told her.

"Well, we can apparate from London to Hogwarts. How far is that?" Amber asked. She was working the problem by trying to find constants in a world of variables.

"Well, what did we figure that one time when we flew home?" Rose said.

"We guessed that the train could travel 100 Kph for four and a half hours. That would be about 450 kilometres," Vic said.

"Alright, we need to make these dioramas smaller and give them some kind of scale." Looking at Vic, he asked her. "How far is it from side to side of this camp?"

"I would say that it's a hundred metres from here to here." She indicated one point to another.

"Okay, shrink your diorama down to the size of a saucer," he told her. Then he walked over to Rose and Angel. "How far is it from one side of your camp to the other?" he asked.

Their camp was bigger than the one that Vic had, and they made their base proportional to hers. Then they adjusted the distance from camp to camp and the space needed for the display shrank.

Cici had been listening in on their conversations, and her husband's thoughts and had already made the necessary adjustments to her diorama.

"Now, all we need to know is, how far it is from here to here, in a straight line," Ced told them, indicating from R.I.M.E. to the two camps.

"We could fly it and have a better idea from that," Vic told him.

"We need to know where these places are, in relation to each other. If you go flying off in the wrong direction, then it's just a waste of time."

"I've got an atlas if that would help," Zander told them.

Ced looked at him confused.

"It shows you where things are and how to get there in a car," Fred told him.

"Oh, okay."

Zander left to go find the atlas. His GPS had pretty much replaced the atlas in his car. But, he knew he still had one, somewhere. He headed out to the garage to go searching in there. He was getting really excited, he was getting his hope built up. These kids actually thought that they could rescue all of the girls in just over a week! MACUSA would still be arguing about who would be in charge! He could understand why Ced wanted to bring in as many Aurors as they could. He had been watching the kids practice duelling in the mornings, after their run. For the most part, they would always stack the odds against one of them, to make them work harder to achieve their victory. Hell, even he was learning! And Ginny? Wow! She was getting good! Plus, he was really enjoying spending all of his time with her. It had been so long since he had even wanted to be near another woman. As far as he was concerned, she was perfect. And if he had to move to England to be with her, then so be it. From what he could see, the school over there was better than the school here anyway! Being immersed in the magical world for just this little bit of time had been a real eye-opener for him. Why he had ever turned his back on it, he couldn't understand now. Had he really been that angry at the wizarding community, that he would give up his heritage like that? What had made him so rebellious? These kids loved being magical, for them, it was a blessing! Why had it become a curse for him? His late wife must have really loved him, to leave the magical world like she did for him, or was he just that controlling? He hadn't been in control of anything for the last several weeks. And this group of kids, they worked together to figure out a problem. He had been a loner for such a long time, even his wife had been a loner, but she was more social than he was. What had caused all of this?

"There's that stupid atlas!" he said as he pulled down another box off the shelves in the garage.

After putting all of the boxes back on the shelves, he headed inside with the atlas to help out the little bit he could. The kids were still working on figuring out the distances. He hadn't known that there was a maximum safe distance that a person could apparate.

"Here, here's the atlas," he said as he handed the book to Ced.

Ced looked at it for a moment, then he opened it and found California easy enough, then he noticed that California was split into two pages, one for northern California and one for southern California, or SoCal as it was known by those who lived there. Ced handed the atlas back to Zander.

"So, where are we?" he asked.

Zander flipped the page to northern California, and then he put his finger on Monterey. "Right now, we are close to here, Monterey. R.I.M.E. is located about here." And he pointed to a green section of the map.

"Okay, and where were we today?" he asked him looking intently at the map.

"We were, …" and he studied the map for a moment looking for the correct spot. "right about here."

"Okay, and where was the place that Vic went?"

Zander pointed to another mountain.

"And the other place?"

"About here." He indicated a spot farther south of the one that Vic had gone to.

"Alright, and now, how do we figure out how far it is from R.I.M.E. to each of the two spots?" Ced asked him.

"I don't know!" Zander said.

"On the map somewhere, is what's called a legend. And the legend will give you a scale that you can use a ruler to figure out how far something is in a straight line." Fred told them.

"Let me see if I can find a ruler," Zander said, just as Fred conjured a ruler in his hand.

"Alright, see this scale down here in the corner?"

"Yeah."

"So, from this line to this line is 25 kilometres. So, we lay the ruler on it to find out how many millimetres it is from here to there." And he laid the ruler under the line, and it was 25 millimetres long. "Now, where did you say R.I.M.E. was?"

And Zander pointed to a spot on the map south of Monterey.

"Okay, and where did you say that the place was that Vic went to?"

And Zander pointed out the next spot.

Fred laid the tip of the ruler where Zander had indicated R.I.M.E. was located. Then he laid the ruler down and adjusted it, so Vic's camp was right along the edge of the ruler.

"Look, see, it's twenty-five centimetres from here to here. So that is equal to about 250 kilometres. A little over half the distance from London to Hogwarts. We can apparate that far, no problem," Fred declared.

"That makes it a lot easier to figure this out," Ced told him.

"Now the real question comes up, do we want to attack all three of them at the same time?" Cici asked him.

"We're going to be spread thin, really thin," Ced told her.

"Three of us per camp," Vic told him.

"Yeah, I know," he frowned.

Pop, "Master, Jesse and Sara are here," Maco said with a low bow.

"Thank you, Maco, please show them in," he told his first elf.

A minute later, Jesse and Sara followed Maco into the dining room come war room.

"What's up?" Jesse asked Ced, while he was looking at the tiny dioramas of camps spread out all over the enlarged dining room.

"You've found where they're keeping Karen?!" Sara yelped.

"No, not yet. We don't know which camp they're keeping her in," Ced told her kindly.

"Which camp? How many are there?" she asked anxiously.

"Two," Ced told her.

"Two? How did you find two?"

"I asked a dying terrorist," Ced told her.

"Why would a dying terrorist tell you anything?" Jesse asked him.

"He didn't, I took it from him," Ced told him harshly. "And then I recovered his last happy memory from his childhood before he was taken by the terrorists and made to kill his parents," Ced told the Auror.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be judgmental," Jesse told him.

"I apologise, I had to wade through a lot of filth to get the information that we needed, and it stuck with me for quite a while last night," Ced told him.

"No problem, what are we looking at?" Jesse asked him.

"What we're looking at, is needing a lot of Aurors and us breaking up into three teams to hit all three of them at once," Ced told him. He really didn't like the idea of spreading themselves so thin. Too much could go wrong, too quickly.

"How many terrorists are we talking about?" Sara asked timidly.

"I don't know, I haven't asked yet. We were just finishing figuring out if we could even apparate from one place to the next," Ced told her.

"I counted about fifteen," Vic told them.

"Us too, we counted about fifteen too," Rose added.

"That's five to one odds," Julia said. "We've trained higher than that."

"The body armour will help babe," Cici told him as she snuggled up against him. His arm instinctively slipped around her waist pulling her in tighter. Vic snuggled up against his other side, and his arm went around her shoulders, pulling her in snug against him. His emotions started to calm down.

He looked at Jesse and Sara. "If we round it up to an even fifty, we're going to need about twenty-five Aurors to handle all of the terrorists. Can you get that many that you can trust?"

Jesse and Sara looked worried, that was a lot of Aurors, almost their full department, and no, they didn't trust all of them. Their Captain was more politician than Auror. He would definitely create a problem. And if they went over his head, …

"It won't be a problem," Jesse told him.

"You're a lousy liar," Ced told him in reply.

Jesse smiled. "We can get it done. How much time do we have?"

"We could strike as early as tomorrow morning, just before sunup," Ced told him.

"That soon?" Sara gasped.

"Strike hard, strike fast, strike first," Vic told them.

"If we can catch them while most of them are sleeping, it's a major advantage in our favour. If we wait until they're all awake and have had their morning tea …" Ced told them.

"We understand. Where are you going to take the hostages to? What's your safe house?" Sara asked.

"Probably here," Cici said to her.

? Sara was confused, she had always taken everyone back to headquarters.

"Do you really want to put fifty victims of sexual assault in the same place as fifty sexual predators?" she asked her.

"We can make portkeys and send them by owl to their parents. If you need to get statements from the girls, you can come here to get them," Ced told her.

Sara decided that she wasn't going to argue this point, she just wanted to get her daughter back, like Zander did. These kids had made more progress in the short time that they had been here than all of the runaway reports could have done in a lifetime. Now she actually had real hope.

"The thing that is holding us back is how thin do we want to spread ourselves. As it is, we're looking at only three of us per camp; if we want to attack all three at once, and then there are the wards around the camps." Ced brought the conversation back to the actual assault against the enemy.

"What kind of wards are we talking?" Jesse asked. Wards could be tricky business.

"The first set of wards that I ran across were 250 metres out from the edge of the camp," Vic told him.

"Then for us, the next set of wards were 100 metres out from the camp," Angel told him.

"Then we had a set at fifty metres," Rose said.

"Same here," Vic said.

The group spent the rest of the afternoon figuring out how to deal with the wards, and as hard as they could, they couldn't really find a way around having to spread themselves so thin.

"Guess we need to brew some vaporising tranquiliser potion before we go," Cici told them.

The trio started to teach their friends about the tranquiliser potion and how to use it. They explained that it was best to use it when the terrorists would be asleep because it would take about fifteen seconds to take effect on a sleeping person, but one that was fully awake and coming after them, it could take better than a minute.

"And, as all of you know, a lot can happen in a minute," Ced reminded them.

"Too bad, we can't build some kind of tunnel to slip through their wards," Sara commented.

"It's the crystals that we need," Vic told her.

"What kind of crystals do you need?" she asked.

Vic explained the type and size of crystal they would need to create a stable portal through the wards, to get in without sounding the alarms.

"There's a gem and mineral show, happening this week on the Oakland side of the bay!" Sara told her.

"How late are they open?" Vic asked hopefully.

"Until at least eight I would think," she told her.

"We'll be back," Vic told the group. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, and it no longer felt like a freight train coming straight at them.

Sara turned to head out the door with Vic. "How did you learn all of this stuff?" she asked her in awe.

"We like to read a lot. We don't have a telly in every room like so many others do," she told her.

Once they reached the apparition point for the estate, Vic took ahold of Sara's arm so she could side along to wherever it was that they were going.

A moment later, they were walking out of an alley in an industrial district. "We need to catch a cab to the convention centre," Sara told her.

"How far is that from where we are now?" Vic asked. Did everybody in the bloody country have to drive to get somewhere?

"It's about five miles from here."

"In what direction?" Vic asked.

"That way," Sara told her without hesitating.

"Hold on to me tightly," Vic told her. When Sara took Vic into a hug, Vic teleportused to the top of the hill that she could see from where she had been standing.

Once they had rematerialized, "Come on mum, we need to keep walking." And she started to lead Sara down the sidewalk in the correct direction.

Then when the crowd of people lost interest in them, Vic took her into another hug and teleportused to the farthest hill that she could see, from where they were, and then they started walking like they had been there the whole time.

"How much farther?" Vic asked her.

Sara looked around, and then, "It's that building over there," she said as she pointed out the convention centre.

Vic pulled her in for another hug, and then they were standing on the top of the building. It was all she could see from where they had been. She looked around quickly and selected a bunch of bushes that weren't too far from the entrance to the building.

"Well, that was a lot faster than a cab would have been," Sara told her.

"Time is not our friend, right now," Vic said in response.

"No, it's not," Sara told her as she paid for the tickets to get in.

"We need to find someone who is selling the largest crystals that we can buy, the bigger they are, the more powerful they are," Vic reminded her.

The two women walked briskly through the crowds of people shopping for jewellery. They were looking for stones about the size of their fists and Vic already knew that it would be a challenge. She stopped and looked through a vender's inventory, she found one. She negotiated the price and then pulled out her debit card to complete the purchase.

"Do you know where I can find some more of this about the same size or even larger?" she asked the vendor.

"Yeah go and talk to Mac, he's over on the south wall. Mac's Crystal Palace is what you're looking for," the man told her.

The two women made a beeline across the floor of the convention centre to go and talk to Mac.

.

I've got a box of the stuff, I can't get rid of it," he grumbled at Vic.

"May I look through it?" she asked as she flirted with the grumpy old man.

"Ah, what the hell. It's over there," he pointed.

Vic walked in the indicated direction. She found the indicated box and started to dig through it, they were in crystal heaven with what was in the box.

"How much for the whole box?" she asked Mac.

He told her a price that was too good to be true. A swipe of her debit card through a cube on top of his cell phone, a signature with her finger later, and she was carrying the heavy box towards the exit doors of the convention centre. The two withes started to walk around to the back of the building, when it cleared up enough to apparate back to Zander's place, Vic was gone mid-step. As soon as the gates appeared, Vic charmed the box to be weightless. For what she had just paid for one of the stones, she had purchased fifty kilos of the crystals.

Vic thanked Lucy for greeting them at the doors of the house.

When she found Zander, she asked: "Is there someplace that I can sort through all of this?"

"Probably the garage would be the best place," he told her.

Cici had taught Ginny and Zander how to brew the tranquiliser potion while Vic was gone with Sara. Ced and the others were still ironing out the more delicate details of how they would attack all three of the camps at the same time. With the tranquiliser potion, they wouldn't need as many Aurors, they would just need a lot of prison portkeys.

Vic conjured a large workbench in the middle of the garage to begin sorting through the crystals and matching them to each other to get the best results. An hour later, Ced walked into the garage to see how she was doing.

"I've found a dozen and a half of suitable crystals," she showed him.

Indeed, she had, they were as large as Ced's fists, with a little lapidary work, and they would be capable of making a portal in even the strongest of wards.

" _We need your help,"_ Vic thought to Cici.

A couple of minutes later, Cici came walking into the garage followed by the rest of the people in the house.

"Nice gemstones!" she said once she saw all of the crystals. "We could make half dozen matching necklaces with the leftovers," she told Ced.

"And bracelets too!" Rose said looking at all of the smaller pieces of the crystal laying on the table.

"I want an ankle bracelet too," Julia said looking up at Fred.

"And the slave girl is telling her master what to do, why?" he asked her, sternly.

"You had best see if Zander has an extra bed for you to sleep in tonight! Because with that attitude, you're not sleeping in mine!" she told him harshly.

"Ah geez! I was just joking!" he told her.

"Good, ankle bracelet." She told him as she lifted her left leg straight up over her head. "For this leg right here."

Everyone else in the garage was just staring at how flexible Julia was.

After Julia's display of flexibility, and her taking control of their relationship again, Vic started to explain how the crystals would work for them. She went over the needed incantations, and how to place them. Vic described how the size of the crystal would affect how big of an opening they could have, but basically, the smaller the gemstone, the less power it had, and the smaller the portal would be created. Once she was sure that everyone understood, and any questions had been answered, she started handing out the crystals in pairs.

"Now, these crystals have been paired with another crystal that is the best crystal for it, simpler said, their frequencies match the best to create the strongest portal available," she explained to her friends.

"Each team will have three sets of crystals. Leave them in place so the Aurors can get in easier," Ced told his friends.

"When are we going?" Fred asked.

"The day after tomorrow." He told the group. "Early, I want to hit the terrorists about four-thirty in the morning, before the sun comes up, and when the guards will be the sleepiest."

"And when do you want us to show up?" Jesse asked.

"About four-forty-five it'll all be over," Ced told him.

"That fast?"

"If it drags out for more than fifteen minutes, we've got problems. If it drags out for too long, then they're going to be leaving out of there with the girls, or leaving bodies behind," Ced told him bluntly. "Both of which are unacceptable."

Where do we want to meet at?" Jesse asked.

"We aren't going to meet anywhere. We can't meet all of your coworkers; our security is too important to us."

"Then how are we going to know who's who?"

"We will be the scariest thing you have ever seen," Ced told him.

"Most people have described us as looking like death," Cici told him.

"Death?"

"Yeah, Death, that has come to claim what belongs to it," Vic told him.

.

.

Three-thirty in the morning, Ced's eyes sprung open. He took a moment to lay there, feeling the warmth from both of his wives laying on top of him. Vic slept a little hotter than Cici did, so the blankets were always partially off of her shoulders. When it was frigid in the room at school, Cici would have the covers up over her head with just her face showing, while Vic would be covered entirely to her neck. This morning, Ced tilted his head down and kissed both of his wives.

"It's time." He said softly.

He lifted his arms as both of them made room for him to slip out of bed. Then, when he was standing next to the bed, the two young women scooted up against each other and snuggled tightly. This scene always brought a smile to his face as he walked to the loo to take care of business.

.

Everybody met downstairs and had a light breakfast. The group of people talked about the different aspects of the mission, and then they went back upstairs to pull on their body armour. The elves had gone through and laid out all of their body armour for the nine of them. Each of the teens checked the various pouches to make sure they had plenty of the tranquilliser potion, they went through their backpacks to double check for the umpteenth time that they had all of the other potions needed for emergencies. They told Ginny and Zander to go in with the Aurors when they hit the school and that they would meet them back here at the mansion.

.

As for who got what assignment? They drew straws. The short straw secured the school, the middle straw secured the camp in the woods, and the long straw got the camp near the volcano flow. They let Zander hold the straws.

Fred stepped forward and pulled a straw. He held the straw up for the others to see. "Middle straw," he called out.

George went next, "Long straw," he said as he held it up for all of the others to see.

"That leaves us with the school," Ced told them.

He looked at his watch, they still had ten minutes before it was go time.

"Call Jesse and see if he's ready," Ced told Angel.

Angel stepped off to the side, the magic from all of the body armour would mess with the cell phone.

While she was talking to Jesse. "Make sure your cell phones are on silent," he admonished the others. He really didn't want to have this mission fail because of a sales call making the ringer go off.

All of them checked their cell phones for the ninety-ninth time to make sure that the ringer was turned off.

"Jesse says that they've got problems. Two Aurors didn't show up," Angel told him.

"Tell him that we will see him at four-forty-five." Then he reached over to the table that he had been standing next to and grabbed his balaclava to pull it on.

Angel pressed the end call button and dropped her silenced phone into her cleavage. Amber handed her, her balaclava that she pulled on. They all checked their teammate's armour to make sure that it was all zipped up and closed to provide the integrity needed for their safety.

"Constant Vigilance!" Ced's voice growled at the rest of them.

"Constant Vigilance!" the others shouted.

And then they were all gone, sucked into the portkey network.

.

.

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 **A/N:**


	56. Year Six Chapter 56

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 56

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Candice had been exceptionally rough last night. Julia still hurt in the morning when she woke up alone, at seven to get ready to go down to breakfast. Candice had even been talking about loaning her to Gaby for "play time." This had helped Julia been a little more tolerant of the things that Candice was doing to her. Gaby's last girlfriend had gotten a busted lip and a black eye from 'play time.' Still, Candice was becoming more and more rough in the things that she did to Julia. And then, there were the things that Candice was making Julia do to her, and those were becoming more perverse as time went by. Julia had learned to slip out without being noticed, so she found a spot at the Slytherin table to eat quickly by herself, and then get out of there to avoid Candice and her friends. She couldn't tell you how breakfast tasted because she ate it so fast that she didn't even taste what it was that she had placed on her plate. She drank her whole glass of pumpkin juice in one long drink, sat the empty glass down, picked up her book bag, and headed out the door before the others arrived.

Lunch? She hated skipping lunch, but most days she would, just to avoid Candice. Her dad had given her to the Coldstones, right before her first year at school, in exchange for erasing his gambling debts to Mr Coldstone. Mr Coldstone simply gave her to his only daughter Candice, as a playmate, someone to keep her entertained while she was at school. Part of the agreement, purely for appearance sake, was that Julia would go home to her parents on the holidays. The first couple of holidays had been mushy, 'we've missed you so much' type of mushy. But by the time the summer holidays had come around that first year, she could feel how uncomfortable her parents were with the situation that her father had created and that her mother had agreed to. She was a reminder of their bad choices.

Dinner; breakfast and dinner were her two big meals of the day for her. And that day, there was a buzz in the air throughout the school. Something about a big fight that was going to happen. Gryffindor house was tearing itself apart, there was Light Gryffindors, and there were Dark Gryffindors. It was quickly becoming a split house like Slytherin was split. She watched as Professor Vector used magic to move all of the house tables to the far end of the hall, and then she conjured a duelling platform in front of the head table. The hush that came over the room as she talked about a duel between two Gryffindors. Then, Professor Greengrass was asked to officiate over the duel itself.

The biggest surprise came when all of the Heads of the Most Ancient and Noble houses showed up. This had everybody's attention, and they all stared as they walked up to the front of the room to sit down and watch the duel.

Professor Greengrass called some girl with long black hair to the duelling platform. The black-haired boy that was sitting with her got up, and she gave him a kiss. Then she did something amazing, she braided her hair with a flick of her wrist! She had never seen anybody do something like that!

The other person that was called to the duelling platform was much older than the girl, and he was big! He walked down to the duelling platform and just hopped up on to it, not even using the stairs like the girl had. The black-haired girl called a redheaded girl to be her second and the guy called up a member of her own house, Nott. She didn't like Nott, he didn't shower regularly, and he was just all around not nice.

Professor Greengrass went through the formalities, and he started the countdown. Before he hit one, the boy cheated and cast his first curse at the girl. She just kept blocking his spells or dodging them. She could tell that the boy was getting frustrated with all of the walls that he was blasting through, to try and get at the girl. She watched as he began to sweat, from all of the work that he was doing to land a curse on the younger girl. After a while, she watched as the girl switched to conjuring statues of herself, then she started to make statues of her and some guy kissing or holding hands. But she wasn't even working hard to do what it was that she was doing! It looked like she was doing it effortlessly! Maybe she could help her! If she can beat this older student then maybe she can beat Candice! She watched as the guy got mad and started to put all of his strength into his curses. He was sweating profusely and had slowed down in the speed at which he was throwing curses at the girl, then he landed a curse on her! She must have gotten too confident in herself because he hit her square in the chest. Oh well, so much for that idea for getting away from Candice. What! She didn't go down. She watched as the girl just started to walk towards the guy, he hit her a couple of more times before she cast her spells at him. She didn't realise it, but she was almost standing in her seat, as she watched the black-haired girl cast her only set of spells at him that night, and when she did, she hit him hard! The larger and older student went flying through the air, off of the platform, before he landed on the floor of the hall. She had hit him so hard, that it knocked him off of his feet and sent him flying! She watched as the boy's wand went sailing through the air and the girl caught it with ease.

Julia began at that instant, to formulate a plan to become that girl's, girlfriend. She would use all of the things that she had learned from Candice, to make that girl hers. She watched as the girl held up the wand as a trophy, then as she was showing the wand to the cheering crowd, Nott started to cast a spell at her. The girl dodged the spell and then she hit Nott with a powerful spell, and knocked him so far off of the duelling platform, that he almost landed at the Slytherin table! She was powerful indeed! She should be powerful enough to beat Candice. The girl held up the second wand, and showed it to the cheering crowd, they loved her for it. Then she exited the duelling platform and walked back over to the black-haired boy, and they kissed again, and he spun around and around as they kissed again heatedly.

From that night on, she watched the young couple as much as she could. She noticed that they never ate alone. They always had friends that would share their meals with them. She watched them breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She could put up with Candice for a little longer.

A few weeks later, she watched as two girls sat down next to the black-haired boy and the black-haired girl. She thought she saw one of the girls pour something in the black-haired girl's juice. She went to take a drink of it and then she fell on the floor! They had poisoned her! MERLIN! How could they have poisoned her! Didn't they know that she needed her! MERLIN! What was she going to do now? The black-haired boy had picked up the girl, and when he turned around, he knocked the glass off of the table and on to the floor as he rushed out of the hall and to the hospital wing.

Julia asked around to find out who the boy and the girl that was poisoned were. She learned that his name was Cedric Potter of yes, those Potters, and the girl was some slut, that put out all of the time, from America, named Cecilia Ramos. Was that how she was able to stay with him? If she was that good with magic then maybe he was better with a wand. She had never been with a boy before, but if that is what it took to get away from Candice and her friends, then so be it! She just kept watching, and learning as much as she could, she needed to make a play, but it had to be the right play, she wouldn't get a second chance. The next morning, she watched as Cedric came dragging into the hall for breakfast, all of his friends were there with him, but Cecilia was still in the hospital she guessed. The rumour was, that it was Drought of Living Death that they had poured in her drink, and not just the three or four drops needed, but the whole vial! Cedric just looked lost without his girl by his side. She watched as this went on for a couple of days, then some other girl went rushing over to him, and threw herself all over him! MERLIN! Did I wait too long? She watched as Cedric kept trying to fight her off, and then he fell down as he tried to back away from her. She watched as the filthy, dirty, girl jumped on top of him. When he was finally able to stand back up, he got her to sit down, and calm down some. She watched as they talked for a long time. Then they stood up, and walked out of the hall holding hands! She looked around at all of the people whispering to each other, only they weren't whispering, they were talking normally, so they could hear each other! Everywhere Cedric went, he had five others with him, almost all of the time. It had been a week since Cecilia had been poisoned, and already Cedric was moving on.

Julia had learned that she could be a creature of habit. Get up at the same time, go to bed at the same time, walk to classes the same way, eat the same foods all the time. Sunday morning, Cedric came into the Great Hall, looking very depressed, he was still holding that dirty haired, witch's hand, but he was looking really depressed. She watched as the girl tried to console him, and she watched as the little platinum blonde walked up beside him, and tried to get his attention. Then she started to shove him, and the dirty haired witch got up and began to threaten her. Julia felt the temperature in the hall dropping suddenly, before Cedric snapped out of whatever daze he was in, and told her to shut up and sit down. Properly chastised, Daphne, everybody that wanted to live past school age knew who Daphne Potter was, let the temperature in the hall return to normal as she talked to her brother. Then the three of them left suddenly, Cedric was practically dragging the dirty witch behind them as they left! Question; who's the dirty witch that's hanging all over Cedric these days? Answer; need to find out.

Julia kept a watch on the group of friends that seemed to be lost without Cedric. There were the Bones' twins, so it was Susan Bones that was Ramos' second, and then there were the Weasley twins, and they seemed to be talking animatedly about something. They always kept a privacy charm up of some kind. Eventually, they got up and left when Cedric didn't return shortly. In fact, Cedric didn't return for lunch either! She had heard that he and Cecilia had 'special' sleeping arrangements, but she never gave any thought to what 'special' really was. Maybe, being the son of the Great Harry Potter gave him special privileges, but she didn't care about that, all she cared about, was whether or not he could defeat Candice.

Weekends were the worst. Candice would get bored and come looking for her to keep her entertained. So, after lunch, and after 'entertaining' Candice for most of the afternoon. She made it back down to the Great Hall for an early dinner, and to keep an eye out for Cedric. She was losing interest when the hall went quiet. She looked up and at the doors to see Cedric and some new girl wearing a beautiful blue dress, sapphire jewellery, and blue heels. Wait! That's the same girl that he left out of the hall with that morning in a rush! Oh, my Godric! If he can do that for her, what can he do for me? She looks fantastic, she looks like an entirely new person! The hall erupted in noise at seeing them together. Her smile alone could light up the Great Hall all by itself. She watched as the hall grew quiet again as he seated her. What were they waiting for? Then she saw it, she saw the kiss, she kissed him just like Cecilia used to do! The noise was almost deafening when everyone saw her kiss him. What a wanker! The girl was just poisoned last week, and you couldn't even wait before getting another girlfriend? TOSSER!

Everywhere the new girl went, what's her name? She had an escort to make sure she got there safely. Then she heard it, a month later, she heard her chance to make it into the circle of Cedric's friends. Cecilia had recovered miraculously and claimed her boyfriend as her own again. Vicky had drifted over to George Weasley, and they seemed to be doing great together. If she could just make into the circle of his friends, then maybe she could get to Cecilia again. This tall girl was going to try and make a play for Vicky's boyfriend, George. She was just waiting for Vicky to be out of the way for a few minutes. She offered to help keep the other one busy, so he wouldn't interrupt while she made her move on George.

Since Vicky was a second-year, and George was a third-year, Treewood saw when George walked into dinner without her. Treewood motioned for her to go with her to make her move. She sat between Treewood and Fred Bones, with her back to Treewood, making conversation with Fred. The more she talked to Fred, the more she discovered that he was a really likeable guy! She didn't even see when Vicky showed up, her back was to the doors of the hall, but she did see when Fred looked up to see what Vicky was going to do about Treewood. Then Treewood must have done something to set her off! Vicky just started to call her names, and she got loud about it! It was like she was trying to draw attention to this girl trying to steal her boyfriend. Fred tugged on her arm to get her to move over a chair, in case something happened. She turned around to watch what was going on. She caught Cedric and Cecilia with little smiles on their faces, they must have been enjoying the show as much as everyone else in the hall. Then, Treewood stood up, she was taller than Vicky was. She saw her start to dig into her pocket to get her wand out, but it hung up on something, and she couldn't get it out of her pocket. The idiot! She charged at Vicky like she was an ordinary muggle or something! Vicky just sidestepped her and Treewood tripped, and her face hit the back of the chair of the Hufflepuff sitting there watching the show too. Blood went everywhere! Then Vicky started in on George. Wow! But what he said was true, they had just come over and sat down uninvited. Then Vicky made him get up, and hold her chair for her so she could sit down and eat. Take charge of that relationship now, or suffer the consequences later!

Then it was Cecilia that asked Fred to introduce her to the rest of the group. Godric! She hadn't counted on that! So, Fred introduced her to the others in their group. This was a tight-knit group of friends, and all of them were advanced magically too! Cedric and Cecilia were already doing wordless and wandless magic! Plus, they liked their privacy!

Fred started to pay attention to her a lot more, as the days went by. She started to sit with him in the classes that they shared. It was a great way to spend more time together, plus he helped her with all of the classes they had together, and with all of her homework. When he invited her to go running with them, she liked the way that he had explained it to her. It just made sense! But the first time that she knew that she was part of the group was when she took the oath of loyalty on the train ride home at the end of their third year. After that, it was like the magic doors had opened for her. She had even been invited to go to a party at the Potter Mansion! Her first trip into the Chamber of Secrets! Even Professors Greengrass and Longbottom were a part of their group. And they practised all the time! No wonder they were so advanced magically! They were always practising something new. Watching Cecilia with the weight sets was amazing! She was as strong as Fred or George! But her wand! Merlin, Julia hated her wand! It never seemed to be right for her! The things that Cecilia could do with her wand! It was like her wand was a part of her. And then she gave in and told them about her wand. She was mad that she couldn't do the very basic stuff! It was Ced, and his dad that 'reset' her wand for her, and it didn't fight her anymore! It was like a new wand! And all of the things that she had problems with, they went away.

But then those girls came and attacked her in her sleep. And she just couldn't do this living two different lives anymore. It was like she had a split personality, there was Julia that belonged to Candice, and had to do the things that Candice made her do because she really didn't do them anymore because she wanted to. And then there was the Julia that was in love with Fred. She told them everything that she could, that night. She could see how mad and hurt Fred felt, but she didn't know just how much he loved her until that night either. Yes! I will marry you! She had hitched her wagon to his star. Candice had warned her that if she kept hanging out with her new friends, that she would hurt them, especially her new boyfriend. She was scared for Fred, but the fact that they had almost killed her, made her hate Candice and her friends, even more. She knew that in a fair fight, that Fred could beat her, but she also knew that Candice wasn't going to fight fair either. She was scared when Candice came to their train compartment on the ride home for Christmas. But with all of their friends there, she knew that Ced would never let Candice hurt Fred. Fred protected her with his body from Candice. Candice fired the first curse at Fred, and he quickly defeated her and took her wand away from her, but she thought it was over when Candice charged at him like a bull, Fred just sidestepped her charge, and then he hit her, knocking her to the floor of the train compartment. He climbed on top of her back, and started to smash her face into the floor, over and over until she agreed to give her to Fred! It was then that Ced and the others cancelled the charms themselves, and Ced read the papers and making Candice do them over. She had seen that face on Candice before, and she knew that it meant that she was mad. Ced had caught her trying to cheat, she even threw her wand at them, telling them to keep it. But she was free from Candice!

Ever since she had met this group of friends, her life had done nothing but get better and better. They had accepted her into their homes. She almost lived at the Potter's house over the summer, and she had learned to play dragon tag with Uasal and Car-baun, it was still scary having a dragon chasing after you! But she had learned to fly a broom better than any Quidditch player that she had seen. Now, she didn't have to go home with her parents or with the Coldstones! She belonged to Fred! And Vic was right, they didn't have to have sexual intercourse to have fun in bed! Fred's mum and the Minister of Magic weren't pleased, but at least they didn't send her home with her parents! And the Minister, even had her dad locked up over the Christmas holidays! That night wasn't enjoyable, Fred's mum did everything but use thumbscrews on her when she talked to her, it was more like an interrogation than it was a conversation, but the next morning was her first day of, well, almost freedom, at least it was freedom from Candice! And she would rather be kissing Fred than Candice anyway, at least his lips weren't chapped. On their way to their bedrooms, Rose was sitting on her bed and asked them how it went with his mum, and we talked to her for a few minutes. Rose asked if she wanted any of her old bras, and anything had to be better than what she already had but when she summoned them wordlessly and wandlessly, wow! Then she taught her how to do it too! Oh, my Godric! I can do wordless and wandless magic!

Saturday was a busy day, they had their morning workout at the Potter's, and they usually showered there too. But then they got to go Christmas shopping! That was a lot of fun, just walking around looking for things. Then they found that jewellery that used to belong to Professor Greengrass' mum, and Ced had to call one of the house elves to go and get him. Seeing him angry at the shop owner, and then nice to them, then angry at the shop owner, and then nice to them, and then angry at the shop owner, and then nice to them was kind of hard to keep up with. But, then he explained that the jewellery was cursed and that it would have killed anybody but his own children. WOW! But it had been really enjoyable, shopping for her own shower products, getting Fred to sniff them with her, and when they thought that they had the right one, she would find another, and then she knew that that was the right one for her. Even Amber was mimicking her!

Then Fred took her to buy her own wand, and the old man Ollivander, he moved slower than molasses in the winter! She kept trying different wands, wasn't this guy supposed to know what he was doing? Maybe he's so old that he forgot somewhere! She was ready to just go, and keep the wand that she had, at least it worked better than half the wands that she had tried. She had to have tried all of the wands in the store! But then he brought out the very rare wands, and those felt nice, but when she, picked up the last one! Oh! Amazing! It felt like it was alive, and had been missing from her life forever! This was the wand that she should have had in her first year, not that thing that her mum got for her. Didn't her mum and dad know anything? And then Fred bought her a wand holster for it, now she was just like the other girls in the group, even George bought Amber a holster. Her new wand was incredible to work with! Her parents must not have liked her very much to make her use a wand from a pawnshop that her mum had picked out. Maybe they didn't care because they knew that they were going to get rid of her anyway.

Harry was talking about a job of some kind over the summer! I want a summer job! I want to earn my own money! What is it? He can't tell us? Then why did you even mention it in the first place?! Our parents have to sign a consent form? I don't have any parents! Fred had better sign, or there won't be any 'play time' for over a month! Christmas bonus? You can go to the loo and take care of your own Christmas bonus! Ooo, he wants to arrange a fight between parents and their kids! If we win then the parents have to sign the consent form, no questions asked! Amber's got it so easy! Her parents don't care about anything, but work and money. The duel was a lot of fun, she and Amber just had to do what they were told, and not get stunned. She didn't know that Susan was animagus until she saw a skunk running across the floor in their direction, and it turned back into her future mother-in-law. Now she had to keep Amber safe from Susan. They had most of the parents on one side of them, and Susan behind them! Poor Amber was caught out in the middle of the spellfire! Well, if she could get behind Susan, or just keep Amber covered, then that should give the others time to get the last of their parents. What was that that Ced was always telling them? Cast and move, cast and move? Now she could see why it was so important! She had to keep protecting Amber, but she needed to get Susan too. She threw a couple of hexes in Susan's direction to keep her head down, and then she started to move again. Amber was doing an excellent job of blasting the ceiling and then moving a little bit, but she was still out there in no man's land. A couple of more hexes at Susan and she moved again. She watched as Susan moved to get a better shot at Amber. Then when she peaked up to take the shot, she hit her with a stunner, and she went down! She had stunned somebody! Her new wand worked! Oh, she loved her new wand! It was absolutely amazing! What did Mr Ollivander say? That Daphne's wand is the same kind of wood? And that it was very rare and unusual? Maybe Daphne would let her see her wand. She had heard that Daphne's wand was very powerful and that the only person that could handle it was Daphne. With her new wand, she could start to believe that. Harry was yelling that the time was up and that the kids had won! YES! They have to sign! And we can learn what it is that we will be doing over our summer holidays!

Harry introduced them to a muggle from the British government named Sean McMillian, and all he told them was that he needed them to fly a broom to rescue some girls that had been kidnapped and made into sex slaves. Well, if it were going to help some girl that was a slave against her will, then she would help. And then Vic asked how much it was going to pay, really, she would have been happy making a couple of hundred galleons, but when the man said that it was going to pay them £100,000 each! That's more money than there is in the whole world! She could buy her freedom with that much money! When do we start? When can we leave? Why do we have to wait? I need to go buy a broom! NOW! Not ten minutes from now, but NOW! She heard Amber saying the same thing to George. Amber had had a rough time of it being poisoned and all. They had never invited her to come over and play dragon tag with them, so she explained what dragon tag was to her. The George had to tell her why she didn't remember playing dragon tag. That's so sad, she thought. The bloody terrorists had really messed her up bad! Professor Greengrass still hadn't bought the two dragons a cow to say that he was sorry for insulting them. But of course, he wouldn't go out and talk to the dragons by himself either! The dragons weren't that bad, but Cici's mum and Uasal were inseparable!

Then she had her first Christmas with her new family! They even got to hand out the presents to everyone. Her new family was the best family in the whole world! As they handed out the gifts, Amber got a new broom, and she almost made everyone deaf with how loud she screamed, but when Fred handed her, her gift, she screamed almost as loud as Amber. She got a new wand and a new broom for her first Christmas with her new family! In the last four days, she had been freed from people that were sexually and mentally abusing her. She had started learning wordless and wandless magic. She had been given new to her clothes, that were nicer than any clothes she had ever had before. Her very first new wand, an invisible wand holster, and a new broom, that was really hers! That night, Fred had told her that the gift that he had really wanted to give her, was her freedom. She asked him why he hadn't, and he explained to her what he had learned, it all made sense that he was protecting her from her parents still, and then he asked her to marry him again! She was the poor slave girl, that was going to marry the prince! Her life was starting to feel like a fairytale! Was it really going to come true for her? Is this how Cici and Vic felt? Does Amber feel this way too?

Moving in with Ced and his wives was kind of awkward at first. She knew that they would have to put the same restrictions on her and Fred, as Susan had. Even George's mum had placed the same restrictions on Amber and him. But she agreed, it wasn't safe for her to live in the Slytherin dorms anymore. And she did owe her life to all of them and Hermione, once she learned how badly the other girls had beaten her while she slept. And as time went by, she, Cici, and Vic became more comfortable together, and then there was that time that she came home to her room, and found Cici walking around looking for something without her clothes on. Wow, did she have a body! And, she wasn't even embarrassed! She was glad that Fred wasn't with her that time, or the time after that, or the time after that. She had started to yell up the stairs that they were home, to give Cici time to at least put some magical clothes on. But they did have one rule that they wouldn't break, and that was to not make any extra work for the elves, so clean up after yourself! But even still, living with Cici and Vic was pleasant, she had her own room, her own bathroom, and the Gryffindor's left her alone. She could see that a lot of them didn't like her living in their dorm, but they didn't say too much after the first time she moved in. It was in their nature to protect.

Over spring break, they started to run the obstacle course, oh did that make her hands hurt! She didn't even know that you could get blisters on your hands. Hermione was always healing their hands until they got harder and callouses started to develop. She was glad that she had been working out with the weights! But a lot of it was just fun! A couple of the obstacles required teamwork to accomplish, and Fred was always there for her. Between the confidence course, dragon tag, and continuously duelling she didn't have any choice but to get better, faster! Cici and Vic were always pushing them to stretch their limits. They were always showing them how this, and that worked together to make something bigger, better, or faster. "Why are you only casting one spell when you can cast two just as fast?" Shite! She and Vic were throwing triple spells when they were duelling! Then, they had to go and do all of this stuff for the muggles, they had to run the confidence course, then she had to fight a guy, in hand to hand combat, that looked like he was twice her size, and beat him. Then she had to fight another guy with a knife, and beat him too! Now she knew why Ced was pushing them so hard because they had to be better than their opponents were. There was a lot of blood on the mats that day. Once they had passed that, then they had to learn how to jump out of an aeroplane! And I'm supposed to trust this muggle contraption made out of cloth and a bunch of little strings? And then they had this breathing thing that would give them enough oxygen so they could breathe at some crazy altitude. At least the view was incredible! But she was doing something that nobody else was doing. Then there was that horrible aeroplane ride down to wherever it was that they were going, what did Ced say? Fourteen hours? Then they were living in tents, well at least she got to share a tent with Fred, and they could use magic a little. Ced and the girls showed them the wizarding body armour that Ced had been shot while wearing. Amber started to put her body armour on, and it was scary looking, then Amber went and told them about her needing Fred to sleep with her because of the bad dreams that she was having. She loved Vic so much for her helping her lock the bad dreams away, she thought that she was strong enough to deal with them, but once she released them, she couldn't lock them away again. Ced showed them what they would be flying, and the three of them taught them how to fly them out of the back of the aeroplane at altitude. She loved the aerodynamic shield that the broom had. But wow! Flying that thing with three guys on it? Now that was a challenge, it was massive compared to her Nimbus! She was glad that they had gotten some practice flying the brooms before they flew the brooms out of the back of the aeroplane and started down to the terrorist base camp, once they got the signal, they landed and resisted using magic until the soldiers had stopped using their special goggles. She had to fire off a couple of spells as she was flying the girls and their children to the safe camp. But after that, when they caught Ced walking around in his underwear, Amber was funny! Then that one idiot that challenged Ced to a fist fight, Ced could take a hit! But he gave better than he got too. Winkelmann and Shaw just left the guy behind, the rumour was, was that he was a troublemaker anyway. With their extra day, she enjoyed flying around Africa getting to see the different animals, but that flight back to Britain? She watched Cici and Vic put Ced to sleep, then they went around and asked the soldiers if they wanted to sleep for the flight back to Britain. A lot of them did, some of them didn't.

After the debriefing with Sean, Fred and Julia needed to go to Gringotts so Julia could be added to Fred's vault. All of them were in high spirits since the mission in Africa. They even asked Sean if he had any other jobs that they could do. He told them that he would keep them in mind if something came up. It was great being able to buy her own clothes when she wanted. Fred buying her clothes was nice, but she always felt like she owed him for buying her clothes. She knew it was just in her head, but still, now she was a more independent woman. She had her own money.

Christmas brought about another mission from Sean, only this one wasn't from Sean, it was from the Americans. She'd never been to America before. Since being with Fred, she had gotten to go places that most magicals had never even heard of! Wow, this was going to be a long mission! Four months? What was Professor McGonagall going to say? What was Susan going to say? Again, it was to help stop the sale of people. Vic and Cici were always pushing them to keep learning, they had to learn occlumency, and they wanted them to start learning legilimency. They were pushing them to learn to apparate. But the swords that Ced had given them! They were incredible! And Harry had modified the training room to be like the Room of Requirement at school. She had never seen Ced and his wives fight with their swords like that, for that matter, she had never seen them fight magically this hard either. They really had been taking it easy on her and Amber. Even as good as she and Amber had gotten, Vic and Cici were fighting hard! And their swords just seemed to flow from one manoeuvre to the next as if guided by thought! Then Harry had her, George, Amber, and Fred enter the room, they only had four simulations each to fight, Harry was taking it easy on them to find out where they were. The simulations were so different from fighting each other, they had learned how each other fought, but the simulations were a lot more challenging. They caught them off guard and even before they had finished with the hand to hand, the wizards were entering the room, casting one spell at a time, because they were unsure, then they started to cast two spells at a time. Eventually, they defeated the simulations, and that was on easy!

The first Monday after New Years they were in America. The van that was going to take them wherever it was that they needed to go was waiting outside. The man that held the door for them looked like a soldier. She kept looking out the windows of the van at all of the stuff they were passing. On the base, they had them get out of the van in a warehouse. They were meeting the dignitaries from the other countries when they learned that not all of them had signed the blood contract. Harry was ready to leave with that news. Then Vic got to her feet and started to read the foreign dignitaries minds. This was eye-opening for her. Then Cici got to her feet and accused two more! She told Ced to go get the soldier, and the agent that was on the payroll of a cartel told him that he would be shot on sight if he left the room. Once he left, Vic and Cici started to read the other people's minds. Then they separated the four spies out of the group, while they waited on Ced and the soldier.

After they took the spies away, Ced started to negotiate how much they would be paid. $1,000,000 each! They were willing to pay $1,000,000 to each of them! And the training was going to start tomorrow!

Ced got them to take them to where there were four empty, rundown houses that they could live in for the next few months. All of them went around their new houses and started to fix them up, and set them up like a magical home. Hermione made her take the potion in front of her! How embarrassing! I'm so humiliated! Then she handed her some more of the potion, telling her to take it on the first of the month. Then she told her, that she needed to find Amber and do the same thing. They walked to the dining facility that night and had no clue as to what to do, at least they could watch someone else and imitate what they did. The food was okay, not the greatest, but it was okay, the food at Hogwarts was better.

So, Robins dropped them off at a place that was going to teach them to drive a car, while he took Cici and Vic to go learn something else. But she was going to get to learn to drive a car! Their instructors were so patient! She was glad that they had a lot of room to make mistakes! They spent the mornings in the classroom studying the book, and then they would go outside to practice driving for about an hour, then they would go to lunch. After lunch, they were back in the classroom to watch a movie, then back in the cars to practice driving some more! She got better and better each day. All of the girls were as good, if not better than, the two guys. Once they had their driver's license, then the real fun started. They learned all sorts of advanced driving manoeuvres. And after that, they learned how to tail someone without being caught. They also learned how to spot a tail and either keep it or get rid of it. She loved driving through Washington D.C., getting to look at all of the buildings. She learned how to use a GPS, a two-way radio, a cell phone, a fancy digital camera, and listening devices. Then one-day, Rob grabbed all of them, and they got on a plane, and he took them to Mexico to start the mission. He seemed all agitated and nervous. Then they started the mission, and it got hard! They weren't able to get enough sleep, so they went from three cars to just two, so one of them could at least sleep! They just kept driving! Mexico and America are big! Every time the truck stopped, a new driver got in it and kept driving! I sure hope Cici, Ced, and Vic are doing okay! They used an atlas, to try and figure out where it was that they were going. The direction they were headed pointed to New York City. When they got closer, they rented three new cars, that were smaller and easier to drive in the heavy traffic that they were expecting. It was a good thing they got three cars! They split Vic, Cici, and Ced up going to three different places! Before she was told to, she turned the GPS tracking unit on and gave it to Fred so he could give her directions on following the van with Vic in it. They followed the van to Albany and watched as it pulled into a warehouse. She found a good parking spot to watch the warehouse from while Fred went to get a closer look. Fred came back to the car and told her to call Rob and ask him to send backup. She did that while he pulled on his body armour to go save Vic. When she was done, she pulled her body armour on and went to help him. After they had rescued Vic, she told them that there was a spy in the trailer with them the whole time! She also told them that Ced and Cici were doing okay. Once Cici had been rescued, and the car turned in, Vic made a portkey out of a sales brochure, and they were back at their houses on the base. While Cici and Vic cast all sorts of notice-me-not charms on the houses, Ced conjured a large Jacuzzi for them to soak in that night. It felt so good! Vic and Cici's cooking was fantastic! All of them were so tired of eating the sandwiches that came pre-made in the plastic containers. After a while, they started to taste like the plastic itself.

Amber had started asking if she could take all of us to see her old school. And since Ced had been teaching them how to make a portkey, this was an excellent chance for Amber to show off her skills. After they talked to Rob the next morning, they went around and said their goodbyes to Essie and Marta, a couple of the girls that had started to practice with them, and then they returned their houses to normal and took the portkey to Ilvermorny. It looked a lot different than Hogwarts did. It looked more, … American. Some man came out to meet them at the front of the school after the gates had opened for them. They were given a tour of the school, and Rose and Angel met two boys that started to hang out with them. Amber knew them from before. Then what's his name had the two boys finish the tour while he had to deal with a problem.

That night before dinner, the duelling club wanted to put on a show for them, and at the end, they asked Amber to help them out because they didn't have enough people. So, Amber agreed, and she chose Angel to be her second. Once the duel started, Amber chose to be defensive in her approach to the duel, letting both of the boys wear themselves out. But the thing was, she wasn't even trying hard! And then, when she won, the coach got mad at her for it! That Dean Thomas guy came over and told the coach to leave her alone, she hadn't done anything wrong. Then Amber asked the other girls to go to the restroom with her. Before they were in the restroom, Vic and Cici told them some girls were following them. Inside of the restroom, Cici locked the door as the girls told them about the sexual harassment that was happening in their school. Cici told them to go and get the one girl that was the strongest in their school so she could talk to her about helping the girls. When Cici unlocked the door to the loo, the Headmistress was standing there mad! She apologised, and all of them were ready to go home anyway. Cici and Vic talked to the girl, Susan Potter, and she agreed to help the girls get better magically, and she told them all to buy wands to use at home to keep practising. Ced explained that the law couldn't tell the difference between their magic and their parents magic, magic was magic.

Amber's portkey worked great! They all landed outside of the gates of Hogwarts and walk onto the school grounds. Then Fred hugged her like the others hugged each other. Then he used teleportus to get us to the Gryffindor common room. Everybody said good night, and she followed Fred up the stairs to her bedroom. Vic, Ced, and Cici went to their room while she and Fred went into hers. They snogged for a little bit before Julia had to reluctantly push Fred away. It had been so enjoyable to sleep through the night with him. Even if they didn't go all the way. But like Vic had told her, there were a lot of different ways they could have fun without doing it.

She was tired when she woke up later than usual, and when she walked out into the common room of their quarters, Ced, Vic, and Cici were just leaving their room too. The others met them in the common room for Gryffindor house, and they all started walking down to breakfast. As they walked down the stairs, they saw lots of posters for the spring dance that was going to happen, when Kitten snuck up behind them. She said that she and her friends had put the posters up and that if you could take it down, then it wasn't one of hers! At breakfast, they saw that there was a new professor with blue hair sitting at the head table with the other professors that were awake. Kitten told them all about her. When Professor McGonagall came in, Ced got up to go and talk to her, probably about the classes that he and his wives were teaching. They were having a lot of fun doing that too. They had really helped those kids that started off behind. Ced came back and told Cici and Vic that she wanted to talk to the three of them, but they weren't in trouble.

When she and Fred got to their classes, each one in their group was a teacher's assistant for a different class, and all of the others had been assigned to help other students that were having troubles with their assignments.

At lunch, Candice and her friends came over to try and bully her again! Fred threatened her, but Julia told him, that if Candice touched her that she would sue Candice's family and take their house away from them so they could go and live under a bridge! But Candice didn't believe her so when she touched her, she grabbed her finger and broke it. Then she had an idea to humiliate her in front of the whole school! With a firm grip on Candice's broken finger, Julia gave her the choice of losing her home and all of the money in the bank, for a public apology. She guided Candice up to the front of the hall and made her apologise loudly and clearly, for sexually harassing her. When she let go of her hand, Candice tried to trip her. Well, she was wearing her metal tipped spike heels, and she saw what she was trying to do, so she stomped down as hard as she could with her heel and felt the bones in her foot break as the heel sank into the flesh of her foot. Boy, did Candice scream in pain! Then she yelled at the dyke for trying to trip her, but Candice, being the bully that she is, decided to hex her former play toy. Her robes just absorbed the spell as Julia hit her with a triple pack of silent spells, that ended with her former torturer lying on the floor in a heap next to the Ravenclaw table. She held her trophy high, for all to see, and told them all, that she had won it through the rite of combat! Her lover greeted her with a huge hug and a kiss, he lifted her off the floor and swung her around and around as they kissed. She had just beaten the girl that had wreaked so much pain and misery in her life, for so many years. She was so excited that she floated out of the hall!

Later, they all got together to swap dresses for the spring dance, she heard Amber say something about butterbeers, and yelled for her to bring her one too! Rose yelled at her to come and get it herself! When she yelled back that she was naked, she heard someone start to choke out there. Then she heard Cici ask who was running around naked from her bedroom. Then Amber yelled that Julia was out here running around naked in front of the guys! She denied it quickly! It was a great idea to swap dresses, they were all really close in sizes, she was the lightest built one of the bunch, but she could wear most of their dresses. When they started to model the dresses for the guys, it seemed like forever, before the guys began to react in the right way. Once they found the dresses, Amber, Rose, and Angel took off to their room to finish getting ready.

The dance was fantastic and quite quiet with Candice in the infirmary. After the dance, an army of house elves helped them clean up the Great Hall for breakfast in the morning.

The morning was cold and wet, so they went to the chambers to get their morning workout in. Uncle Draco and Uncle Neville showed up a few minutes later. Uncle Draco complimented her on her handling of Candice, and they talked about Candice's behaviour, and why she wouldn't leave her alone. Fred said that it was because she was so pretty. But she didn't see herself that way, now Cici and Vic, they were pretty!

She listened in as Ced and Uncle Draco talked about Professor Riddle. She was related to Draco and Sirius somehow. But then she and George got selected to duel against Fred, Amber, Rose, Vic and Angel. After Angel went down, the other five ganged up against them! Uh, that's so not fair! George suggested that they start shadow duelling and from there, they got Fred and Rose. Eventually, George put his back against hers, and she began to move the two of them around the room, trying to get the rest of them. After all, they had taken out four of them. Then she set Vic as her next target, they appeared next to her, and instead of Vic trying to hex her, she ducked her spell and punched Julia in the stomach. Oh, that hurt! Vic apologised quickly and gave her a hug while she caught her breath. Cici got her a bruise relieving potion before they headed to the showers. She tagged along with Fred, and he helped her with her shower. Vic can hit!

After breakfast, Vic told them that she wanted to fly home instead of taking the train. After checking in with Susan, they told her that they could do that. The others all said that they could too. They caught the last two carriages, and when they got off of the school grounds, they jumped off of the carriages. Vic told them that she wanted to go to Cleansweep Brooms so they could put the aerodynamic shield on their brooms. They all liked that idea, as big as those other brooms had been, their one redeeming quality was that shield! A little over an hour later, they were walking into the office of Vic's business, when the receptionist is telling her, that some guy named Mizpah owns her company! As Vic was talking to the guy in her office, four security guards started to come down the hallway towards them, then Tonks and Aunt Angelina showed up, but they quickly sided with Vic, and then Harry and Uncle Os showed up too! The guy in the office started to yell for security, so we just kept them out of the room. She reached out with her mind to see if she could pick anything up from the security guards. It was kind of like the time that Ced told them to practice on the Marines. She learned that they hadn't worked there very long, but then she had hit a wall when the guard felt her in there. Ced told them to put their brooms inside of Vic's office, and then do a sweep of the entire building to look for anything out of place magically. She and Fred headed off holding hands as they started to look for something unusual magically. Whatever that could be! Whatever! But never the less, they started to 'scan' the areas that they walked past. Eventually, they did run across something that just didn't feel right, it felt off. So, they contacted Ced to come and check it out for them. He told them to make a mental note of the location and keep looking. Eventually, they all got back together, and while they waited on Vic, they started talking about what they had found, and they had found a lot! When Harry and Vic were coming out of her office, the last of the Aurors were leaving with the bodies. Vic's assistant started to break down in tears, so Vic told the rest of them to follow Harry to where the guy was that was going to add the aerodynamic shield to their brooms was. She looked all around the factory that was mostly empty, or people were just standing around, she looked at her watch, and it was after lunch now, and they still had nothing to do. Eventually, they walked through a hole in the wall, and met this really old guy, he and Harry seemed to be friends from way back when. Sooner or later, Vic joined them, and she grabbed Harry and told him that they needed to leave soon with the head of accounting. So, Julia and the other girls decided to just floo home and wait for the guys to join them. Then Cici told all of them that she needed them to stay because there was another terrorist loose in the building. Julia heard the spellfire down the hallway a bit after she started guarding the door. She charmed her clothes to act as a shield as Vic and Cici had taught her, she prepared for the fight to come to her. Then she saw the guy come running at her as he fired spells over his shoulder. As he was turning to attack her, she cast a triple pack of spells at him, hitting him with a lot of power, with _expulso/stupefy/expelliarmus_ , and he went down hard, with his wand landing at her feet. George came running up and told her that he needed to be bound with chains so he couldn't use a wandless _diffindo_ to set himself free. What a mess! She knew that there were two ways to think about this problem, one was; why do you even own a company if you're not going to be there to run it every single day, and the other was; why do people try and take what isn't theirs? Now, grown, responsible adults should have been able to run this company in Vic's absence, but here we are, getting ready to come back and take down some wards so that these people can have a job again. Didn't they even think that something was wrong? Then that night, before Fred went to his bedroom, he told her that the people that should have been running the company had been poisoned like Amber, and the other girls at school had been poisoned. How did they even get into that situation? They trusted somebody that they shouldn't have.

And now here she was, falling out of the sky in a foreign country getting ready to rescue a bunch of girls that had trusted somebody that they shouldn't have. At least this is paying €4,000,000. She, Fred, and Rose landed softly just outside of the farthest wards that Rose had found the last time that she was here. Rose checked, and the wards were still down. They moved quickly and silently through the forest towards the second set of perimeter wards, and these were still down too. The third set of perimeter wards were a hundred metres from the camp, and they stopped to watch for any roving guards, just like Flint had been a roving guard at school. While Fred and Rose kept watch, she moved forward to the edge of the ward and placed the crystals like Vic had taught them. She watched as the crystals created a three-metre-wide arc in the wards. They ran forward until they felt the presence of another perimeter ward. Geez, these terrorists were paranoid! While Rose and Fred kept watch over her again, she set this set of crystals three metres apart again, the right incantation, and she was rewarded with another three-metre-wide opening in their defences. Fred pointed for her to go up the right side of the camp, Rose to go up the left side of the camp and he would take care of the centre and the far ends of the camp. She slipped a vaporising tranquilliser vial out of her belt as she ran, teleportus would be faster, and she did. She opened the door to the tent and threw the vial at the floor in the tent and moved on to the next tent. Ced was right, 4:30 in the morning was a great time to ambush them, so far, they were all asleep! Next tent, next vial. And on she moved, almost as fast as she could think. She remembered the diorama that they had back at Zander's, there were twelve tents, four for her, four for Rose, and four for Fred. She checked her watch, and it was 4:40 in the morning. The Aurors should be here in five minutes. She caught it out of the corner of her eye, movement. _Teleportus_. She saw it again. _Teleportus_. She was closer, she watched as the terrorist tried to move closer to Fred. _Teleportus_. And she was within striking distance. The terrorist spun and fired at nothing, and her body armour absorbed the spell, and she fired back, hitting him with a silent _reducto/stupefy/expelliarmus_. She watched as he flew through the air, landing with a thud and sliding a bit in the fallen pine needle carpet covering the ground. His wand landed at her feet, she bent down and picked up the wand cautiously as she kept an eye on the body of the fallen terrorist. Silently she walked up to the still body, and saw a hole in his chest where the reducto had hit him, he hadn't even put up a shield to protect himself. Godric! She bent down and cast a basic diagnostic spell on the body, now she had to perform emergency first aid on the guy! Arh! She looked at the display, and all of the indicators were sitting on zero, he was dead. She had just killed her first person. Then she felt the curse hit her body armour from behind and it knocked her over, laying her out on the ground, and she felt her wand trying to leave her hand. She put a death grip on her wand and with her free hand she cast a wandless/wordless _expulso/stupefy/expelliarmus_ at the person that had caught her off guard. It wasn't enough to disarm the terrorist, but it did free her enough to get up and start fighting. The green curse just missed her, as she rolled to the side and came up on her feet, she could feel the effects as it flew past, her hairs tingling inside of her suit of armour. She used a tree as a shield as the second curse hit the tree square, blasting splinters everywhere. She came out and another triple pack of spells as she moved again. Cast and move, cast and move, don't stay in one location for two! Keep moving, stay alive. Sit still and die! Shaw and Winkelmann had beat that into their heads, so had Ced and Uncle Draco. She lost sight of the terrorist! MERLIN! She switched to the infrared vision of the balaclava, she could see two others still in the camp, and as she scanned the area, she could see the glow coming from around a tree off to her right. _Teleportus_. And she looked where the terrorist should be. She pulled her head back in time to avoid another curse. _Teleportus_. And she checked again, he was walking cautiously towards her last location. _Expulso/stupefy/expelliarmus!_ And it hit him in the middle of his back. She watched as he flew through the air, and then slid across the ground. She changed back to night vision on her balaclava, the stars more than lit up what she needed to see. He had hit a rock when he fell, and now he lay there with his head at a bad angle. She knelt down and cast another basic diagnostic spell, it was all in the red and dropping fast. She switched to a midlevel spell and it showed her that his neck was broken. Before she could process this information, the terrorist breathed his last breath. She had killed two men in one night. She looked back towards the centre of camp and she could see a lot of people moving around, she needed to find Fred. She got back up and started to move towards camp. Then she changed her mind, and switched back to the infrared vision, she saw two heat signatures across the camp to her right again. Again, she _teleportused_ close to the two figures. They had gotten closer to each other, she stayed cautious, all the infrared would do is to show her a heat signature, she couldn't tell if it was a friend or a foe. She switched back to the night vision and moved closer to them. With the night vision she could see that it was Fred and Rose, the starlight shimmered off of their body armour. She turned off the night vision as she closed the gap and she saw two shapes behind them! She switched back to night vision and she could see two more terrorists trying to sneak up on them! She crouched and fired another _expulso/stupefy/expelliarmus_ at both of them as fast and as hard as she could think. The spell work caught Rose's and Fred's attention, they spun and faced her with their wands drawn, and then they looked behind them in time to watch the two terrorists lying there on the ground.

"Thanks," the raspy voice said. Then it cast chains on the bodies.

"There were two others on the other side of camp," she told them, depression starting to fill her voice. It had begun to fill her thoughts too.

"Did you bind them with chains?"

"No."

"You're supposed to bind them …" the lecture started.

"They're both dead."

"Why'd you kill them!?"

"I didn't mean to!"

"I' …."

And then she was gone. She wasn't standing there anymore. She was standing in front of the gates at Zander's house. She didn't need to be judged right now. She was judging herself enough for everyone. She needed to stop this train of thought! It wasn't doing her or anyone else any good right now! A shape appeared next to her. It reached up and pulled the balaclava off, it was Rose.

"Are you okay?" she asked her.

"Yeah," the growling voice replied. Then she reached up and pulled her balaclava off, her strawberry blonde hair going everywhere. A flick of her wrist took care of that.

"You don't sound like it," Rose said.

"It's just so hard! How do I live with the fact that I killed two people today?" the tears, she fought the tears, tears were a weakness!

"It's okay, did you set out to kill them?"

"No, but."

"No buts. If they could have killed you, they would have. Just like the two guys that tried to sneak up on Fred and me just a minute ago."

"But we've got …"

"No buts. If they had our body armour, would we be alive?"

"No, but …"

"No buts. They would have killed us or turned us into sex slaves, and you know that." Rose said harshly. "I don't know what you're going through, but you can talk to Cici, Vic, or Ced, they do. Right now, though, we need to get back to the camp and start bringing the girls here. Let's go help the people that we started out to help," Rose told her and then she started to pull on her balaclava.

"Let's go help somebody," she replied.

Then Rose was gone before she pulled her own balaclava back on. She was standing where she had been five minutes ago. It was a little lighter now, five minutes lighter, but she could see the two chained terrorists lying on the ground behind her future husband.

"I'm sorry that I started to lecture you," he held his arms open to her.

"I'm sorry that I ran off," she replied, accepting his open arms of forgiveness.

"Let's go start transporting the girls," the other raspy voice said to them.

Then silently they moved through the mixed terrain of lava rock and forest. To the nearest tent. Casting a Bubble-Head charm on themselves, and then pulling the makeshift door open on the surplus army tent, they were greeted by a hex from one of the Aurors being absorbed by the body armour.

"Bloody hell!" yelled Fred through the raspy voice of the body armour. "What was that for?" the vision of shimmering death asked the Auror.

The terrified Auror held his hands up in surrender. He watched as three of them came through the doorway of the tent. Fred pointed to two of the girls, for one of the girls to take, while the one behind her walked over and found two more to take.

"What do you want?" the Auror asked in a shaky voice.

"We've come to claim what belongs to us," Rose told him as she grabbed two of the naked girls and disappeared soundlessly.

Julia grabbed on to two more of the cold naked girls and was gone without a word or a sound.

Fred looked at the Auror then he grabbed two more of the naked girls and disappeared silently.

The three of them met at the front gate of Zander's estate. They levitated the girls and started to walk to the gate. It opened for them, and then they walked on up to the house. Ginny had set up a place for the girls to sleep off the tranquilliser potion downstairs on a bunch of cots. There were already six girls there, none of them had any clothing on, at all. Using teleportus, they went to the front gates again and apparated back to their camp to collect more of the girls. The sight of three wraiths appearing in the middle of the camp was too much for some of the Aurors, and they began to open fire on them.

Fred walked up to the nearest Auror, his body armour absorbing each of his curses. "Hex me again, and I will take you with me," he threatened the Auror, then he snatched the wand out of the young Auror's hand. The other Aurors stopped trying to curse the two girls as they just walked through all of the spellfire to the nearest tent, to collect the girls inside.

Rose and Julia had already gone into another tent to collect the drugged girls, and transport them to Zander's place, and returned before, Fred gave the young Auror back his wand.

The three of them walked into the last tent on that side of the camp, looking for more of the captive girls. They had collected ten already, so they were guessing that they needed another six or so girls. It was a nursery, there were seven or eight small children lying in the beds, and they stopped moving and stared at all of the children. They were sort-a-kind of expecting some children, but not a tents worth.

"Let's go, we have to keep going," Julia encouraged them. "We're wasting time just standing here."

Rose knelt between two beds and grabbed two arms. Then she was gone. Fred did the same thing. Then Julia.

Overall, it took a lot longer to collect all of the girls than any of them had thought. Zander's house looked like a refugee camp. Which it was if you really thought about it. There were so many beds, there was only room to scoot sideways between them. Their best guess of fifty girls was off by sixty. There were a hundred and ten girls and children stuffed into Zander's home. And he welcomed each and every one of them.

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 **A/N:**


	57. Year Six Chapter 57

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 57

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About three hours after they arrived at Zander's place, the first of the girls started to wake up. The six girls all started to conjure basic robes for them, one size fits all type of gowns. The tranquiliser potion only stayed in their system for about an hour. At first, they were scared, some of them wanted to go back to where they had been taken from, and some of them wanted to know where their children were. The ones that wanted to be returned to the terrorist camps had to be subdued or stunned to keep from causing all-out panic in the rest of the scared girls.

Ced asked Rose if she could call Jesse on the phone to find out if it would be okay to start contacting some of the girls' parents.

"Yes, no, I don't know!" was his response. "Right now, I'm up to my eyeballs in terrorists!"

"Well, you or Sara need to come down here, and see which one of these girls is yours." She told him.

"How many do you have?" he asked.

"Including children, about one-hundred-ten girls." She told him flatly.

Zander was ecstatic, he had found Raven and wasn't letting her out of his sight! He even waited in her room for her while she took a shower and changed clothes! He had lost her once, and he wasn't going to lose her again. For her part, she was glad to be home and didn't let go of her dad for close to fifteen minutes, when they first found each other.

The six girls started to perform essential first aid work on all of the girls. They ran a basic diagnostic spell on all of them, the six young adults asked all of them how they were doing, and then they ran a higher level diagnostic spell to see how many of them were pregnant and didn't know it yet. Half of the kidnapped girls were pregnant, including Raven.

There was very little good news out of these raids. One part of it was that all of the terrorists had been captured. Five of them had been killed. Amber had killed one, George had killed one, and Angel had killed one too. The four of them that had killed the terrorists had had a hard time dealing with it until they saw all of these girls being used as breeding stock to form a magical army for evil. As the guys assisted the girls with the triage, where they were allowed, they overheard bits and pieces of stories of being captured over two years ago, to being raped multiple times a day by different men. All of them said that they had been forced to take a potion every day since before their abductions. Once all of the older girls had been checked over, and all of their injuries healed, they were allowed to go and find their children, the oldest of which was close to two years old. The youngest was only a couple of months old, delivered without a healer, or a midwife.

Zander looked at all of the people, and he had an idea. "Can you conjure a new wing onto my house?" he asked Ced.

Ced just looked at him like he had gone around the bend.

"I don't have enough space for all of these girls. I don't have enough showers or enough toilets!" he told Ced anxiously.

"Something temporary?" Ced asked him/

"Yes. Something for right now, tonight." Zander told him pleadingly.

"Okay, let me talk to George and Fred. And see what we can do." Ced told him. He went over and grabbed Fred and George.

"What?" Fred asked him.

"Hey, Zander pointed out a problem with all of these girls staying here."

"What's that? I thought he said they could stay?" George asked him.

"He says that they can stay. But a hundred and ten new people are living in a space made for twenty-five at the most! There aren't enough toilets or showers for all of them."

"Oh," Fred said. They had kind of forgotten about that part of the rescue mission. Plus, they hadn't planned for this many girls needing to be rescued!

"So, what does he want to do?" George asked.

"He wants us to conjure him a new wing onto his house."

"He wants us to build him a new wing to his house?" Fred was just trying to verify what he thought he had heard.

"Uh, yeah," Ced told him in clipped words.

"We've got about eighty girls and thirty smaller children." George was just confirming the math.

"How many girls are we going to put in a room?" Fred asked him.

"I don't know," Ced told him. "I don't know."

"Let's go outside and look," George said. He was thinking this through. Putting four girls in a room would be fewer rooms, but the overall length of the new wing would be close to the same. If they put only two girls in a room, they would need double the number of rooms. The girls that had children would want their children to be with them, for now at least, and this was all just temporary, a week at the most.

The three of them walked out the front door and looked to the left and then to the right. The guys decided to go in the direction away from the pool.

"You know that we're going to need more house elves," George told Ced.

"Yeah, we are." Ced agreed with him. This was getting way more complicated than he had expected. "Let me call my dad, and see if Charles or Gareth can get us some volunteers," Ced told him.

Fred and George walked over to the end of the house the farthest away from the pool.

"I think that it should be a single-story addition," Fred told his cousin.

"Why's that?" George asked him.

"Because of the babies, you don't want them falling down the stairs." He told him.

"Sounds good, but it's going to take a lot more space."

"So."

George started looking around and trying to picture the end result in his head. "You know, if we build it like we built the haunted house that one year, …"

"Yeah, that could work."

"What we do, is we have a central hallway, with rooms off both sides of it."

"Okay."

"Then we put in four communal showers and bathrooms."

"Yeah."

"We go down say seven bedrooms on each side, and then we put a bathroom in on each side. The bedrooms in the middle will be six on each side. So, it's going to go fourteen, then twelve, then fourteen rooms." George looked around, Ced was out of the way. Then he ejected his wand and started to build the new wing to Zander's home. It was going to have forty new bedrooms and four new communal bathrooms with sixteen toilets and sixteen showers per bathroom. It only had to last a week. Once it was finished on the outside, he teleportused on the inside.

"Fred, start adding beds to the rooms. Whoever needs a crib or something like that can come and ask us for it." He told him.

As George walked down the long hallway of the new addition, he added lighting sconces to the walls, he added doors to the rooms. Then he stopped and added the first of the bathrooms. He stopped and thought about it for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Fred asked him as he saw him staring off into space.

"I was just thinking. We drove past hotels that weren't this large. When we were following Ced across the country earlier this year." George replied.

"Yeah, you're right!" he chuckled a little. Then he flicked his wand and added sinks, faucets and mirrors to the bathroom.

George turned, and he went to the other side of the hall and added a mirror image of the bathroom that he had just conjured.

Four hours later, the three of them were finished building the new addition to the mansion. Ced added an entryway into the new living area of the house so it would be easy for the girls to get in and out of. The three guys walked into the crowded living room, and they saw Sara and Jesse hugging a battered young witch.

When they saw Ced and the two guys, "Thank you so much!" Sara rushed at them to thank them profusely. She hadn't given up hope, but she never thought that she would see her daughter again.

Jesse walked over still holding his daughter tightly, "Thank you. She'll never return to that school. Ilvermorny may look like a prison compared to that place, but at least I know that she'll be safer there." He told them.

"I would definitely suggest to R.I.M.E. that they build a wall or a fence around their property, to keep unwanted visitors out," Fred told the couple.

"We got lucky that they were all asleep," Ced told him.

"You can go ahead and contact all of the parents. Our legal system has granted us the permission to use veritaserum on all of the terrorists. They have decided that they're going to fast track all of them. it should take two to three months to convict them all." Sara told the guys.

"It's better than they deserve," George told the two parents. "Half of all of the girls are pregnant."

Jesse and Sara looked at Karen fearfully, was their daughter carrying the child of a monster? Would their grandchild grow up to be a monster like its father? Would Karen be okay? Should they go and get the morning after pill from a no-maj doctor? How far along was she?

Ced, seeing all of the different emotions playing out across their faces, was broadcasting their emotions to his wives. Cici came walking over to them.

"Is everything okay?" she asked cheerfully.

"George just told us that half of all of the girls are pregnant!" Jesse said to her. "Why didn't you tell us that when we got here?" he accused her.

"Because I didn't check her. One of the others examined her." Cici told him calmly. "If you would like, we can go into one of the rooms back there," she pointed at the new addition to Zander's home, "and I can check her for you." She offered.

Jesse turned and started to pull his daughter with him. He still wasn't letting go of her, scared that she might disappear again. He chose the first room on the right as they entered the new wing. Karen laid down on the bed farthest from the door and pulled her temporary robes up over her belly.

Cici knelt down next to the bed and ejected her wand, she cast a diagnostic spell to examine the young girl's reproductive system. She had just turned fourteen before she was taken.

"When was the last time that you had your menstrual cycle?" Cici asked her.

Without even blushing, she told her. "I don't remember."

"Do you have a regular cycle?"

"No, it has always been erratic, hit or miss."

"What has been the longest that you've gone without a period?"

"Three months." She told her mechanically.

"Why is she acting like this?" Sara asked worriedly.

"It's because the terrorists use a mind control potion on their victims. It makes them easier to control, more open to suggestion." She looked up and told her.

"Is there an antidote?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"No, it should pass through her system in about two weeks. So, for the next two weeks, I would keep her away from other people, away from the telly."

"So, is she, is she, is she - you know?" Jesse worried.

"No, she's not pregnant. Her irregular cycle protected her. And from what I could see, there's no permanent damage done to her reproductive system. She is bruised so she will be feeling some pain, but that should go away in a day or two." Cici reassured the couple that had been so helpful to them.

"What do we owe you for all of your help. If it hadn't been for you, we would have never gotten our daughter back!" Jesse asked them.

"This is something that we have been thinking on for a while now, and the best answer we could come up with is, whatever you feel that you can afford. And we will accept that, and divide it up amongst the ten of us." Ced told him.

"Will you take a check?" he asked as he reached into his back pocket.

"A cheque?" Ced asked.

"Yeah, a check," Jesse said.

"What's a cheque?"

"You don't know what a check is?"

"No, I've never heard of one."

"It's like an I.O.U. against our banking account. It's a legal document, it's signed." Jesse told him.

"It's okay babe. My dad used to get them from some of his employers." Cici told him. Then looking at Jesse, "A check will be fine."

Jesse wrote out the check and handed it to Cici. "Here, that's everything that we have in savings, it's not enough, but's all we've got. We would have spent more than that searching for her for the rest of our lives. You've done in weeks, what would have taken us years." He told them again.

"Thank you. Take your daughter home, and don't leave her alone for the next two weeks. Then start to teach her occlumency to help her protect herself." Cici told them.

Jesse reached down to help his daughter up, "Come on Pumpkin, let's go home."

"Okay." She said in a flat mechanical voice, no hint of a personality in her voice at all.

He led her out of the new wing, and the family headed down to the apparition point for the estate. As they walked down there, they met other parents walking up to the house, to claim their children. Some of the parents made light chatter with them, many others did not. For some of them, it almost seemed as if this was a scam to get money out of them, 'Oh, we've rescued your daughter. Oh, that's not her? Well for just a little more money, we can go and find her again.' Or even worse, it was some sick practical joke to make fun of their despair. It was the fulfilment of their hope. Their hope to make their family whole again. Their hope, to fill that hole that was created, one lie at a time. And their hope, that this wasn't just one more lie. It was an end to despair caused by a lack of help, from overworked government employees, or their own lack of resources. Some of these parents sacrificed their own futures wanting to give a better future to their own daughter, only to lose it all, when someone came along, and said all of the right words, in the right order, in the right way, to get her to believe the lies.

The parents that lived the closest were, of course, the first ones to arrive to see their daughters again. For some of them, they came as parents, and they were going to leave as grandparents, or future grandparents.

Ginny and Zander played the parts of hostess and host. They dealt with the angry looks like they were the ones that stole the children and now they wanted to return them. They were the ones that got the initial hugs when parents were reunited joyfully. They were the ones that took the brunt of the attacks when the parents started yelling because their daughter wasn't responding correctly like they felt that she should. They were the ones, that told the parents that their daughter was poisoned.

But it was the six teenage girls that had the privilege of telling the parents that their daughters were now mothers, or soon to be mothers. Of showing the grandparents or future grandparents their grandchild or future grandchild.

But for Vic and Amber, they had the privilege of telling the parents that were screaming that their daughter's life was over, that no, their life was not over.

"But you don't know what you're talking about! You're just a child!"

"I may be just a child to you, but I'm a survivor of what your daughter is going through! That was me! Not that long ago." They would say back, pointing at the daughter.

But for Amber, she had to tell one couple, "At least your daughter can have children, they sterilised me."

.

.

Two weeks after the last girl was returned to her parents, Willow, Zander, Ginny, and Raven were walking up the path, it had to have been over four hundred metres, to the front doors of the Potter Mansion. As they approached the doors, they opened automatically for them, and Gareth was there to greet them.

The four of them returned the greeting with pleasure, and then Willow started to drag Raven off, up the stairs when Gareth stopped her.

"Please, wait in the sitting room, until the Lord of the house has greeted our new guest." He corrected her gently.

This was all new to Raven, she had never seen anyplace like this. Great Britain was so different than where she used to live. They even drove on the wrong side of the street! She thought that her dad's house was big, but this place was huge! She also loved being able to use magic at home, well Ginny's place. And she had been over to Ginny's brothers' houses, and well George's house was larger than Ginny's apartment, but it was smaller than her dad's house. And she liked Amber, Angel, and George. Their parents were okay too. Then they went to visit her brother Fred, and he lived in a castle! In a real live castle! It was so amazing to see! It was cooler than the castle at the amusement park! And there she got to see Rose, Julia, and Fred again. She just kept looking around as they waited for the Lord of the house to appear. The sitting room was interesting. It had several old, overstuffed, chairs, and some old, overstuffed, couches too. There were some paintings on the walls that had people in them that moved around and kept looking at them. Eventually, a tall dark-haired man came walking into the room, he was holding the hand of a very beautiful woman, that was incredibly dressed, she was the definition of elegance. Raven wondered if she had been a beauty queen or something like that. Ginny and her dad both got up to greet them.

"Harry, Hermione." Her dad said.

They both greeted her dad and Ginny, and then they said hello to Willow.

"This is my daughter, Raven." Her dad said to him. Harry?

She got up to shake his hand and her hand.

"The reason that you're here is, there are some basic rules that we have in this house. The first and most important rule is; whatever you see, hear, or learn in this house, you don't tell anybody. This is for our protection and yours. You keep our secrets, secret. Everybody that you meet in this house has sworn an oath of loyalty to us. Do you understand what a Wizard's Oath is?"

She shook her head, 'no.'

"A Wizard's Oath, is a magical oath, that if you ever break it, you will lose your magic. Are you willing to take the Oath of Loyalty to this family?" he asked her. He hadn't planned on going down this path this soon, but for whatever reason, here he was.

"Yes." She said meekly.

Harry started to walk her through the oath, and when they got to the end, it didn't happen. There was nothing. His brows furrowed in thought. Hermione looked at her with suspicion. For Willow, she had done it with Kitten. And then Kitten was standing next to her, looking at Raven, intently for a few moments.

"It's the boy that she's carrying," Kitten said.

Everyone looked at her questioningly.

"What do you mean, honey," Hermione asked.

"It's not a regular baby, they did something to it, to make it not right." She told her.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Zander snapped at her.

Kitten spun around and glared at him.

"What do you mean, honey? Not right?" Hermione asked her.

Kitten turned and looked at her mum. "I don't know. It's like the side of Darkness has found a way to make babies evil. The baby will grow up to be a dark wizard." She told them.

How could somebody figure out how to make a baby, evil? Babies are a clean slate, they are what you make them. Yes, they have their own personalities, they are their own person. But it's outside influences, mixed with their family values, that makes a person who they are, in 99.999% of the cases. But someone has figured out how to make that 0.001% of cases 100% of the time. How to make the unborn baby, evil.

Abortions for abortion's sake in the wizarding world was something that was unthinkable. The magical population of the world was a tiny little fraction of the overall population, so killing off their unborn children, for the sake of convenience, was just not done. There were medical reasons that it happened, but those were so very rare. And here, in this case, they were faced with that choice.

"What about all of the other children, then?" Zander tried to come to the aid of his daughter. He had lived through the times of a dark lord in America. He understood what could happen if even a small number of them banded together.

"How many more are we talking about?" Hermione asked.

"We rescued about a hundred and ten girls and their children." He told her. He still had the nursery wing on his house!

"Winkey!" Hermione called out.

Pop, "Yes, my Lady?" she greeted her with a bow.

Lady?

"Winkey, would you please ask Ced, Cici, and Vic to come here?"

"Yes, my Lady." She said and was gone with the slightest of pops.

Raven remembered the three of them. They had helped her a lot. As the potion left her system, her thinking became clearer, and she was able to comprehend things, letting her make better choices. The two girls were incredibly pretty, and he was so good looking! And they were always holding hands!

A few minutes later, the trio came walking into the sitting room, holding hands, of course!

After the pleasantries were exchanged, "Kitten thinks that the child that Raven is carrying is genetically engineered to be evil." Harry told them.

The looks of surprise on their faces were amazing.

"The terrorists have genetically engineered babies to be evil?" Vic asked.

The three of them looked at Kitten, she just nodded her head slightly, a sad smile on her face.

"If that's the case, then all of our regular diagnostic spells would be useless in detecting the genetic engineering," Cici told the group.

"I wonder if Jesse found any of the potions that they were using at the camps?" Ced thought out loud.

"How far along were the other girls?" Hermione asked. "And how many of the other girls were pregnant?"

"There were eighty girls that had been abducted." Cici started to tell her. "Half of them were pregnant, forty of them including Raven here."

"Then there were thirty children already born," Vic said to her.

"So, just in what we know, we have seventy children that could be genetically engineered." She said tiredly. This was going to be a challenge. The majority of the women on this planet, wouldn't willingly give up their child to be disposed of, killed.

"The adult parents are not going to be very open to this," Ginny told them.

"No, they're not. For some of the parents, we had to convince them to even take their daughters back." Vic said to the group. Harry and Hermione needed to be filled in on some of the back story of what had happened.

Hermione looked at Ced and Vic, "Can you two go and write out the names of all of the parents, the daughters, and the children. And then list their addresses next to them, in case we need to go and visit them." Then she looked at Cici, "Why don't you come with me. Raven," she said as she looked at the black-haired witch. "we're going to need your help too." She was already ten steps down the road in her train of thought.

Hermione was off and moving, and the others were hard-pressed to keep up as she walked quickly across the house, her heels clicking as she went.

"What's mum thinking, dad?" Ced asked.

"She has an idea, and she wants to follow up on it." He told his two kids.

"We're going to go upstairs and play," Kitten told her dad.

"Okay honey, you two have fun."

Raven didn't have much time for sightseeing as she was close to a run and getting winded fast. This house was huge! They were across the formal living room and going down a hallway that looked to be longer than her dad's whole house! The people in the paintings watched her as she sped past them.

When they went down the hallway towards the training room, Cici had an idea of where they were headed. Hermione was leading them to the medical room. She turned and led them through the training room, and into the medical room.

"Okay, up you go!" she said as she turned to face Raven.

"What are you going to do?" she asked hesitantly as she jumped up on to the examination table.

"What I want to do, is to run some diagnostic tests on you, to see what it is that I can see," Hermione told her soothingly.

As Cici and Hermione ran their different diagnostic tests on Raven, they took the time to show her what it was that they were seeing. They showed her the embryo that was growing inside of her.

Then it came down to, "We need a Geneticist." Cici said.

"We do, we need someone who is familiar with DNA coding." Hermione agreed.

"What's DNA?" Raven asked.

"DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. Your DNA is what makes you individually you." Hermione told her. "And what the terrorists have done, is to manipulate the DNA of the baby to enhance all of the negative characteristics of humankind. To erase all that is good and to enhance all that is bad."

"You know what? I don't want this baby. Get it out of me, take it out now!" she was almost screaming. "I'm not going to be the mother of the person that is responsible for the end of the world! If it lives it lives, if it dies, it dies! Right now, I'm not really attached to it – emotionally – I mean."

"And probably that's going to be the best choice, because right now, we don't even know how they did what they did, or even what it is that they did do," Hermione told her. "But the way that's going to happen is not very pleasant. In fact, it is very barbaric. But the people that we need to talk to about this, now. They may be interested in trying to remove the baby intact so they can study what was done to create this baby."

"So, who do you need to talk to?" Ginny asked. She had been standing in the back of the room watching what she could, and learning what she could.

"His name is Sean McMillian, and he works for the British government." She told her.

"If anybody knows who can help us, he will," Cici told them.

.

It was over a week later when Sean contacted them again, letting them know that he had found a Geneticist that worked in the area that they needed help in, and that worked for the government. He had scheduled an appointment with the scientist for the following Wednesday at 9:00. In his letter, he had included the address where they should meet.

It was at this time that a couple of owls showed up with a package attached to their leg, each addressed to Ced. In each of the packages were four vials of potion, two different potions at that.

"What do you have there Ced?" Harry asked him.

"I sent a note to an Auror that we worked with, and asked him if they had found any potions at the camps, and he sent me two different potions." He held the two different vials up so everyone could see.

"That one looks like the one that terrorist wanted me to take," Vic told them.

"What are you going to do with them?" Harry asked.

"I thought that I might send them down to Mask and let her figure out what they're for." He told him.

"Good idea."

.

Wednesday came along, and it was Harry, Hermione, Cici, Raven, and Zander that were met by Sean at the correct address.

"Well, I'm glad that you got your daughter back," Sean told Zander.

"Me too!" he said giving her a one-armed hug across her shoulders.

"The woman that we need to talk to is in here, and she and her staff have all signed a blood contract willingly." He told them.

Then he held the door open so they could all file into the lobby of the non-descript building. It was the kind of building that you wouldn't look twice at if you were walking by.

The receptionist had been waiting for them, and when she verified the name for the appointment, she got up and led them down the hall to a plain grey door with a number on it. She opened the door without knocking, and led them into another waiting area, with another woman working behind another desk. Once she had given her the information, she turned, smiled at them and left, closing the door behind her as she did so.

.

Six hours after they entered the office, Raven was released to go home. She had been poked, prodded, x-rayed, MRI, CT, EKG, ultrasound, well basically every kind of test known to mankind, and she thought maybe a few that weren't known to mankind. She was tired, hungry, and sick of the rain. The one thing that she did know for certain was that she didn't want this – thing – inside of her anymore.

.

"Why can't you just wave your wand and take it out of me?" she asked Hermione as they walked back through the huge doors of the house.

"It's not that easy, it's attached to you through the umbilical cord. It has to be cut out of you." She told her.

"Can't you do a C-section on me, and take it out?" she asked. "I feel like I'm just a human incubator for this thing." She pointed at her belly. You know, it sux being fourteen years old and pregnant!

"That's what we're waiting on." She told her. "You're the first one. After you, there are forty more girls that have to be checked. We need answers and not next month."

.

A week later, Hermione received a message that the doctors had looked over all of the tests and they wanted the sample. The sample, that's what they had taken to calling the thing growing inside of her belly, the sample. Well, it won't be there much longer, Raven thought. How had she been stupid enough to have fallen for all of their lies? They had promised her the world, and she gets an abortion instead. Where's Vic? I want to go and talk to Vic, she thought to herself. She went looking for somebody to take her to Vic. This place is huge! She found Harry working in the downstairs study.

She knocked on the door before she entered it, he looked busy. "How can I help you, Raven." He had always been so pleasant to her.

"I was wondering where I might find Vic at?" she asked him.

"I think that she might be outside in the back garden, talking to Uasal." He told her.

"Okay, where's that?" she asked. Since she wasn't able to take the oath of loyalty, she had been restricted as to where she was permitted to go in the mansion.

"Just a minute." He told her. "Lucy!" he called to the air.

Pop! "Yes, my Lord?" she said with a low bow.

"Lucy, would you please take Raven to Vic?" he asked her politely.

Raven had never seen a house elf until she had come to England. She had heard of them, but she had never seen one.

Lucy looked up at Raven and smiled, "Please, follow me." The tiny creature told her.

"Okay," she said as the elf started to walk out of the room. "Where are we going?"

"Mistress Vic is outside." She told her as they walked down the hall that led to the training room, and the medical room.

She remembered that well enough, and she eyed it warily as they walked by. A few more feet and the door in front of them opened for the tiny creature as they approached it. Outside, she turned and headed for a large mound of dirt that was covered with grass, shrubs, and a couple of smaller trees. As they approached the mound of dirt, Lucy led her around the side that faced east, and announced their arrival.

"Mistress Vic!" she called out as they rounded the opening.

Raven guessed that she didn't want to startle the dragons or something like that. She had never even seen a dragon, so this was all new to her.

Vic met them at the opening of the dragon enclosure. "Thank you, Lucy." She said to the elf.

"It is a pleasure to serve." And she bowed to her. Then pop! She was gone.

Vic greeted Raven at the opening to the dragon's home, here at the Potter mansion.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked her.

"Oh, I was just talking to Uasal and Car-baun, about things back in Romania." She told her.

Vic turned and led her back into the dragons' home, even in the summer, there was a small fire going in the back of the place, keeping it warm. When the dragons saw Raven enter their home, both of them got up and assumed an attack posture, roaring their displeasure at the young girl.

Raven screamed in fear as she froze in place. Vic got in between the young girl and the two dragons.

When everyone was done roaring or screaming, Vic asked Uasal, "What's wrong?"

" _She is carrying a vial thing inside of her!"_ Uasal told her.

" _It is the evilest thing that I have ever sensed!"_ Car-baun told Vic.

"But what happened to her is not all her fault." Vic started to explain to the dragons. "Do you know how Cici, Ced, and I go around trying to help people?" she asked.

" _Yes,"_ Car-baun said.

"Well, Raven is one of the people that we've helped. We rescued her from the bad guys. They're the ones that made the evil thing inside of her." Vic explained.

" _How did they do that?"_ Uasal asked disapprovingly.

"That's the part that we don't know. Tomorrow, they're going to remove it from her."

" _Tomorrow, cannot come soon enough."_ Uasal finished the conversation. She turned and laid back down with her back towards the two girls.

" _Humph,"_ Carb-baun said with a puff of smoke from his nostrils, as he imitated his mother.

"Great! Even the dragons don't like me!" Raven said quietly as she turned to head for the house.

"What was it that you wanted me for?" Vic asked.

"I just wanted someone to talk to." She told her.

"Okay, what would you like to talk about?" Vic asked her kindly.

"It's jus, it's just that, it's just that you said that the terrorists did the same thing to you!"

"They did something very similar to me, yes."

"But what happened to your baby then?" her eyes were pleading with Vic for understanding, for compassion.

"I didn't get pregnant. But they did use the mind control potion on me." Vic guided her towards the tower at the start of the confidence course.

"Why didn't you get pregnant?" she asked in confusion.

"Because they didn't want me to," Vic told her. "They had mixed two different potions together, and I didn't take them. They thought that they still had control over me, so they trusted me to do what they said."

"So, why did they do this to me?" she indicated her body.

"To them, you're not a person, you're a thing to help them build their army. A cow has more value to them than you do."

This was something that Raven had never thought of. She had always had self-worth. She had gained that self-esteem from her parents, and then from just her dad. But the terrorists had used her need to hear it from an outside source against her. They had said all of the right words to make her follow them blindly, like the bait on a fishhook, and she had swallowed it all, hook, line, and sinker.

"How did you get strong enough to fight them?" she asked.

"Kitten was the one that set me free. From the potion."

"How did she do that?"

"Well, after I had threatened her, she did that 'Kitten thing' and then the next thing that I know, I'm waking up in the Foyer of the house."

"How did they get ahold of you?"

"They promised me the world! Just like they did all of you. For you, your mother passed away in a car crash. For me, my mother pretty much ignored my existence, she only had time for all of her different boyfriends." Seeing the confused look on her face. "Harry and Hermione are my adoptive parents. My mum was killed in a terrorist bomb attack."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." She said a little sheepishly.

"Don't worry, tomorrow you'll be free from whatever it is that they're trying to grow inside of you."

"I hope so! Then after that, can I start running with you guys?"

"If you feel up to it, I don't see why not. You'll still need to give an oath of loyalty though."

"I will. All of you have been so nice to me. I hope that the dragons will like me better."

.

.

Hermione got Raven home after the procedure had finished. She really hated some parts of muggle medicine. The cutting and sewing things back together just annoyed her to no end. She levitated her across the Living Room of the mansion, and down the hall towards the medical room.

"Here, let me fix what they've done to you," she told a groggy Raven, compassionately.

Hermione had been the only one that was allowed to go into the room for the procedure, she was the only one that was a board-certified doctor. The rest of them had to wait outside, in the makeshift waiting room. In fact, it had been a makeshift operating room too. She had been ready for Raven's hormones to be raging all over the place, but she hadn't been prepared for the lead scientist to be a butcher of a doctor.

"Give me a mid-level diagnostic spell right here, Cici." She told one of the girls, pointing where the scientist had cut Raven open to remove the specimen.

Cici did as she was told, while Vic held Raven's hand. Zander and Ginny were out in the hall watching through the window.

"A blind man could've done a better job of cutting and stitching her back together," Hermione mumbled.

She looked up at Vic and nodded. Vic nodded back to her and stunned Raven.

The actual procedure to remove the sample had taken less than thirty minutes. It took Hermione over two hours to set everything that had been done to Raven, back right.

A tired Hermione stood up, she had been hunched over working on the poor girl's reproductive organs, and undoing what the scientist had done. She covered her with a sheet to protect her modesty and rennervated her.

"Why don't you two take her up to her room and let her sleep the drugs off. We'll need to check up on her in a while. She'll probably want a pain-relieving drought sometime tonight too." then Hermione turned to walk out into the hallway to talk to Zander. "Well, she'll probably still be able to wear a bikini. She shouldn't scar. She'll be a little hormonal for the next few days as her body comes to realise that it's not pregnant anymore, and tries to return to normal. She's young, and she could be up and about in a couple of hours, she just needs to flush the anaesthesia out of her system."

"Thank you, Hermione," Zander said as he watched Cici and Vic levitate Raven out of the room.

He followed them up to her room and watched as they put her to bed. After they left, he walked over, grabbed one of the chairs in the room, and moved it next to the bed. He thought about dragging the chair but decided against it, it looked to be older than he was, and if he had to guess, he would have guessed that the chair was maybe a hundred years old at the least. Everything in this house was old and in excellent condition. A little while later, Ginny walked up to the room, she rested her hand on his shoulder, he reached around and squeezed her hand with his.

"She's strong." She told him.

"I know, but I still blame myself. I should've been able to see. I should've been able to see that he was just trying to take my money. And because of that, they got Raven. It's all my fault! If I would have just left her there, then they wouldn't have gotten her, and she wouldn't have had to go through this. It's all my fault!" he was blaming himself for not being there to protect his little girl. He should have been there! He should've seen the signs! Why didn't he see the signs? Why had he let her get hurt? If he had just seen the signs, he could have protected her. Protected her from being drugged, protected her from being raped, Merlin knew how many times, protected her from having an abortion by some hack scientist. Thank Godric for Hermione and her girls! He had seen the scar that she would've had if Hermione hadn't taken care of her. These people had been nothing but kind to them. He was glad that their paths had crossed.

"Will you marry me, Ginny?"

How had he gone from self-pity to wanting to marry Ginny? He had wanted to marry Ginny from the first time he had laid eyes on her. If she hadn't been there, giving him the emotional support that he had needed, he probably would've just killed himself. Without Raven in his life, he had no reason to go on living, but Ginny had been there, helping him along the way. For her, she had gone through similar troubles in her life, and she had helped him see that the kids could do what it was that they said that they could. It may not have been happening as fast as he wanted, but they had gotten the job done and more. He had never imagined that there were so many others that had been taken, and like she'd told him; because of him, other parents that couldn't have, or didn't know where to get the help, got the help that they needed to get their own daughters back.

The silence hung heavy in the air, the two seconds that she took to answer him, felt like two centuries worth of time. The second hand on the clock seemed to be amplified a thousand times as it ticked each second away. The first tick of the clock and his heart stopped as he waited a single eternity, tick and his heart failed to start back up robbing him of the needed oxygen-rich blood to sustain his life. TICK.

"Yes, I will marry you, Zander." She told him elated.

He launched out of his chair to grab her, and hug her so tightly. It reminded her of her mum's hugs. Her mum, she hadn't thought about her mum in a positive light in years, too many years.

She hadn't expected this. She knew that they were good together, but she had never expected for him to ask her to marry him. For some girls, they know when it's going to happen, she had even felt that the first time that she was engaged to be married, she knew that he was going to ask her, but this, Zander? This was out of the blue! She knew that she wasn't marrying him for money, she had just earned €5,000,000 for her part of helping the kids with the mission. It had taken a lot to keep Zander steady, he had wanted to give up so many times! But he had stayed the course because of her, she had helped him to start developing his magical skills again too.

"I don't want to move back to America." She told him. "I don't want to pull Willow out of school here. Her friends and her family are here, in Great Britain." She told him.

"Good, because I don't want to put Raven back in school there." He told her. "We can sell the house there, and buy a house here if you want."

"No, we can put some anti deterioration and preservation enchantments on it. It's paid for, right?" she asked him.

"Yes, I paid for it all up front." He told her.

"Good." She told him. "There's a lot that we both need to learn."

"Like what?" he asked. He knew that he still had a lot to learn, especially when he compared himself to these people.

"Well, we need to learn how to invest wisely."

He interrupted her, "Every person that had tried to teach me about investing has ripped me off!"

In a soothing voice, and pulling him back into a hug, albeit not a bone-crushing hug, "I was thinking of asking Harry if he would be willing to help us." She said.

"Harry? What would he know?"

"Zander, look around. Between the Potter's, the Greengrass', the Bones', and the Black's, they own most of Magical Britain and a big chunk of Non-Magical Britain! Now, why would Harry rip you off?"

He sighed heavily, his chest deflated, his shoulders slumped, he knew that she was right, but there was still that fear. "I'm sorry, it's just that until I met you, and ever since I've won the lottery, all anybody has been after is my money. More than once I've wished that I had never won the lotto."

"But you did, and that let us find each other." She told him.

He pulled her in against him again, and just held her there. The two of them watched Raven sleeping.

.

.

The end of July came around and found the loving threesome laying on the beach of their home in Greece. After the party for their two-year anniversary, they had chosen to escape to their home here on the island. Rose and Angel were due to show later that day. Marc and Gregg were supposed to be going home today also. Things had been really subdued with those two around. For the most part, the kids all hung out at Bones' Tower instead of the Potter Mansion. All of them went to Diagon Alley, which was very different from the shopping malls that the two Americans were used to. They went up to Hogsmeade for a day also. From there they walked to the gates of the school.

"Wow! This place is really old!" Marc said.

"Yes, it is. It's a thousand years old." Rose told him.

"Wow, a thousand years old." He repeated.

"Hey! Let's sneak in!" Gregg suggested.

"No, let's not," Angel told him.

"Why not?" he asked her.

"For one thing, my mum is an Auror! And another is, you would be sent home immediately!" she told him.

He looked at her contemplatively.

"None of you have a game console?" Gregg asked them.

He had never been away from his game console this long before. He couldn't believe that they just hung out and talked or read books.

"Sometimes, when all of us have read the same book, we discuss what we learned from the book," Fred told him.

"We can't believe that you have to turn in your wands!" George told the two American boys.

"Yeah, it's so we can't do any underage magic stuff. But you guys here don't have that law." Marc said to them, he had seen all of them doing magic.

"YES, WE DO!" all of them exclaimed loudly.

"Then how is it that all of you get away with doing all of the magic stuff that you do?"

"Let's go back to the Three Broomsticks," Ced told the group. "We can talk more there."

They spent the next couple of hours eating French fries, onion rings, and sipping on butterbeers as they explained how the Underage use of Magic law worked.

"You mean that if I do magic at home, that they won't come and arrest me?" Marc asked in surprise.

"How are they going to distinguish between your magic and your parents magic?" Vic asked him.

"Now, if you're out on some muggle street, and you're the only magical around, and you cast a cooling charm on yourself, then yes, you're going to get into trouble," Angel told him.

"But if you're in the middle of Hogsmeade here, how are they going to tell the difference between you and some old wizard?" Fred asked him.

"I don't know?" Gregg said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"So, you're saying that we can go back to Diagon Alley, to that wand place, and I can buy a wand, and use it at home, and I won't get in trouble?" Marc asked for clarification.

"Right. But, if you go out into the muggle world and do magic, then yes, you will get into trouble. Now, I will tell you this, if you do any kind of magic around anything that runs on electricity, such as your game station, you will break it and have to buy a new one." Ced cautioned him.

"Why's that?" Gregg asked him.

"Because magic and electricity don't mix," Cici told him.

"Trust me, I know," Amber told him with a chuckle. "I killed my own game console, and all of my parent's computers, and their fancy refrigerator, and their microwave."

"Why'd you do that?"

"Accidental magic. It's how my parents figured out that I was a witch." She told them.

Once they had left the Three Broomsticks, the group of teens headed for the floo network to get back to Diagon Alley, so the two boys could go and buy a wand.

"How much does a wand cost?" Gregg asked.

"About ten galleons," Rose said.

"How much is that in American money?" he asked. His parents had given him a couple of hundred dollars to spend while he was over here, and he had already spent just over half of it.

"That's about eighty dollars," Julia told him.

"Okay, I think that I have ninety dollars." He sighed in relief. He was supposed to go home in a couple of days, and he wasn't expecting for things to be so expensive.

For Rose's part, she wasn't going to let him know that she was rich. If this boy was going to like her, then he was going to like her for her, and not her money. This last job they had done for Zander, had paid off handsomely. After the last of the parents had come for their daughter and new granddaughter, the donations, split ten ways had raised their take home to over €5,000,000. When Zander had said that most of the parents were rich, he wasn't lying. And no, she wasn't going to give Marc ten galleons to he could buy a new wand, if he wanted a new wand, he could spend some of the money that his parents had sent with him, or he could do without.

.

"My Lord, my Ladies," Maco said as she appeared silently next to them on the beach. "your guests have arrived."

All three of them twisted their heads around and said thank you to her. Then they rolled over and got to their feet. As they walked to the house, they covered themselves magically, so they could go and great their friends with some semblance of clothing on. They cleaned their sandy feet before they entered the house, and walked to the sitting room to greet Rose and Angel.

With warm and enthusiastic greetings all around, the four girls embraced each other before they got down to discussing the two American boys that had just left.

Angel looked at Rose for confirmation, "I think that both of them had a tough time without their electronic toys." She told the trio.

Rose nodded her head in agreement. "Fred and Marc really didn't hit it off. Not even over Quidditch, they just didn't have anything in common." She told them.

"George tried on a couple of different occasions, but Gregg just moped about not knowing what to do with himself," Angel said.

"Same with Marc, he didn't even want to learn how to dance!"

"I don't think that Gregg even tried to kiss me!"

"Marc neither!"

"Wow! So, neither of them tried to even kiss, you girls?" Ced asked.

"No!" they coursed.

"Wow," Ced said. The two girls just shook their heads, dumbstruck.

"Well me? I'm ready to go lay on the beach for a while." Rose told them.

"Same rooms?" Angel asked.

"If you want," Cici told them.

"That works for me," Rose said as she started up the stairs, Angel following behind her.

The two young women chose the same rooms that they had the last couple of times that they had been at the beach house. They sat their trunks on the beds, tapped them, then with a flick of their wands, all of their clothes were put away nice and neat. Ced left Angel's room so she could get changed. She summoned her bikini bottoms and a coverup for when she was in the house. She collected a towel, and then she and Cici headed down the stairs to get a sunblock potion for her. A minute later, Vic and Rose were headed down the stairs to get Rose a sunblock potion. Ced was waiting outside with the snorkelling gear. The water was a lot warmer during the summer months than it had been during the spring break, and forget Christmas, that was just cold!

"Zander's place was nice, but I like it here more," Angel said as she was taking her coverup off.

"More privacy," Rose said as her coverup came off also.

"Zander's was nice, but like you said, there were too many people around to take our tops off." Cici agreed with them.

"Did you hear?" Rose asked.

"Hear what?" Vic said.

"Aunt Ginny and Zander are going to get married!" Angel said.

"Really? When?" Cici asked excitedly.

"I don't know. I just heard about it yesterday!" Rose told them.

"Me too! I'm so happy for her!" Angel gushed.

"She deserves somebody nice like Zander," Vic said.

"She does. My dad says that she's had a lot of bad boyfriends." Rose told them.

"Yeah, my dad says that she's had it hard ever since that time at school," Angel told them.

"Well, I for one am happy for her. She deserves a nice guy like Zander, she's punished herself enough for two lifetimes." Vic told them.

"So, Raven says that she's going to start school here this year," Angel told the group of friends.

"Daphne seems to like her," Cici said.

"That's a plus," Rose said.

"Well, with Kitten as her friend, you know nobody's going to pick on her," Ced told them.

"Only an idiot would!" Vic laughed. "And we've gotten rid of most of those!"

"It's taken us three years, but the majority of the idiots are gone. Either expelled or graduated." Angel agreed.

"How long are we staying here for?" Rose asked. This place was easy to like. "School starts in a couple of weeks."

"Really?" Ced asked. Out here on the beach, time had no meaning, and all of the days felt a like.

Ced and the four bare-breasted women walked down the beach to their favourite swimming cove. They talked about Ginny and Zander's upcoming wedding. They wondered where it would be held. Most likely at the Burrow they had decided. They talked about the two American boys. And the two girls had both decided that they would start looking for older guys. The two boys were still so young and immature. They liked them, but they didn't want to compete against their game consoles for attention.

"If you start looking for older guys." Cici started.

"Then there may be added expectations in the relationship," Vic told them.

As the group of friends were getting their snorkelling gear and walking into the water.

"That's something that we've talked about," Rose told the others.

With their masks and fins on, the five of them dove into the water to start swimming around. The group was rewarded with a small pod of bottlenose dolphins coming to look at them too. One of them encouraged Rose to grab ahold of its dorsal fin, and it took her for a long ride. The exhilaration of the ride had caused her to forget about breathing for a bit, and when her body told her that it needed air, well, she swam for the surface. The ride had taken her far away from the island and their little cove. Rose looked around, and she spotted the island quickly, she thought for a moment and then she teleportused to the beach at the cove. Dripping wet, with her bikini trunks hanging on to her hips, she took her fins off and started to walk back into the water to find the others. As she waded in, she rolled over on to her back and slipped the fins back over her water socks, she rolled back on to her front and started to swim back to where the dolphins had given her, her ride. When she stopped swimming and looked up, she could see her different friends pop up out of the water, she waved to them so they would know that she was okay.

As they walked back to the house, Rose was walking between Cici and Angel. She looked at the two dark witches and then at herself. She was still lighter than either of them, but at least she wasn't as white as a ghost anymore! She told them about the ride the dolphin had given her, and then when she realised just how far from shore she was.

"I just focused and used teleportus to get back to the beach!" she told them.

"You know what would be really cool, Ced?" Angel asked him.

"What's that?"

"If somebody made a device that could pull us through the water and all we have to do is to hold on to it, and it takes us wherever we want to go!"

"That would be cool, babe," Cici told him.

"Think how much more exploring we could do!" Vic told him.

Ced shrugged his shoulders, "All I can do is ask about something like that." He told the four girls. It would be cool to go and see more, he thought.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	58. Year Six Chapter 58

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 58

.

.

The loving threesome woke up breathing heavily. Their dreams had become a lot more intense sexually in the last couple of weeks. They had been back at school now for two months, and the Halloween dance was coming up. The Hogsmeade weekend was this past Saturday, and Halloween was this coming Thursday. But for right now, today was October 27th, and it was still 3:33 in the morning. They lay there panting.

" _What's going on?"_

" _Where did that come from?"_

" _What's happening to us?"_

" _Who can we talk to about this?"_

" _How are we going to talk to them?"_

The only people they could really talk to were their parents.

" _We need to do it soon, or Vic and I need to get on the potion."_

" _Probably both."_

" _Okay, we'll go home for dinner tonight. I'll send an owl to mum and dad letting them know we're coming home for dinner."_ Ced told his wives.

Vic pushed herself up so she could see over the top of Cici. _"It's still 3:47 in the morning!"_

"What do you want to do, Little One?" her voice sounded loud in the quiet of the morning.

"Let's go in the house for a week, we can also talk to Edmund about this. Then when we return, it will be our normal time to get up." She suggested.

"Either way, we need a shower. That was our most intense dream yet." Ced told the two women.

What Ced was saying was right. All of them needed to take a shower, and it had been the most intense dream they had had like that. For Cici and Ced, they were coming up on their three-year anniversary, and for three years, their dreams had been manageable. All of their dreams had been enjoyable, well except for the time when Ced dreamt about Vic getting swallowed by the sand, but other than that they had all been pleasant dreams.

The two girls rolled away from Ced, so he could take care of those early morning urges. As the two girls pressed their bodies together to stay warm under the covers, their arms and legs wrapped around each other.

" _What's going on?"_

" _I don't know! And it kind of scares me!"_

Vic could feel her wife's heart starting to race again. She rolled over, pulling Cici on top of her.

"Shh, it's going to be okay. We'll figure this out!" Vic whispered to Cici as she started to rub Cici's back to help her calm down.

The two of them rolled out of bed when they heard the door to the loo open. They stood there bare-breasted, in their knickers, and focused on the house in the bottle. Once all three of them were there, they apparated to their bedroom for an early morning shower and a change of clothes.

"Good morning Cedric, Cecilia, Victoria," Ade said to them.

"Good morning!" they all called out to her.

"Ade, could you please give us a week in here and return us at 5:15 in the morning today?" Ced asked her.

"It is as you wish, Cedric." She told him.

"Thank you, Ade." He said.

After their shower, and before breakfast, the threesome headed over to talk to Edmund. With the three of them intertwined on a couch, they talked about what had been happening in their lives.

"It's very exciting, that you helped rescue all of those girls!" he told them boisterously.

"One of the girls we rescued, actually the girl we were hired to find, Raven, the terrorists have found a way to create only evil babies," Cici told him.

"Really?"

"Yes, we don't know if it is some kind of potion, or just selective breeding, or …" Vic was saying.

"Or, if it's DNA manipulation." Ced finished her comment.

"They're able to create babies that are evil?" he asked.

"Yes! Uasal and Car-baun both could sense the evil that was growing inside of her." Vic told him.

"What did you do about it?" he asked them.

"We took her to a muggle scientist that ran a bunch of muggle tests, and then they cut it out of her a week later," Cici told him.

"They cut it out of her?" he asked. "With knives?"

"Yes, but they call them scalpels," Cici told him.

"Eww!" he said with a shudder.

"Yeah, my mum spent over two hours cleaning up the scientist's mess," Ced told him.

"So, how's the girl doing now?"

"She's doing a lot better. Dad was able to get her to take an oath of loyalty." Vic told him.

"She wasn't able to take an oath of loyalty before?"

"No, that was the first sign there was a problem," Ced told him.

"Then Kitten showed up, and she was the one to tell us the baby was pure evil," Cici told him.

"Wow! She said pure evil? But it wasn't affecting her health?"

"No, the curse that Draco was carrying affected Astoria's health. But this baby wasn't affecting Raven's health." Vic said.

The four of them discussed everything, but what had brought the threesome into the house that morning. Even over the rest of their time in the house, the conversation just went everywhere but to the problem.

"What do you mean you didn't bring your swords with you?" Toll scolded the three of them.

"It's kind of hard to sleep with your sword on you!" Vic told their combat instructor.

"Well, you will just have to make due with what you find in the simulation then." He scolded them.

It seemed as if Toll was taking his frustrations out on them, he gave them five groups of eight combatants each. The simulation lasted close to two hours. All three of them were injured multiple times throughout the simulation.

"I see your healing skills have also been improving!" he told them encouragingly.

The small amount of praise helped offset the frustrations they were feeling towards him.

.

With the three of them standing naked in their bathroom, Cici started to go over the field medic work they had done in the simulation. She checked and healed both her wife and her husband, to eliminate any chance of a scar developing. Ced and Vic both looked Cici over and repaired the field work that had been done to finish the simulation. As they checked her over, she started the tub to filling, she added soothing bubbles, pain relieving bubbles, and muscle relaxing bubbles to their filling tub of hot water.

"Toll really took it out on us this morning," Cici commented.

"Yeah, he did." Ced agreed with her.

"Can I just lay in here for the rest of the week?" Vic asked.

"You and me both sister!" Cici said exuberantly.

The three of them hadn't been this sore in a long time.

"And I was thinking about laying out on the beach!" Vic told them.

"Maybe tomorrow," Cici said to her.

"I'm too sore to even want to get up and go get something to eat!" Ced told the two women.

"I don't think I even have enough energy to chew it!" Vic said.

"Can't they just feed it to us through a straw?" Cici whined.

"Oh, that would be nice!" Ced told her.

"Wishful thinking!" Vic brought them back to reality with a chuckle.

"Well, when the water gets cold. Then we'll get out." Cici said to them.

"Mi Amor, the tub is enchanted to never let the water get cold."

"Then I guess we're going to die in here!" she told him with a laugh and a smile.

"I'll be right next to you Dark One!"

As the sun began to set in the house, bringing their first day to a close, the three of them began to push themselves out of the tub to go eat their dinner together.

"Those bubbles really do work," Vic said as she climbed out of the tub, the water running off of her in rivulets.

"Yeah, they do." A tired Cici agreed with her.

As Ced was getting out of the tub, he dried both of his wives off magically. Then each one did their own hair for the walk to dinner. The two of them decided to just wear one of his t-shirts to eat in. He watched as the two shirts flew across the room and into their hands. He summoned a pair of long shorts and a t-shirt for himself. The three of them walked barefoot to the dining room to eat dinner.

After dinner, the trio went for a long walk along the beach, holding hands. The stroll helped to stretch their muscles back out, it also let them work out some of the kinks, allowing them to relax more comfortably later.

The tired threesome climbed into bed early that night. They opened their minds to each other like they had since they first bonded. With Cici on one side of him and Vic on the other, the soothing scent of each of his wives helped Ced slip off into dreamland. For Cici and Vic, the smell of their husband and his strong, steady heartbeat, helped them slip into dreamland also.

3:33 in the morning three sets of eyes opened wide, as the three of them woke up breathing heavily, their hearts racing.

" _Why is this happening to us?"_

" _I don't know!"_

" _What's wrong with us?"_

" _I don't know."_

" _Why are we doing this?"_

" _I don't know!"_

" _This has never happened to us before!"_

" _I know!"_

" _What do you think this means?"_

" _I think this means you and I are going to have to go on the potion, soon!"_

" _Soon? Like how soon?"_

"Like, when we go see our mum type of soon!" Cici said out loud.

"Well, either way, I need to go and clean up," Ced told them.

The two of them rolled off of him so he could get out of bed and go to clean up.

"When he's finished, I need to go and clean up too," Cici told her wife.

"Me too," Vic said to her.

"Screw it, let just take a shower," Cici said as she made to roll out of bed.

Ced heard the shower turn on while he was in the water closet.

" _What's wrong?"_ he thought to his wives.

" _Nothing, it's just we needed to clean up too."_ Cici thought to him.

" _We need to figure out why this is happening to us."_ Vic thought to both spouses.

" _We will, mum will help us,"_ Cici told her.

" _I hope so because this is scaring me!"_

" _Why?"_ Ced asked through their mental link.

" _It's like we don't even have control over our own bodies anymore!"_

" _I agree with her babe. This is kind of scary to me too."_ Cici thought to him.

In the past, their time in the house had always come to an end too soon, but this time, the three of them could hardly wait for the single week to finish out and return them to reality. What was happening to them?

.

The cold fresh air outside felt good as they ran around the lake. They even encountered Neville and a couple of his friends up early this morning on their run. When the coast was clear, the nine of them portkeyed into the chambers to meet with Uncle Neville and Uncle Draco.

Uncle Draco looked beat. "Scorpius is still not sleeping through the night?" Cici asked him.

"No, we're hoping he'll start sleeping through the night in the next couple of weeks." He said just before a big yawn hit him. "Would all of you be upset if I went back home and got a couple of more hours of sleep?" he asked them, if the circles under his eyes were any indication, he needed the rest.

"It's fine by me," Ced told him.

"See you in class?" Julia asked him before he portkeyed out.

"Yes, I'll be back in time for my classes." He told the group of people. Then he grabbed ahold of his portkey and was sucked in.

"Uncle Neville? Could you help us with our animagus training?" Ced asked.

This was met with enthusiasm from all of the rest.

"I've got one token," Fred said. "When will I find the rest of them?" he asked.

"Sometimes, it takes a while." He told them. "If you can collect about four tokens, then Hermione has a potion that will help you transform into your animagus form." He told them.

"But what about those of us that don't even have one token?" Amber asked.

"What you really need, is quiet time. Time to just relax and meditate." He told them.

"When's the best time to do that?" Julia asked.

"For me, it was in the mornings. Before we found the chambers, we would all gather in the common room early in the morning and just sit on the floor in front of the fire and meditate on it." He told them.

"So, we just have to meditate?" Ced asked. There were a thousand other things he could think to do, other than sit somewhere cross-legged and meditate.

" _Babe, we did it when we were learning occlumency."_ Cici chided him.

He glared at her sadly. There wasn't enough anger in the look to really call it a glare, it was more of a resigned look of, 'okay, I will sit here and do nothing until I turn into something I don't know what it is.' Look on his face.

" _Dark One's right, we can sit here and calm our minds for an hour,"_ Vic told him.

The group sat down cross-legged on the carpet in the sitting room. The lot of them cleared their minds and began to focus on their centres again. All of them had had some introduction to becoming animagus. The hard part had been finding the needed time to actually do it! They had been filling their days with combat training, strength training, flexibility training, plus learning new spells! Working with runes, learning to run a confidence course, jumping out of an aeroplane, flying a broom out of an aeroplane while it was in flight, did we mention hand to hand combat, edged weapons combat, and magical combat, or duelling?

By the end of the hour, all of them had managed to calm their minds down and find their centres again.

"Thank you, Uncle Neville, I needed that," Ced told him gratefully.

Neville nodded at him to acknowledge his gratuity. "I'll see all of you tomorrow." He said.

.

.

"Crescent is helping you with your animagus training?" Harry asked the kids.

"Crescent?" Ced asked for them.

They were eating dinner in the small dining room. It was just Harry, Hermione, Susie, and the threesome.

"Yes, Crescent. That's Neville's animagus name. He got it because he's a giant bear with brown fur with a white patch of fur on his chest in the shape of a crescent moon." Harry told him.

"Oh, okay," Ced answered.

"What are your shapes and names?" Vic asked.

"Well, Harry is Shadow, and I'm Lyall," Hermione told them.

"Okay, so what are your shapes?" Cici asked.

"Let's go to the back garden," Hermione said as she set her fork down, she took the napkin from her lap and pushed her chair back.

Harry got up and helped her out of her chair. It had been a while since either of them had changed forms, years in fact. The others in the room followed them outside, even Susie. Even before the door to the house had fully closed, Ced's dad changed in front of them. With the click of the door, his mum had changed also. Standing there, wide-eyed, and mouth hanging open, Ced was in shock. How could his parents continue to surprise him?

He looked at his dad's animagus form, a big black wolf. The name Shadow suited him, he was easily as tall as Ced, maybe taller standing there on all fours. His mum, was a light brown, fading to white, an Arctic Wolf, as tall as Cici or Vic, but not as tall or bulky as Shadow.

As Ced stood there, his head spinning, Shadow spit out a fireball. His dad was a Fire Wolf? A magical creature?

"How long did it take you to change?" Vic asked excitedly.

They watched as Hermione changed back in front of them. "A little over a year. It took Harry about the same amount of time to master his elemental magic."

"What's his elemental magic?" Cici asked.

"Fire," Harry said after he had changed back.

"Fire, like me." She said.

"Yes, but have you mastered it yet? Or does it drain you?" he asked her.

"It's still draining to me, but I haven't had a need to use it much either." She told him.

"Here, come with me, let's go over here." and he led the group towards the edge of the manicured lawn, away from the house.

When he had gone far enough away from the house. He conjured a fireball with his elemental magic, then he caused it to grow, and then he made it grow some more, and then it got larger still, finally, when it was ten metres across, he was able to manipulate it, and it did whatever it was he wanted. With Cici standing beside him, her mouth opened in awe, she stood there transfixed at the power she was seeing. Then Harry handed her the fireball.

"You have to control it. Not out of the force of your will, that will drain you quickly. You need to learn to be in control of it, feel your magic flowing out of you, the more magic you feed it, the larger it will grow. Relax." He told her as she stood there tense and ridged. "There's no difference between a fireball the size of a knut in the palm of your hand and one that's as large as what you have right now. Both of them require the same amount of work to control. When I was first doing this, I almost tired Mione out, she had to put out so many fires that night. My mentor almost gave up on me." He chuckled at the memory. "Can you feel your magic flowing down your arms and out of your hands?"

Cici nodded, she was learning. She slowed the flow of magic down, and the fireball became more controllable. Then she tried to make it rotate, first clockwise, and it turned slowly in a clockwise direction.

"You're doing good." Harry praised her. He could feel her relaxing more as time passed.

Then out of nowhere, the fireball flared out of control. Ced cast a shield over himself and Vic. His mum already had hers in place. Then the fireball was gone, small flames on the ground at the edges of the circle of bare dirt where the fireball had burned the grass away.

Vic was about to cause it to rain when she watched water bubble up out of the ground and put the flames out.

"Your elemental magic is water?" Vic asked in shock.

"Yes, water and air. But the only time I have ever controlled the wind was when I got really, really, angry at something. But water is my main elemental magic." Her mum told her.

"Ced's is air, wind, mine is water," Vic told her.

"Do you want to try again?" Harry asked her.

"Yeah." She said.

This time, Cici conjured the fireball with her elemental magic. It grew from being in the palm of her hand to the size of a volleyball. From there it enlarged in size to a big beach ball. Then she grew it to the extent her father-in-law had made his.

"Okay, calm down and control the flow of magic into it." He told her.

Her spouses could feel the flow of magic that was going into the fireball. As she focused on the flow of magic, they could feel the flow smooth out and settle down.

"Okay good. Now to save even more magic, you can pull heat energy from the surrounding elements. You can literally pull the heat out of the air to feed your fire element." He told her.

Cici focused on pulling the heat energy out of the air, and the environment surrounding her. Her spouses could feel the flow of magic lessen even more. With Harry's guidance, Cici was learning what had taken him over a week, in a few hours.

It was a very excited threesome that returned to their quarters that night. Happiness and joy were bubbling out of them as they got into bed together. With kisses goodnight, the three of them fell quickly asleep. In their shared consciousness, they relived the joy of Cici gaining mastery of her elemental magic. They relived finding out their parents were animagus. Their love and joy spread out from them, the golden red glow enveloped them as they drifted deeper into dreamland.

.

At 3:33 in the morning, as if by magic, the three of them woke up breathing heavily, their hearts were racing, their eyes were wide open, as they sat up in bed trying to calm their racing hearts, and slow their breathing down.

"We forgot to talk to mum and dad about this last night," Cici said out loud.

"What do you think this means?" Vic asked worriedly.

"I don't know, but I do know I need to go and get cleaned up, again," Ced told them frustratedly.

The two bare-breasted wives looked down at themselves, "We do too." they said in unison as they got out of bed and followed their husband to the shower.

"It's not like we haven't had these kinds of dreams in the past!" Cici said with fake excitement.

"I know!" Ced agreed with her.

"But they've never been this intense before!" Vic pleaded.

"That's the scary part!" Cici agreed.

"It's like we have no control over ourselves!" Vic told them.

"Well, we'll go talk to mum and dad tonight, and find out what's happening," Ced told them.

"No, let's do it this morning," Cici told him. "We can leave a note for the others, so they don't worry." She said.

"We can just tell Julia and then have one of the elves take us to the mansion," Vic said.

"Okay, so what are we going to do for the next hour and a half?" Ced asked.

The three of them sat cross-legged on their bed, knees touching as they meditated on becoming animagus. In the calmness of their meditation, the threesome's eyes opened simultaneously, they looked at each other, then they collected a lock of hair from their mates. They had just collected their first token. A smile filled their faces, as well as their hearts. The three of them put their tokens in a safe place as they got ready to go and speak with their parents.

.

Leo and Maco dropped them off at the bottom of the Grand Staircase of the Potter Mansion. There they met their parents as they were walking down the stairs holding hands.

"What brings the three of you home, so soon?" Hermione asked.

"Weeellll, can we go to the sitting room and talk?" Ced asked them.

With a worried look, Harry told them. "Sure."

" _I wonder what's wrong?"_ he said to Hermione.

" _I don't know. It has to be something serious though_." She responded to him.

After they had all assumed their regular seating positions.

"What's so important you needed to come and see us this morning?" their mother asked them.

"We've been having dreams," Vic said.

Hermione sat up straighter in Harry's lap. "What kind of dreams?" She asked them concerned.

She knew prophetic dreams could give them a glimpse into the future. They could help turn the tide in this war they were waging against the side of darkness. She also knew it could mean one of her children was a prophet.

"We've had these kinds of dreams before," Ced told them.

"So, you've had these dreams before?" she clarified.

"Yes, but they've always been manageable," Cici told her.

"So, your dreams are becoming unmanageable now?" she asked them.

"Yes! And it's beginning to scare me!" Vic told her.

"So, your dreams are scaring you?" she said as she sat up even straighter in Harry's lap. She no longer had her legs hanging over the arm of the chair, now she was facing her children.

"Yes," Cici told her.

"What is it about your dreams that scare you?" Hermione asked, drawing on her years of psychology training.

"In our dreams, we're losing control," Ced told her.

"So, the three of you share your dreams?" she asked them, amazed.

"Yes," Ced told her.

"How long have the three of you been sharing your dreams?" she asked in amazement. She had shared a couple of Harry's dreams when they hadn't put up their mental barriers before falling asleep.

"We've always shared our dreams," Cici told her as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

"We don't believe in keeping secrets," Vic told her.

"Also, when we share our dreams, it's kind of like a shared consciousness that lets us solve problems quicker," Ced told his parents.

Hermione looked at them in amazement, her son and his mates had an incredible relationship. "So, this is how you've dealt with any jealousy that has tried to get into your relationship?"

"Yes, by us not keeping any secrets from the others, jealousy can't get a foothold in our marriage," Vic told her.

"That's incredible!" their mum said to them. "The others have often wondered how you three were able to get along so well, and I really didn't have an answer for them."

"But back to our dreams," Vic said.

"Yes, back to your dreams." She looked at them again more clinically.

"We don't know what they mean," Cici told her.

"What's happening in your dreams that scares you? Why do you feel you're losing control?"

"Because we are, mum!" Ced told her.

"Like we said, we've had these kinds of dreams before, but we were always able to maintain control. But, now, it's like we don't have any control!" Cici said.

"What is it you're losing control of?"

"We're losing control of our bodies!" Vic said exasperatedly.

"You're losing control of your bodies? How are you losing control of your bodies?" she asked them, getting worried again.

"Well, in our dreams, we're able to do things we can't or don't do in reality. And now those things we can do in our dreams have kind of gotten out of control, and we go too far." Ced told her, his cheeks growing pink.

"Just for clarification's sake. What is it you're doing in your dreams when you lose control of your dream?" Their mum asked them.

"Have you ever heard of a 'wet dream?'" Cici asked her, growing a little darker herself.

"Yes." Hermione looked confused.

"Well, in our dreams, we're losing control of our bodies, and the dreams are becoming more intense as the days go by! And we don't understand what's happening to us!" Vic told her.

"So, the three of you are having a 'wet dream', and this worries you?" she asked them, could it really be this simple?

"Yes. And no." Vic said. "In our dreams, the three of us are normally just doing some snogging. But then the dream jumps to Cici and Ced having sex!" she told her.

"And your jealous of them having sex?" Hermione asked.

"No! we've never had sex!" Vic told her.

"So, you and Ced have never had sex, but Cici and Ced have had sex?"

"NO!" the three of them came close to shouting.

"So, none of you have had sex." She stated flatly.

"YES!" they said together.

"Yes, you have, or yes you haven't had sex?" she asked them.

"Mum, we have not had sex. None of us has had sex! We haven't consummated our marriage yet." Ced told her.

He and Cici had been married almost three years now, and they still haven't had sex?

" _It seems not Mione."_ Harry thought to her.

"So, the three of you haven't consummated your marriages, yet. And the two of you are coming up on your seventeenth birthday at the end of November." She was thinking out loud and talking under her breath. "So, why haven't you consummated your marriage?" she asked Cici.

"We've just, never felt the need to." She told her.

"Why not?" she asked. She and Harry wanted to wait until they were both sixteen until they consummated their marriage, Harry had promised her dad that they would wait until both of them were ready.

"Well, we've talked about it, but for us, it just seems the bond has kept us from going that far." She told her mother-in-law, mum.

"And now, it seems as if we have no control of our own bodies!" Vic told her.

Hermione focused on her oldest daughter. "But for you, you're still fifteen. How is this affecting you?"

"I feel everything Cici feels!" Vic told her.

"We share everything," Cici told her. "The only time we close off our minds completely is when one of us gets hurt, and you know what that's for." She told them.

"Yes, we understand that part. But the fact the three of you share everything is just so amazing! The level of openness, the level of trust is so incredible!" she told them.

"So, you and dad don't share everything like we do?" Ced asked his mum.

"We do share, but not to the level you do." She told him. "When we first bonded, the dark lord was after your father, and your father was actually an accidental Horcrux of the dark lord. Your father was experiencing the dark lord's emotions when we first bonded. Then as time passed, he was able to see what the dark lord saw as well. Most of this happened while he was sleeping and for those reasons, most of the time we would close off our minds to each other when we slept, and what was for self-preservation, became a habit." She told him.

"But why are we being driven to have sex?" Cici asked her.

"I don't know. Do you think it's the bond that's driving you to consummate your marriage, or do you think it's your hormones?" she asked.

This caused the three of them to sit back on their couch and start thinking.

"We've talked about this in the past," Ced told her. "And we feel the bond has always held us back, from going too far." He said. "And we've always found ways to relieve our hormonal urges. So, we don't think it's our hormones that are driving us together." he finished.

"I think the thing that scares us, is we're going to wake up one of these times and find out what's been happing in our dreams is happening in real life. And neither Vic or I are in any hurry to get pregnant." Cici told her.

"So, what you want, is to go on the potion." Hermione clarified what it was she was hearing.

"I think we should, just to be safe," Cici told her.

"I'm really in no hurry to have a baby right now," Vic told her with a slightly nervous chuckle.

"Well, I think I should have some in the medical room." She told them. Then, as she stood up, "If you want to follow me. We can talk some more if you want."

.

.

At 3:33 in the morning on November 27th their fears caught up with them. Vic woke up breathing heavy, her heart racing, and her body damp with sweat, trying to figure out what she was feeling. What she wasn't feeling was connected to her husband, she wasn't making any physical contact with him. She was still making physical contact with her wife. Hers and her wife's legs were still touching, but Vic was not in physical contact with Ced. The other thing that was different this time from all of the others, … as she lay there analysing what she was experiencing, a climax tore through her, opening her eyes fully, … her mouth opened wide in a scream of extasy as she felt her husband reach his peak, as her husband reached his peak, … as her husband reached his peak, inside of her wife? The three of them lay there spent.

" _What just happened?"_ Vic asked, non-accusatorily.

This had been coming for months. If they looked back, at what had been happening to them, it all pointed to this moment in time. It was all leading up to this instant.

" _I don't know,"_ Cici said. _"I mean, I know what just happened, but I don't know why, what just happened, happened."_ She said.

" _Are you okay, Mon Amour?"_ Ced asked her, reaching over to take her hand.

" _Yes."_ She said. _"I mean, I hurt in all the same spots that Dark One hurts. But emotionally, I'm fine."_ She told them.

The dynamics of their marriage had just changed, and Vic knew, they all knew. She also knew, for whatever reason, the bond had been pushing for Ced and Cici to make love to each other, to consummate their marriage, looking back, she could see that now. But why? That was the question she didn't have an answer to, they didn't have an answer to.

She could, now, looking back, feel the compulsion Dark One and Ced had been feeling. But looking at herself, she didn't feel that desire driving her forward. Why?

She wasn't feeling jealousy, she wasn't feeling neglect, she knew their love for her, ran as deep or deeper than it ever had. She knew, from looking inside of her spouses' minds, nothing had changed there, not even between Dark One and her husband.

What was the purpose?

.

.

The group of nine friends waited for the last of the carriages that would take them down to the Hogwarts Express, which would take them home for the Christmas holidays. The first half of their sixth year had been unexciting. Daphne and her friends had taken over the planning of the different school dances. The Halloween dance had been terrific. They had done the haunted house again with the help of Willow's uncles and all of their friends. They didn't have a pre-dance show in the Grand Entrance hall this year, much to the relief of many of the students. The Christmas dance had been fantastic also. The four younger girls had done an excellent job of planning on that too. They had recycled some of the ideas from before and left some of the ideas behind.

Kitten had accepted Raven into their group of friends. Some of the students had tried to bully her at the start of the school year, but as soon as they saw Kitten, they quickly left her alone. The same was with most of the boys that tried to talk to them. The boys would talk to the other girls as long as Kitten wasn't near them, but as soon as she would walk up to them, they would leave in a hurry.

.

As the group rode the last two carriages past the gate, Vic jumped off of her carriage. The other eight of them followed her lead.

"What's up?" Fred asked her.

"Well, I need to go and check up on the company." She told them.

"Well, I'll go with you if you want," George told her. That aerodynamic shield she had them install on his broom was sweet!

"I'll go with you," Julia told her.

"Me too," Angel said.

All six of her friends had agreed to go with her to Cleansweep Brooms.

"How were you going to get there?" Rose asked and then looked up at the grey clouds getting ready to dump snow on them.

"I was just going to apparate there. It's too cold to ride our brooms." She told them.

"And it will be faster," Ced told her.

"Does everybody know where we're going?" Cici asked. She and Ced would just side along with Vic.

Each of the other guys had a girl on each side of him. I wonder if this is what Ced feels like, Fred thought just before he twisted and was standing in the alley next to the factory.

"That's pretty good!" Vic complemented him. He had made virtually no sound when he had apparated.

"Good job George! Nice and quiet!" Vic complemented him too.

The nine friends walked around the corner and through the front doors of the building.

"May I help you?" the receptionist asked as Vic was walking past her desk.

"No, I'm just going upstairs to my office." She told her as she was about to walk past.

The receptionist got out of her chair hurriedly and blocked her path. Seeing this aggressive behaviour, the other eight spread out and assumed a defensive posture.

"Do you know who I am?" Vic asked in a calm, relaxed voice.

"No, I don't. And that is why I can't let you past." She told her.

"Well, I am Victoria Potter, and I own this company," Vic told her in a calm, relaxed voice again.

"Well, I will just have to verify that." The receptionist told her.

"And with whom are you going to verify that?" she asked her.

"With the head of the company, Ms Coulter." She said.

"Well, at least somebody that I've hired is still here," Vic said as she started up the stairs.

"STOP! You can't just walk up there!"

"Why not?" Vic asked her harshly.

"SECURITY!"

"CASSY!" Vic yelled. She really hated yelling she decided, as she climbed the flight of stairs to the second floor of the building.

Ced and Cici formed up behind Vic. Fred, George and the others formed a rear guard to protect their friends' flanks.

Vic was rewarded with the sight of Cassy's large breasts bouncing their way towards the sound of her voice. I really need to teach her that spell, she thought. Behind Cassy, Caroline was walking quickly too.

"Vic?" Caroline called to her.

"Yes!" Vic replied.

"I haven't seen you in a while!" Caroline said to her. They greeted each other like long-lost friends.

Once Caroline was done hugging her, Cassy took her into a crushing hug also.

"It's okay Martha. She is who she says she is!" Cassy told the receptionist.

"Are things so bad that we need security?" Vic asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Caroline told her. "I contacted Lord Greengrass about hiring some security that we could trust, and he helped us out." She told Vic.

Cassy led the group of people back towards the executive offices.

"Let's head for the conference room, we can talk more in there," Caroline told the group.

Cassy turned at the end of the walkway and then she opened the doors to the redecorated conference room.

Vic looked around, "I like what you've done with the place!" she told her approvingly.

"Thank you. I felt that the place needed a woman's touch after you had gotten rid of the good ole boy's club! Besides, the last look was so two hundred years ago!" Caroline said with a lot of mirth filling her tone.

"Yeah, it was!" Vic told her with a smile.

"Cassy? Could you have Jessica from R+D come up here and have Terrance join us in here also." Caroline requested.

"Yes, mam." The buxom brunette told her as she exited the room.

"How's Cassy working out for you?" Vic asked her as she took a seat.

"She has been wonderful to have around, and she's a very willing learner," Caroline told her with a smile.

"Good, I'm glad."

Soon the head of New Product Development entered the room. She looked around warily, and when she saw Vic, she smiled at her. Before the door could close, Terrance, the Head of Marketing entered the room. When he saw Vic, he smiled at her. Caroline indicated for the two of them to sit down.

"One of the things that you wanted us to do, was for us to build an exotic broom." Caroline started off briefing her boss.

"We're not building an exotic broom." The marketing man told her.

Vic frowned at them, she was not pleased.

"We're building three exotic brooms!" he told her, jubilantly.

"Three?!" Vic exclaimed.

"Yes! Three!" he told her.

Vic looked at her three employees.

"The reason we decided to launch three new brooms, is that it was easy to do," Caroline told her.

"The technology in the brooms is all very similar," Jessica told her. "It's just three different levels of refinement."

"We have a lightweight, agile little broom, we want to call the Hornet. We have a heavier luxurious performance broom we want to call the Hunter, and we have a second to none, exotic broom, that we want to call the Falcon." Terrance told her.

"Fabulous! When can I see them?" she asked.

"In just a moment. When we were told that you were here, we had to stop a delivery so we could bring one of each of them to you." He told her.

And as if on cue, there was a knock at the door, and then in walked three men carrying three different brooms. Terrance levitated the three brooms to the side of the table and dismissed the workers.

"The first broom here is the Hornet. As you can see, it is a lightweight little broom. But don't let its size fool you, it's a high-performance broom without all of the frills." Then he moved that broom over to a corner, and he brought out the Hunter. "This is the Hunter, as you can see, it is a much larger broom with comfort in mind, as well as performance. On this broom, we have included the aerodynamic shield, where on the Hornet, that is an option." When he had finished, he moved the broom off to the side and levitated the last broom to the centre of the conference room table. This broom was bright silver in colour and looked to be going two hundred kilometres per hour just floating there. "This is the Falcon, it's not much larger than the Hornet, as you can see, but it doesn't cut corners on performance. It's light, it's fast, and, it's stable at those speeds. And that's without the aerodynamic shield activated. We spared no expense when we specked out the materials to be used in its construction."

"Some of the materials we had to actually develop in-house," Jessica told them.

"How many of each of these are we actually building?" Vic asked.

"I told them to limit production of all of the brooms. For the Hornet, I set production at two hundred units. For the Hunter, which is the least sophisticated of the brooms, I set the limit at two hundred units also. And for the Falcon, all of us came together and set the limit at fifty units. All of which are sold. That one is our gift to you." Caroline told her.

"Thank you all, very much," Vic told them as she stood up and reached for the broom. It is a sexy broom in a masculine sort of way she thought. "Thank you again, but at this time I need to speak to Caroline in private."

"Well, these two brooms need to get on their shipments so they can be sold. All of our distributors are reporting excellent sales of the brooms, with customer demand being very high. The brooms are actually being sold at a premium." Terrance told her.

"That's good to hear." She told him. Then she turned to Caroline, "Let's finish this up in your office." Vic told her.

.

Vic came back into the conference room, "I hope that I didn't get all of you into trouble." She told them.

"No, it's okay. I called my dad when you and Caroline left to go and talk." George told her.

"And I called my mum, I told her that we were going to be home early," Fred said to her.

"And, I called our parents," Ced told her.

"It's good to see the company finally turning around," Cici told her bond-mate.

"I am so glad that I hired Caroline," Vic told them. "Let's go home." She said as she went to turn back around and exit the room.

" _Don't forget to teach that spell to Cassy."_ Cici thought to her.

As the group of friends walked past Cassy's desk, "Cassy, can I talk to you in my office for a minute?" Vic asked her.

Cassy got a worried look on her face, she knew that she wasn't the most qualified person for her job, but she got up and followed the much younger witch into her office.

"Cassy, I want to teach you a spell that will help your bras do their job better." She told her. "This is a spell that was taught to me, and I have taught to my friends." Seeing the confused look on the woman's face. "Here, let me show you the difference between with the spell and without the spell on my bra." Vic bounced and shook her breasts that moved some. "Now without the spell." After she cancelled the spell, she bounced and shook her breasts, they looked like they were trying to come out of her school robes! "With the spell." and once again her breasts moved minimally. "Here, you try it." And Vic cast the spell on Cassy's bra, without her permission.

Cassy bounced and shook, she still had some movement, but her breasts stopped trying to hit her in the face or untucking her blouse.

"It almost feels like they're floating!" Cassy said in awe. Where had this spell been when she was growing up?

"Do you want to try it again without the spell?"

"No! I know what that feels like!" she told her.

"Okay, so this is the spell," and she taught her the spell, and helped her with the pronunciation of it, "and this is the wand movement that goes with it." Once she had taught her both parts of the spell, Vic cancelled the spell she had put on her bra.

"Wow! I can feel the weight of my breasts!" Under Vic's supervision, Cassy cast the spell on her bra. "Oh, I can feel the difference already! That feels so much better! At one point, I had even considered getting breast reduction surgery!"

"There would be a lot of unhappy men out there if you did that!" Vic teased her.

"I know! And I can't have that!" Cassy winked at Vic.

"Happy Christmas, Cassy."

"You too!" and she enveloped her in a smothering hug.

.

.

When Cici had looked outside through their bedroom windows. "The snowflakes are the size of galleons!" she told her bond-mates.

Vic walked up behind her and pulled her into a hug from behind. The compulsion that Cici and Ced had felt had hit Vic at the start of the month. Cici's head rested against the side of Vic's.

"You don't need to be afraid Little One."

"I know, I've just never felt anything like this before. It's like I'm reliving what we went through in October and November all over again." She said quietly. "I feel as if I have no control over what is going to happen to me."

Cici turned in Vic's arms, and they continued to hug, Cici giving Vic strength and comfort, Vic absorbing the strength and comfort from her soul-mate.

"Come on, let's go get our run in," Cici told her lovingly.

The heavy snow outside forced the large group of friends to get their morning run in on the treadmills in the training room. The sounds of many different feet hitting the belts of the treadmills were almost as loud as the whirring sounds the treadmills themselves made. It was the nine friends, six adults, Raven, and Neville all running on the treadmills that morning, and if any of them were betting people, they would be doing it the rest of Christmas break too.

After a forty-five-minute run this morning the tired group downed the last of the Vitamix potion.

"I need two volunteers to brew some Vitamix potion this afternoon," Hermione said loud enough for all of them to hear.

"I volunteer Neville and Raven!" Julia yelled from the back of the group.

"Excellent! You can start teaching them after lunch then." Hermione told her, cracking a smile at the end.

"Okay." She said a little less enthusiastically.

.

"Okay, I think that for the sake of time, I'm going to put the nine of you into one large training simulation," Harry told them. "Now the question comes up, do you want ten opponents each or do you want more than ten?" he asked them.

"Are you talking three different levels? I didn't bring my sword with me this morning." Amber told him shyly.

"Okay, who all do not have their sword on them?"

Over half of the hands went up.

"Well, while the lot of you go and get your swords, I will have Raven and Neville run through a simulation." Harry scowled at them.

The look that he gave them was crushing, those of them that left their sword at home knew that they had disappointed him, they had let him down because they didn't follow their training to always carry their swords and their wands.

As Neville and Raven stepped into the training room, Raven had watched what was happening before, but she had never really tried it out. But how hard could it be? She was a fourth-year, after all, Kitten, Willow, and Solaria weren't down here this early doing this. She didn't really know why everybody at school was scared of her anyway, she had always been nice to her.

"I'm going to give you three opponents each, all of them in a wizard's duel," Harry told them. "Room! I want three opponents for each contestant, novice setting." Harry called out to the room.

Then the room fuzzed out and back in. Raven and Neville were in a clothing store. There were racks of clothes all around them. There was a cash register sitting vacant in the middle of the room.

Ooo! Tops are on sale, 50% off, today only! Raven thought to herself. Then as she was standing there, a sickly yellow curse shot through the blouse that she was reaching for. She hadn't even put up a shield to protect herself. Professor Riddle taught us the shield spell last month! She thought to herself again.

Neville came running over to her and pulled her down to get her head under the height of the clothing racks.

"What are you doing?" he hissed at her. "We're not here to go shopping!"

"Sorry! I got distracted!"

"Yeah! Well, your distraction almost got you cut in half!" he hissed at her again. "Come on! They know where we are!"

And he tried to drag her to another location.

"If we don't give them any reason to shoot at us, then they will leave us alone!" she hissed back at him.

"Yeah? Tell that to the blouse that you were just looking at!" and he took off as fast as he could move in a crouch.

When he had moved two or three racks away from where Raven had just missed getting hit with a cutting curse, he lay down on his belly to see if he could see the bad guys legs. Shite! He counted six pairs of legs. All of their opponents were in the room with them. Now it was thee against one, and at the rate, Raven was going it was six against him!

All six adults were watching from the side of the room, Harry quickly ascertained that the training scenario was well above Raven's abilities and most likely was above Neville's skills too. He looked sideways down the row of adults to see how Zander was taking the scenario.

Zander was sitting there with his jaw clenched tight, and his knuckles were white from gripping the arms of his chair.

Neville watched as the legs separated from the others, he now had three individual targets to his left and a group of legs to his right. He took careful aim at the first set of legs on his left. His plan was to cast three _stupefies_ as quickly and as quietly as he could. Then he was going to climb up into a clothing rack as fast as he could to try and hide. Where was Raven? Girls could be so stupid sometimes!

.

Raven watched as Neville took off and left her weaving in and out of the clothing racks. Boys! How dumb could the get? She had been told by one of her government's and school's leaders that if she didn't give the terrorists any reason to hurt her, then they would just leave her alone! And here was this stupid boy wanting to fight a whole bunch of them, well, if he got hurt then he deserved it! They didn't teach this kind of stuff at her old school unless some Neanderthal wanted to become an Auror or something stupid like that! Even then it was for students that were almost out of school anyway. She had made up her mind, she was going to go over to these people and try and talk some sense into them. She stood up, and another curse blasted the pants that she was standing next to. Her response was to empty her bladder on the spot.

Neville used the distraction to hex three opponents as quickly as he could cast the curses to stun them. In just over a second he had stunned three of the opponents, and he was now trying to hide inside of a circular clothing rack with a display table in the middle of it.

"What's she trying to do?" Zander asked Ginny in quiet agitation.

"I don't know! It looked like she wants to go and talk to them!"

"These people aren't going to talk to her! They're going to kidnap her again! What did those people at that school teach her anyway?"

Neville squatted down and looked around him. He could see two sets of legs with the shoes pointing towards the centre of the clothing display rack. Where was the third bad guy? Was he behind him? He knew that he couldn't move much without giving away his position, it may not have been the best decision to hide here, he was starting to realise. He knelt down as far as he could and then he looked under his armpit to see if he could see the last of the bad guys. Yup, he was right behind him. Now, could he hex all three of them again? He went over it in his head, the one behind him and then the one on his left and then the one on his right. Did he have enough room to move his arm? He knew that he could get two out of the three, but the third one was going to be hard. Plus, if he slipped off of the cross bracing, he was pretty sure that he was going to rack his balls. Just as he made his choice to go for it, he had an idea, right, left, back! He went over it one last time in his head. Then _stupefy, stupefy, stupefy_! And he got all three of them! And then he fell off the rack and caught his nuts on the crossbar, just like he had been afraid of.

When the room cleared, Hermione found her son curled up on the floor cupping the family jewels with both hands. Zander found his daughter standing in a puddle of her own urine.

Vic walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. As she touched her, she scourgified her to make her clean and dry. With a thought, she scourgified the floor, and the urine was gone.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked her.

"Why did they try and kill me?" she asked her. "All I wanted to do was to go over to them, and tell them that we weren't a threat to them."

"Remember when I told you that a cow had more value to them than you did?"

"Yes, but you were just over exaggerating then." She told her rescuer.

"No, I wasn't. It wasn't that long ago that you were nothing more than a living incubator for one of their monsters. Or have you forgotten that part already?"

"You're just being a hater." She told her hatefully.

"Well, this 'hater' saved your life! And MACUSA contacted us to let us know, eight other girls were all carrying babies similar to yours. Apparently, they have some creature called a Pukwudgie that was able to sense the evil inside of the girls, and when they tested the girls, the DNA came back similar to the DNA of the one taken out of you."

Raven looked at her and Vic locked eyes with her, then she was inside of a terrified girls mind.

"Do you want me to help you?" Vic asked Raven inside of her mind.

"Nobody can help me!" she cried, as sobs began to shake her body.

"Come with me, if you want me to help you." Then Vic pulled out of her mind.

Raven looked at her desperately. But they had told her that nobody could help her, and no matter where she went, they would come and find her.

"Come with me, and I can help you. But we need to go someplace quieter than here. Your dad and Ginny can come with us if you want." Vic encouraged her.

"What are you going to do to her?" Zander asked worriedly.

"I can help her find the fears that are paralysing her, and lock them away, so they can't hurt her anymore." Vic looked up at him.

"Go, Raven!"

"But they said that they would find me!"

"Do you want to watch and see what they're up against first?" Vic asked her. Maybe this would give her some confidence in her rescuers.

Harry looked over his shoulder to see his oldest daughter joining the group.

"Room, I want ten opponents for each …"

"Make it fifteen," Vic said out loud.

Everyone's' head turned to look at her.

"Room, I want fifteen opponents for each contestant, three scenarios, hand to hand, magical, and a melee weapon, skill level; expert." He told the room.

The room fuzzed as he left the floor, then it turned into a two-level shopping mall.

"You know, this reminds me," Cici said out loud. "Christmas is in four days."

"It is?" Amber asked her, as they started to walk through the empty mall.

"Yeah, it's Wednesday," Fred told them.

"Oh, what are you getting Julia for Christmas?" Angel asked.

"I don't know. I wanted to go shopping after lunch today."

"Well, once the potion is mixed, then you have four hours that it has to simmer," Vic told him.

Then the glass roof of the mall came crashing down around them and soldiers came sliding down ropes all around. As the last of the glass hit the floor, the young adults cancelled their shield spells and engaged the soldiers that were all dressed in black.

It really wasn't a fair fight; the soldiers were all dressed in body armour, and the teens were in their workout clothes. Raven watched as Julia tried to kick one of the soldiers in the ribs, but he caught her leg and held on to it. Then Julia was able to flip herself up onto the guy's shoulders, wrap both of her legs around his neck, and ride him into the ground, landing with her full weight on his back collapsing his ribcage into his lungs and heart. And so, the fighting went, with more and more, bad guys sliding down the ropes into the fight below. She watched as the girls took blows to their torsos and let out small yelps of pain. Eventually, all of her rescuers had a baton in each hand accelerating the pace at which they could disable their opponents. As the last of the soldiers fell, wizards dressed in red robes started attacking them from the second floor with a wide variety of spells.

The group of friends took cover as they began healing each other's wounds. When they were all healed as best as possible, they _teleportused_ to different parts of the second-floor mezzanine and began engaging the terrorist wizards aggressively. To save on magic, the room eliminated the first floor, and the second floor became the primary level of combat. Raven, looked on in awe as Amber and George stood back to back as they each faced down four wizards, using a variety of defensive and offensive spells. Then she saw one of the curses headed for Amber that reflected back at the terrorist and cut him through his heart. He hadn't gotten his shield spell up in time to save himself. She saw that Cici had been separated from her mates and was under attack by at least eight of the wizards when she went down on one knee. Her hands went out to her sides, palms facing outwards, and all of the wizards attacked her at once, her arms bent at the elbow as her shield absorbed the power of their magic. Then she forced her arms outwards, and the magical wave that emanated from her threw her opponents far, knocking them unconscious as they slid across the polished floor of the mall.

The group of friends had become separated when they were attacked by men carrying melee weapons. They were carrying swords, pikes, maces, and flails, hammers, axes, and falxes.

Raven watched as all of the girls reached into their cleavage and pulled out tiny little swords, while the guys reached into their pants pockets and pulled out small swords also. All of them enlarged their swords and began to engage their opponents. If she had thought that the hand to hand combat was barbaric, and the wizarding fight was archaic, then this was downright gruesome as she watched blood, both real and simulated was spilt. She watched as bodies were dismembered or cut in half completely. Arms, legs, and heads were severed from their torsos. There were screams of pain both high pitched and deeper indicating one of her rescuers had been injured. She saw them rub a hand over the bloody cut or stab wound and keep fighting. Time no longer had meaning as she encouraged her heroes to victory, silently. When she thought it was over, three of the biggest men she had ever seen in her life came out of three different stores. Ced, Fred, and George pushed the girls off to the sides to begin healing each other. Their swords were already dripping blood on to the shiny tile floor. Ced moved off to separate his opponent from the others. George did the same thing, leading him away from his cousin. George's opponent raised his sword above his head with both hands, the tip of the sword was easily four and a half metres in the air when it started it's decent upon George. George rolled to his right as the sword came down taking a chunk out of the floor where he had been standing. George was looking for a doorway to box his opponent in. This was the largest opponent that he had ever fought in his life, and he had to find a way to restrict his movements if he was going to win. He looked around and started to back into a jewellery store. It had a nice low ceiling and narrow doors, to keep his massive opponent from using all of his size against him. When his opponent was almost in the doorway, George turned aggressive and worked to keep him there. All his opponent could do was to try and thrust his long, broadsword at George. He watched and timed it so that when the man was pulling his sword back to thrust it in again, George laid the edge of his sword on his forearm and his opponent did all of the work when he pulled his arm and the sword back out of the store. The massive sword clanged loudly as it bounced on the floor of the jewellery store. The bad guy gripped is wounded arm with his good hand, just long enough for George to stab him through the heart and yell _reducto/protego_! His shield went up just in time to keep him from being covered in the bloody remains of his opponent.

Exhausted, George summoned his strength to go and see how his cousin was doing, as he approached his cousin, he watched as Ced cut his opponent in half, from the bottom up. When he refocused on his cousin, he watched as Fred's opponent fell to his knees and Fred slice him across his throat ending the scenario.

Raven watched as Angelica and Hermione rushed out onto the floor of the training room. Some of the blood may have been simulated, but some of the blood was real.

Vic walked over to Raven, breathing heavily, "That was four hundred and five opponents, do you think that we can help you?"

.

After breakfast, Gareth brought the morning post to Harry. "My Lord." He said holding out the mail as he bowed.

"Thank you, Gareth," Harry told him.

Gareth turned and walked away. Harry started to shuffle through the mail. Then he came across an envelope, a plain white envelope. He pulled it out of the stack and opened it. He slipped the plain white copy paper out and opened it up to read.

.

 _Harry,_

 _The Royal Australian Federal Police has contacted me about getting some help from two young couples in a human trafficking ring. Do you know any couples that would be interested in working with them?_

 _Sean_

.

Harry looked up after reading the note. He looked at Fred and Julia, then at George and Amber.

Ced caught his dad looking at his mates.

"What's wrong, dad?" he asked.

"Nothing, it's just a letter from Sean."

Upon hearing the spy's name, the others in the group looked at him.

"We can talk more in the study after breakfast," Harry told the group.

.

The large group of people stepped out of the public floo area for Diagon Alley. Ginny and Zander had volunteered to be the adult supervision for the younger teens that were going shopping today. The older teens didn't really need that much adult supervision.

All of the couples were holding hands as they drifted from storefront to storefront, looking in the windows.

What do you get someone that can buy whatever it is that they want, Ced wondered to himself?

"Jewellery works for me," Vic said out loud.

"Me too!" Julia chimed in.

"Me three!" Amber agreed.

"Well, now you have your answer," Cici told him.

The group chuckled lightly at the good-natured ribbing that Ced had been taking. But for the most part, Ced didn't think that he was going to find the jewellery that he was looking for here.

.

"Who are they?" the young wizard asked his buddy.

"Who, them?" he motioned with his head.

"Yeah, them."

"That's Potter and all of his friends."

"What year are they in?"

"Same as us."

"Hum, okay."

And the two of them turned and headed down Knockturn Alley and out of sight.

.

The group of friends continued on down the street looking in all of the store windows. As they past Quality Quidditch Supplies there was a large group of excited people looking in the window that the store used to show off the new brooms. When Vic looked over, she could make out the new Hornet broom that they had introduced in time for Christmas. She turned back to look the store window of whatever store they were passing. Ced and Cici could detect a small smile on her face, and a more upbeat mood coming through the link they shared.

For the group of nine young adults, Christmas this year wasn't about stuff. Any of them could buy whatever it was that they wanted. All of the girls knew that they were probably going to get jewellery for Christmas, as a token gift, for under the tree. But, Christmas was turning out to be about something much deeper, it was turning out to be about family.

.

.

Christmas dinner was a buffet this year, like the gathering of friends and family, it was large and informal. The most formal thing that they did was the dancing. And dancing, they did for hours. When they would get tired of dancing, then they could go and get a snack from the buffet. The six girls turned the wow factor up through the roof. It was all out, no holding back, let's dress to impress, wow! All of them had chosen to wear red dresses to stay with the Christmas theme, but that is where the similarities ended.

Raven had never seen anything like it in her life. All of the jewellery that the six girls were wearing was some combination of diamonds, white gold, pearls, silver, platinum, rubies, garnets, topaz, and most of it she wasn't sure what it was. The heels that the girls were wearing were at least six-inch heels with the platforms. And she guessed that there was less than a pound of fat between all of them. All of these girls would look fabulous on the red carpet in Hollywood! How could they look so beautiful, and do all of the stuff that she watched them do the other morning? If any of her friends saw her dressing like these girls were dressed, they would have ridiculed her for weeks! They would probably have stopped being her friend!

"You don't need to worry about your old friends anymore. You're never going to see them again anyway." Kitten told her as she walked by in her own set of four-inch heels.

Raven stared at her in confusion, "What? What do you mean?" she asked her.

"Your old friends from California. You're never going to see them again anyway, you're going to marry some guy from here, so why worry about what they would think about you?"

"Where did you get that dress?" she asked Kitten.

"Oh," she looked down at the sparkly blue dress. "From Julia, she said that it used to belong to Cici and Vic at one time."

"It's pretty."

"Thank you, would you like to go and try on a couple of dresses?" she asked her.

"But I don't dance. Not like them, anyway." She said looking at the couples whirling and twirling all over the dance floor.

"Oh, don't worry about them. They'll change it up soon enough." She said as she watched all of the dancers. "Come on, you'll have fun." She encouraged her to get out of her shell that she was building around herself.

"I don't know."

"Come on!" she encouraged her more forcefully.

"Oh, okay."

"Oh, don't act all mopey! This is your first step into the new you!"

"But I like the old me!"

"No, you don't! That's why you're acting like somebody just stole your cat!"

"Okay, fine, you win!" and she got up to start walking to Kitten's room.

"Here, take my hand."

As soon as Raven took Kitten's hand, they were standing outside of her bedroom door.

"How do you do that?" she asked in amazement.

"I don't know, I just do," Kitten told her as her door opened for her.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	59. Year Six Chapter 59

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 59

.

.

Vic and Cici watched as the transformed Raven sat down to open her Christmas presents.

The whole group of people watched as the giant Grandfather clock counted down the seconds to twelve midnight, click, click, click. As the first chime sounded, the group of family and friends, adult and children alike, all shouted, "IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

All of the yelling startled Scorpius and caused him to start crying as he was awoken too soon. Toria began to bounce him, and swing him, rock him, and coo to him as she patted his back, trying to put him back to sleep. Venus reached over, in an effort, to take the baby, and help her mum. Toria turned around and handed Scorpius to her. She needed to learn sometime, and the sooner, the better because children didn't come with owner's manuals. Plus Astoria was just grateful for the help because she really didn't want to cast a sleeping spell on her son.

George and Amber had been selected to be the couple that would hand out the Christmas gifts this year. The young couple moved over and sat down by the tree that was filling the foyer of the house, to begin the long process of getting the gifts to their rightful recipients. On through the stacks of presents, they went, with the youngest members of the families receiving the most significant number of the gifts.

Then Amber handed Fred a long thin box, that said

To: Fred

From: Julia.

Fred looked at the box in his hands. Then he began to unwrap the box slowly, it was an ordinary brown cardboard box. Julia had gone to the trouble of removing all of the markings from the box. After all of the wrapping paper was removed from the box, Fred looked at the simple ole carton. Then he figured out how to open the box, and inside of it was a brand new, Hornet broom, in deep green, his first exotic broom! All of the guys and most of the girls were very excited for him. Most of the adults had never even seen the exotic brooms that the three girls owned, not even their parents.

Eventually, the young couple came across another box similar to the one that Fred had gotten. This one was addressed:

To: George

From: Amber

George was so excited that he was having a hard time even sitting still as the carton was handed to him much too slowly. When it finally made it to his hands, his hands began shaking with anticipation, even his arms started to quiver in expectation of receiving his very first exotic broom! He managed to get the paper off of the box without injuring anybody, and then he almost got the top flap of the box opened without tearing it, almost. The second locking flap frustrated him, and his shaking hands just a little too much for him to bear, and he ripped the box open to reveal a gloss black Hornet inside. With his mouth open and his eyes wide he slowly pulled the most beautiful broom he had ever seen in his life out of the box. There on the side of the broom, inlaid in gold, was his name. His name! His name was on the side of the most beautiful broom he had ever held in his hands. HIS NAME!

" _Please tell me that you didn't give me your broom."_ Ced thought to Vic.

" _No, when I found out that Julia and Amber were giving Fred and George these brooms for Christmas I put yours back up in our room."_ She told him.

" _Thank you. I didn't want to outshine them for Christmas."_ He thought to her humbly.

" _I didn't want that to happen either."_

.

.

Vic was standing naked by the window in their bedroom, her arms crossed over her chest, looking out the window at the snow that was still falling. The Wizarding Wireless was calling this the storm of the year. Ced walked up behind her, she could smell the scent of her bond-mate as he wrapped his arms around her belly and pulled her into him tightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked her lovingly.

"Yes." She told him as she leaned her head back against his muscular chest, breathing in the soothing scent, calming her.

"What are you thinking about?"

"What's going to happen." She told him honestly.

"Are you scared?"

"Yes."

"Because?"

"Because I don't feel that I have any control over what's going to happen." She turned in his arms and looked up at his green eyes, her bare breasts pressed against his bare chest.

He spread his arms apart, letting her adjust, and then hugged her tightly. The three of them knew what was coming after what had happened with Cici. There were no regrets over what had happened, but again, it seemed as if the bond had taken a choice away from them, and now, it looked as if it was taking away the same choice from their other soul-mate.

She leaned back and turned her tear-streaked face up to meet his soft loving lips. He kissed her tenderly, compassionately. Even though the three of them knew everything about each other, the words still needed to be spoken.

For her sixteenth birthday, and as a belated three-year anniversary gift to her husband and her wife, she was going to lose her virginity. She knew; the three of them knew, that there were couples all over the world that rushed to this point in their relationships. Girls younger than her and girls that were older than her, couldn't wait, they rushed to this point in their lives. They knew that many didn't regret it, but they also knew that much more did, and not just because they got pregnant the first time, despite their friends telling them that they couldn't get pregnant the first time they did it. Some of them just had the wrong partners, and their first time wasn't the special occasion that they had dreamt up in their heads. Some of the guys were just after their 'cherry', and the girls would only see them around the school after that. And some of the girls, on their first time, would be the recipient of a social disease, the lucky ones could get a shot or take some pills to cure them of the gift that keeps on giving, but some, contract a disease that has no cure.

For Cici, she had dealt with the insecurities that had been created by the different media outlets telling her that she had to give herself in that way to have a real relationship. She and Ced had discussed it on more than one occasion, why they had not consummated their marriage on their wedding night, or six months later. She remembered Vic asking about it one night as they soaked in the tub. The three of them knew that their marriages were stronger because they were built on love, respect, and trust, not on sex, lies, and the pressure to be like everyone else. For her and Ced, their first time had been on their seventeenth birthdays, last month. Was it possible, that the bond had pushed them so forcefully in completing their marriage because they hadn't shared themselves through physical intimacy? And the bond felt that they had become complacent in their marriages? Settling for what they had? Had they settled for the ordinary, and not the extraordinary?

Vic knew that Cici didn't have any regrets about what had happened that morning or any of the other times since then. And Cici knew that Vic wasn't jealous either. Vic knew that Cici wasn't going to be jealous when her time came tomorrow night.

But for tonight, what was left of tonight, the three of them crawled into bed together, snuggled close under the covers, opened their minds to their lovers and went to sleep, at least now, they understood the dreams that were to come, and they were no longer nightmares to be avoided.

.

Harry was working the two couples especially hard since they had accepted the job to go to Australia. The Australians had only wanted two young couples for the mission. This morning, and every morning since they had agreed, Harry had them fighting ten opponents in each category, at the expert level.

This scenario had started off in a pub, there was some music playing in the background, cigarette smoke filled the air, along with the smell of stale beer. The room had created the scenario to start with the four of them standing around a pool table, and four big guys were now coming after the four of them. Quickly a bar brawl broke out with improvised weapons made from the pool cues and the billiard balls. The space between the pool tables kept the two couples confined until Julia jumped on top of one of the tables. Amber quickly followed her lead and hopped on top of another. Both girls got the idea to use the table lights as a battering ram, helping to rip the wires and the light-duty chains out of the ceiling. George rolled under one of the tables to get away from his cousin and to have more room to manoeuvre. One of the opponents tried to take Julia down with the end of a pool stick, she stomped on the stick, pinning his hand to the slate deck of the table. With one foot on the stick, she kicked her opponent in the face! She jumped off of the table and up onto the bar. Another opponent grabbed her by the ankle dragging her down the bar. She grabbed a beer mug and slammed it onto his wrist. When he let go of her, she took another swing with the open end of the mug at the side of his head, cutting his ear and collapsing his skull.

Amber was felled on the table top, a quick kick, a roll, and another kick buried her heel in the simulations eye, a crunch, with a hand full of hair she slammed her opponents face into the orange felt of the pool table. Another roll and she picked up the cue ball in one hand and the eight ball in the other. Holding the two balls in her hands, making sure that her fingers weren't on the bottoms of the balls she was able to use them as improvised weapons as she clubbed her different opponents in their heads.

Fred and George had both picked up the fat ends of broken cue sticks. With one in each hand, they could use them as clubs or as a weapon to stab their opponents.

With forty fallen bodies laying around the pub, it was difficult to walk from one place to another without tripping. As they looked around, for the space of one breath, more opponents entered the bar through the front door, which was in the centre of the bar, and the kitchen door, which split the bar in the middle. With the first swing of the opponent's sword letting them know the fight was going down inside of the pub. Right now, if they couldn't go back to back, they needed to pick one of the four corners of the room, at least that way, their backs would be protected. The blood on their hands stained their clothes as they reached for their shrunken swords. Pulling them out, and putting the still shrunken scabbards back from where they came, the four young adults readied themselves for a long and bloody battle.

With four opponents still standing, the first of the wizards blasted a hole in the wall between Fred and the front door of the pub. The next hole appeared between Amber and the front door. With everyone distracted for the briefest of instances, George was able to decapitate his opponent and start trying to get to Julia, to help her with hers. With seventy-seven bodies scattered on the floor of the pub, it was not going to be easy to get to her. Her opponent saw George coming, and with his head turned, Julia was able to stab him through the heart, putting him out of her misery.

George _teleportused_ to behind Fred's opponent and was able to stab him through the heart from behind, then he used the body to block the incoming spell from outside. That made seventy-nine bodies lying around the bar, and with Amber slicing her opponent across the abdomen, that made eighty opponents down. Time to move out to the parking lot to face the wizards.

It didn't take the young magicals long to learn that cars make a lousy shield against magic. With tanks full of petrol, they were basically leaning against a bomb waiting to go off! The four of them had figured out, that if Cici, Ced, and Vic could do it, then they could do it too. So, with the four of them casting triple packs of spells they started to cast and move, cast and move, away from the cars. BOOM! The small red two door, that they had been leaning against seconds ago, just went up in a pillar of flame.

"If they can do it, why can't we?" Amber asked as she rolled around the barricade that they had conjured and cast a _diffindo/reducto/ignis._ The diffindo cut through the side of the car and into the petrol tank, the reducto blasted the vehicle through the air, spreading the petrol into a fine vapour, and the ignis, ignited the vaporised fuel creating Amber's own version of a fuel-air explosion killing the majority of the wizards in the vicinity. The car lay there on its roof burning, lighting up the parking lot, letting the teens see the stunned opponents staggering around in the light of the fire. The rest of the wizarding opponents were easy pickings for them.

As the teens walked over to view their success, they were standing there looking down at one of their opponents when a cutting curse cut through Julia's right shoulder completely. She screamed in pain as she dropped to the warm asphalt parking lot. Fred was distracted by the woman of his dreams being injured like this. Amber and George spun around at the sound of the girl screaming in pain. George was fast enough that he was able to cast a shield over Fred and Julia as the bright purple curse flew their way. Amber ran over and began to perform some basic first aid to stop the bleeding and save Julia's life. Fred stood up and started casting curses as fast and as powerfully as he could. George watched as the last five of the wizards walked out of the dark and towards them.

With George using _protego/alavaris_ , and Fred reaching down deep inside of himself, the two of them made short work of the remaining wizards.

Amber had gotten the bleeding stopped and was in the process of healing Julia's severe wound when the room fuzzed, and Cici and Hermione rushed out on to the floor. The bottles of blood replenishing potion were already flying through the air into Cici's hands.

Ced summoned some Vitamix potions to help Fred and George start to bounce back from the severe workout they had just had. With two more Vitamixes flying through the air into his hands for Julia and Amber when they were ready.

Amber moved out of the way when Hermione knelt down beside her to start heeling Julia's shoulder. The curse had cut through her shoulder completely. With the bleeding stopped, Hermione levitated Julia and guided her to the medical room next to the training room. This had been the most severe injury to have ever happened in the mansion.

Raven stood outside of the room, watching through the window. Hermione would move her body this way then that, the whole time, magic was flowing out of her wand. Julia's eyes blinked, keeping them moist. Raven could see the pain leaving Julia's face. Why do you do this if you get hurt so bad? She thought to herself.

"Because, we use our magic and our skills to help the weak and the helpless," Vic told her from behind. "The strong should protect those that can't protect themselves." She told her as Raven turned her head to look at her in confusion.

"So, what? You get off on this?" she asked perplexed.

"No, but the adrenalin rush is pretty extreme sometimes." She told her with a smirk.

"So, you have a hero complex," Raven said flatly, hatefully.

"No. But can you even protect yourself from a pixie?" Vic asked sarcastically.

And when she asked the question. Lucy showed up with a pixie in a cage and released it at Raven. Then she was gone as quietly as she had appeared.

The pixie was all over Raven, in her hair, in her face, pulling on her earrings. Raven tried swatting at it like it was a common housefly. Nimbly the pixie darted this way and that, avoiding the swings of the young girl, getting desperate in her antics to rid herself of the pest.

"I guess that you could try talking to it. Try to reason with it. Explain how it's bothering you, and that it does hurt when it pulls on your earrings." Vic told her cheekily.

"Ah! Get it off of me!" she demanded.

"No, any second-year, by this time in their education, would know how to deal with a single pixie," Vic told her.

"Dad! Help me!" she called out to her father standing near her.

"He can't. The pixie had been charmed, so that the only person in this house that can get rid of the pixie, is you." Vic told her.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she whined, near tears. "Is this because I wouldn't let you in my mind to 'help me?'" her head shook just a little as she spat the last two words out at Vic.

"No, this is an educational moment. There is a library in this house that is filled with knowledge! The knowledge that will help you get rid of the pixie, once and for all! All you have to do, is go in there, find the right book, read the two paragraphs, and get rid of the pixie! Forever!"

"Why do you hate me?" her hateful tone had turned to a self-pitying whine.

"I don't hate you! I'm trying to help you! But you keep wanting everything handed to you on a silver platter! Grow up! The world does not revolve around you! It revolves around that pixie holding on to your hair!" she chuckled at her.

"ARHHH!" she screamed as she stomped her way out of the training room and down the hall.

"Why did you do that to her?" Zander asked Vic.

"Because, she's refusing to learn. She won't even pick up her wand in her Defense classes." Vic told him. "She blames herself for the terrorists kidnapping her! She thinks that she could have reasoned with the terrorists, not to have taken her, or any of her friends, and impregnated them, using them as living incubators! There's more going on in her head that needs to be dealt with. I think that the terrorists have twisted her thinking, and she's just waiting for an opportunity to run off, and join them again."

Ignoring everything that she said, "But, she tells me that Daphne doesn't use her wand in class either." Zander defended his daughter, as a good parent should.

"You can't compare Raven to Daphne." Vic started.

"Why not?" Zander interrupted, "They're both the same age, and they're both in the same year at school!"

"That's true, but they are not in the same class as witches." Vic tried to explain the enigma that was Kitten. "Daphne is already working as a Curse Breaker for the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic."

"Oh! I remember that!" Ginny interrupted her, "She froze five levels of the Ministry! They said that somebody made her mad, or threatened her, or something like that!" when she had finished, her eyes were wide and her hand was covering her gaping mouth turned up in a smile.

"Uh, yeah, we heard about that," Vic said.

"She froze five stories of a building?" Zander asked in amazement.

"Yes. Now can you see why you can't compare Raven to Daphne?"

"Yes. But did you have to charm a pixie to pester her all day?"

"If she goes into the library, and even looks with just one eye, she will find the book, and if she turns to the bookmarked page, she will find the solution to her problem. This is something that she has to do for herself."

When Vic turned around, Fred was carrying his bride to be, out of the medical room bridal style. Her good arm was wrapped around his neck, and her head was laid on his chest.

"Oh, talk about milking it!" Angel teased her.

Julia winked at her in reply.

George was holding Amber tightly against him as they followed behind.

"We need to get home. We're supposed to be in Australia in a few hours." Julia told their group of friends.

"They're eleven hours ahead of us," George told them.

"Wow!" Zander said.

"Aunt Ginny, when are you getting married?" Angel asked.

"June 25th!" she told her.

"Good! We should be back by then."

"Well, I hope so. Your grandpa wants to have the wedding at the Burrow."

"Just like Uncle Charlie's!" Rose exclaimed.

"Yes, but I hope with a little less excitement!"

"Why, what happened before?" Zander asked.

Ginny patted him on the chest, "I'll tell you when we get home, dear."

.

.

It was just the immediate family for dinner that night. Charlie and Angelica had gone over to the Burrow to spend time with his side of the family. Dinner was also a very casual affair, no button-down shirts, no slacks, no high heels, and no formalities. It was a very relaxing event.

Hermione noticed that her oldest daughter was just picking at her food, she seemed more nervous than she had ever seen her. Especially considering that her birthday was tomorrow.

"What's wrong, Vic?" she asked her.

"It's just that - tonight." She said hesitantly.

"Tonight?" asked a confused Hermione.

"Yes, it's just that tonight, it's going to - you know."

It was like a thousand candles all lit up over her mum's head all at once. Hermione's hand flew to her mouth to help cover her shock.

"What's going to happen tonight?" asked a ten-year-old Susy.

"Vic's going to turn sixteen tonight while she sleeps!" Hermione did an excellent job of covering her emotions for her youngest daughter.

Susy turned to look at Vic, sitting next to her. "Happy Birthday!" she said brightly.

"Thank you! But that's not really until tomorrow." Vic told her caringly. She leaned over and hugged her around her shoulders, rested her head on top of Susy's for just a moment.

"I know, but I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday anyway."

"Well, thank you very much!" Vic said to the young girl. It wasn't that long ago that I was her age and I couldn't wait to grow up! And now, here I am fighting it, scared of taking the next step into adulthood!

" _It's going to be okay, Little One."_

" _I know, it's just not how I imagined it as a little girl."_

" _Me neither. But at least we still have our Prince Charming!"_

" _Yes, our Knight in Shining Armour."_ She turned and kissed Ced on his cheek.

The subject got changed, and they talked about how Neville was doing on the Quidditch team. Next year, he would get moved up to the starting team. He had gotten to play in a couple of games when one of the other chasers had been injured during a game.

"Playing dragon tag has helped a lot! The dragon's tails are like the Bludgers in Quidditch!" he told them.

"Can I have a broom?" Susy asked out of the blue.

"You don't have a broom?" Vic asked her.

"What happened to the broom that we gave you for your birthday a couple of years ago?" Harry asked.

"It stopped working." She told her dad.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her kindly.

She shrugged her shoulders. "'Cause there's no one to play with sometimes."

"If you will bring it to me, maybe dad and I can fix it for you," Vic told her.

"And depending on how well you can ride it, maybe we can get you a late Christmas present of a new broom," Harry told her.

Susy bolted from the table, forgetting to ask if she could be excused. Even Charles let her slide this time. With the exiting of Susy, dinner was brought to a close.

"Let's go talk in the sitting room," Hermione suggested. There, they could close and lock the doors if they needed to, to ensure the privacy of their conversation.

With lite conversation, they passed the time until Susy returned with her practice broom, and sure enough, the broom would no longer hover, it wouldn't do anything.

"Okay, let dad, and I look at it, and then maybe tomorrow we can go and look at a new broom if we can't get this one fixed for you," Vic told her.

"We'll talk to you in the morning Cub," Harry told her.

"Okay, have a good night." She moped out of the room.

They all wished her a good night as she left the room.

A few moments later, Hermione asked. "So, it's going to happen tonight? How do you know?"

"Yes, because this is how Cici felt before it happened to her," Vic told her mum. "I wouldn't trade the life that I have now for anything. And I love Ced dearly, he's the greatest husband in the world! But I wish that there was a better way."

"A better way for what?" Hermione asked.

"Did the bond drive you and dad together?" Vic asked. Was she really talking about her parent's sex life? How strange is that?

" _Ew! Type of strange!"_

" _I agree with Mi Amor! Ew!"_

"Actually, no. For us, it was more our free will. I remember one time that I felt inadequate, that your dad didn't want me in that way, it really tore me up, thinking that I was going to be in this one-way marriage. I am so glad that the three of you have your mental link open to each other all of the time, that way, none of you will ever feel the way that I felt at that time. But anyway, he told me that he had promised Grandpa that we would wait until we were both ready."

Now she had the attention of all three of them.

"Yes, your mum wasn't used to all of the attention that I would receive from all of the fangirls. It took a lot to calm her down. She had always been on the outside looking in, and then after we bonded, she could hear all of the comments that all of the girls would be making to me or about me, all of the time. And because of Fleur, I ended up proposing to your mum in front of the whole school in the Great Hall! And then for me, well, there was this certain Quidditch star that liked your mum, he took her kindness towards him as an interest in him. And he wouldn't take no for an answer!"

"Then your dad and Victor had a fist fight in front of the whole school, in the Great Hall, to settle their differences!"

"And now we're good friends!"

"Boys!" Hermione said remembering the incidences. "Nothing like a good fight to turn them into friends!"

"I seem to remember you taking a free shot at him after it was all over!" Harry teased his bond-mate.

"Well, I can tell you that the three of us are glad that we're on the potion," Vic told her mum.

"Well, I think that if you could change your attitude a little bit, then you might enjoy what's going to happen tonight. Most people would be looking forward to what you're about to experience." She told her.

"I know. I know that I am going to enjoy it. I enjoyed it when it happened to Cici. And I'm pretty sure that she's going to enjoy it when it happens to me! But I think that the main complaint here, my main complaint is, a lack of free will, or not enough free will." Then looking at her husband, "I wouldn't want to make love to anybody other than you babe, and I am glad that my first time is going to be with you." She told him with all of the love in her heart.

The discussion had helped Vic's mood to lighten considerably, and her soul-mates could feel her mood lighten up considerably. This, in turn, helped their feelings to lighten also. Vic's depressed mood had put a damper on their whole day, and they could feel now that she was looking forward to her special night.

" _I wish for you, Dark One, that it could have been different."_ Vic thought to her wife.

" _Knowing what I know now, I'm okay with it. I have a good man, that's a loving man. And like you, I wouldn't want to make love to anybody other than him, and I am glad that my first time was with him."_ She leaned over and kissed Ced on the cheek.

"Thank you for letting me get all of this off of my chest," Vic told her parents. "It's something that has been bothering me for months now. And now, I'm okay with it."

"Well, I'm glad that you're feeling better," Hermione told her.

"Remember, the difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude," Harry told her.

"Yeah, I'm figuring that out, sometimes a little slower than I want." She told him with some mirth, as she disentangled her legs from her wife's.

She was ready to go upstairs and soak in their large tub, maybe some calming bubbles would help, lay there and relax. Three months of stress had just been released, and she was ready to spend time with her spouses. The threesome stood up, almost like one unit. Hermione slipped off of Harry's lap, and the two of them stood also. Hermione hugged Cici, then Ced, and finally Vic.

"You'll do just fine," her mum told her. "And tomorrow is another day."

"I know, I just let all of this stress get to me. We're going to go upstairs and relax in the tub for a while, before going to bed," Vic told her.

"That will be good," Hermione said as she still held her close and whispered in her ear.

"I mean go to sleep!" Vic blushed at the slight mistake she had made.

"I understand," her mum told her. "Your dad and I, love you, a lot."

"Thank you, and I love you both too," she said loud enough that Harry could hear her.

"We will want all of the details in the morning, dear," Harry teased his daughter.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Hermione yelled at him, "How dare you! Image how you would have felt if my father had said that to you!"

"Sometimes, I still think that your father wants to kill me!" he shot back at her, albeit, with a smirk.

Hermione let go of Vic and turned around to face her husband. "Apologize now!" she told him, her hands drifted to her hips, elbows out.

Vic moved over to give her dad a hug, "It's okay, I'm sure that your first time was a little less stressful than ours. And I'm pretty sure that you didn't tell Grandpa that you and his little princess were going to be consummating your marriage."

"No, we didn't. Our first time was very different than what yours and Cici's has been," he hugged her close, holding her tight.

"That's the part that we don't understand, why the difference?" she asked.

"I wonder if it has something to do with the amount of time that we've spent in the house in the bottle?" Ced asked the group.

"We have spent a lot of time in the house. I mean, the first time that Vic went in there, it was for ten years. And, we generally go in there for at least two years at a time when we do visit Edmund," Cici told them.

"Maybe, because our mental age is so much greater than our physical age, it has confused the bond? Is that even possible?" Vic asked.

"I don't know, maybe we will go and visit Edmund tonight and ask him," Hermione told her kids.

"Whatever happens, we'll see you in the morning," Vic told her parents.

The three of them grasped hands and interlaced their fingers. Then Ced pulled them in close and _teleportused_ them to the top of the stairs. With his arms around their shoulders and their arms around his waist. The three of them turned into their bedroom before they separated.

Harry wrapped his arm around his wife's waist and her his. With their hips pressed against each other's, they started to walk to the stairs.

"It's been a long time since we've gone out and played as Shadow and Lyall," Hermione told her husband.

"It has," he agreed with her.

"Do you want to go out and run in the woods for an hour or so?" she asked him.

"We could do that," he told her as he changed directions.

.

Upstairs, the bedroom door closed behind the loving threesome. Their house shoes came off and went to their correct places. Hair barrettes came out, and earrings came off and went to the right dresser. Three shirts flew to the laundry hamper. Then three pairs of pants, then knickers and underwear.

Vic stepped down into the filling tub, she put her hand under the flow of water to check the temperature, then along with relaxing bubbles, she chose calming bubbles, and soothing bubbles. She could feel the soothing, calming, relaxing effect of the bubbles as the water was filling past her shapely muscular calves.

"Do you want to go and get a mani-pedi tomorrow?" she asked her wife.

Cici looked down at her toenails. They could use a fill she decided and maybe a change of colour. "Okay, do you want to go to the salon in Diagon Alley, or the one in Hogsmeade?" she asked her.

"I think the one in Hogsmeade," she told her as she turned her face to look up at the shapely, toned, muscular witch standing at the edge of the tub.

"Well, I could go for a haircut and get my nails trimmed also," Ced told his beautiful wives, as he walked up to the edge of the tub.

Cici looked over at the broad-shouldered young man standing next to her. She always enjoyed looking at her husband in the nude. She had the pleasure of watching him change from a gangly thirteen-year-old kid, into the strong, loving, protective man that he was tonight. Vic was accessing all of her wife's memories of when she and Ced had first met on the Quidditch team. If the three of them looked carefully, they could see the bond at work even back then. The two of them had been attracted to each other even back then.

Vic even remembered watching Ced and Cici playing Quidditch against Ravenclaw. She could remember seeing Cici's long black hair flying out behind her as she rode her school broom, chasing after the Quaffle or working to score points for her team. Ced looked so cute in his uniform, trying to be so serious as he worked to keep his eyes off of Cici. She felt something even back then. But she was just a second-year, and they were 'oh so mature' third-years.

"You knew who we were back then?" Cici asked her, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Yes! Who didn't know who the prettiest girl in school was? And so many of the girls in Ravenclaw had a crush on Ced. They liked James too, but they all felt that Ced was more approachable," she told them.

Vic sat down in the centre of the tub, the water was up to her chin when she did that. She tilted her head back to soak her hair in the hot water, she put her arms out behind her, to support her weight as she arched her back, her breasts breaking the surface of the water, covered in bubbles. Then she relaxed again and sat up straight, the water just covering her shoulders. She stood up, the water and the bubbles sheeting off of her as her spouses joined her in the tub of hot bubbly water. She moved over to the far side of the tub to make room for the three of them to stand in the centre. The water level was up to her waist.

Ced sat down inside of the tub, looking out across the dark grounds of the mansion. With a casual wave of his hand, the lights in the room went out, plunging them into darkness. As their eyes adjusted to the available light coming in through the enchanted walls, they could see the snow still flying outside. Everything was covered in the fresh, pure white snow. The trees looked like they had just come off of a Christmas card, the snow-covered grounds looked like they belonged in a photo, the full moon covered by clouds heavy with snow belonged in an art gallery.

Cici moved to sit in Ced's lap facing him, it was her night that she was giving to her wife, she could let her kiss her husband. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck as she kissed the man that she loved, full body. When she had finished kissing him, she unwrapped her arms and her legs from around him and kissed him again sweetly, before she moved to his side.

Vic slid in under his arm and his arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her in snug against him. Her arm slipped behind his back and around his waist, rubbing against her wife's arm, helping to pull her hips in against his. She could feel her wife's hip pressed against the back of her hand. Contentment and the love of her soul-mates filled her and flooded over her. She lay there, her eyes closed, her mind fully open to her spouses, as she drifted off to sleep. She awoke sometime later as Ced lifted her and Cici up out of the water, with a thought, she started draining the tub. She held on tight as Ced carried both young women to their bed. When Ced sat her on the edge of the bed, she rolled over to her side of the bed to wait for him. When he had slid into place, her leg slid over his hips and pressed up against her wife's leg. Her arm lay on his chest, pressed up against her wife's arm, her head lay between his arm and his chest, she could hear his strong steady heartbeat lulling her back to sleep, back into their dreams that they shared.

In their dream, they were walking naked, arms wrapped around each other, down the beach. She could feel the warm sand under her feet, she could feel the sea water washing up over her feet. When she looked down her feet were on the dry sand, and Cici's feet were on the wet sand. One of Ced's feet was on the damp sand, and the other was on the dry sand. Vic looked at her other hand, and she was carrying the bag with all of the snorkelling gear in it, when she looked at Cici's other hand, she was carrying a harpoon. Vic looked up the side of the beach away from the water, and all of the ground was covered in snow.

"Don't worry Mon Amour, I'll keep you warm," Ced told her.

When she looked down, she could see the trees zipping past as the three of them were riding a broom over a forest. The night sky was clear and dark, full of stars and a full moon. Ced was sitting in front of her and Cici behind, but Ced was sitting on the broom backwards, facing her, Cici had her strong arms wrapped around her waist, her naked breasts pressed into her bare back.

"Don't worry Little One, I won't let you fall."

When she looked up at his face, the water from the shower was bouncing off of his chest and into her eyes. She could feel Ced washing Cici's long muscular leg, toned from running hours a week. Cici had done the splits vertically, resting her long leg on Ced's shoulder so he could wash it easier. She could feel his powerful hands rubbing her strong leg from the bottom of her foot, all the way down to her nether region. One large hand sliding around her hip to cup the cheeks her bum, while the other hand slipped between her legs, brushing against her sensitive area, bringing a shudder to her body in response to his touch. Vic let out a low moan.

While Ced was washing Cici's legs, Vic's hands were covered in bubbles from washing Cici's hair, giving her a scalp massage. She could smell the citrus flower scent of her mate.

Vic could feel Ced's strong soapy hands rubbing over every square centimetre of her body, the weak _diffindo_ spell removing any stray hair that might have grown since the last time he had bathed her. He reached behind her and pulled her in tight against him, kissing her full on the lips, eliciting a heavy moan from her throat. Slowly they separated, Ced's hard body, soapy from where Vic's muscular frame had been pressed against him.

When she looked down, her wet hair was dripping on Ced's broad chest, her hands were pressed against him as a climax tore through her body. She had always been very vocal about her peaks and these times were not any different.

When Cici awoke, she was trying to figure out what was different. She was cold for one, she was no longer in contact with her husband for two, her heart was racing, and she was breathing heavy for three, and then she felt another climax tear through her body. Another? When she opened her eyes, she could see her wife straddled across her husband. Her eyes were closed, her mouth was open, and another climax was beginning to overtake her. She looked over at the clock, and the numbers glowed 3:33, Cici could feel her own climax building inside of her again. With a flick of her wrist, she added additional silencing charms to their bedroom, and then she too, vocalised her pleasure loudly, her back arching, and then she collapsed back onto the bed. She made sure that her leg was at least touching her wife's leg, she reached out with her arm and rested her hand on her husband's shoulder, she could feel the satisfaction flooding through the contact with her mates.

The two young women could feel their husband reaching his peak. They could feel it swelling deep within and building steadily. His excitement was fueling another fire inside of them that was beginning to grow out of control. Their excitement fanned the flames of his own burning urges deep within his being. Steadily the three of them built to their climaxes, racing hearts, and heaving chests. Vic's eyes flew open, and her jaw dropped as she crested a wave larger than any she had ever had, as her husband reached his peak deep inside of her. Her arms gave out, and she collapsed, weary and spent, on the chest of her lover. Her wife scooted closer to be in contact with her loves. Vic lifted a heavy arm and lay it across her wife's back so she could have the three-way contact that they needed in their lives. The three of them drifted back to sleep.

.

Eventually, Vic slid off of Ced's chest and back to her normal sleeping position, and when Ced awoke, Cici was back in her usual sleeping position. If he couldn't feel how sore Vic was, he would have sworn that what had happened last night was only a dream.

"Mi Amor, Mon Amour, we need to get up." He told his wives after he kissed them on their heads.

The two women groaned as they rolled off of him so he could get out and use the loo. Once he was standing next to the bed, he watched as they cuddled tightly together. Then he made his way to the bathroom.

" _I knew that you were sore, but I didn't know that you were this sore."_ Vic's thoughts came to him.

" _Yeah, next time you won't be as sore. Your body gets used to it."_ Cici's thoughts replied.

" _I don't know if I can move, let alone walk."_ She said.

" _Yeah, I know how you feel. But the good part is, now you get to go run for thirty to forty-five minutes!"_ Cici teased her.

Ced could hear the laughter in her thoughts.

" _You are such a witch!"_ Vic told her. _"Ow! Don't make me laugh! It hurts!"_

Ced exited the loo, and Cici wasn't there to give him his good morning kiss. He walked to the sinks and Vic wasn't there to give him his other good morning kiss. He brushed his teeth alone for the first time in a long time. When he walked back to the bed, Cici and Vic were just getting out of it. Vic was moving slowly, gingerly, her face was scrunched up in pain. Cici wasn't moving much faster. She held out her hand, and a vial of potion came flying through the air to her. She stopped Vic and handed it to her.

" _It's a pain relieving potion. Take it for me, please."_ She told her.

Vic looked at her, then she uncorked it and swallowed it in one gulp.

" _I'm going to take a quick shower and get cleaned up."_ She told them.

They could feel the hot water flowing over her body, helping sore muscles relax. The pain relieving potion beginning to work.

Cici summoned her workout clothes to her. She knew that they would be running on the treadmills again. After she made the bed, she summoned Vic's workout clothes to her too, and she laid them on the bed for her soul-mate.

.

Carefully Vic walked down the stairs to join the rest of the group. She looked around, and the group was smaller then it should have been. She looked at Rose and Angel for an explanation.

"George, Amber, Fred, and Julia are all in Australia on a mission for their government," Angel told her.

"Oh, okay," Vic told her, her mind still foggy from the night's activities.

The group followed Hermione into the training room to begin their morning run on the treadmills. It had finally stopped snowing sometime during the night.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	60. Year Six Chapter 60

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 60

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Sam watched as Potter and his friends walked into the Great Hall for the start of the new semester feast. He watched as they walked over to the Gryffindor table and took their seats. He watched as the two girls kissed Potter after he had seated them. The other two girls sat across the table from them, their backs to him. He watched as other groups of friends took their seats, some of the groups separated and went to different house tables.

"If you keep staring like that, he's going to think that you like him," Jeff said to him.

"What? You're bloody daft! I hate his kind! Always so perfect," he responded bitterly.

"Yeah, that's him, Mr Perfect," Jeff replied sarcastically.

Everybody stopped and listened to the Headmistress' speech, welcome back, first-years stay away from the Forbidden Forest, Mr Filch has forbidden any item from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes from the school grounds.

When she had finished speaking, the tables filled with food.

"The food here sucks!" Sam said as he threw the piece of meat back on to his plate. "The food at Durmstrang was better than this slop!"

"Yeah, well, you're not there anymore, now are you?" Jeff scolded him.

"Well, I'm just here until my father can convince the Headmaster to let me back in. He said that I could maybe come back next year." Sam retorted to his cousin.

As the mass of students was leaving the Great Hall, Sam was following behind some first-years when he timed his steps so he could tap the kid's foot to the side making the kid trip. Tap, and down the kid went catching himself with his hands, and then Sam stepped on his fingers and kept on walking. Knowing that the kid didn't know what had happened or who had stepped on his fingers.

Cici came upon the injured first-year, sitting there crying, holding his injured hand. The flow of people walking around the obstacle in their way.

"What's wrong?" she asked Bradley Baritone.

He held up his injured hand to her.

"Can you get up and walk? It would be best if we got out of the way." She told him.

Ced, Vic, Rose, and Angel were all acting as barricades to force the flow of people around the injured student.

Bradley nodded his head, "Yeah, I can get up now," he told her bravely.

"Okay, that's good. Let's go over to the Hufflepuff table and take a look at your hand," she encouraged him.

Once she had him there, she had him lay his hand on the table and let Angel run a midlevel diagnostic scan on it, checking for any broken bones. She found his pinky finger to be broken in two places and just a lot of bruising. Angel used her wand to cast the necessary spells so she could mend the broken bones and start reducing the swelling.

"Okay, I would suggest that you go and see Madam Pomfrey so she can check it one more time, and give you an anti-bruising potion, to help with the swelling too, okay?" Angel told him.

Bradley nodded his head, "Okay, thank you for helping me," he told the three professors and their friends.

They watched him get up and leave, the majority of the students had already exited the hall and were wanting to get to their rooms and visit some more with their friends.

The five of them started up the stairs to their rooms.

"It seems so odd not having Fred and Julia or George and Amber here with us," Rose said to the group as they climbed the stairs.

"Yeah, it does," Vic said.

"It's going to be strange not having Julia living with us," Cici said.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about Fred trying to sneak into her room in the middle of the night!" Ced chuckled.

"Have you heard anything from them yet?" Cici asked.

"No, not yet. They may not be able to write to us. Kind of like when we were in America." Angel told them.

"Well, I hope that they're careful, "Ced told all of them.

"Yeah, me too," Rose said, worried about her brother and her cousins.

.

The next morning, down in the chambers, Ced's little brother had portkeyed in with them. The six of them were running on the treadmills when Draco showed up.

"Where's the rest of the group?" he asked.

"Oh, they had something to do in Australia," Ced told him.

"Wow! That's a long way away! How much longer do you have?" he asked looking at his watch. His best guess would be about another ten minutes at the most.

Ced checked his watch, "Actually if you want, we could stop now. We've been on these things for almost forty-five minutes."

"How's your hand to hand coming, Neville?" Draco asked.

"It's okay, but the simulations in the training room still keep beating me," he told his Uncle.

"Okay, why don't you and Ced pair off against each other and maybe I can see something that will help you," their DADA Professor told him.

The two brothers stepped out into the training area and started to spar.

"Remember, when you're fighting a larger opponent, you want to use their size against them," Draco told him.

Neville looked at him confused.

"Here, let me show you. Rose will you be my partner?" he asked the redhead.

"Okay, now you can see that I am significantly taller than she is and physically larger than she is," Draco told him. "Ced, if you would please."

Ced and Neville moved off to the sidelines to watch.

"Okay, go!" Ced told them.

Draco kept up a running commentary on what was happening. What he was doing and what Rose had done in response to his different tactics. Eventually, Draco got Rose down on the ground and was on top of her. He kept up the commentary, he even went as far as to tell Neville what Rose was going to do next. And then Rose arched her back and Draco tapped out before he passed out.

Draco rolled to his feet and offered Rose a helping hand.

"Even though I should have had the advantage, she used my size against me. And did you see the last manoeuvre against me?"

"Yeah."

"Most people aren't smart enough to figure that out. The bigger guys think that once they have their opponent on the ground, that the fight is over, and for the bigger guy, it can be over when they get choked into unconsciousness."

For the next hour, they worked on meditating, while Ced helped Neville with his hand to hand sparring.

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At the last weekly teachers meeting for the month, Professor McGonagall said, "Have any of you noticed that the number of accidents that have been happening in the school has increased? Poppy informed me that the number of injured students she has seen has doubled since the start of the new term."

"What kind of injuries?" Cici asked.

"Things like students tripping and falling. Things falling off of a shelf and hitting a student. We've had more than a few students that have slipped on a liquid and gotten injured. Mr Filch has mopped up more than a few spills this month," the Headmistress told them.

"Professor Lively told me that she had a sixth-year Hufflepuff get injured when her cauldron exploded?" Cici asked.

"Yes, the strange thing was, none of the ingredients would cause an explosion," the Headmistress told the group of teachers.

"Well, I've overheard several of the students complaining about the three of you," Delphi told them, she wanted to give them a little warning that some of the other students were being stirred up.

"That's pretty normal," Ced told her. "There has always been plenty of jealousy over our living arrangements."

"Yes, but they're not wanting to accept that you are doing a special research project for the Headmistress anymore," she told them. "It's been going on for too long."

The three-year-old story of them doing special research had finally outlived its usefulness.

"I will move them to teacher's quarters then," Professor McGonagall told them. "They are after all teaching in this school! And just to make it official, I will be giving them some small salary as part-time professors. I will also speak to the board tomorrow."

It wouldn't be hard to get the board to okay what she was doing, the committee, after all, consisted of Harry, Hermione, Daphne, Cedric, Susan, Fred, and Sirius. She could send out four owls and have her okay by lunchtime tomorrow.

"And the skills of the students have improved considerably!" Professor Flitwick said in support of the three student teachers.

"And, what about Miss Berkshire?" Cici asked.

"She can stay with me," Vic told them. She wasn't going to be staying in her room after all.

As long as all three rooms had adjoining walls, everything would be okay, Ced could make this work.

"Fine, the three of you can move into your new rooms tomorrow. You will also receive the full rights and privileges of any Professor here. As far as Miss Berkshire goes, when she returns, then she can stay with you, Miss Potter. I will give you your new sleeping arrangements in the morning after breakfast," the Headmistress told them.

The next morning, was a clear and cold morning, but it still felt good to be out running around the lake instead of being inside running on the treadmills. The six of them kept up a steady pace as they ran around the lake. Neville wasn't as fast as they were, his legs were shorter after all, but he did an excellent job of keeping up. His friends had chosen to stay in bed today, it was Saturday. The group slowed down as they approached the lone tree. They made sure that no one was watching and then they portkeyed to the chambers.

The four girls continued with their Animagus meditation while Ced and Neville continued to work on his hand to hand combat.

When Neville got frustrated enough that he wasn't learning anymore, Ced switched it up so he could vent some of his frustration through duelling. Ced worked him hard, and when he felt that Neville was reaching his limit, he had him stop so he could check on his magical core.

"Humm, you're down to thirty-three percent, Nev. We need to stop for now," Ced told him.

Nev didn't want to stop, but he understood that if he kept pushing, he would do more harm than good. The last thing he wanted to do was to spend a month in the Hospital Wing just laying there.

"Fine, can I at least go workout with some weights while we wait for the girls?"

"Yes, but let's not push it too hard. Let's do just ten reps of each and then head for the showers, okay?"

"Yeah, that's better than just sitting around doing nothing," he grumbled.

"You sound a lot like me! But even I need to work on my meditation. It helps you stay focused on what matters the most. It helps you put things into perspective," Ced told his little brother.

.

"You know that we're going to have to give Neville his own portkey when we get our new living quarters," Cici told Ced as she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair.

"Yeah, that's right isn't it!" he replied to her.

The two wives had washed Ced first today, so when the conditioner was rinsed out of Cici's hair, they were ready to get out of their shower.

"I hope that our new quarters are on an outside wall," Vic told them as she dried and left Cici's hair down for the day.

"We'll just mention that preference to Aunt Minerva when she shows us our new quarters," Ced told her. He looked over to where their large tub was, he could see that it was going to be a bright and sunny day, most of the snow was gone from the last storm that passed through a few days ago.

"I think that you should cancel the enchantments on the walls and we should also take the communications mirror with us. We don't know who will get these quarters next and we don't need any complications later on." Vic told him.

"I agree with Little One, we don't need the complications," Cici said in support of her wife.

After he had finished getting dressed, Ced walked over to the alcove that the tub was in and ejected his wand. Well, the next view will be even prettier, he told himself.

"Yes, it will." The two girls told him.

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Breakfast this early was always quiet, for whatever reason, it seemed that the troublemakers liked to sleep in on the weekends. As long as they kept their voices down, there wasn't really a reason to put up all of the privacy charms and spells. They could eat in peace and quiet and listen for the Headmistress to call them to the Head table when she was ready.

"So, where are you going to eat?" Angel asked them.

"What do you mean?" Cici replied to her question.

"Well, when they make you full professors, are you still going to eat with us? Or are you going to eat up there with the other professors?" she clarified her question.

"I think, because of our age, we will continue to eat down here with our friends," Ced told her.

"Okay, I guess, I just wanted to know if you were going to leave us," she said, kind of ashamed at her thought.

"Mr Potter! Miss Ramos! Miss Potter! The Headmistress called to them.

"Why don't you join us?" Ced asked his two cousins.

"Do you think that it would be okay?" Rose asked.

"It's okay with us, and I don't see why it wouldn't be okay with her," Vic told her.

So the two young witches joined their friends as they walked up to the Head table to speak with Professor McGonagall.

"Well, I guess this will be okay. Follow me!" she told the lot of them as she got up and headed for the anteroom.

Once in the anteroom, Vic asked her, "For our new quarters, could we please have at least one outside wall?"

The elderly witch stopped and looked at her. She could see the pleading look on her face. "Well, I was going to give you one with two outside walls, but if you only want one, then I can do that too," she told her, suppressing a smile as she did so.

"You were going to give us a corner apartment?" she asked her.

"Yes, but if you really don't want it well, then I guess that I will have to select another group for you," Minerva continued to tease her.

"No, no, I wouldn't want to put you out, make you do any more work than absolutely necessary," Vic told her with a smile creeping across her face.

Minerva led the group out the back door of the anteroom and into a sparsely used hallway. She turned and led them to a concealed staircase that circled upwards from the ground floor and down to somewhere below. She began the long climb up past the second level of the castle, past the third level, and then she exited on to the fourth level of the castle.

The five teens looked around, trying to get their bearings. They had never been in this part of the castle before. It was quiet here, peaceful, calming.

"This part of the castle has calming charms placed on it. It helps the professors relax after a long day of teaching." She told them.

Then she turned and headed down the long corridor. There were no windows in this corridor, just doors about every fifteen metres or so. None of the doors had names on them.

When she got to the end of the corridor, instead of turning and continuing on, she stopped.

"These rooms here, here, and here, would be your rooms." She opened the door to the corner apartment and led the group inside. "I am giving you three rooms to help protect your secret," she told them after the door had closed.

Still, not all of the professors knew that the three teens were married or soul-bonded.

Vic walked over to the window, it looked out over the Black Lake, then she walked over to the window on the other wall, and it looked out over the Forbidden Forest.

" _This would be nice, we could stay here,"_ she thought to her spouses.

" _Glad that you like it!"_ Cici teased her sarcastically.

"This is the largest of the apartments," she told them.

Then she turned and headed for the door to show them the other two apartments. The one to the left was smaller, about the same size as their quarters now and the one to the right was a reversed floorplan of the second apartment.

"So, whichever room that you wish to put Miss Berkshire in is up to you. The same rules that are in effect now will apply here also," she told them as they stood in the living room of the apartment.

"Yes, mam, we understand, and we will tell them when they return from their trip," Ced told her.

"It is up to you to lock your own door and set your own passphrase. Well, I'll let you get to it then," she told the new professors before she left.

"Thank you!" Cici told her.

"Yes, thank you," Vic said.

Ced walked her to the door and thanked her also.

"So, which apartment do you want to give to Julia?" he asked his wives.

"Both of them have spectacular views," Vic said.

"Well, I like this one and that one," Cici said as she pointed at the corner apartment and started to walk towards the wall that separated this apartment from the corner apartment. She looked at Vic, "Now, all we have to do is to come up with a new floor plan that we like. This wall here is really in the way," she said as she ejected her wand and waved it in an intricate pattern. The wall disappeared, and the space between the two apartments was joined.

"I like that as the front door to our new quarters," Vic said pointing at the door to the smaller apartment.

"Yes, I agree, but we still need to have three doors," Ced told them.

"Shh!" Cici told him, "I'm thinking how I want this."

"We should just start from scratch," Vic said as her wand ejected into her hand. She looked about and then she waved her wand making all of the interior walls disappear.

Cici looked at her a little upset, "I agree, starting from scratch will be easier than trying to fix a bad design."

Ced conjured some chairs for Angel, Rose, and himself. He was just going to sit back and watch as the two of them came up with a design that they would both like.

The two witches walked around shrinking furniture and stacking it next to Ced and their cousins. The walked around and talked. And they talked, and they pointed. And they pointed, and they talked. They decided that they would use the part of the newly enlarged apartment that had the view of both the lake and the forest as their living room. The two girls went about enlarging the windows to make the views that much more spectacular. They chose to put their bedroom on the side of the apartment that overlooked the Black Lake, and they put Ced to work installing the walk-in closets and built-in chests of drawers. Where the door was, they chose to make that Ced's study so they could keep any unwanted visitors from seeing any more than that. On the wall that separated their apartment from what was going to be Julia's 'apartment', and what was going to be Vic's study, to his study, Ced built a passageway with communicating doors for privacy. This way, if Vic needed to enter 'her' apartment with someone else following her, the visitor wouldn't know that she was actually Cici and Ced's wife. While Ced had been busy installing the three closets, and the three built-in chests of drawers. Vic and Cici had moved on to designing the perfect new restroom, bathroom, and loo for themselves. When he had finished with the communicating doors, they told him to enchant the walls like all of their other tub rooms. Angel and Rose started to pay attention when Cici and Vic had told Ced to do that. They wanted to see what it was that he was going to do.

"It's in Rowena Ravenclaw's diaries," Ced told them.

The two women agreed to forgo a formal sitting room and instead devote the space to their large living room. They did, however, create a formal dining room with another large window looking out over the forbidden forest. The two of them let Ced design and build his own kitchen. Yes, they could cook, but they didn't enjoy it nearly as much as he did. They added a second loo so their guests wouldn't have to use theirs. Between Ced's study and Cici's they added a library. In the corner of the living room, between the newly enlarged windows, Ced added a sizeable curved fireplace.

"You three do know that it is after lunch," Angel said.

"Oh! Sorry!" Vic told her. "Lucy!" she called out.

A soft pop announced the arrival of the elf. "Yes, my Lady?" she asked with a bow.

"Could you bring us some lunch please?" Vic asked her.

Lucy looked around the new quarters. There wasn't a piece of furniture in sight, other than the three chairs that Ced had conjured earlier. Where did her mistress expect her to place the food and the place settings?

"Oh, sorry Lucy," Vic told her. Then with a flick of her wand, all of the dining room furniture flew into the new formal dining room.

Then with a snap of Lucy's fingers, it all enlarged, and with a second snap, all of the needed place settings appeared. "I will be right back with some food, my Lady," she told her before disappearing again.

As the two witches looked around them, they began to send furniture to its correct location. Ced, Angel, and Rose went from room to room enlarging the furniture and making minor adjustments to its position.

When they had finished, Lucy had the food on the table and ready to eat. There were pitchers of pumpkin juice and water for her Mistress and her guests.

Before Lucy could leave, Vic asked her, "Lucy, do you think that you, Maco, and Leo could bring our things from our old quarters to our new quarter for us in a little while?"

"Yes, my Lady! It is a pleasure to serve!" and she was gone with a soft pop.

After Ced seated Cici and Vic, the five of them began to tuck into their late lunch.

.

.

Over in Ravenclaw tower, William Waterhouse was talking to his father through a floo call. It was late at night, and he had to be careful that he didn't wake any of his fellow housemates.

"Yes, sir. I have been careful," he told his father.

"Well, you're going to need to become more aggressive, and don't get caught!" he told his son. "Also, the shipment of magical girls and their babies from America has failed. The Master wants us to see how many we can get from here again."

"Yes, sir. Some of the first years would be pretty easy to manipulate."

"No! they have to be of breeding age! Anything under fourteen could be too young! And the more gullible, the better!"

"Someone is coming! I have to go!" and he pulled his face out of the fire. The flames returned to normal.

.

Monday morning opened to mayhem in the castle. For some, their first-period classrooms were infested with pixies, and there was a boggart in the third-floor girl's bathroom.

Too many of the students were running from the pixies. This was something that was covered in second year DADA classes and second-year Charms, classes. Or at least, should have been covered, or maybe it was included, and the students didn't pay any attention, after all, when would they ever have a need to deal with pixies?

Vic opened her classroom door to a swarm of pixies and almost twenty students trying to push their way into the classroom. Before she could get the door closed and locked, to keep any of the pixies from escaping, half of her students tried to get out of her classroom screaming while the other half was trying to push their way in. The stampede of students almost knocked her to the ground. She was too busy trying to keep herself from falling to petrify the pixies before they escaped her room. With a thought, she teleportused to the front of her classroom and regained her balance, then she teleportused to the hallway to start searching for the pixies that she could still petrify. Casting spells with both hands, she was only able to get eight of the little pests.

"Alright! Everybody in the classroom, now!" she said in a loud and commanding voice.

The tone of her voice, and how loud she said it scared the students back into order and they filed into the classroom cautiously. They were looking this way and that for a sneak attack from the pixies.

Once all of the students were seated, Vic looked at her students. "How many of you know the correct way to deal with pixies?" she asked them.

None of their hands went up.

"Hum, now, all of you are doing wandless and wordless magic at some level, correct?" she asked them.

She was greeted with twenty nodding heads. Their parents were very impressed with the level of magic that their children were capable of. She had received several letters of praise from her student's parents.

"Okay, since we have a pixie infestation at the school right now, I think that it would be good for you to know how to deal with them. It's not really that hard at all. The spell is is a charm that you can use on someone or something that you want to immobilise or make stay still. So, lets practice saying it five times. Then I will show you the wand movement that goes with it. After that, I will bring in the pixies that I immobilised, and I will release just one of them."

At that point, some of her students started to get a little fearful.

"There's no need to be afraid! It's only one tiny little creature that we're going to practice against!" she told them, then she taught them the wand movement that went with the spell.

"Are all of you ready?" she asked them as she opened the door and summoned the immobilised pixies into the room.

Some of the students started to panic again.

"Here! look at what you're afraid of," she said as she started to float the pixies around the room so all of the students could get a look at the tiny little troublemakers.

As the students got a look at the Pixies, they realised just how small they really were and how large they were in comparison.

"Okay, we're going to start up front here with Miss Gambol. Are you ready Miss Gambol?"

The first-year student steeled herself to face off against the pest, then she nodded her head.

"Okay, here we go," and Vic released the pixie.

The pixie took off as fast as it could go but it wasn't fast enough. The student got it on the second try.

Vic yelled, "Yeah! Good job!" and the students in the room cheered her on too.

Vic's class went this way for the next twenty minutes or so, so all of the students would have a chance to do combat with the pest and come out victorious. With the last of the students successfully immobilising the pixie, Vic summoned the pixie to herself and placed it and the others into a cage that she conjured in front of the students.

She checked the time and told the students, "All of you did a great job! I will see you tomorrow!"

And with that, they all started to file out of the classroom talking animatedly amongst themselves. Vic followed her students out of the classroom, and into the hall to keep a watch out for any more of the pests. As she was standing there, in between periods she caught sight of four more of the little pests, she caught all four of them and summoned them to her, and then she levitated them to the cage to put them with the rest of the pixies she had caught that morning.

.

As Cici opened her classroom for the morning, she was walking in when she was swarmed by a large number of pixies. She quickly cast a shield spell on herself and watched as the pixies bounced off of it. Once she realised what it was that she was dealing with, she was able to close her classroom door, locking about half of her students in and the other half out. She cast a shield spell over her students that had followed closely behind her. With her students protected, Cici cast _Expecto Patronum,_ and a full-grown male lion patronus erupted from her wand. She pointed her wand at the pixies, and the patronus cornered them for her, she cast _Petrificus Totalus_ petrifying all of the pixies that were still in the classroom. She conjured a cage and then summoned all of the pixies into the cage. Once they were safely in there, her patronus turned into vapour, and she unlocked the classroom door. As the students in the hallway entered the room, Cici removed the shield from around the other students.

"How did you do that?" one of them asked her in awe.

"A lot of practice!" she told them with a smile.

"What are those things?" another student asked her with his nose crinkled up.

"These?" she asked as she pointed to the pixies.

"Yes!" a lot of the students yelled.

"These are nothing more than Cornish Pixies! They're nothing more than little troublemakers. They're kind of cute if you look at them," she hit one of them with _Immobulus_ and removed it from the cage.

Then she levitated it around the room so all of the students could get a look at the little creature.

"Do you know how to deal with them?" she asked.

All of her students shook their heads 'no.'

"Okay, since we're so far ahead in class, let me teach you how to deal with them," and she went about teaching her first-year students how to control pixies. Then, like her spouses, she gave all of them a chance to practice the spell against the creature.

.

Delphi was called to deal with a monster in the third-floor girl's restroom. Cautiously she opened the restroom door, her wand in her hand, stall by stall she went down the row. Opening each one carefully. By the sixth stall, she was beginning to wonder if this was nothing more than a practical joke to make her look like a fool. She carelessly opened the stall door to reveal the dark wizard that had attacked her while she was in school at Ilvermorny. She backpedalled into the sinks behind her as she started to cast spells to give her room. The dark wizard easily deflected the hexes thrown at him, and he kept closing the distance.

Delphi's mind was racing, how could he have escaped? How could he have known that she was here? Why wasn't he taunting her? Half the time that they had fought, he had spent mocking her. In fact, he hadn't said a word! Wait a minute, this is just like that time when they put her in that room when she broke the mirror! That really wasn't her fault, they should have protected something that valuable better than they did. She thought, and she thought, and she thought.

"Riddikulus!" she said, and it drove the boggart back into the stall.

Once it was safe in the stall, she conjured a trunk for the boggart to move into. This really could be an excellent training aide she thought to herself. With the trunk ready, she opened the lid of the chest, and then she steeled herself to deal with the boggart again, only this time a lot more quickly.

With the boggart in the trunk safely, the lid closed and locked. She smoothed out her robes and then levitated the trunk. She cancelled the locking spell on the door, and then levitated chest that followed her out of the restroom and down to her classroom. This really was going to make a great training aide!

Her first class was forth years, Draco had sent a Patronus letting the Headmistress know that he had appointments that day and he wouldn't be in. As Delphi walked up to her classroom door, there were students standing out in the hall waiting, some of them more patiently than others. One thing she did notice was that none of the students was picking on Daphne or her friends, they had chosen to pick on some of the other students. A flick of her wand unlocked the door, and she opened it. The students let her go in and followed the trunk into the room.

When she got to the front of the classroom, Delphi conjured a table and sat the trunk on it. She looked around the room to see who was there. Daphne and her friends took the front row of seats. Raven was sitting next to her.

"Okay! Sit down! Quiet please!" Delphi told the class of fourth-years.

"Where's Professor Greengrass?" one of the students in the back of the class asked.

"He's not here today, and I'm taking his classes. Now, if I can have your attention, we can get on with a new lesson today!" she pointed to the trunk, "twenty-five points to whoever can tell me what I have in this trunk!" she said loudly.

There were guesses of dirty laundry, dead bodies, the bones of some old wizard. When she finally got around to looking at Daphne.

"You haven't taken a guess, Miss Potter, why's that?" she asked the platinum blonde witch.

"You have a boggart in there," she told her, "and she's scared, she doesn't like it in there."

"How do you know that she's scared?" Professor Riddle asked her.

"She told me. She was taken from her home, and she's been from place to place. She misses her mum, and she's scared. She just wants to go home to her parents."

"Do you think that she would be willing to help me with classes today? I don't know where she lives, but I would be willing to try and help her get back to her home." Delphi told her. She had never thought of a boggart as having parents, I guess that they have to come from somewhere.

"Yes, but she wants me to stay here with her, to make sure that you keep your word to try and help her," Daphne told her.

"Okay, it's a deal," then Professor Riddle began to teach the students about boggarts and how to defend themselves against one. She explained to them how a boggart should behave around them, and what the correct spell was to put a boggart back into where it came from.

For the classes before lunch, Kitten sat there and watched the boggart and the students that tried to learn how to defend themselves from it. In between classes, Kitten and the boggart 'talked' about where it was from and how was it going to get back there. Kitten learned that the boggart was from the far side of the Forbidden Forest and that the family lived in an old wooden shed that wasn't used anymore.

"Kitten, could you ask the boggart how it got here, to Hogwarts?" Delphi asked.

"She says that at first she was sold to a shopkeeper who kept her in an old wooden cabinet. Then somebody else just bought her yesterday, and transported her here to the school, and released her into the restroom. That was the darkest place for her to hide until some girls came in this morning and scared her. She was just defending herself the only way that she knew how."

"So, she said that somebody brought her into the school last night?"

"Yes, she thinks it may have been a boy that put her in the girl's restroom."

"Have you learned where her home is?"

"Yes, her home is on the far side of the Forbidden Forest."

"If we take her as far into the forest as we can, can she get home from there?"

Kitten looked at the trunk, "She says maybe, there are creatures in the forest that can hurt her."

"Would it be better to try and get her home on a broom?" this is getting crazy, Delphi thought it's just a boggart!

"No, it's not just a boggart, it is a magical creature that was taken from its home forcefully and sold like a piece of property." Kitten corrected her.

"She says that if we can get her to the shack on the edge of the town near the school, she can get home safely from there."

"What shack is that?"

"I don't know, but I can ask my brother, he might know."

"Ced might know?"

"We can ask him at dinner time," Kitten told her.

.

Delphi walked across the Great Hall and sat down across from Cici. Ced, Vic, and Cici watched her walking towards them. As she got closer, they cancelled the privacy charms. Ced glanced over to see Daphne, Solaria, Willow, and Raven sitting down next to Vic and across from her too. With a wave of her finger, Kitten put up all of the privacy charms again.

"We need your help to get a boggart back to her home," Kitten told her brother.

"Okay, what?" Ced looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language.

Delphi tried to explain it again, "This morning, I caught a boggart in the girl's restroom on the third floor. Your sister tells me that she was taken against her will and sold."

"She?" Ced asked.

"That's what Kitten said. Anyway, the boggart promised to help me with my classes if I would promise to try and get her home. Well, now it's my turn to live up to my promises." Delphi told them.

"She told me that she can get home safely from the shack on the edge of Hogsmeade. But we don't know what she's talking about. So, I thought that I would ask you," Kitten told him.

"The Shrieking Shack? That tunnels not very big! What do you have the boggart in?" Cici asked Delphi.

"Right now, she's in a trunk that I conjured this morning."

"If we can get the boggart into the tunnel can she get home from there?" Vic asked.

"I don't know. I guess if one of the windows is open or one of the doors is open then maybe." Kitten told them.

"If the boggart promises not to scare the bejeebers out of me, I'll get it to the shack," Cici told her little sister.

"So, where is this place?" Delphi asked them.

"Do you know where the Whomping Willow is?" Ced asked her. _"Who's that paying attention to us over there at the Ravenclaw table?"_ Ced thought.

"You know, there's another way," Vic said.

"What's that?" Delphi asked her.

"We're all full professors now. All we have to do is to tell the Headmistress what we're going to do and she'll let us," Vic told them.

" _He got up and left,"_ Cici thought to Ced.

"I want to go," Kitten told them. "She's my friend, and I stayed with her all day."

"I want to go too," Solaria told them.

"Me too," Willow told them.

"I would like it if I could see it released," Raven told them.

"Angel and I would like to go also," Rose told them. "We've never seen a boggart in its natural state.

"Okay, the four of us are going to need to go and talk to Professor McGonagall, Kitten you should come too," Ced told the rest.

.

"What do you mean the boggart was kidnapped?" asked the shocked old Scottish witch.

"Who was kidnapped?" asked Professor Vector.

"Daphne is saying that the boggart that was in the girl's restroom was kidnapped from its home," Minerva told Septima.

"Somebody kidnapped a boggart?" asked Septima. "Why would somebody kidnap a boggart?"

"Why would somebody intentionally put a boggart in the girl's restroom?" Vic asked.

"Anyway, it's getting late, and I made a promise to this boggart that I would help it get home," Delphi told them.

"Yes, yes, you can all go, just have the students back in the castle by curfew," the Headmistress told them, her head shaking in disbelief.

.

In the classroom, Delphi told Kitten, "I think that we should leave it in the trunk until we get out of the castle and away from the other students."

"But she doesn't like it in there, she says that it's like a prison," Kitten told her.

"But I don't want her getting scared and then scaring any of the other students."

Kitten looked at the trunk, "She understands," she said sadly.

Delphi pulled out her wand and levitated the trunk, "Okay, let's go. Ced, would you lead the way? Cici, would you bring up the rear just in case we have anybody that wants to try and make some trouble for us?"

Delphi's pet dragon flew out of her office and landed on her shoulder. She looked at it, "It'll be okay," she told it.

"Cute dragon," Vic complemented her.

As they were walking to get out of the castle, Delphi told them, "A friend of mine from school made them out of clay. Well, when he was putting an animation charm on them, something happened, and this one actually came to life. He's been with me ever since."

The group of people had just made it out of the front doors of the school and were headed down the step when somebody cast a jiggly legs jinx on Delphi. Her legs became unstable, and she lost her balance, falling and rolling to the bottom of the stairs.

Ced looked around quickly, his wand in his hand, ready. "Kitten, watch over the trunk and keep her calm." _"Mi Amor, go that way and see what you can see. Mon Amour, go that way,"_ and he pointed in the opposite direction of Cici. He looked behind them, and above the castle doors at the windows there, and there was nothing. With the situation contained, Ced moved down to Delphi to start healing her.

" _Mi Amor, can you come and help Delphi? She has a broken arm and some other injuries,"_ he thought to her.

Cici and Vic both met him at the bottom of the stairs where Delphi lay in a crumpled heap. Ced had already cast a warming charm on her to help her keep from going into shock.

Cici cast a midlevel diagnostic spell on their fellow professor.

"Is she going to be okay?" asked a nervous Raven.

"Yes, I just need to give her a little help," Cici told her.

The three spouses started to lay Delphi out flat once they had determined that there were no spinal injuries.

"Ced, why don't you and the others go ahead and help the boggart get home while Vic and I stay here and help Delphi. She has a pretty bad concussion from her fall down the steps," Cici told him.

"Okay, Constant Vigilance! Kitten, do you have the trunk?" he asked his little sister.

"Yes, I think that Raven should be behind you and Willow in the back," she told he big brother.

"Okay, that's fine with me. We just need to get a move on, because someone doesn't want this boggart to get home."

The rest of the way to the castle grounds gates, Ced kept his head on a swivel, and his wand in his hand, ready. With a flick of his wand, the gates to the school grounds opened for them, and they walked on through.

"Do you want to let the boggart out now?" Ced asked Kitten.

"Yes, she says that she will try not to scare any of us."

"Good, will she be okay as we go through the town?"

"I can enlarge the pocket on my robes, and she can hide in there if she needs to," Kitten told him.

This was getting crazier and crazier! Somebody had risked everything to attack a professor to keep them from setting a boggart free, that had been kidnapped, boggartnapped? Abducted, there, that word works, and now, if it was necessary, it was going to hide in somebodies pocket!

Kitten opened the truck and true to its word, the vapour didn't change into anything to scare any of them, so Ced started walking back down the road into Hogsmeade. It may not have been as safe, but he was hoping that there were fewer people walking in the streets behind the shops than on the road in front of the shops, it was also darker and easier for the boggart to hide. He knew that the Shrieking Shack was on the far end of the town, out in the woods.

There was a crash, and banging of trash bins, and then the drunken yelling of two men. The boggart tried to get into Kitten's pocket, but she hadn't enlarged it yet.

"You need to wait for a second!" she hissed softly at the boggart.

Ced could see that the vapour was shifting back and forth, like a small child that was nervous, waiting for Kitten to enlarge the pocket in her robes. No sooner had she finished expanding the pocket than the boggart slipped into its new hiding space. With the boggart safely in Kitten's pocket, Ced took the next side street that would bring them back to the main road of the magical town. Thankfully something went right, and they didn't encounter anyone on the side street. He turned and picked up the pace to hurry to the shack.

They passed the last of the main buildings and started up a footpath to the small cabin that housed Remus during his darkest nights. Ced's wand was back in his hand as they walked through the darkening forest. The hairs on the back of his neck started to stand on end. He was severely handicapped, he had three young girls that he needed to protect, and the fourth, although very powerful, was untrained, at least she could put a shield spell around them while he fought if it came to that. He pushed open the old gate that was falling off of its hinges.

"Can she go from here, or do we need to take her inside of the building?" Ced asked his sister softly. "I think that somebody is watching us, if they attack us, I'm going to need you to put a shield spell around you and your friends, can you do that for me?" he asked her quietly.

"Yes, she says that she can get home from here. She also is telling me that there are four men inside of the shack and she says that she can scare them for you if you want to attack them. She says that they are not good people like us, they are bad people like the people that took her from her home."

"No, I think that it would be best if we could avoid a fight right now. Too many people could get hurt, and I don't want to see our new friend get hurt either."

Kitten pulled her pocket open so the boggart could slip out of it, "Goodbye!" she told it softly.

They watched the vapour slip out into the woods around the Shrieking Shack as it glided through the darkness silently. Then it changed course for the shack, they stood there watching as it slipped inside of the shack through a crack in the wall. Suddenly there was screaming and yelling, then there was wand fire lighting up the windows of the shack, they could make out the shape of the vapour slipping back out of the shack as it disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.

With the last of the wand fire, the shack became dark and silent.

Ced opened his communications watch, "Aunt Tonks," he said to the watch.

A moment later, "Can Angelina take care of it?" Tonks asked him very softly.

"Yes, bye," and he closed the watch. Then he opened it again, "Aunt Angelina," he told the face of the watch.

A moment later, "Hey! Ced, is everything okay?" she knew better than to ask that question, but she did it still.

"Yeah, we're safe. Can you and three other Aurors come to the Shrieking Shack? Now? It's kind of urgent," he told her.

"Let me contact three others, and I'll be there as soon as I can," she told him.

"We're at the gate to the shack," he told her, pinpointing his location.

"Give me a moment," and she closed her watch. These things were nice! Harry really ought to let Sirius put them out on the market, he could make a fortune with them, wait, what does Harry need any more money for anyway?

Ced and the girls move off to the side of the path, closer to the trees as they waited for Angelina to apparate to their location. Silently she appeared near the gate. Ced moved a little so she could see him.

"What's going on?" she asked him.

"We were standing out here when we saw some wand fire inside of the Shrieking Shack and then it all went quiet," he gave her the bare minimum of details. He could feel the next question coming even before she asked it.

"Why are the five of you standing outside of the Shrieking Shack?"

"We're going to tell you a story, and you're not going to believe us," he started to tell her.

She looked around at the four young witches with Ced. "Does it involve Kitten?" she asked.

"Yes," he told her.

She looked at Kitten again. "We'll talk about this later." She turned when she heard the rest of her squad show up.

She walked over to them and told them what she had been told. All of the Aurors ejected their wands and fanned out as they walked towards the shack. Carefully they looked in the windows of the old building. Then three of them formed up around the door to the cabin. Ced watched as the one that was going to breach the doorway nodded his head three times before he blasted the door open and stormed inside.

"Clear left!" one of them yelled as they cleared the one room shack.

"Clear right!" another yelled.

"All secure, mam!" the last voice yelled out.

Angelina moved inside of the building and assessed the carnage that lay on the ground before her. Four UAA terrorists down from the Killing Curse, no great loss to her. She turned and walked out of the building and back to the five kids that were waiting for her.

"It looks like there were four terrorists that killed each other. Now, do you want to tell me what the real story is?"

"Yes, but can we do it back in the school?" Ced asked her.

"That's fine with me," she told him.

Kitten grabbed Willow and Solaria and was gone.

Ced grabbed Raven, and he was gone.

Then Angelina met them at the gates of the school.

"Here, Aunt Angelina," he held his one arm out to her. She walked towards him cautiously, "This will be faster than walking," he told her as he pulled her into a tight one-armed hug, he still had Raven in a hug with his other arm. And then they were standing on the landing of the steps leading up to the front doors of the school.

"That was faster!" she told him as he released her.

" _We're up in Delphi's apartment!"_ Cici thought to him as soon as she knew that he was back in the school.

"Okay, let's go up to Professor Riddle's quarters so we can give Aunt Angelina our statements, okay?" he looked at all of the people with him.

Ced led the way up to where the professors had their at school living quarters. For some of them, this was the only home they had ever known, other than when they lived with their parents.

.

"So, you're telling me that you were returning an abducted boggart back to its home when the boggart told you that there were four bad guys in the shack and that she, so the boggart was a female?" she looked at Kitten.

"Yes."

"I never knew that there were male and female boggarts," Angelina shook her head.

"Well, where do you think that baby boggarts come from?" Kiten asked her.

"There are baby boggarts?"

"Well, she was just a child, and she was taken from her home against her will, and sold at a shop someplace before she was brought here against her will," Kitten told her.

With her head feeling like it was going to explode, "Did the boggart ever try to attack any of you?" she asked. They were just terrorists, and as far as she could tell, none of the kids had gotten hurt, the boggart hadn't tried to hurt any of them, and the terrorists had gotten into an argument and killed each other. So, the only thing left was that Delphi had been attacked by a student and there was nothing there to go on.

"No, but it did hide in my pocket!" Kitten told her enthusiastically.

"It hid in your pocket?" she let a dangerous creature hid in her pocket?

"It's not dangerous! They only do those things to protect themselves!" Kitten told her a little more forcefully than maybe she should have, "I'm sorry for yelling. It's just that the boggart gets scared easily and there are things in the Forbidden Forest that can hurt her. But she did tell us about the four bad guys in the shack to protect us from them."

"And I'm glad that she did. All of you seem to be doing okay, and we will see what we can learn from the four bad guys and their wands." She stood up signalling that she was ready to leave. Then she turned to face Ced and his wives, "Have you heard anything from George and Amber?" she asked hopefully.

"No, not yet. But we'll let you know as soon as we do," he told her.

"Thank you, I need to go now and see what the Crime Scene Investigator has learned. I hope that all of you have a good night," then she pulled the door closed behind her.

"And we need to get you four back to your dorms," Ced told them as he stood up.

They had three Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	61. Year Six Chapter 61

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 61

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Rose and Angel met the threesome outside of their new apartment front door. They weren't really comfortable going into the new apartment just yet. With a brisk walking pace down the stairs and across the Entrance Hall, the group was ready to break into a nice steady run around the lake. They talked about all of the different problems that had been popping up around the school. They wondered how the two couples were doing in Australia. The mission was taking longer than any of them had expected. They talked about what they wanted to do over spring break when it finally would get here. As they approached the lone tree, they slowed down and looked around to see if anyone was watching them, then the five of them used Ced's portkey and entered the chambers to continue with their morning workout.

.

Rose and Angel had both collected their second token on their path to becoming animagus. Vic and Cici had collected their second token, but Ced was still on his first token.

"It's because I've been helping Neville!" sticking his bottom lip out as far as he can, he fakes pouting to the four girls.

They had begun meditating four days a week and working out the other three days. And today was a workout day. While Ced was duelling with Rose and Angel, Vic and Cici were working out with the weights. The two witches were keeping Ced on his toes this morning. They were working together as a team, and they were keeping the pressure up on Ced. At close to an hour, the three of them called it a draw and walked over to where Cici and Vic were finishing up with the last of the weight sets.

The five sweaty warriors came together and touched the portkey back to the living room of the threesome's new apartment.

"Okay! We'll see you down at breakfast!" Angel told them as she and her cousin headed out the door.

"See you there!" Ced told them just before they exited the apartment.

Ced turned and walked towards the bedroom, he was stripping off his shirt when he heard, 'There's no water!' He detoured towards the sinks in the restroom and turned the knob, then a second, then a third, and then the last knob. Yup, she was right, there was no water. But there had been water when they woke up that morning. All three of them had been able to use the loo and brush their teeth.

Two angry witches came walking out of the shower area looking for Ced like he was the plumber that had cut the water off to the castle.

"What?" he said defensively.

They just glared at him.

"Vic, can you fill the tub with your water element?" he asked her.

"Yes, but it will be cold," she told him.

"If you can fill the tub with water, then maybe, while you're filling the tub, we could run the water through Cici's fire element and warm it up," he suggested.

"It doesn't work that way, well, maybe I could try and make it rain into the tub, but that will take forever."

"If we just wash the bare essentials we could probably just take a shower that way and _scourgify_ the rest of us," he suggested.

The two women glared at him, then Vic started to make it rain into the tub. Cici created a layer of fire that the water had to pass through to help it warm up. Ced stuck his hand into the falling water, it wasn't as warm as they may like it but it wasn't as cold as the Black Lake either. Cici stepped down into the tub and began to wash quickly, she flicked her hair up and Ced _scourgified_ it for her, then she stepped out to let Vic do the same, then Ced washed rapidly also.

"Well, that was better than I thought," Cici grumbled.

"Yeah, thanks for warming it up for us," Vic told her.

"Yes, thank you both," Ced told them.

.

Downstairs in the hall, there was a lot of grumbling. Rose and Angel walked over to the trio.

"Well, how did you three get a shower," Angel asked after she had cast all of the privacy charms.

Cici told them what they had done.

"We just used _aguamenti_ and added _calidum_ to it to warm up the water and then we just sprayed each other," Angel said.

"That works," Vic said.

"Yeah, a little colder than we had wanted, but I wasn't going to class smelling like a goat!" Rose told them with a chuckle.

"So, you created a new spell!" Cici said in surprise.

Angel looked at her like she had gone around the bend.

"Well, when you added _calidum_ to _aguamenti_ you created _aguamenti calidum_ , a warm water spell! That's fantastic!" she praised her.

"If they don't figure out how to fix the water in this place, we'll be using your spell to take our showers tonight!" Ced told her.

Daphne, Willow, and Raven came walking in, not a hair out of place. Ced motioned for the three of them to join them.

"Did they get the showers working?" Cici asked her little sister.

"No, I just called Feather and had her take us to mum and dads' to get our showers," she told her sister-in-law as she started to load up her plate.

"That works too," Vic said.

.

After a week of the water not working in the castle, things began to stink, and not just the people. Mr Filch was hauling water up from the Black Lake to flush the toilets. The house elves were using magic to get the water that they needed to cook with, and then to do the dishes with after the meals. The attitudes of the students and the professors were becoming smelly also.

"If we can't get the water fixed soon, we may have to close the school!" the stress Headmistress was telling the other professors at the weekly staff meeting.

"If we step back and look at what has been happening, could it be that somebody is trying to sabotage the school?" Ced asked.

"Why would somebody want to sabotage the school?" Delphi asked him.

"What would make you think that someone is trying to do that?" Septima asked him.

"Well, first we have students that can't walk across a smooth floor without tripping. Then we have things start falling off of shelves and injuring students. After that, we have an infestation of pixies, which we turned into a learning experience for all of our students," Ced was saying.

"Oh, I remember the first years talking about that!" Pomona Sprout exclaimed. "They had so much fun!"

"Good, I'm glad that they learned from it," Cici said. "But the thing is, from toilets that don't work to no showers for a week. I think that the school is under attack."

"But why? What does the attacker hope to gain?" Delphi asked.

.

An owl arrived at breakfast one morning, with letters for Rose and Angel. The two women looked at the muggle envelopes for a moment, then Angel pulled out her combat knife and sliced the envelope open. Rose waited for her to hand the knife to her, then she sliced her envelope open. When the two women had finished reading the enclosed notes, they looked at the trio.

"Well?" Vic asked.

"They're from Sean," Rose said.

"And?" Cici asked.

"He wants to know if we can meet?" Angel told her.

"When does he want to meet?" Vic asked.

"He didn't say," Angel said.

"It's odd that it didn't come through my dad," Ced told them.

"He said that he sent a note to your dad a couple of days ago and hadn't heard back," Rose told him.

"When are they going to get the water in this place fixed?" Angel asked him.

"They still don't want to believe that they have a saboteur," Cici told them.

"You know, it feels like we're spending as much time away from school as in school. Especially with having an elf take us home to get a shower." Rose told her friends.

"Well, you've already passed your N.E.W.T.s!" Cici told them.

"Yeah, I know, I'm just trying to figure out what I want to get my Master's testing in," Rose told them contemplatively.

"Me, too! We're not even supposed to be taking our N.E.W.T.s until next year!" Angel agreed.

"So, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Ced asked them humorously.

"That's just it! I don't know anymore!" Rose said.

"I always wanted to be an Auror, like my mum," Angel told them, "but now? I don't know. Maybe I'm just spoiled from all of the money that we've earned, but going to work, and working the hours that my mum works. She's always getting called in for this or getting called in for that. I mean, look at what happened the other night with the boggart! The best thing to happen for us is when we got to go to Africa with you." Angel told them.

"Sorry about calling your mum the other night. I did call Tonks first though!" Ced told her, "It's just hard to trust anyone."

"Well, we'll talk to your dad tonight, if you will let us use the communications mirror in your room," Rose told the threesome.

.

"Mi Amor Mon Amour, it's time to get up," Ced told his wives softly, kissing each of them on top of the head. The two women rolled off of him so he could get out of bed. Once he was out of the way, the two women found comfort in each other's embrace.

" _The toilet flushed!"_ Ced exclaimed when he was rewarded with water flowing.

" _Yes, but there's still no hot water."_ A moody Vic thought to them.

Ced and Cici exchanged kisses as he exited the loo. _"Make us a magical hot water tank, like you did when we lived on that military base, Ced,"_ Cici said.

Ced kissed Vic good morning when she had finished rinsing her mouth. "Yes, make us a magical hot water tank and hook up the shower and the tub to it." She told Ced.

"Okay, let me brush my teeth first." He told the two women. "I'm getting tired of using the elves to get back and forth to my parent's house too."

.

While Ced, Vic, Rose, and Angel were meditating, Cici was working with Neville on his duelling. His magical core was strengthening, his endurance was much better than it was at the start of his first year. Cici was working with him on tactics and his spell casting. The three of them had started working on getting him to cast two spells, not just one, since the start of the new semester.

"Remember! The order that you cast your spells in can make the difference between success and failure." She scolded him gently.

"I know!" he shot back at her.

"Then why did you cast an _expelliarmus_ and then a Jiggly Legs jinx? If you would have distracted me for a moment with the Jiggly Legs, then you would have had a better chance of disarming me. Let's work with _expulso_ and _reducto_ hexes for a while, then we'll stop and take a break." She changed the subject a little.

"Okay," he told her.

He started to go after his sister-in-law with the _reducto_ and _expulso_ hexes, she would conjure concrete walls to defend herself. She made them thin enough that he was able to blast his way through them. When he slowed down, Cici walked over to him and checked on his magical core, it was down to about one-third of his usual level.

"Let's take that break now," she told him.

"Okay," he told her. Then he summoned a Vitamix to himself wordlessly and wandlessly.

They walked over to the chairs and took a seat. Neville downed the Vitamix and sent the empty vial back to the countertop.

"Why did you and my brother have to move out of Gryffindor?" he asked her.

"We needed to move out to help keep our secret. Other kids in school were getting upset that Vic, Ced, and I had our own rooms."

"So, you have your own room at home."

"Yes, but there are just some people that get jealous easily. How are things going for you?" she asked.

"I'm doing okay, there's this girl that I like, Jennifer, but I don't think that she likes me," he told her

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, sometimes she's mean to me, but when her friends aren't around, she smiles at me."

"Well, if she smiles at you, then that probably means that she does like you. But if she's mean to you whenever her friends are around, that might mean that she doesn't have a lot of self-confidence, and her friends might like you too, but they're jealous of her, so they're mean to her."

"What?"

"She likes you, but her friends are teasing her because she likes you," Cici tried to explain how friends affect their friends.

"Why?"

"It's called peer pressure; some people want to be liked by others so badly that they do things that they normally wouldn't do so that they fit in with other people."

"Kitten doesn't do that."

"True, but even she has changed since she got some friends," Cici pointed out to him.

"What are you two talking about?" Ced asked his little brother.

"Girls," Cici told him as she stood up to go.

"That is a complicated subject there, my friend," he told him.

Ced pulled out the portkey, and they all touched it. Inside of their new apartment, Ced told him, "Watch out for the showers, they may be working, but the water is cold."

"Okay, thanks, I'll just go home again," he said before he called for his house elf.

"So, what's the news with Neville?" Vic asked Cici, once he was gone.

"He likes a girl, and she likes him, but she's caving into peer pressure whenever her friends are around," Cici was telling her as she was walking and shedding her clothes. Her clothes beat her to the laundry hamper.

She walked over to the tub. She stood there naked looking through the enchanted walls, looking outside. The sun was rising earlier these days, the first day of spring had come and gone. She crossed her arms over her chest as she just stood there looking outside, and then she saw some movement. Like the lioness of her husband's patronus, she watched intently to see if it would move again.

Sensing her wife's focus, Vic walked over and stood next to her looking in the same general direction. The two queens of the pride were watching intently, waiting patiently, and then they saw a student in their black robes dash into the Forbidden Forest.

After a while, the two of them turned to get their shower.

"Who do you think it was?" asked Ced when they had joined him in the shower.

"I'm not sure, but the thing is, who would be running into the forest at this time of the morning?" Cici asked.

"Why are they running into the forest at this time of the morning," Vic asked.

"Could you tell if it was a boy or a girl?" Ced asked.

They decided to let it sit and see what else would come up.

.

Out of habit, they scanned the Great Hall as they walked through the front doors. The number of students was about average for this time of the morning, and they didn't see anybody paying them any more attention than what was normal. They followed their normal path to get to the chairs that they had been sitting in for the last three years. They took their normal seats. And after Ced had seated each of his wives, he received the normal kiss. Ced started to help each of them by putting food on their plates, then in the middle of loading up his plate.

" _Don't eat anything and don't drink anything,"_ Cici thought to them.

Ced stopped in midair, he didn't move.

" _My pumpkin juice has been poisoned,"_ She told them.

" _Mine too,"_ Vic told them.

Ced sat the food down on his plate and then he reached over and checked his glass. The three of them could see the juice change colours. Then he let go of the glass, and it returned to normal. He reached for the pitcher of juice, and it changed colour also. Vic checked the goblet next to her and Cici did the same to the glass at the seat next to her. All of the pumpkin juice had been poisoned somehow.

Then the first of the girls came at Ced, and then another, and another, and another. Cici stood up and ejected her wand, her naturally dark skin tone, plus her suntan, helped to hide the anger that was building inside of her. She climbed up on top of her chair and waved her wand, banishing all of the pumpkin juice glasses and pitchers in the Great Hall.

Vic quickly checked the water pitcher, and it changed colour too. Cici saw that and then she banished all of the water glasses and pitchers.

Ced poured a cup of tea and checked that, it changed colour also but soon faded, the heat from being boiled had reduced the effectiveness of the poison.

"It looks like it's just a basic love potion," Cici said out loud as she stepped down off of her chair.

"Miss Ramos! What is the meaning of this?" the Headmistress asked severely.

"Watch Ced, I'll be back," she told her wife.

Ced had cast a shield around himself, Vic, and Cici. Cici walked through the shield but when the closest girl tried to get through it, having just watched Cici walk through like the shield wasn't even there, the protection repelled the girl.

Through all of the commotion, Vic could see Rose and Angel walking towards them with looks of concern on their faces. When they got closer, Vic put her hand up telling them not to come any closer.

"Miss Ramos? What is the meaning of banishing all of the drinks in the hall?" the Headmistress asked her.

"Somebody poisoned all of the drinks in the hall. My best guess at this time is that it is some kind of love potion," she said looking over at her husband and all of the girls in the hall that were trying to swarm him.

There had to be close to fifty girls at this time trying to get to Ced. He was stuck unless he wanted to reveal more of his abilities and for now, the shield was keeping the girls about a metre and a half away from him. There were so many girls trying to get to him that he couldn't even look around to see who was watching.

" _Don't worry about it babe, everybody is watching and laughing."_ Cici thought to her mates.

At the Headmistress' request, all of the pumpkin juice, water, and tea was replaced on the tables. At least all of the boys could get something to drink. And as Cici was trying to figure out how to get back to her mates, the first of the boys started to head for her. She quickly reached down and checked the glass of pumpkin juice that was closest to her, and she watched as it changed colours.

" _Shit!"_ she thought. Then she turned back to the Headmistress, "All of these drinks are poisoned too!"

The Headmistress stood up quickly and using her wand she banished all of the drinks in the Great Hall. The surprised looks on the boys' face, as one second they were holding a glass, and the next it wasn't there. They just got their showers back, and now they don't have anything to drink! The old Scottish witch was getting tired of this quickly. Whoever this person was, she was going to find them and punish them severely.

"The question now, Miss Ramos, is who did what, and how?"

Cici has resorted to using a shield spell like the one that Ced was using, she took a seat at the Hufflepuff table closest to the Ravenclaws to wait for Madam Pomfrey to show up, and start taking the students away or sending them to their dorms. She didn't care which, but she was running out of patience. She couldn't even get a look at her soul-mates because of all of the boys around her. Some girls' dreams, were now her nightmare. She checked her watch, and it wasn't time for her first class yet.

.

"It will wear off before I can brew enough antidote to treat all of these people, Miss Ramos," the Matron told her.

Cici groaned at this news, "If you can get them away from me, then I can go somewhere safe," she told her.

"All of you! All of you! Look at me!" Poppy Pomfrey shouted at the group of boys. "Professor Ramos needs to go to her classroom!"

At that news, all of the boys started to rush down to the potions lab in the dungeon.

When there was a break, Cici mouthed, "Thank you!" to the old healer and headed for the anteroom so she could call Maco to come and get her. She was done with Hogwarts for today!

Once all of the boys were headed down to the potions labs, Madam Pomfrey walked over to help Mr Potter out.

"May I have your attention, please!" she said at the very top of her voice, "Professor Potter needs to go to his classroom now!"

When the press of girls lightened up, Ced and Vic both stood up, and when the last of the girls had their back turned to them, Vic called Lucy to her.

Silently the elf appeared next to them. Without saying a word, Lucy held out both of her hands for the two soul-mates to take, then she was gone silently again.

"What are you doing home?" Harry asked the three of them when he noticed them in his study.

"Somebody put a love potion in everybody's pumpkin juice at school," Ced told him.

"Everybody's?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, and then when we had dealt with that, Professor McGonagall tells the elves to bring all of the drinks back up, and there's a love potion in all of the drinks again. And this time, I'm the target," Cici told him.

"Twice?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yup, so, what's the deal with Rose and Angel's letters from Sean?" Vic asked.

"Sean asked me to forward them to them."

"Okay, so he didn't go around you then," Ced said.

"No, are they interested?"

"Yes, but we were worried that he went around you and their parents," Cici told him.

"No, but he wants to talk to you three too."

This news helped the trio perc up. Two hundred galleons a month as part-time professors really didn't compare with what they would earn working with Sean.

"When does he want to meet?" Ced asked his dad.

"As soon as possible, I think that whoever he is working with wants to take advantage of the spring break," Harry told them.

"Okay, would tomorrow during lunch work or does he want to talk tonight after dinner?"

"Tomorrow during lunch would probably be just fine. The five of you can meet here and we can floo to the Leaky Caldron for lunch."

"Great! We'll tell Rose and Angel then! We're going to go practice in the training room, do you want to join us?" Ced asked his dad.

"Yeah, I think that I'd like that!" he told them.

"Great! Don't forget your sword!" Vic teased her dad.

.

When Rose and Angel should have been free, Vic sent Lucy to go get them and bring them to the mansion.

"Yes, my Lady," Lucy said just before disappearing.

Both girls were thrilled to see Lucy and quickly took hold of her tiny hands. A moment after that, they were standing in front of Vic.

"Hi!" the two girls almost screamed in joy.

"Hi, yourselves!" Vic said back to them. "Thank you, Lucy!" Vic dismissed her elf, pleasantly.

With a bow, the elf was gone silently.

"Let's go find my dad," Vic was saying, "and he can explain about the envelopes, he's actually the one to forward the envelopes to you."

The three girls headed for the downstairs study to see if they could find Harry in there since it was just before lunch.

"How are things going at school, with the love potion problem?" Vic asked.

"Madam Pomfrey only had about ten of the antidote potions in stock. And since it would take her about half a day to brew some more, they have just sent all of the affected students to their house common rooms for the day," Angel was telling her as they walked across the living room. "I overheard that this is the largest incident of this kind, that's why she didn't have enough antidote," she finished telling her as they entered the study.

"How many students were affected by this prank?" Harry asked.

"A little over seventy girls, and almost fifty boys," Rose told him

"And they were all after Cici and me?" asked Ced.

"It seems so at this point," Angel told them.

"I wonder if the attack is against the school, like all of the others, or is this attack against us?" Ced asked out of curiosity.

"I think that it's against the school and the perpetrator is using us as a piece in their game," Cici suggested.

"Either way, my mum was at the school for a couple of hours this morning," Angel told them.

"Vic was telling us that you forwarded the envelopes to us?" Rose asked Harry.

"Yes, I did, and the kids said that you were interested in talking to Sean?" Harry asked the two young women.

"I am," Rose told him.

"Me too!" Angel said.

"Okay, I am going to set up the meeting for tomorrow at lunchtime," he told everyone. Then looking at his watch, "Let's go eat before we upset Charles too much," Harry told them.

"It's probably safer to eat here than it is at school right now. They're still trying to figure out how the person was able to spike all of the drinks, twice!" Angel informed them.

"So, what do you think is going to happen to the person when they catch them, dad?" Cici asked. In the few short years that she had been with Ced, Harry had been more of a father to her than her own. Then one day, she just started calling him dad and neither Harry or Hermione had corrected her. And the few times that her mom had heard her, she didn't say anything either.

"If it's just one person, they are very skilled. The fact that they were able to shut all of the water off to the school for so long is actually, very impressive. Somebody is good with runes and spells," Harry told them.

.

.

The seven of them entered the lobby of the Secret Intelligence Service building. Harry walked over to the receptionist's desk and informed them who they were there to see. The armed guard behind the counter picked up the phone and dialled the correct extension. He spoke into the phone quietly then he hung it up.

"He will be down in a moment," he informed the man standing in front of him.

"Thank you."

Harry joined his family members sitting in the waiting area. Soon the very average looking man joined them.

"Harry! Hermione! How have you been?" he asked jovially. He acknowledged everyone else's presence with a smile and a nod. "Please, follow me," he told them.

The group stood up and followed Sean to the banks of elevators behind the security guards.

Once they had reached the correct floor, Sean led them to the conference room, where six other people waiting for them. There were representatives from Spain, France, Italy, and Great Britain. Then there were the representatives from Interpol that would oversee the operation.

After the doors were closed, Sean told the group of newcomers, "I personally watched as they signed the Blood Contract."

"And that was an insult to my integrity!" one of the Interpol representatives threw at them.

"The only insult to your integrity is the fact that you're sleeping with your fourteen-year-old stepdaughter," Vic threw back in his face.

"I'll go ahead and have security come and take him away at this time," Sean said as he picked up the phone on the long table.

"This is preposterous!" he spat at her.

"No, what is preposterous is the fact that she's pregnant with your baby, and she doesn't want to give it up. But you're planning on drugging her and taking her to see a doctor. That's what's preposterous," Vic told him in front of the whole group of people.

Security knocked on the door and then opened it. Sean greeted them and pointed out who needed to be taken away.

The representative fought and struggled, then he gave up, and was leaving peacefully. "I'll tell the whole world about you! All of you!" he yelled at them.

Ced moved over next to the older man, "And when you do, the blood contract, that you didn't read, will do its job to protect us, and you will lose your life," he said softly to the man.

"It's not my blood! Haha! I tricked you! I tricked all of you!" he said starting to sound like an insane person.

Harry stood up quickly and moved to confront the Interpol representative. He stepped in front of the guards to stop them, then he looked at the man from Interpol. He was inside of his head, looking for the truth.

"How did you get here?" he asked Harry.

"I'm not here, and I see that you're lying," Harry told him inside of his head.

"I had to do something, you were going to tell everyone about what I had done!" he whined at Harry.

When Harry left his mind, he removed all of the memories of him ever meeting any of them, and he planted an overwhelming desire to tell someone all about what it was that he was doing with his stepdaughter.

"Who are you? I need to tell somebody something important!" the man said to Harry.

"These gentlemen here will take you to the person that you want to talk to," Harry told him before he stepped out of the way.

Once the doors had closed again, the incredibly attractive woman from Italy said, "Well, that was all very interesting. I assume that these are the girls that we were to meet today?"

Sean looked at her, "Yes, these are the four girls that you inquired about."

"I had heard from my counterpart in America, that there were some attractive British girls. That had good skills for this type of work," she told the girls. "I, myself, have gotten too old to do the type of work that we are needing," she told them wistfully.

"What type of work are we talking about?" Rose asked.

"No one has told us anything yet," Angel told them.

"Sean, you haven't told the girls anything?" the woman from Spain asked the spy.

"That's because they haven't signed anything yet," he defended himself.

"Can we take care of that at this time?" the Interpol representative asked him.

"Yes," and he handed out the necessary forms and some pens. Once they were signed, he collected all of them again.

"Well, now that that formality is out of the way. My name is Jean-Claude, no last name, this is Antoinette or Toni as she prefers to be called. This is Sophia, Pierre, and Roberta," he finished introducing the representatives to the newcomers.

With 'Pleased to meet you,' all the way around. The group settled down to business.

"What we want to do, is to try and catch as many of the human traffickers as we can, while all of the schools go on spring break throughout Europe. This will happen between the middle of March to about the middle of April, maybe as late as May," Jean-Claude started to tell them.

"We will need you to move amongst the different social circles, from the very well off to, let's say those that are almost as well off. The ones that mommy and daddy can afford to send to the Riviera for a week," Toni was telling them.

"Well technically, Spain doesn't have a Riviera, that has become a generic term to describe that whole part of Europe by travel agencies. But you would be moved from around Barcelona all the way over to say, Portofino in Italy. We may bounce you around to wherever we might find the human trafficker working," Roberta told them.

"While you are in France, you will probably be staying at a luxury resort for a couple of days and then maybe in a student hostel the next couple of days. We are trying to find out what they are looking for. We are also going to put you in tour groups in Marseille, Cannes, and Nice to expose you to as many of these traffickers as we can. Some of these tour groups will be upscale, and some of them will be more aimed at students," Pierre told the teens.

"Well, from our experiences, you can never go wrong with good looks," Cici told the representatives from the different countries.

"Are you four girls able to defend yourselves? We really don't want to flood these areas with a bunch of police officers," Sophia asked them.

The four girls turned to look at Sean, "You would have to ask the British SAS if we are capable of defending ourselves," Rose told her with a smile.

"McMillian, what are you holding back from us?" asked Jean-Claude.

"All five of them have done some work for our government is all I can say. But I will vouch for them being able to defend themselves," McMillian told the group of foreign dignitaries.

"So, are you familiar with Costa Brava or Costa Daurada?" Sophia asked the girls.

"No, not really," Cici told them.

"Costa Brava or The Rugged Coast, is a relatively inexpensive tourist destination, while Costa Daurada, literally, the Golden Coast, gets its name from the colour of the sand when the sun is shining. It is south of Barcelona and resorts line the beaches of the coast. Both of these areas are filled with tourists, and four attractive young girls will be ripe for the picking for those that are looking to smuggle some girls out of the area. We just have to put you where the bad guys are, and to do that, like the French, we will have you go out in the tour groups," she told them.

"The Italian Riviera is more like Costa Brava than it is the French Riviera. But it is also broken up into two different pieces," Toni was telling them. "For us, you will be working the nightclubs in the areas that the tourists will be going. The Riviera's centre is Genoa, which divides it up with the Riviera di Ponente or the coast of the setting sun and Riviera di Levante, the coast of the rising sun, between Genoa and Capo Corvo to the south and east of Genoa, by Tuscany. And like our French neighbours, you will be a part of different tour groups also," she explained to them.

The five teenagers were soaking in all of this information.

"So, you will be providing us with the clothes that you want us to wear?" Vic asked them.

"Yes," Jean-Claude told them.

"Now, for the unpleasant part. How much is this going to pay us?" Vic asked them.

"We were thinking about a €1,000 per day per girl," Jean-Claude told her.

Vic looked at the others, "We were thinking €100,000 per week for each of us. So, that will be €500,000 a week plus expenses," she told them.

"That is preposterous!" Sophia exclaimed loudly.

"Why do you say that?" Cici asked her.

"It is just too much!"

"You have four countries that are going to be sharing the expenses on this. I tell you what, if we don't catch at least one person in each country, we'll do it for free. But, if we catch a total of twenty for all of them combined, then you will pay us double our usual fee," she looked over at Rose and Angel.

"We can do that," Angel said.

"Is that a fair enough deal for everyone interested?" Cici asked them.

"What do we get out of this deal? England, I mean," Roberta asked them.

"We've been trafficked out of this country too," Vic told her.

Roberta looked surprised, then she looked over at Sean for verification.

"It didn't concern you at that time, but yes, they were," he told her.

"So. Do we have a deal?" Ced asked the people from Interpol.

"And, what is it that you do?" Jean-Claude asked him.

"Me? I provide moral support," he told them cheekily.

"What makes the five of you worth so much?" Sophia asked curiously.

"They get the job done," Sean told her.

"When can we start teaching them?" Toni asked the group from Interpol.

"I want to know what we're paying for, I want to know what they can do," Jean-Claude told the group of kids.

"What is it that you would like to know, Luke?" Vic asked him.

Jean-Claude, now Luke looked at her intently. How had she known that name? As far as he knew, only one other at this table knew that name, and he trusted her or had trusted her at one time, a long time ago.

"Do you want me to continue?" she asked him.

"Who are you, people?" Toni asked her. She knew that Luke was his real name, she was the only one to use that name when they were alone, and only his mother still called him that.

"Who are we? Or is your question, what are we?" Ced asked the attractive woman.

"You are correct, the better question is; what are you?" she answered him.

She was attractive, and she knew that she was attractive, and she knew how to use her looks to get what she wanted. Especially from men, who were so often not thinking clearly whenever she was near them.

"To better answer your question, Sean will need to take us to another part of the building," Ced told her. "I'm pretty sure that he doesn't want to risk losing any valuable information they may have."

"Okay, and where are we going to go?" she asked as she looked at the British spy.

"Well now, if you will be kind enough to follow me. We need to change locations just a little," Sean told the large group of people.

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Down in the dull grey corridor, lit by single tube fluorescent lights every now and again, Sean stopped at the correct dull grey door and pulled out a key to unlock it. He pushed the door in and held it for the group of dignitaries to enter the room. As the place sensed their presence, the lights came on. Only there weren't any overhead fluorescent lights, and the colour of the light itself was more yellow than what most people were used to.

All of the magical beings let the Muggles enter the room first. It was a big square room with no furnishings at all. No carpet on the floor, no chairs, no desks, nothing at all. The muggles that had never been in this room just looked around in confusion. Was this some sort of joke?

All of the Interpol representatives, except for Toni were dressed in some sort of business suit. Whether that was a blue jacket and tie for Jean-Claude, a grey pantsuit with pinstripes for Sophia or a grey dress suit for Roberta. Pierre had come a little more casual in just a yellow button-down shirt with blue slacks, but for Toni. Toni was wearing a dress and heels, and not some dress that was trying to hide her figure either. No, this woman was dressed to draw attention to herself, she wanted every man within a five-block radius to know that she was there. No, when she crossed the street, cars had accidents. When she walked down the sidewalk, cars drove off the road and into parked cars. And here she was, wearing a conservative, well for her it was conservative, red dress with a white belt with matching white stiletto heels, and an emerald necklace with matching earrings and bracelet, carrying a white clutch. Toni was wearing just a hint of costly perfume, while Roberta was wearing too much of less expensive perfume, and Sophia wasn't wearing any at all.

Ced was the last one to enter the room, "You may want to turn off your cell phones and well, if you have an electric watch, you're going to need a new battery after this, sorry," he told the group of non-magical beings in the room.

"Where do you expect us to sit? Is this some sort of sick joke?" Sophia complained loudly.

"Please, forgive me," Ced told her just before he waved his hand, and conjured enough, big, comfortable, overstuffed armchairs for everyone except him and his wives.

Vic and Cici looked at him for a moment as they waited for their couch to appear. Ced walked over to them, and when he was standing in-between them, a large sofa appeared behind them for them to sit on.

"Ced, you didn't give them any tables to place their things on!" Angel told him. Then she conjured coffee tables and end tables for all of them.

"Now, you asked us what we are, and, what we are, are magical beings. We have the ability to do magic," Ced told all of them, looking around at all of the different expressions on their faces.

"You are like magicians!" Pierre exclaimed. "I like to watch the magicians! Tell me, how is it that you can cut a girl in half?" he asked them, in his heavy French accent.

"If I were to cut a girl in half, she would probably die," Ced told him with a chuckle. "Those kinds of people that can do those kinds of tricks would probably be better-called, Illusionists. We work with real magic. When you walked into this room, did you see any of these chairs or tables in here, or was the room completely empty?"

"Ah! It is all done with smoke and mirrors! It was already here when we came in, we just couldn't see it!" he told Ced with a sense of pride.

The others in the group watched Pierre closely, was he right? Had they been tricked?

"You are correct in that some Illusionists do work with smoke and mirrors, but not us," Ced told him.

Cici stood up and began to walk over to Pierre. She was wearing a sleeveless dress and a pair of wedge heels. She held her hand out, and a small ball of fire appeared in her hand.

"Would you like to touch it?" she asked him. "Be careful, it is real," she told him as she held her hand out to the sceptical man.

He chose not to believe her and tried to grab the glowing ball and hold it in his hands. He managed to grip it for a half of a second before it burned his hand and he dropped it. Cici put out the fire before any damage could be done.

"Ouch! Merde!" he exclaimed. "It burned me! What kind of witch are you!" he yelled at her.

"A pretty, sexy one, if you ask me," she told him with a chuckle. She turned and left him there nursing his burned hand.

Before she got back to the couch, Vic let go of Ced's hand, and she stood up. As she walked over to Roberta, she conjured a small ball of water in her hand and offered it to Roberta. She shied away from it.

"It's okay, you're not going to get burned, it's just water!" Vic told her and Roberta shook her head no.

She then offered the ball of water to Sophia.

"This is just some kind of trick you are playing!" she said as she went to knock the ball of water out of Vic's hand, soaking Toni when she did so. "Oh, Toni! I am so sorry! I didn't think it was real!" she gasped when she saw the Italian representative sitting there soaked because of her.

Ced looked over at Rose and Angel. Both of them stood up and began to walk over to Toni and Pierre.

Angel walked all the way to Pierre while Rose stopped at Toni. Rose squatted down some, "I think that your outfit is absolutely beautiful! It would be a shame to let it be ruined by a simple accident."

Toni glared at Sophia, this one outfit cost more than that woman's entire wardrobe, from what Toni could see.

"Would you like for me to fix it?" Rose offered her.

The other women were watching her intently. Both of the other Interpol women knew that Toni didn't buy cheap wash-and-wear clothes and that it was probably ruined for life.

"Could you please?" Toni asked the young red-head in front of her.

With a slow wave of her hand, so Toni could feel herself being dried, and the other women could see her getting dried in front of their eyes, Rose dried Toni off from her shoes to her necklace.

"Oh! It's a miracle!" Toni said softly.

"No, it's magic," Rose told her just before she stood up to go back to her seat.

When everyone was done watching Rose, Angel held out her hand to Pierre, who shied away from her, 'once burned, twice shy.'

"If you would like for me to heal your hand, then you're going to have to let me see it," she told him gently, still holding out her hand to him.

Cautiously he held out his injured hand to her. She took his burned hand in her off hand and ejected her wand to begin healing him. When the wand appeared in her hand, he jerked his hand back and held it away from her. He was scared now, he had never seen any magicians or their assistants use a wand.

"It's okay," Angel was telling the scared man soothingly. "I need to use my wand to heal your hand."

"I-I-I will go to a doctor," he told her quietly.

"If you go to a doctor, that burn will take about three months to heal, and it won't heal properly," she told him. "If you let me heal you, it will stop hurting, and you will have full use of your hand again, and you can continue to caress Jaqueline like she likes to be caressed."

He looked up at the auburn-haired witch with the tight curly hair, "How do you know about Jaqueline?"

"Because, I can read your mind, silly!"

She reached out and took his hand gently. Slowly she pulled it towards her, and she began to heal it in front of his own eyes. She moved around beside him so all of the others could see what she was doing, and they could watch his hand getting better in front of them. When she had finished, she let go of his hand.

"How does that feel?" she asked him kindly.

"It's a miracle!" he exclaimed.

"No, it's magic, silly!" she teased him, as he continued to look down at his healed hand in amazement.

Gradually, all of the representatives began to turn and look at the kids with new-found respect.

Ced looked at them, "Do you believe us now?" he asked.

There was silence in the room, but their heads kind of nodded, yes.

"Are there any more questions?" Ced asked.

All of the reps sat there in silence and kind of shook their heads, no.

"Well, since you believe us now, and there aren't any more questions, we have already agreed upon a price, when do you want us to start?" he asked them.

"Eight o'clock Monday morning?" Jean-Claude asked them.

"Okay, and where would you like us to meet?" Ced asked him.

"At the Interpol Headquarters in Lyons, France," he told the good-looking young man with the two girls hanging on him.

"Is there anything that we need to bring with us?" Ced asked him.

"No, we will supply you with everything that you will need," he told him.

"Okay, then we are going to show up with just our workout clothes then," Ced confirmed with the man.

"Oh, I get to dress four attractive young ladies and one good looking hunk of a man!" Toni exclaimed gleefully.

"We will have a week or two of training, to find out where you are for what we need, and then we will put you out in the field," Jean-Claude told them.

"That sounds good," Ced told him. "Now, just to clear something up before it becomes a problem. Everyone that we meet will need to have already signed a blood contract. This is something that is not negotiable, this is for our safety and security," Ced emphasised to him.

"It will be already taken care of. All you have to do is to be at headquarters at eight o'clock Monday morning,"

"We will see you there!" Ced told him cheerfully.

.

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 **A/N:**


	62. Year Six Chapter 62

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 62

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After explaining everything to Professor McGonagall when they returned to school that afternoon. On Friday, the five of them, after classes were over, travelled by elf to the Potter Mansion, then Rose and Angel, flooed to their homes.

"What are you doing home?" Angelina asked Angel when she stepped out of the floo.

"We got another job from Sean," she told her.

Angel had turned seventeen in January, so technically she didn't need her mother's permission to work for Sean anymore, but she also knew that it wouldn't be right to upset her mum either.

"Alright, when do you leave? And how long are you going to be gone for?" she asked her older daughter. How she had three kids when she had only given birth to two was still a mystery to her, but her younger daughter, soon to be daughter-in-law, was a good kid Angelina decided a couple of years ago. She just needed some guidance in her life, some rules, and boundaries.

"We're going to leave on Monday, we need to be there by eight," Angel replied.

"Who's going with you?" Angelina asked. She knew that there was only so much that Angel could share with her.

"Rose, Cici, Vic, and Ced. We're trying to catch some human traffickers that they think are going to be working the tourist spots over the spring breaks," she told her mum as much as she was comfortable with.

"I assume that it's going to pay well?" she asked her kid. With as much as the kids had been earning, they wouldn't ever have a need to get a 'normal' job. And when they had paid off the house as a present a couple of years ago, that had taken a significant burden off of George and herself. Now they were able to put some galleons away for a better retirement.

"Yes, we told them that it was going to be €100,000 euros a week for each one of us, and if we didn't catch any bad guys, then we would do it for free."

When her mum heard that she was going to be working for free, she kind of gasped.

"Mum, we're not working for free! All we have to do is catch at least one guy! But, if we catch a total of twenty bad guys, then we get paid double! So that's going to be €200,000 euros a week!" Angel told her mum excitedly.

"But if you don't catch anybody in a week, then you're not going to get paid!"

"Mum, even if I don't get paid, I'm still going to keep all of the clothes that they're going to buy me! And it's not for just one week, it's going to be at least five weeks, and maybe, it'll go until the middle of May."

"But what about school?"

"Since we've passed our O.W.L.s and our N.E.W.T.s already, we're teacher's aides. We're helping teach the classes now."

"So, that's why they haven't sent a bill for the tuition, you, and your brother and Amber are basically working there; when you actually do go to school," Angelina said, the worry in her voice coming through at the mention of George and Amber. Amber was kind of like her adopted daughter.

"Have you heard anything from them?" Angel asked in a quiet voice.

"No, it's not as hard as the first time though."

"We had a lot of fun on that trip, we got to see so much stuff! It was amazing how much we learned that summer."

The two women heard the floo flare to life as they were talking in the kitchen. Supper was almost ready when they heard George Sr.'s voice.

"Hey, babe! How was your day?" George called loudly to his beautiful wife.

"We're in the kitchen!" She said loud enough for him to hear her.

George tossed his stuff on one of the armchairs in the living room of their home and carried his lunch pail to the kitchen.

"Hey! Pumpkin, what are you doing home?" her dad asked Angel.

"I'm home for the weekend before we take off for another job," Angel told her dad.

"Where are you going? Or can't you say?" He was getting used to his children not being able to tell him certain things.

"I can't really say, but we'll be gone over the spring break."

"Who's we?" George asked her.

"Rose, Vic, Cici, Ced, and I," Angel told her dad.

"I don't suppose you've heard from your brother and Amber, have you?" he asked hopefully.

"No, if they were in any kind of trouble that was too much, any of the four of them could just make a portkey and leave. Ced taught all of us how to make a portkey last year," she tried to reassure her dad.

"Well, I guess that's good to know," he said unconvincingly.

"Well, let's get ready for supper, mum's got dinner almost ready," Angel said in an upbeat tone. She wanted this to be a joyful time together.

George noticed that his daughter was almost looking him eye to eye. When had she grown so much? She's gotten so tall! He looked down to see that she was wearing a pair of heels, he would have guessed that they were maybe four inches. Still, she had to be closing in on One-hundred-seventy-three centimetres. When had she grown so tall?

"When did Angel get so tall?" George asked Angelina once Angel was out of the room.

"They're all growing up to fast!" she replied to her husband. "Now, go and get washed up for dinner. It'll be ready by the time you get back."

George met Angel at the top of the stairs, she had changed into a light grey, thick cotton jogging suit, and her bare feet rested on the carpet.

"It's good to have you home," he told her. "At least you're not in trouble."

"It's good to be home. I like spending time with you and mum," she told him with a big smile.

His baby girl has gotten so big! She was seventeen now!

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At precisely 6:55 local time, with their backpacks slung across their shoulders, Ced activated the international portkey that would take the five of them directly to the Interpol headquarter on Quai Charles de Gaulle, Lyon, France. The portkey was set to land them on the unused corner of the flat roof of the building. As soon as they had landed, an older gentleman came running out to meet them.

"Bonjour! I am Charles. Please follow me, and I will take you to Monsieur Pierre!" the thin man with the twitching moustache told them.

He turned and headed for the glass door, he was moving at a fast pace, as if they might be late and didn't want to face the repercussions of that error. Although, he was old enough, and a sufficient gentleman, that he held the door for all of the girls. Once they were all inside of the building, he retook the lead. The old man led them to the elevators and pushed the down arrow. When the doors opened for the elevator, he stood aside and let all of the young adults enter the elevator before him. He selected the right floor and the doors closed.

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"Monsieur Pierre, your guests have arrived," Charles told the middle-aged, slightly pudgy man.

Without looking up, "Merci, Charles," Pierre dismissed him.

Pierre finished looking at the various papers that were directly in front of him. He signed a couple, and then he looked up at the private contractors, as he put his pen in his pocket.

"Welcome to France. Shall we get started?" he asked the group of teens.

"We'll follow you," Ced told him.

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As Pierre led them out the back of the building, a white Peugeot van with blacked out windows was pulling into the parking lot. It glided up to the curb and came to a stop. The driver hopped out of the van, ran around, and opened the doors for his passengers. Cici was the first to get into the van, followed by Ced, and then Vic. The three of them took the very back seat of the van. Angel took the next seat, and then Rose took the seat closest to the driver. Cici and Ced both handed their backpacks to Vic who laid them on the floor in front of her feet, Angel and Rose both laid theirs on the seat beside them. The two cousins looked at the side of the van and saw a USB charging port. As the van pulled away from the curb, the two girls were digging in their packs frantically to get their cell phones out and plug them in.

By ten o'clock the van was pulling through a set of electric gates guarded by men with guns. The van stopped, the driver and Pierre showed their identification. The guard stepped back and waved the van on into the compound. The driver pulled in and made a hard turn, drove forward and then made another hard turn, then the van headed down an incline into an underground parking structure. The tires squealed as the driver made the tight turns as he kept going down the various levels.

Pierre got out of the passenger seat and opened the side door of the van. Rose picked up her backpack as she slid out of her chair and then stepped out of the truck, Angel followed her lead. As their two friends were getting out of the van, Vic handed Ced and Cici their backpacks. Vic picked up her pack as she leaned forward to get out of the van. Once all five of them were out of the van, Pierre closed the side door of the van, and the driver drove away.

"Welcome to our Combined Forces Training Facility. For the next two weeks, you will be taught, hand to hand combat, knife fighting, marksmanship, and for the ladies, how to dress appropriately for the occasion, including how to apply makeup for the different occasions and desired effect. And for you Monsieur, how to dress appropriately for the occasion too," Pierre told them before he turned and led them to a steel security door with a keypad.

"Taking into consideration your special needs, your quarters will be the ones farthest from all of the electronics in the building. You five will be the only people here other than the required training instructors," he sounded like a sergeant talking to new recruits in the military.

"Will Toni be joining us?" Rose asked neutrally.

"Toni will be one of the people taking you shopping when that time comes," he told her as he was leading them through the maze of dull grey hallways.

On the way to their quarters, he pointed out all of the different training rooms, where the cafeteria was located, the offices of the facility, should they need something that wasn't supplied to them. He showed them where the medical unit was located, in case one of them got hurt. Then he walked them past the shooting range. He stopped and turned around when he realised that none of the young adults was following him.

Sensing his question, "None of us has ever shot a gun before," Ced told him solemnly.

"I will let your instructor know that, so he can start with the basics. Come on, we're going to test you in hand to hand fighting before lunch, and then after lunch, it will be with a knife," he said to the lot of them before he turned and started walking to their quarters again.

Eventually, they came to a part of the facility that was black, this was windowless, underground, no lights type of black.

"I was told that the type of magic that you use and electricity don't mix well. So, we had all of the electricity turned off to this part of the facility for you," he informed the young magical beings.

Cici was the first to wave her hand and conjure a wall sconce to start providing light to the dark corridor. Angel was the next to put one up on the opposite wall, then Rose tossed one up. Then it was Cici again, and then Angel, then it became even more of a competition as they walked down the hallway, to see who could put a wall sconce up first. Ced started to chuckle at the competitiveness of the girls.

"Are they always like this?" Pierre asked Ced quietly.

"Yeah, pretty much. We're all competitive on different levels," he told the officer.

"Here are your rooms," the officer told them. "They are all the same and have built-in bathrooms. I was told that the three of you would be sharing a room, so I had three of everything put into one of the rooms. It's a little tight," he told the threesome as he opened their door for them.

Tight was an understatement, Ced decided, as he entered the room. His wand was in his hand as he looked around. The first thing he did after adding lighting to the room was to shrink two of the twin sized beds down and levitate them out to the hallway. Then he looked around some more and started to enlarge the room so there would be enough space for all of the chests of drawers and dressers. One of those got shrunken down and levitated to the hallway too.

While Ced was working on the sleeping/living area of their new quarters. Cici had walked into the bathroom and almost panicked, the shower was one metre by one metre. She hadn't taken a shower by herself in years! Vic looked around, and the first thing she did when her wand was in her hand was to enlarge the bathroom significantly. After Cici expanded the shower, she and her mate started to discuss what else needed to be fixed in the bathroom to make it workable for them.

"We're only here for two weeks," Vic told her wife.

"One, if we're lucky," Cici replied to her.

"Are the two of you ready to get changed? They're waiting for us," Ced told his wives.

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"This is going to be a test of your hand to hand combat skills. Once we determine what level you are at, we will begin training you from that level. We have five instructors that will work with you after that point," the big blonde-haired man in shorts and a muscle shirt told them. "Please, pick a mat and begin."

Ced stepped up to the blonde-haired man, out of the corner of his eye he saw Rose climb her opponent like a monkey would climb a tree, she wrapped one leg around the man's neck, and then she arched her back pulling the man off of his feet and on to the ground. All of this happened in the first thirty seconds of the test.

Seeing Ced's distraction, the blonde-haired trainer lunged at Ced. Ced sidestepped and wanted to come down on the back of the man's head with an elbow, but as fast as Ced was, the trainer was faster. Ced's opponent was able to grab Ced and start to bring him down with him. Ced' knee came up and buried itself under the trainer's ribcage. Ced could hear the umph as the air left the man's lungs. With the knee to the ribs, this caused the two of them to start to roll, it was looking like Ced would come out on top of his opponent, now Ced just needed to make sure that it stayed that way. Ced straightened his one leg out to stop the roll when they hit the mat, the other knee needed to land in the trainer's abdomen. The trainer knew that this kid was going to try something like that, so he started to bring his one leg up to keep Ced's weight from landing in the middle of his guts. The two of them hit the mat hard, and the trainer's knee kept Ced rolling past where he wanted to be. Ced came up on his feet and was looking at the trainer who was struggling to breathe. He hadn't heard any ribs crack or break when he kneed him, so Ced was pretty sure that he just had the wind knocked out of him, he needed to press his advantage, and press it now. Ced came at his opponent hard and fast, he had to keep him expending energy that he didn't have right now. He closed in and took a swing at the man's head trying to make him start to move. Ced's opponent took a swing at him, and Ced caught the man's arm, pinning it against his shoulder, holding it with one hand while he spun in place, and buried his elbow under the trainer's ribs again. He let go of the man's arm and kept spinning, bringing a knee up into his ribs, hoping to get one of them to bust, he felt the bruised rib give way with a crack. The battered man caught Ced in the kidney with a solid punch, and Ced yelped, then he closed his mind fully to his wives. Ced danced in with two quick punches and a kick to his opponent's left knee. The trainer was expecting something like that and was able to move quickly enough that the kick landed on his thigh, protecting his knee. The trainer returned the favour and hit Ced hard in the ribs, it hurt, but Ced was able to take the energy from the hit and use it to roll away from the opponent and come back up on his feet. The trainer was protecting his injured side, but he was still leading with his dominant hand. Ced knew that he had to force the man to turn his injured side to him or this fight was going to end in both of them getting hurt badly. Ced fake a swing, then he faked another swing, and the opponent hit him in the jaw with a solid blow, sending Ced reeling backwards, seeing stars for a moment. The older opponent pressed his advantage against Ced and landed a couple of good solid body blows to his torso. Ced changed tactics and closed the gap on his opponent, he got inside of the man's swing and went to work on the trainer's ribs. The trainer put Ced into a clinch, trying to crush the teenager against him, Ced stopped down as hard as he could, the trainer broke the clinch, and Ced was able to grab his head and bury it in his upcoming knee. As the man reeled backwards from the force of the hit, Ced went to work on his broken rib trying to break a second or even a third rib, he was in close and putting everything he had into hitting the man. Two to the ribs and one to the face, two to the ribs and one to the face, the last hit was a power filled uppercut to the man's jaw snapping his head back and sending his eyes rolling.

Before the man's body had finished settling in on the mat, the four girls were running to start the emergency first aid on the two combatants. Somewhere in the background, a voice was telling them to get out of the way so they could get them to the medical ward.

It wasn't until one of the voices was trying to pull Vic away from her husband that she heard. When she felt the hand on her shoulder trying to pull her away, she turned to face this new threat with her wand in her hand.

"Touch me again, and I will hex you," she threatened the woman dressed in white.

The two wives scanned their husband and working together Cici was able to heal the internal bleeding, she then reset Ced's broken nose. She found that he had lost a tooth in the fight and she summoned the missing tooth to her. After she scourgified the missing tooth, she was able to reinsert the tooth and mend the broken roots.

Cici got up and moved over to the trainer, "Angel, go help Vic while I heal this person," she told her friend gently.

Angel changed places with Cici and started to help Vic.

"Can you roll over, I need to heal your kidney," Vic told her husband.

Ced started to roll over so the two women could heal his kidney. He had taken quite the hit, and he knew that his kidney was damaged.

Once Ced was rolled over, Angel put up a midlevel diagnostic spell, and Vic was able to see which kidney was damaged. As she watched the display of the spell, she slowly and carefully healed the injured organ. With all of his injuries taken care of, Vic and Angel began to work at treating his bruising.

With that finished, Vic summoned a couple of anti-bruising potions and a few Vitamix potions.

With Ced sitting up, Vic gave him the anti-bruising potion and then she gave him a Vitamix. With the Vitamix swallowed Ced got to his feet on his own. He thanked Angel and hugged and kissed Vic. Arms wrapped around each other they walked over to check on Ced's opponent. After Rose stopped casting the diagnostic spell, Vic handed Cici the anti-bruising potion and the Vitamix potion.

Cici handed the trainer the anti-bruising potion when the man had sat up on his own. "Here, take this," she told him. "Swallow it all at once."

The man's face contorted into pain. "That tastes bad!" he told her.

"I didn't tell you that it was going to taste like Amaretto! I just told you to take it. Now, take this one, it tastes better, and it will give you some energy in a few minutes. How do you feel?" she asked her patient.

"Like I got hit by a train! You pack a hard punch kid!" he told Ced as he looked up at him.

"You do too!" Ced told his older opponent.

The trainer looked around at all of the faces looking at him. When he spotted the face he was looking for, "I assume that all of them have passed their hand to hand testing?"

Pierre looked at him, "Oui, you took the longest. All of the girls were done in five minutes or less," the officer told his lead trainer. "The doctors want to give all of you a physical.

Ced held his hand out to his opponent to help him to his feet.

"I thought that you said that all of the people that we would come into contact with had signed the blood contract!" he turned his head to look at Pierre once he had finished helping the trainer to his feet.

"Who hasn't signed the contract?" he asked Ced in near panic.

Ced turned to look for the stray thought that he had picked up on. Then he focused on a young man in his early twenties. When their eyes met, the young man turned and started to run. Before the man had taken five steps, there were five hexes that hit him in his back. He landed on his belly, his face hitting the floor hard, and breaking his nose, his body smearing the blood as it slid to a stop. The blood was beginning to puddle around the terrorist's broken nose as everyone walked up to see who it was that had tried to compromise this mission.

This was the third introduction, to most of those standing there staring with their mouths hanging agape, that these were not 'normal' teenagers they were working with. Their first introduction was watching the kids fighting in hand to hand combat and winning against their instructors. The second introduction was watching as the four girls worked to heal the two most severely injured opponents. And the third was seeing the five of them cast magical spells at an opponent.

"He's not dead, is he?" one of the medical technicians asked softly.

Ced looked at his friends and his wives, "No, he should just be stunned. Who is he anyway?"

At that question, the group of people that had gathered to watch all of the sparring moved forward towards the man lying face down on the ground.

Cici knelt down and cast a basic diagnostic spell on the man, "He's alive, just unconscious."

Then a little voice in the back of her head told her to cast a higher level diagnostic spell. Picking up on her wife's concern, Vic knelt down next to her and watched as Cici ran her wand over the enemy combatant. Cici's brows furrowed in thought.

"What is it?" Pierre asked.

Cici stopped and looked at him, "It's two things."

Then Vic cast the same spell that Cici had, so she could point things out to the officer.

"Here," she pointed to something in the man's torso. "and here," she pointed to one of the man's teeth.

"A poisoned tooth? That is so 1960's!" he said out loud. "Can you remove it?"

The two girls started to roll the man over when the big trainer grabbed his arm and just yanked him on to his back. Vic and Cici looked up at him for a second, before they began to remove the poisonous tooth, without any numbing medication. Cici levitated the poisonous tooth to whoever had their gloved hand held out to her.

"Now, what about that other thing that you found?" Pierre asked her.

With a wave of her hand, Vic removed the contents of the man's pants, then she banished the terrorist's shirt and pants, leaving him lying there in just his underwear. They rolled the band of his underwear down to reveal a fresh scar, one that had healed over a few weeks ago.

"So, how long ago had you started to plan this mission?" Vic asked Pierre.

"Maybe two months ago, why?"

"That scar is about four weeks old," one of the doctors told him.

"I would agree," Vic said. "That means that you have at least one spy in your organisation, that is aware of this mission. Who besides you, knows about us? And, who besides you, have been in on the planning of this mission?" Vic asked.

Pierre began to list off the people that knew about this mission from the planning stages, "There is Roberta, Sean, who put us in touch with you, Sophia, whose sister was taken, Toni, who did your job until she got to old age wise, and Monsieur Barton. Who you've already caught. And no one else that I can think of right – MERDE! Madam Madelene, she went on vacation before we signed the blood contracts. She is the only other one. I've never liked her, but she insisted on being a part of the planning of this mission."

"We would be very interested in meeting this Madam Madelene," Ced told him.

Pierre acknowledged him, "Can you remove whatever that is from him?"

"Yes, I think that I can leave the scar looking like it does now," Cici told him.

Vic recast the diagnostic spell so Cici could remove the capsule that had been implanted in the man's abdomen. When she had removed it, she levitated it into somebody's gloved hand. She returned to healing the cut she had made working hard to restore the scar like they had found it. When she was finished, both her and Vic stood up.

"When's lunch? I'm hungry," she told no one in particular.

Pierre looked down at his watch, it wasn't a particularly expensive watch, but it was still a nice watch, and he liked it. "They will start serving lunch in about thirty minutes," he told the group of teens.

"Okay, so what time is it?" Ced asked.

"It's ten-thirty," Pierre told him.

"Okay, then we will meet you in the cafeteria that you showed us in an hour?" Ced asked, trying to clear things up.

"Yes, that will be fine," he told Ced.

"Great, is there a chance that you could get this other woman to join us for lunch?" Ced asked the man.

"I can do that, she would be very interested in meeting you, I think," Pierre told him with a gleam in his eyes. He was going to put a stop to this human trafficking facilitator. As far back as he could remember, almost every mission that she had been involved in had had little or no success, and often there were fatalities on their side.

.

At eleven-thirty, Ced, his two wives, Rose, and Angel walked into the cafeteria and looked around. Some of the local personnel were already sitting down and had begun to eat. There was a short line to get a tray and some food. Angel led the way to the serving line, and they found a large table for all of them to sit at. The unarmed combat trainers dropped their trays off at the wash window and asked if they could sit with them. They were having a lively conversation and enjoying some excellent food.

Derek told them, "This area of France is known for its good food! It is a destination for people who would be called food tourists or foodies!" he told the group of teens.

"That's amazing that there is such a thing," Rose told them.

At a little after noon, an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman and Pierre walked into the virtually empty cafeteria. Seeing the woman approach, Derek and the other trainers excused themselves from the table and exited hastily.

"Cedric, Cecilia, Victoria, Rose, Angel, this is Madam Madelene," Pierre said to them formally.

Ced stood up and greeted the middle-aged woman in need of another dye job to hide the greying hairs.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ced told her politely. "Please, have a seat and join us!" he gestured to the recently vacated seat across from Cici and next to Angel. "Pierre, why don't you take the seat next to her?" Ced suggested cheerfully.

After the two of them sat down, Ced asked her, "So, how is Raman doing?"

"Who?" she asked him a little higher pitched than she had intended. She looked around to see who else was there.

"Raman, your Albanian lover. The one that you just returned from visiting, for the last two weeks," Ced confronted her.

Madelene, started looking around like a caged animal, "I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about," she told him.

"Hum, you've been seeing each other off and on now for," he paused for a moment, "almost ten years. He's been paying you for information for close to fifteen years now. How was it that you two became involved with each other? Oh, I see now, you were working as an undercover girl who was trying to be trafficked when the two of you met," he told her so Pierre could hear.

Madelene was looking around now, scared, she knew that if she was caught now, she was going to go away for life.

"But you fell for him, and his dark good looks. He's so moody, yet his eyes when he looks at you. You're wearing more makeup than normal, because you're trying to hide where he hit you this time. You didn't have the information that he wanted," Ced paused again, "About us."

"This isn't true Pierre! This boy is telling all lies!" she was saying desperately.

Ced motioned with his finger for Angel to stun Madelene lightly with her fingertip. Angel touched Madelene on the back of her head where her head and neck met. She collapsed onto the table.

"Pierre, I'm going to go into her mind and erase all of the information and knowledge of us. Then I'm going to put an overwhelming desire to confess to all of her crimes for the last fifteen years, and to give you Raman's address in Tirana, Albania. His picture is in her cell phone, and she has other pictures of other operatives of Raman's, at her home. Now, this desire to confess to everything isn't going to last forever, fifteen, not more than thirty minutes at the most," Ced told the Interpol officer.

"That doesn't give me a lot of time. I need to see if there is recording equipment here and an interrogation room too. Merde!" he exclaimed again. "This by itself is worth every last Franc that we are paying you!"

"We can leave her stunned while you go and check for the equipment that you need," Ced told the man.

Pierre looked at his watch, "Merde! Your next test is in half an hour, at two o'clock!" he got up to leave, then he turned back around to the teenagers, "Come with me. No, leave her there, and come with me I will show you where the test will be, then you can go to your rooms and change into your workout clothes again."

The rest of them got up and followed Pierre, as Rose past the traitor she stunned her again a little harder.

As Pierre walked out of the cafeteria, he saw one of the trainers walking past him, "You!" he pointed at the man. "Watch her, make sure she doesn't leave! I'll be back in a few minutes to collect her," he told the confused man.

.

Ced walked in a few minutes later than the four girls.

"You're late!" the instructor scolded Ced. "I was just telling the girls that this was a test of their skills with a knife of their choice. I have a table over here that they can choose their weapon from," the instructor said to them harshly.

"Would you mind if we used a weapon of our own?" Rose asked him meekly.

"All of you can use whatever weapon you want," he told them like he was speaking to a small child.

Picking up on the lack of respect for them, "Thank you," Rose said childlike.

Ced noticed that Derek, and the other four instructors, were standing off to the side watching what was happening.

"The four of you, chose a weapon, and chose a mat!" the instructor said in a commanding tone. "I'll take Johnny come lately here," he said with a smirk starting to cross his face. He was going to teach this punk not to be late to his class again.

Next, to the five other instructors, the medics and the doctors started to line the wall. This was the test that generated the most business for the medical ward.

The five of them pulled out their shrunken swords and put the scabbards away. Then all of them enlarged their swords, Ced added the cutting spells to the edges of his sword. The five magicals assumed a ready posture.

All of the testers had regular combat knives.

"Ready when you are, chief," Ced told the instructor, a sneer crossing his face.

The instructor came at Ced, block, block, slice, the knife fell on to the mat below with a muted thud, and Ced spun around the man while he was still stunned at having his wrist cut. Ced grabbed the man's forehead and pulled his head back exposing his throat to the edge of his sword. Ced would give him credit, he was good, just outclassed. The fight had lasted more than a minute but less than three.

"I yield!" the man said.

Ced laid his sword down, "Let me see your hand," Ced told him.

"I need a doctor, not some punk with a sword!" the man snarled at him.

"If you ever want to use that hand again, then you need to let me heal you," Ced told the man more forcefully.

"Let him take care of you, Jacque!" Derek said loudly as he was walking up.

Reluctantly Jacque held his hands out to Ced. Ced ejected his wand and began to stop the flow of blood. Once he had stopped the flow of blood, he scourgified the wound. By this time the medics were walking up to watch what was happening. Ced cast a midlevel diagnostic spell so he could see the extent of the damage he had done. Ced grimaced, a little more force and he would have severed the man's hand from his arm. He looked up and around, Vic and Rose were healing one of the instructors, Cici and Angel were healing one of the others.

"We're going to have to wait a moment," Ced started to tell the man.

"Why?" Jacque asked.

"It's bad enough that it's going to take two people to heal you. Here look at the others," he told him as he let go of the man's arm. He picked up his sword and scourgified it clean, then he shrank it back down and put it back in its scabbard.

Vic came over while the medics went to inspect the wound on the combatant that had been fighting Rose.

"I stopped the bleeding, but all of the muscles and tendons are going to need to be reattached, I can't cast the diagnostic spell and the necessary healing spells at the same time," Ced told his beautiful wife.

Vic conjured a chair with an armrest so she could focus on reattaching all of the severed parts. Ced kept the diagnostic spell up for her while she worked. All of the medical personnel were very interested in the display that was shown. It let Vic have instant feedback on what she was doing.

Cici checked on everybody else while Vic worked quietly on Jacques. Then she and Angel came over to see how she was doing. She opened her mind fully to Vic so she would have access to all of the needed information to heal the man.

Two hours later, a blood replenishing potion and a Vitamix came flying down the hallway into Cici's outstretched hand.

"Here, take this, and no, it's not going to taste like candy, while I check on her work," Cici told the man in the chair. Then she looked up at Ced, "Give me the next higher level diagnostic spell, I think that we're going to need more detail."

Cici and Vic looked over the imagery being displayed by the diagnostic spell. The doctors were almost pushing them out of the way wanting to see. Cici turned and looked at the doctor that bumped her.

"Excusez-moi," he told her as he back up a little. He had never seen anything like this! Real-time imagery while you worked on a patient!

Cici and Vic refocused on Jacques' wrist, "Turn your wrist over for me," Cici asked the man in the chair.

He turned his hand palm down on the table of the chair.

"See this nerve here?" Cici asked her wife.

"Yeah, it's still severed," Vic's wand was back in her hand, and she cast the needed healing spell again, to reattach the two nerve endings.

"Mum would be happy," Cici told Vic.

Ced cancelled the diagnostic spell, "You can get up now." Ced held out his hand to the tester.

Jacque took Ced's offered hand and pulled himself up. He started to inspect his injured hand, there wasn't even a scar, he began to flex all of his fingers. It was like it had never happened.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Jacques asked Ced.

"We've been training seven days a week for years," Ced told him.

"Well, your training has been excellent. Derek tells me that your hand to hand training is excellent also," Jacques praised the group of kids.

"If you will excuse us, we're going to go back to our rooms and relax for a while," Ced told the large group of Muggles.

.

For the next two weeks, eight hours a day, the five teenagers worked on handgun training. They fired thousands of rounds of ammunition. One of the things the instructors told them was that most people weren't afraid of the recoil of the gun, but it was how loud the gun was, that scared them. Like all handgun courses, basic safety was taught first, and enforced always. They covered revolvers and semiautomatic pistols. Pierre wanted them to be comfortable with whatever weapon the traffickers might be using. They learned to field strip and clean all of the different pistols that they fired. They fired subcompact pistols, and they fired full sized pistols. The got to shoot .25 calibre semiautomatic pistols all the way up to .45 calibre pistols. Then the class settled on the 9mm semiautomatic pistols, and that is the weapon they qualified with. After they qualified with the handguns, the instructors introduced them to assault rifles, submachine guns, and an introduction to belt fed weapons. Rose had a blast firing the big belt-fed machine guns. When she walked away from it, she had a grin from ear to ear!

"That's the weapon that that guy shot you with," Cici was telling Ced. "An AK-74 assault rifle."

"Yeah, all I know is that it hurt!" Ced told them.

"When did you get shot?" Angel asked.

"It was the Christmas after," and Cici looked around to see who could hear them, "Vic bonded with us." She told them quietly.

"If you ladies would stop talking and start cleaning, maybe we could go home sometime today!" the average sized short haired German instructor chastised them.

.

.

"Let's go shopping!" the middle-aged, youthful looking makeup coach told the four girls and one guy. "I have a van coming for all of us, and we will be going to Paris for the weekend! Now, go get packed and be back here in fifteen minutes," the middle-aged woman told them with more exuberance than they had heard in a week.

The girls were ecstatic! Ced was happy too, if it made Cici and Vic excited, then it made him happy too. The walk back to their rooms, the girls sounded like girls again instead of grumpy old women who have worked their whole lives for someone that didn't appreciate them. They were happy and bubbly, they had a spring in their steps, and a smile on their faces as they walked through the drab grey corridors to their section of the training facilities.

"I think that we should return everything like it was when we got here," Ced suggested to the four women.

"I think that you're right," Rose said. "It is our second Friday here."

"See you in a minute!" Angel said with more enthusiasm than she had shown in the last two weeks.

She turned and walked into her room, she had enlarged it modestly, but the bathroom was completely redone. That drab concrete box they called a restroom was the pits! And that thing they called a mattress? She didn't think an animal would sleep on it! She thought about leaving the bright, cheerful colours that she had decorated the walls with, but with a flick of her wrist, her pack landed on the large comfortable bed with the pure white linens. A wave of her other hand had her clothes flying across the room and packing themselves neatly in her bottomless, weightless pack. Her body armour was under the false bottom of the pack. She figured if someone were to go snooping through her stuff while she wasn't there, then that would be the safest place for it, not hanging in her closet. She slung her pack over her shoulder, and walked into her bathroom, she looked around kind of sad, then she returned the room back to the way it was when she had first opened the door. She turned to face the bedroom, with a sweep of her hand, she returned her sleeping quarters back to the dull grey concrete box that she had walked into a couple of weeks prior. As she walked across the soft carpet, it vanished behind her, and when she opened the door to her room, it was gone completely.

.

For the next two and a half days, the five young adults had an all expense paid, guided shopping trip to the seven best fashion districts in Paris, and three not so well know districts.

Toni joined them Friday after lunch in the Hotel Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel restaurant for their first shopping trip that afternoon. She and Clarise agreed upon the first store they wanted to visit, then the group went to the Concierge to have a couple of cabs hailed for them. With one supervisor in each cab, the two cabs headed off for the Louvre and Tuileries District, to visit Yves Saint Laurent first. From there, the group would walk to the different shops they wanted to visit. After two hours of shopping in Yves Saint Laurent, all of the women handed Ced their bags full of clothes. As the group walked to the door of the shop, Ced had Cici and Vic in front of him, and Rose and Angel behind him. The lights in the store flickered for just a moment and then Ced was able to place all of the other bags into only one bag to make it easier to carry. The group of six women slowed down so Ced could open and hold the door for them, then they turned and walked to the next shop to start shopping all over again.

With three stores visited, the group decided to have a late dinner before they headed back to the hotel, to get changed so they could go clubbing.

"Your identification cards and your passports showed up after you left the compound this morning. It was an excellent excuse for me to come and visit Paris!" Toni told them in the elevator.

Once the elevator doors opened, Ced led the group down the hall to his door. He opened the door to the suite that he, Cici, and Vic shared. He walked across the room to the large couch and started to pull shopping bags out of the one bag that he had been carrying. With all of the bags laid out on the couch. He went through with his wand and re-enlarged all of them, very carefully. He didn't want to kill all of the delicate electronics in the hotel suite.

"Oh! I think that I am going to like this magic stuff," Clarise said out loud.

"Si! This is nice! Do you girls know of any single wizards around my age?" Toni asked them with a slight laugh.

She and Clarise started to look through the different bags for the new clothes that they had purchased earlier.

"Well, there was my Uncle Charlie, but he's married to Cici's mum," Angel told her with a smile.

"Okay, you girls get ready, we're going to go out to the clubs tonight. You need to know how to act in a club, you can't look like a complete novice!" Toni told them with a smile.

It had been a while since she had gone clubbing. Plus, it would be a good excuse for the girls to wear some of the new clothes that they had just purchased. Jean-Claude could yell all he wants; these kids had already found three spies in their own headquarters.

.

An hour later, Toni was knocking on Ced's door. Ced got up and walked to the door, he checked the peephole, and then he let her in.

"Oh! Everybody is here!" she said excitedly. "Good! Here are your driver's licenses. Now, for tonight, just take your IDs with you and some cash to pay the waitresses," she was telling them.

"Um," Ced interrupted her, "we didn't bring any cash with us."

"Why not?"

"Because we didn't know that we would need any."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'll just get some from the machine downstairs. Now, if you girls do it right, you can get the guys to buy all of your drinks for you!" Toni told them with a huge grin.

The white Peugeot van was out front waiting for them. When the driver saw them approaching, he opened the side door of the van to let all of the passengers in. He then walked back around and got in the driver's seat. Toni gave the driver the name of a club in Paris that she wanted him to take them to. The driver pulled away from the curb and blended with the late-night traffic.

At the club, Clarise had the driver drop them at the head of the line. When all of them were out of the van, she walked up to the bouncer and put a hundred euro note in his hand to let them all in.

As far as the bouncer was concerned, the two older women weren't bad looking, but the four younger women were what the guys in the club were looking for. The guy that was with them? Well, he was what the girls in the club were looking for.

The five teenagers had never been in someplace so loud, so noisy, nor crowded in their lives. All of them actually winced at the pain the volume of the music caused. Inside, it was dimly lit, but at the same time, there were lights going in every which direction. Smoke filled the air along with the stench of stale alcohol, and sweaty bodies. The music had a driving bass beat to it, and everywhere they looked, people were bouncing in place. They tried not to lose Toni or Clarise as they searched for a booth big enough to fit all of them.

Ced's senses were on high as he looked at all of the guys checking the four girls out, trying to figure out if they had a chance with any of them. Then he watched as a guy, the bravest of all of them managed to separate Rose from the rest of them.

.

"Come! Dance with me!" he said to Rose as he pulled her by the hand towards the dancefloor.

Rose resisted initially, but then she gave in quickly.

As he got her out on to the dancefloor, she began to mimic what she was watching the other girls do. "What's your name?" he shouted to be heard above the music.

Rose shook her head no.

"My name's Peiter. What can it hurt to give me yours?" he shouted again to be heard.

She shook her head again. In some respects, this was just like one of the scenes in a couple of her romance novels.

The one song ended and seamlessly the next song started.

"Oh, please!" he began to beg her animatedly.

With a smile, she said, "My name is Rose!" she had to yell for him to hear her.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman!" he flattered her.

For the next two songs, he kept flattering her.

"Hey! Let me take you to another club that's not as crowded as this one!" Pieter told her.

"Okay!' she replied, "Let me get my friend! She'll want to come with us. She doesn't really like the others, she says that they're not all that much fun!"

"Okay! The more, the better!" he told her. If he could get two girls like this! His boss would be very happy with him.

"Wait here! I'll be back with her!" she shouted to him.

Rose looked around and found her group. She worked her way through the mass of humanity that was flooding the dancefloor of the club. She went to the end of the half moon shaped booth that had Cici sitting on it. She bent over seductively, letting her dress ride up her arse a tiny bit, teasing the sex trafficker that was trying to get her alone.

"Open your mental link fully so Ced and Vic can hear what I'm saying," she told her friend. "The guy that asked me to dance is a sex trafficker, and he wants to take me to another club. I told him that I had a friend that didn't really like the others in the group, that would want to come with us. That's you. I want you to come with me because you have the mental link to Ced and Vic if they take away my cell phone."

Then she started to pull on Cici's hand trying to drag her out of the booth to go with her. Cici gave in very willingly, she bent over at the waist, flashing a view of her ample cleavage, her décolletage, to seal the deal with the trafficker.

Back out on the dancefloor, the two women danced the last of the current song before they headed for the door and the next club. The air outside was much colder than the hot, sweaty, air inside of the club, and when the two women's breasts hit the air, their nipples popped immediately.

"Let me call my friend. He has a car, and he would like to go with us," Pieter told the two of them. When his friend answered the phone, Pieter broke into his native language.

"Well, you got your wish," Cici told Rose, "He just told his friend that he has two for pickup." She told her softly in her ear.

"How's Ced doing?" Rose asked her.

"Vic is keeping Ced from coming out here and cutting the guy's head off."

"How about Toni and Clarise?"

"They are waiting to get outside so they can make the needed phone calls for immediate backup."

"Good news!" Pieter said excitedly. "My friend was just around the corner, and he will be here in just a couple of minutes!"

"That's great!" Rose said joyfully.

"Look! Here he comes now!"

A beat up black Mazda four-door pulled up to the curb, a black-haired man with a beard leaned over and unlocked the front door. Pieter opened the door, and then he unlocked the back door of the car for the two girls. Rose opened the door when Pieter made no move to open it for her. She flashed a lot of cleavage as she sat back into the seat and scooted across. Cici did the same and Pieter was in the front seat with the door closed before Cici had even finished getting into the car.

" _We're in a black Mazda four-door, leaving now_ ," she thought to Ced and Vic.

When she looked back at the front door of the club, she could see Toni, Ced, and Vic exiting the club followed closely by Angel and Clarise. Toni and Clarise already had their phones to their ears walking away from the noise of the club.

Cici kept watching out of the windows, giving a running telepathic commentary of all of the different street names and the various buildings that they passed.

After a long while of driving had passed, "How far away is this club?" Rose asked.

"It's not much farther," Pieter answered her. Why do they always wait so long to realise they're in trouble? He chuckled to himself. These two will bring a lot of money for the freedom fighters back home, he thought to himself. Probably some filthy oil pig would pay fifteen or twenty million euros for each of them. He had gotten lucky tonight; the sale was tomorrow. A little something-something in their drink and they would be as docile as a newborn goat.

Cici knew that Ced and Vic were in the van following them as best as they could, they were relaying all of the information that she was giving them.

"This is happening to fast!" Clarise complained.

"The guy that kidnapped them. Cici says that he knows that there is a sale going to happen tomorrow. There will be a lot of rich foreigners there to buy the girls," Ced told her.

"You're going to want a lot of back up," Vic told them. "The last time we did something like this, the officers arrested over fifty wealthy people that were trying to buy slave labour, and all of them were armed."

"We've stopped, I'm looking for an address," Cici said very slowly to her mates. And she gave an address on Rue Jean Cottin.

"Merde!" Clarise swore for the first time that any of them had heard.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"That's in the heart of a no-go zone," she told them.

"A what?" Angel asked her.

"A no-go zone. Law enforcement can't go in there without the permission of the chief religious leader," she explained to the dark red-head.

"Get us close, and we'll do the rest," Ced scowled at the woman.

"What are you going to do?" she asked worriedly.

"What do you care? You're going to leave two of us to the wolves!" Vic told her harshly.

When the van pulled over to the curb, Ced asked, "How close are we?"

"It's up there and around the corner to the left," the driver of the van told him. He was tired of terrorists taking over his country. He was tired of, 'oh, this is a delicate political situation,' merde that he kept hearing on the news at night.

Ced opened the side door of the van and stepped out into the cool night air, he was quickly joined by Vic and Angel. He pulled both of them into a tight hug and _teleportused_ to the intersection that the driver pointed out to them. They looked down the street and could see the black Mazda car sitting in front of a worn building with about four floors. After the two women had a good look, Ced apparated them to his suite,

"Put your body armour on and put theirs in a pack for me to take to them," he told the two women.

When they had apparated into the room, the magic had killed any active electronics in a fifteen-metre radius, including the electric locks on the doors. Angel _teleportused_ to her room and summoned her body armour to her. She and Rose had been given a family room with two bedrooms. When she had finished getting her body armour on, she summoned Rose's armour to her, and then she _teleportused_ back to Ced's suite. Ced held out an open backpack to her, and she stuffed the armour into it.

"Ready?" he asked them?

"Yes," she said as she took hold of his arm.

The next thing that anyone knew, three visions of shimmering death were standing in the street in front of the building.

" _Can we shift to you?"_ Ced thought to Cici.

" _No, not yet. They're trying to get us to have a drink with them before they put us with the other girls."_

The three of them backed into a darkened doorway of an abandoned building to wait.

" _Just a minute more. I planted the thought in his head that we both took a drink,"_ she paused in her conversation for a moment. _"Okay, they're taking us downstairs. Oh, it sticks down here!"_ she waited a moment longer. _"Okay, they're chaining one of our legs to the bed. All of the girls are chained to a bed, there are a lot of girls. Toni and Clarise are going to need a lot of back up,"_ Cici told them.

" _There is no backup. It's what 'they' call a no-go zone, and 'they' can't come in here without the permission of the head religious leader or something like that. Angel, Vic, and me, we're you're back up. Tell Rose to cast a shield around herself to protect her as best as she can. Put everything she has into it because when you say that we can shift to you, I'm going to grab Angel as tight as I can and try to shift with her."_

Cici heard the door close, _"Okay, the door just closed."_ She thought to her spouses.

At the last second, Vic sandwiched Angel in-between her and Ced, and they shifted together. The three of them were standing right next to Cici. Ced reached in and pulled Rose's armour out of the backpack and handed it to Angel. Rose was busy using her wand and a _diffindo_ cutting the leg iron off of her ankle.

"They threw my new heels away!" she hissed at Angel. "Who else is coming?"

"No one! This is some kind of religious no-go zone!"

"What's that?"

"It's some kind of no-go zone, the police can't come in here without the permission of the bad guys!"

"That's stupid!"

"Tell me about it!"

With everybody dressed in their body armour, Ced told the two women, "Side along with us so we can show you where the van is parked."

Cici took one of Vic's hands as Vic grabbed the girl's arm next to Cici's bed. Then they were gone. At the side of the van, they laid the girl down and then both of them were back in the basement of the old building.

Outside of the van, visions of shimmering death started to bring barely conscious girls and laying them on the sidewalk. Some of the girls barely had any clothes on, but most of them were naked, beaten, battered, and bruised. And the visions of death just kept bringing more and more girls. There were three, then eight, then thirteen, eighteen, twenty-three, twenty-eight, then thirty-two, and they stopped coming. Thirty-two girls that all needed to be transported by ambulance on a Friday night, Saturday morning.

Merde, Clarise thought.

"It's happening, Mon Amie, whether we like it or not, it is happening. They have already freed all of these girls. Somebody's religious toes are going to get trampled tonight," Toni told her French counterpart.

"There's going to be hell to pay!" Clarise started to tell her, then the sound of muted machinegun fire began to fill the cold night air.

"Hell's already getting paid," Toni told her. "Hell has come to collect what it is owed tonight."

Clarise picked up her phone and tried to dial, "My phone's dead, the kids killed it when they did their magic stuff."

Toni looked at hers, she pushed the right buttons, "Here, mine was off when they left."

Then her phone finished powering back on. Clarise started to dial the correct number, she spoke to the person at the other end of the connection. Then she began yelling at the person, "Pierre! We don't have a choice anymore! They have already rescued thirty-two girls! And now there is machinegun fire! This is where we are."

She gave the address of where the van was sitting, it had been idling when the kids had used magic to leave in a hurry. The engine had sputtered and died, and now it wouldn't restart, or even crank for that matter, it was dead, even the clock on the radio was dead.

"I'm going to need ambulances for thirty-two people so far," she told the voice on the phone, a lot more calmly than she felt.

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About four blocks away from Clarise, the ambulances, and all of the different police vehicles shut off their sirens, and then a block away, they shut off all of their lights, rolling into the neighbourhood blacked out. By the time GIGN had arrived, the machinegun fire had stopped.

Clarise stopped the first of the police vehicles that came into the area, she pulled out her Interpol badge and showed it to the officers, "We have friendlies inside of the building," she told the officer.

The local police dispatcher had sent cars to both ends of the street to block it off in an effort to keep the bad guys from getting away.

While she was standing next to the police car, she heard over the radio, "We don't see anything, just five kids walking down the middle of the street."

"Tell them to wait until the kids are clear, then send in your teams to the address you were given," Clarise told the officer who was relaying the information.

By the time the five teenagers had gotten to the intersection closest to Clarise, the GIGN grabbed them and pulled them out of the way so they could go to work. With the kids out of the way, the officers in heavy combat gear started to move in a well-trained, and orchestrated manner, to the front door of the building which had been left open for them. With their tactical flashlights shining everywhere, the could see that the walls were full of bullet holes, the ceiling had bullet holes in it too. As the officers moved cautiously through the building, they found men that were unconscious and they saw men that had been shot to death. Everywhere they looked, there were bodies. As they cleared the rooms, they would drop a green chemlight in the room to let the others know that it had been cleared. The two teams of GIGN began breaking up into teams of two's and three's as they cleared the multistory building. Eventually, they ran out of chemlights as they worked their way upstairs. Everywhere they went, there were men that were unconscious and men that were filled with bullet holes lying in puddles of blood.

As Ced and the girls approached Clarise, she said in an accusatory tone, a little above a whisper, "What did you do?"

"What do you mean, what did we do? We went in there and rescued Rose and Cici. Then we rescued thirty-two abducted girls that have been raped and beaten, repeatedly. We stunned twenty-seven terrorists, and," he slipped off his backpack, "If you would open the back of the van for me," the driver got out and used the key to unlock the rear door of the van and then open it for Ced. "We secured a dozen laptops," Ced told them as he began to unload his backpack, "And sixty-six cell phones. So, what do you mean what did we do? What we didn't do, is kill anyone. Those were all stray bullets from people trying to kill us, that killed all of those people in there, not us!"

"How many people were in there?" Clarise asked.

"How many people? Or, how many terrorists?" Cici asked her.

"We saw lots of terrorists in there," Rose told her.

"The ambulances haven't gotten here to take all of these girls to the hospital yet?" Vic asked her. "They're going to die of hypothermia!" then she ejected her wand and with a long wave of her arm, she wrapped all of the girls in blankets to get them off of the cold concrete sidewalk and cover them from the night air.

Cici saw what her wife had done, then she ejected her wand and cast a warming charm on all of the girls.

"We need to leave before the police want to start talking to us," Ced told the adults in charge.

"Just a moment," Clarise told him, "I need to go and tell them to send the ambulances in for the girls." How were they going to get another van in here without attracting attention, she wondered as she walked the short distance to the police car.

When she got back to the kids, she heard Angel telling Toni, "Turn your phone off if you want it to work again."

Then Ced held his arm out to Clarise, "Hold on to my arm tightly," he told her.

She took his arm and held it tightly, she didn't know why she did, she just did. The adrenaline rush was gone now, and the downer was beginning to hit her. Then she felt like she was being squeezed through a straw.

An instant later she was standing in a dark room, a candle appeared, then another, and another, until there were enough candles to light the room dimly.

"Sorry about the darkness, and the electronics," Ced told her. "Your keycard may not work. Let me open your door for you," he told her soothingly.

"Do you have a room, Toni?" Vic asked her.

"Si, my room is next to Clarise's room."

"Here, let me go with you so you can get into your room," Vic told her.

"Grazie," the gorgeous Italian woman told her.

Clarise was staying in a Deluxe Trocadéro suite across the hall from Ced and his wives. Toni was down the hall and across from Rose and Angel's room. A simple spell later and the two older women were both in their rooms. A couple of dozen candles for lighting and the two soul-mates returned to their room for the remainder of the night.

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 **A/N:**


	63. Year Six Chapter 63

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 63

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"It's beautiful here!" Rose told Sophia as all of them walked along the soft sandy beach away from the resort that they were staying in. The four girls were all wearing bikinis or bikini tops and short shorts. They had on their sunglasses and big smiles. Ced was staying closer to Sophia than he was his wives. The girls, after all, were bait, and they were trolling for human traffickers. It was late in the day, and most of the beachgoers were packing up to go and get changed for the clubs tonight.

"You really let that terrorist pig put his hands on you?" Sophia asked her.

"He was cute! And with everything that had been happening in the club, I didn't pick up on the fact that he wasn't who he was pretending to be, until he wanted me to go to a different club with him, without my friends." Rose told the older Spanish woman that was their Tia for this part of the mission. "Besides, aren't we supposed to let the sex traffickers pick us up?" Rose asked her.

"Yes, none of us expected it to happen so soon though. But for tonight, we are going to go into a casino in Cartagena. So, for tonight, I want you girls to dress nicely, but not too fancy. We'll save that for when we go to another casino," Sophia told them.

As the shadows on the ground grew longer, the group of friends turned around and began to walk their way back to the apartments that they were renting for the couple of days they were in Cartagena. They stopped at a local food vendor that had been recommended to them by one of the apartment buildings regular tenants. Then they headed for their rooms. The teenagers clustered in Sophia's room and they had a lively conversation as they ate their local cuisine.

"While all of you change, I'll call for our ride," Sophia told them.

"We'll see you in a little bit!" all of the girls told her.

It was different staying in an apartment instead of a hotel. The El Secreto del Agua apartment complex was out on a sliver of beach that stretched into the water for a long way. The three, second-floor rooms were across from each other. All of them had kitchenettes and full-sized refrigerators.

After meeting up again in Sophia's room, the group of casino goers headed down the stairs to the front of the building. As they exited the front doors, the big Nissan van pulled up in front to pick them up. The side door slid open on its own, then Vic got into the van first, then Ced and Cici filled in the back seat of the van. After Rose and Angel got in, they both plugged their cell phones in to charge them that little bit on the drive to the casino. On the drive, Sophia told them a little bit about the casino and where the different clubs were inside of the building.

As the van pulled away from the front doors of the casino, Cici saw a couple of men that matched the type of man that had picked up on Rose back in Paris.

She walked up to Sophia, she kissed her on the cheek, her one foot came up off the ground, "Oh, Tia Sophia! Thank you for letting us stay with you while we're on holiday!" she said to her in a very bubbly tone of voice. "I've never been to a casino before!"

"It's okay dear! Just don't tell your parents when you get back!" Sophia played the improvised part well.

As they entered the front doors of the casino, Angel caught sight of the two guys pushing themselves off of the wall and start moving in their direction. Rose was right, they were cute. Is that what we need to look for? Cute, dark-skinned, black-haired guys in their twenties? That just described half the guys in Spain! She thought to herself.

As they were walking across the lobby of the casino, Angel watched as another guy moved away from a spot that had a clear sight of the doors, to watch everyone that walked into the place. He barely waved his hand, down by his waist, and the two guys from outside turned around and left. The new guy picked a distance from them of about fifteen metres behind them and off to the side a little. Angel changed sides and got closer to Ced, she slipped her hand into his and interlaced her fingers in his. She tugged on him a little and pointed in the direction she wanted to go. He turned and told Sophia that they were going to go off in that direction, then he followed Angel's tugging. When he turned to follow her willingly, now, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, like she had seen Cici and Vic do thousands of times. Ced smiled at her, he knew this must be important. When they got to the slot machines, she stopped and turned them so they could check their back trail. The man had followed the larger group of single girls.

"There's a guy that's following us!" she told him quietly.

Ced looked at their group, and there, about ten metres behind them, was a guy in a blue button-up shirt, tan slacks and loafers. "The guy in the blue shirt?"

"Yeah, that's him. I saw him wave off the two guys that were standing outside that followed us in here."

"Okay, Vic and Cici have him. They think that he's going after Rose, again," he told Angel.

Then the two young adults began walking arm in arm, Angel holding on to his off-hand arm with both of hers as they slowly kept an eye on the suspect. Vic, Cici, and Sophia all moved off, leaving Rose alone and unprotected. Rose, for her part, stepped up to the Roulette table to watch what was happening. Cici and Vic, both selected a couple of slot machines where they had a clear view of what was happening with Rose. Sophia chose a Black Jack table that let her keep an eye on her young charge also.

The suspect moved up next to Rose, and put some chips down on a random number. "I've never been good at this game," he told her.

"Oh, I've never played it before! I was just watching and seeing if I could learn!" Rose told him like a simple-minded rich kid spending daddy's money. She even rocked her shoulders back and forth as she talked.

The bad guy began to explain the game to her. Pointing and talking as he did so. They watched as the wheel was spun, and then the black ball was flicked in the opposite direction of the wheel, spinning around the edge of the base in the ball track. As the ball lost speed, it hit one of the diamonds that sent it bouncing, losing momentum as it bounced, then, as it hit the pockets of the wheel, that caused it to bounce some more to finally settle in one of the numbered pockets.

"Black twenty-two!" the Roulette dealer called out loudly.

Rose's hands flew to her mouth, as her eyes got wide, and she started to bounce up and down shouting, "You won! You won!" with her breasts threatening to come out of her dress, she threw herself on the bad guy.

In his elation he pushed her away, then realising what he had done, he swiftly wrapped his arms around the beautiful girl. He let her go so he could collect his winnings, in excess of €10,000. This was enough to pay a hundred of his brothers, in their fight for freedom, for a month!

"Why don't you join me? And we can go and celebrate. I know a quiet little club not far from here," he propositioned her.

"Okay! I don't have to join my friends for a couple of more hours!" she said overly bubbly.

"Let me call my friend so he can give us a ride, he should be getting off of work about now," the bad guy told her.

"Okay! That sounds like fun!" she said merrily. "I can't believe that you won!" she said as she took ahold of his free arm with both of hers. She glanced around looking for all of her back up in this.

Vic stepped away from her slot machine and started to walk towards Rose, as she got closer, "Oh my god! Rose! Is that you? I didn't know that you were coming here!"

"Vicky! Oh my god! Is that really you? Do you want to join us? He just won a lot of money, and now we're going to go and celebrate!" she told her. "Is it okay if my friend comes with us?" she asked the bad guy.

"Sure, she can keep my friend company when he gets here. He was just getting off of work and should be here in a few minutes. Why don't you two come with me, while I cash out my chips so we will have some money for the club?" the bad guy encouraged them.

"Did you really just win a lot of money? I didn't think that anybody ever won anything in these places," Vicky told him.

"It is my first time," he told her.

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Out in front of the casino, an older brown Toyota Camry pulled up to let the three of them in. The bad guy didn't even open the door for Rose. She had to open her own door before she got in the back and slid across the seat to let the next person in. The bad guy opened the front door of the car and let himself in, making Vicky get in the backseat of the car with Rose, he didn't even close the door for her. With the sound of the door closing, the driver checked over his shoulder to make sure that it was closed, then he checked over his other shoulder before leaving the front of the casino. He drove smoothly through the parking lot and merged into traffic on the street out front.

Vic kept a telepathic running commentary going of all of the street names and the directions they were turning. The glitzy tourist district turned into a business district turned into residential neighbourhood turned into rundown warehouses.

The old brown Toyota pulled up to a set of garage doors, and the driver honked his horn a couple of times. One of the doors slid to the side allowing them passageway into the building.

"Hey! This doesn't look like a club!" Rose shouted from the backseat of the car.

"This is just the parking area," the bad guy told her in a calming voice.

"Oh, okay," she said a little timidly.

"We just have to get out and walk to the other side, it's a nice quiet club," he told the two girls.

"Okay, because I don't hear any music," Vicky said.

"It's more of a jazz club," the bad guy told her.

The four of them approached a door on the far side of the warehouse, the driver opened the door and held it for the bad guy who walked on through, the driver also held the door for Rose and Vicky. As Vicky and Rose approached the door at the same time, Vicky pushed Rose to the side and kicked backwards with her heel to catch the driver in his tender spot. As Rose recovered, her wand was in her hand looking for a target. The bad guy turned around at the commotion, and she stunned him promptly. Vicky got away from the door, and her wand appeared in her hand, another stunner and the driver was propping the door open for all of them.

Cautiously, the two women moved into the room, the telly was on, and there were two teams playing football. Looking at the number of glasses on the table and the number of lit cigarettes, Vic's best guess was that there were at least four more bad guys. When Rose looked at her, Vic disillusioned herself, and Rose did the same. With silencing charms on their heels, the two girls started to move through the door on the far side of the room. Vic gave a quick look around the edge of the wall. The room was empty, but the door on the far side was open. Vic turned around and motioned for Rose to go back the way they had come to get the bad guys in a pincer move. Vic moved silently across the room to the open door, from up ahead of her, she heard spellfire, one, two, three. The lights in the building flickered with every shot that Rose took. There should be one left. From the door to Vic's side, a mid-twenties man came running as fast as he could, Vic stunned him square in the chest, and the lights in the building went out, the telly went silent. The two witches waited and listened. Vic moved forward, silently, slowly. Then she heard it, the sound of dirt underneath someone's shoe. Then she heard another hex slicing through the air, and a body hit the ground. Five of them, plus the driver, the two guys at the casino, and the bad guy, nine terrorists in one night.

"I'm coming around the corner, Rose," Vic told her friend.

"Okay, do you think that we should check upstairs?" Rose asked her.

"Did you see some stairs?" Vic asked.

"Yeah, back this way."

And Vic followed the ripples in the moonlight. With the silencing charm on their heels, the two women headed up the stairs, as they came through the second floor, they slowed down and looked across the floor through the balusters. It was empty. Slowly they finished the climb to the upper level. They checked the first door that they came too, it turned out to be an empty office.

"Score!" Rose said softly. "A desktop computer."

"Now if we didn't just kill it with all of the magic that we've been performing," Vic told her.

"Positive thoughts Vic, think positive thoughts!" Rose told her friend.

The next room was just a storage closet, and the third room was a bedroom that belonged to one of the traffickers.

One of the rooms was the restroom that was in need of cleaning, badly. But the last two rooms contained two girls that had one arm chained to the headboard of the bed. With a tap on their heads, the two women cancelled the charm on themselves.

"This is disgusting!" Rose hissed through her teeth. Her wand jumped into her hand as she cut the chain, freeing the young teenaged girl.

"Check her over and do any healing that you can. Ced and Cici aren't far away. I'll go and help the other girl," Vic told Rose.

As Vic was leaving the room, Rose was running a basic diagnostic spell over the abducted girl. Seeing that all of her vitals were in the mid yellows to the low green zones, she switched to a higher level diagnostic spell and began to heal the different injuries that the girl had been suffering through. With the higher level diagnostic spell, Rose could see that the girl's reproductive organs had been severely damaged and were very infected. Without the right potions, Rose couldn't do anything about the infection. She began healing the torn reproductive parts. When she was finished with that, she treated her wrist where she had been chained to the bed for the pleasure of the terrorists. When Rose ran her wand over the girl's face, she could see where her jaw had been broken in multiple places, and her teeth were missing. Something in the back of Rose's head told her to look around to see if she could find the missing teeth. Remembering where the girl's jaw was broken, Rose recreated the scene in her head and looked where she thought the teeth could be. Carefully, she walked around the bed and started to look against the wall, and in the corner of the room. One, two, she got down on her hands and knees, and looked under the furniture in the room, three, _"Lumos,"_ she thought, four. Then she followed the voice in her head and looked on the other side of the bed, five! She had found five of the seven missing teeth! This girl was a fighter! She _scourgified_ the five teeth that she had found and laid them on the nightstand, next to the bed, that the lamp was standing on. Rose walked over to the other room to check on how Vic was doing.

"Hey, the other girl. She's going to need Hermione to rebuild her face," Rose told her friend.

"Cici will be here in a minute, she might be able to help her," Vic said as she looked up from the edge of the bed. "If we don't get some food in these girls soon, they're not going to make it."

The two women heard the door to the warehouse being rolled open. They disillusioned themselves again and walked down the stairs to see who was coming in.

" _It's just us!"_ Ced thought to his wife.

"It's the others," Vic told Rose as she cancelled the charm again.

Rose ran over to Cici, her heels clicking across the concrete floor. She started to tell her about the girl in the room and was almost dragging her to come and help her.

Vic walked over to Sophia, "We found a couple of computers, and with the two guys at the casino, that would make nine sex traffickers tonight. There are two abducted girls upstairs that are going to need to eat soon, or they're not going to make it. We've healed them as best as we could. I think that is where Rose is taking Cici, to heal her girl," Vic told the Interpol agent.

"Let me call the authorities and get an ambulance on the way," she told them as she was pulling her phone out.

"You might want to do that outside, so your phone doesn't get killed from all of the magic in here," Vic told the pleasant woman. She had decided that she liked her. She might not have the charisma that Toni had, but Sophia had a good heart, and that counted for a lot.

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The next evening found the six of them walking along the beach in their swimsuits. They were in Valencia, Spain now. Staying at the Apartamentos Valencia Portsaplaya, Ced was walking close to Tia Sophia, and the two of them were a bit off from the four women acting as the bait in their quest to capture more sex traffickers.

"It is sad to think that ninety percent of the sex workers here are being trafficked," Sophia was telling Ced, as they started to speak in Spanish.

"If that is a life that someone chooses for themselves, then that is one thing. But if they are forced into it, like all of the girls that we have rescued, then that is wrong," Ced told her with conviction in his voice.

"It is like the Greek Hydra, we cut off one head, and two more take its place," Sophia told him morosely. "Tonight, we will go to the casino near the Valencia Conference Centre, there's a large internet conference in town, and the prostitutes will be working the convention centre. I think it will be a good place to capture some more of the human traffickers."

"It sounds good to us," Ced told her upon hearing the thoughts of his wives.

The two of them talked some more as they turned around to walk back to the place they were staying.

"The girls want to know what you want to do about the guys that are going to proposition them tonight," Ced relayed the message to Sophia.

"They all have the ability to read minds, right?" she asked Ced.

"Yeah."

"Then the ones that are wanting the services of a prostitute they can send away, but the one that is trying to abduct them, go with him. He's the one we are after anyway," she told him in her accented English.

.

For the next three days, the four girls worked the conference trying to get recruited by the sex traffickers. All four of them had more than enough propositions of guys asking if they wanted some company. Vic and Cici went off, away from Rose and Angel, to see if they could talk to some of the local working girls. They were hoping that their week in the brothel would be enough for the local girls to trust them.

"What are you? Policía?" one of the girls asked Cici.

"No, we're not policía, we're trying to help women and girls that were taken from their homes, and are being forced into this type of work, get free," Cici told her.

The girl looked around nervously, she had been beaten before when she talked to a woman that was sent to test her. "I'm not going to talk to you, nobody is going to talk to you," she said loud enough to draw attention to them.

Cici probed her mind, and the girl went silent immediately. As she started sorting through her memories, she learned that the girl had been doing this since she was twelve. She had been taken from her home, and her parents had been killed. Cici learned that the girl had been moved from city to city and different clubs inside of those cities. She saw where the girl had been beaten severely when she had trusted another woman that was promising her freedom in exchange for information. The girl had seen the woman smiling as she was watching her be beaten for talking to her. As Cici worked her way through the girl's memories she saw the woman getting paid and a badge in her purse. She would need to show that memory to Sophia so they could identify the woman officer.

That night, once they were back in Sophia's room, "I've got something that I need to show you," Cici told Sophia.

"Okay, what's that?" she asked Cici.

Instead of telling her, Cici put her wand to her temple and then she projected a picture of the woman officer onto the wall for Sophia to get a look at.

"I saw the same woman in another girl's memories!" Vic exclaimed. And then she too, projected a side by side picture of the woman, in a different pose taking money, and putting it in her purse. Her badge was clearly visible in Vic's picture.

Sophia wrote the woman's badge number down, "Okay, I'll tell the local authorities. What else did we learn tonight?" she asked all of the girls.

"It was just a bunch of men wanting female companionship for a while," Angel told her.

"Same with me, if I were as good with Legilimency as Cici or Vic, I would have been tempted to take a couple of them up to a room and take their money and mess with their mind," Rose told her.

"None of the local girls are willing to talk to us," Cici told her. "The pimps are brutal to the girls that try to get away. The one girl talked to that woman that we showed you, and the sex traffickers beat her badly."

"Same with the girl that I tried talking to. The woman set her up, and the man beat her unconscious," Vic told her.

"Okay, we're going to go to Tarragona tomorrow as planned then. The five of you will be staying in a hostel there, so you're going to need to dress down like you are college students travelling Spain on a budget," Sophia told them.

"Okay, then we'll see you in the morning," Ced told her.

"Night," a tired Angel said to her.

"Night," Rose told her.

"Buenas Noches," Sophia told them.

.

At five o'clock in the morning, Ced's eyes opened right on time. Thirty minutes later, the five young adults were running down the hard sand of the beach enjoying the burn in their muscles. At the fifteen-minute mark, Ced asked them if they wanted to turn around and go back. All of them said that they wanted to just keep going. Fifteen minutes later, Ced asked the same question.

"Yeah, we need to turn around so we can get started with our day," Rose told the group of friends.

They kept up the comfortably fast pace as they returned to their building. About five minutes out, they slowed down to a walk, to cool down and steady their breathing. It had been too long since they had gone for a nice long run.

"I'm thinking that we should start running around the lake twice when we get back to school," Ced told the four girls.

"I like it, its gotten easy to run around the lake just the one time," Angel agreed with him.

"I wonder how Fred and Julia are doing? I wonder if the four of them are getting in their morning runs?" Rose asked out of curiosity.

"I don't know. I hope so. George used to tell me that he liked to run around the lake. It helped him clear his head," Vic told the group of friends as Ced held the door for the girls.

The five of them took the stairs two at a time as they climbed them. All of the girls were between one-hundred-sixty-eight and one-hundred-seventy centimetres now. Ced was close to one-hundred-eighty centimetres and seventy-five to eighty kilos. All of the girls were right around sixty to sixty-five kilos. At the landing to their rooms, the invigorated teens met Sophia as she was coming out of her room to knock on Ced's door. She had spent a lot of time talking to Ced as they walked the beaches for the last several days.

"Oh! I was just looking for you," she said when she saw Ced walking out of the stairwell.

"Good morning!" Ced said to her jubilantly.

Sophia looked at the five of them, they were all flushed with colour. Their clothes were soaked with sweat. Their running shoes were dusted with sand from the beach. "Did you enjoy your run?" she asked him.

"Yes, it's been a long time since we've gotten out and run," Ced replied.

"Well, I would like to talk to you after you get cleaned up."

"Okay, we'll see you in an hour or so."

Sophia looked at her watch, "I'll call the van to be here at eight then. Pack your backpacks," she told them.

"Okay, we'll see you in a bit," Ced told her.

" _Do you think that she's developing feelings for Ced?"_ Vic asked Cici. As she stripped off her two pieces of clothing.

" _Maybe, they've been spending a lot of time together,"_ her wife agreed with her. As she removed her trainers.

" _We're just talking! How can she develop feelings like that if we're only talking?"_ Ced asked the two of them. While he took off all of his wet clothes.

" _Maybe she hasn't had a man to talk to for a long time?"_

Vic turned the shower on to start warming up.

" _And now, here you come, you're easy to talk to."_

The two women, let Ced get in the shower first.

" _A good listener."_

" _You're good looking."_

" _And mature for your age."_

" _Plus, you're filthy rich."_

The two women stood outside of the shower that was only big enough for one person at a time.

" _So, if things aren't going well in her personal life."_

Cici got in the shower next. Vic dried Ced off.

" _She's going to be grabbing on to you."_

" _You need to be careful with her._ Your hair is getting too long again. I think that we need to find you a barber," Vic told him out loud.

Cici stuck her head around the plastic shower curtain to look at Ced's hair. "Yeah, it's getting too long."

As Ced got dressed, Vic dried Cici off magically, then after a kiss of gratitude, Vic got in the shower. _"All we're saying babe, is be careful."_

" _Don't encourage these feelings that are starting to grow."_

.

About six blocks from the hostel, the van pulled over on the side of the road and let the five teenagers out. Angel pulled out her cell phone and asked Sophia for her number. After she entered the number in her phone, she swiped the screen, and a moment later, Sophia's phone rang.

"There, now you have my number!" Angel told her.

A moment after that, Rose hit send on her phone and then Sophia's phone chimed with a new text message.

"Now you have my number!" Rose told her.

How were these kids able to have cell phones that didn't die when they used magic? Sophia wondered.

"It's because our dads are learning how to protect them from the effects of magic," Angel answered her unspoken thought.

"Well, off you go! I will see you tonight!" Sophia called out to the group of kids.

"Text me the name of the place!" Rose told her just before she turned to join the rest of her group.

The window of the van slid up silently as the van pulled away from the curb and back down the empty side street that the kids had been dropped off on. As the van turned at the stop sign and drove out of view, Rose's cell phone binged with a new text message.

"AD Hostel Rooms"

With their packs slung on their backs, the five of them started walking in the correct direction. All of them had memorised the name, address, and how to get to the hostel from where they were going to be dropped off. The clothes that all of them were wearing were purchased at second-hand stores in Paris. And they had been carefully selected for the appearance of college students on holiday. These were not the clothes that they had purchased for going out clubbing or working the casinos. These were clothes that you would see kids in the streets wearing, they looked like poor young college students getting by on student loans. And as they started walking down a busier road, the group of teens spread out into groups of twos and then Ced by himself. They blended in, but they stuck out just enough, that ten minutes into their walk, about a block away from the hostel. A couple of guys in an old Mercedes pulled alongside Angel and Cici and asked them if they wanted a ride.

" _Tell Rose to text Sophia and let her know that it's happening now,"_ Ced thought to Vic.

As Rose and Vic walked past Cici and Angel, they didn't give them more than a passing glance, not even breaking stride as they kept walking towards the hostel.

" _Rose says that it is done. Wait, she just got a reply. They're turning around now,"_ Vic thought back to Ced.

As they continued on to the hostel, the dingy blue Mercedes passed them on its way to wherever.

" _They're talking about whether they want to take us to the house by the docks or the house across town. Now the guy is calling and telling someone that there are two more girls on their way to the hostel and to hurry up,"_ Cici thought to her bond-mates.

And before Ced could say anything, _"Rose is already texting Sophia,"_ Vic told them very calmly.

" _They've decided that they're going to take us to the house by the docks,"_ Cici told them.

" _Rose is texting Sophia,"_ Vic thought to her.

" _Thanks."_

As the two girls were standing on the corner, waiting to cross the street, an older white Toyota van pulled up. The guy in the passenger seat started to talk to Rose. He began to tell them that they didn't want to stay there.

"Why?"

"It has roaches!"

"Yuck!"

"Yeah, this other place is better and has a lot of cute guys!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and it costs the same. We're headed there now."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, do you want a ride?"

"Sure."

"Jump in!"

"Okay!" and Rose slid the door open for her and Vic to get into the van.

With no easy way to get in touch with Sophia, Ced waited for the van to leave before he left the doorway of a local business that he had hidden in. With the van gone, Ced crossed the street and checked in at the hostel. Then with his backpack still on, he went back out front to wait for Sophia. While he was waiting, he was able to keep up a conversation with both of his wives. Vic had listened in on the passenger's phone conversation, and the man had argued for taking the two girls to the house across town, but he had been told loudly to take them to the house at the docks. One of Ced's most significant concerns was alleviated when that had occurred.

" _It's okay, babe. We love you too,"_ Cici thought to him.

" _Yes, we love you too, and are glad that you aren't forced to make that decision yet,"_ Vic told him.

" _With the four of you in one place, they're not going to stand a chance!"_ Ced told his wives.

" _They will wish they had never kidnapped us!"_

Ced could hear Angel asking how much longer before they got to the place. The guy told her about five more minutes.

" _Okay, Sophia is here,"_ Ced told them.

" _I'm crossing,"_ and Cici looked out the window of the car and gave him the cross streets.

Ced relayed the information to the driver of the Nissan van he was in. The driver thought for a second then he continued in the direction that he had been facing. At the light, the driver turned and stepped down on the throttle of the van hard. He was trying to make up for lost time. He ran a lot of yellow lights and some that weren't quite red, just yet. The man was making a direct shot for the more run-down part of town near the docks.

"That's Vic in front of us!" Ced said out loud. As he watched an older Toyota van pass in front of them with two people in the middle seat.

The driver of the van that Ced was in picked up a parallel street and started to follow the Toyota with Ced's help. The driver was good, he got them to the location, just in time to watch the car that Cici was in, turn down an alley with a four-story building in front of it. Then the old van turned down the same alley.

"Do you have back up standing by?" Ced asked Sophia.

"All they are waiting on is an address," she told him.

"Let me out here, and then you can pull around front," Ced told her. And with that, he opened the side door of the van and got out. He walked down the alley a little bit before he disillusioned himself. After that, he silenced his shoes to stop the crunching of the rocks from under his feet. He ran the short distance to the back of the building where he had watched the two vehicles turn into a walled-off parking area he hoped. When he got there, the rolling gate had already been closed.

Instead of waiting to be rescued, the four female combat vets decided to take the fight to the enemy. As all four of them got out of the vehicles, each one of them touched the guys head in front of them with their fingertip. Before the other terrorists could react, the four girls teleportused to a different location behind another terrorist and touched them too.

"Rose, start collecting cell phones!" Cici told her best friend.

Rose slipped her backpack off and pulled out a laptop sleeve to put all of the cell phones in. Interesting, some of the guys had two cell phones, not just one. After she collected the cell phone from each guy, or two guys if they were too close to stun harder. Then she would stun the bad guys to keep them unconscious for a lot longer than a few minutes. You would think that with the only thing that she had to do was to collect the cell phones she would be able to keep up with her friends simply enough. But the other three girls were on a rampage, and it was quickly turning into a competition to see who could stun the most number of guys. With the ground floor secured, the three of them had stopped long enough to start putting on their body armour. This let Rose catch up to them and start slipping her body armour on also. Vic turned around and zipped her up after Rose had finished pulling on her boots. With a smile of gratitude from Rose, the two women pulled on their balaclava's.

"You're with me," Vic's voice growled at Rose.

At the top of the stairs, Vic and Rose cleared the left side of the building while Cici and Angel cleared the right side. It was taking longer to put the electronics in the sleeves than it was to clear a room.

Once the girls had cleared the ground floor, Ced teleportused into the parking area and started to clear it of the four guards working out there enjoying a smoke. Then with a clear spot visible through the crack between the gate and the wall, Ced teleportused to the back of a dirty white van. With a disillusionment charm and a silencing charm, he was able to walk up behind two men and touch them on the back of their heads. When the other two, that was sitting at the table saw their friend's heads hit the table, they looked up in surprise. There was no known reason for that to have happened. Then Ced touched them in the back of their head's and down they went. He fished through their pockets to collect their cell phones and get them out onto the table. By the time that he had finished getting the phones into their individual sleeves, the first two guys were starting to move around. Last phone, last sleeve, _STUPEFY_! Get the other two guys, and then he could make his way into the main house.

By the time Ced had managed to double check the ground floor, the four girls were already finishing up on the third floor of the building. To help things go faster, Ced shifted to Vic's side. He lifted her balaclava and kissed her quickly on the lips.

" _I want a kiss!"_ came the thoughts of their wife.

Ced checked out the front windows of the building, and he looked down the street in both directions. He could see back up showing up about a block out from where they were.

Ced let the four girls go first as they stormed the fourth and final floor of the building. After he knew that Cici and Angel had finished clearing the second room. Ced shifted to Cici's side and lifted her balaclava and kissed her on her lips. When they broke apart, he started to help them sleeve the electronics that they found. As Ced finished putting the electronics in the sleeves and stunning the traffickers, the two girls moved to the next room.

Vic and Rose found the room that had all of the girls in it. The terrorists had knocked the wall out between the two rooms, and placed twin sized beds in the newly enlarged room to hold all of the drugged girls. With the last of Angel and Cici's side of the building cleared, Angel's phone started to vibrate inside of her body armour. She was trying to get her gloves off, and then her balaclava off. Then she needed someone to unzip her, and the phone stopped vibrating. She kept undressing to find out who had called her. Finally, she got the phone out, and it started to vibrate in her hand again.

It was Sophia, "Hello?" Angel said.

"You need to hurry up! They're coming in the front door now!" Sophia told her.

"Okay, I'll tell them," she told her. "Hey, the good guys are coming in the front door!" she told Ced and Cici.

"Okay, we need to tell Vic and Rose," Cici told her.

Ced walked over to the windows and looked out to see where they could teleportus to quickly. Between the two buildings across the street, he could just see an alleyway. It would have to do, there, the four girls could change out of their body armour, and blend in. While he had been looking for an escape route, the four girls had been trying to heal the worst of the abducted and abused girls.

All of them could hear the men at the bottom of the stairs working their way up.

"We've got to go!" Ced encouraged the four girls.

"Just another minute!" Rose told him as she was working on a girl with a large bruise on her ribcage.

Angel walked over to him, "Do you see that alleyway over there between the two buildings?" Ced asked her.

"Yeah."

"That's where we're going."

"I'll see you there," the evil voice told him.

Vic walked over to her husband, she was carrying her balaclava in her hand. With a passionate kiss, they greeted each other.

" _Can you see that alleyway across the street?"_ Ced thought to her.

" _Really? In the middle of a kiss?"_ she thought to him.

"I'm just worried about all of us getting out of here," he told her when they broke the kiss.

"Yes, I see it. I'll see you and Cici there in a moment," she told him, and then she stole a kiss from him. With a smirk, she was gone.

Ced walked over to check on the last two women.

"She has a punctured lung," Cici looked up and told him.

Ced knelt down next to Cici.

"If you want to start draining her lung, that will make this go faster," Cici encouraged him. She was holding up the diagnostic display, so Rose could keep working on repairing the ribs and the lung.

Ced started to drain the girl's lung as he looked at the display his wife was projecting for them. All three of them could hear the authorities getting closer. With no resistance, it was taking them less time than what it had taken the four girls and Ced to do.

"Okay, I'm done," Rose told them.

"The alley behind the buildings across the street," Ced told her.

"Okay, I'll see you there in a minute," she told two of her oldest friends as she pushed herself up and away from the bed.

The girl was breathing easier as Ced finished draining her lung of the accumulated liquids. Cici cancelled the spell, and the two of them got to their feet. She removed her balaclava, and they joined hands as they walked to the window so they could teleportus across the street.

"Freeze! Policía!" the man in heavy battle armour yelled at them just before they disappeared in front of his eyes.

Across the street, the two of them moved out of view and Cici began to remove her body armour. With everyone's body armour stuffed into their backpacks, Angel pulled out her phone and dialled Sophia.

"We're all out of the building," Angel told Sophia. "We're in the alley behind the buildings that are in front of the building."

"We'll be there in a moment. Hector! They're behind …" Sophia started to tell the driver where to go before she hung up the phone.

"They'll be here in a moment," Angel told the group of friends.

Two minutes later, the big Nissan van pulled into the alley to pick up the kids.

"I'm so glad that all of you are okay!" Sophia told them as they got in the van. "Ced told me that there was a second house?"

"Yes, there's a second house across town, I pulled the address out of the guy's head that wanted to take us there before he was told to bring us here," Vic told her.

"Are all of you up for a second raid?" Sophia asked them. They had already exceeded any and all expectations that she had.

"It would be safer for us if it were a nighttime raid, or better yet, an early morning raid, about four o'clock in the morning type of early," Ced told her.

"I'm hungry!" Angel told the people in the van.

"Me too!" Rose agreed with her biological cousin. The healing magic did take a lot out of you, magic wise.

"Okay, so you want to do this in the morning?" Sophia asked him. "Hector, take the girls someplace so they can get something to eat!" she told the driver.

"Si, señora," he told her, as he changed directions to take everyone to a restaurant.

"It would be better to catch them while they're sleeping instead of trying to fight all of them when they're fully awake. Plus, now that their safe house near the docks has been raided, they're going to be waiting for the authorities to come and raid them at their other house," Ced was trying to explain to her why he didn't want to do a second raid that afternoon. He really didn't want to go out that night either.

Hector pulled into a smaller family style restaurant's parking lot. He stopped before he pulled into a too tight parking space to let the kids and the Interpol officer out of the van. While Hector finished parking the van, the six of them walked to the front door and entered the restaurant. Ced held the door for the five ladies to enter. Like Angelica, this was the first time that a man had gone out of his way to hold a door for her. As the hostess was seating the group of six, Hector walked quickly to join them.

.

Sophia watched in amazement as the four girls ate twice as much food as she did, they all had ordered almost identical meals of carne asada burritos, two cheese enchiladas with beans and rice, and a pollo asado or a cheese quesadilla as an appetiser. Interesting to her, the five of them ordered orxata. When the waitress brought their drinks, and the kids tried it, she saw that they were pleasantly surprised.

"Was the orxata not what you were expecting?" Sophia asked with a small smile.

"No, we were expecting a rice-based drink, not this one. This is really good too!" Cici told her.

"What other way do they make orxata?" Tia Sophia asked her.

"Well, I was taught to make horchata with rice as the base. What did they make this with?" Cici asked her.

"This orxata is made with tiger nuts as the base," the older lady explained to her.

"Oh! Okay, well that explains the difference in taste. When the Spanish conquered Mexico, they didn't have any tiger nuts to make orxata with, so they must have substituted rice in its place," Cici reasoned out.

"How can you girls eat so much and stay as thin as you do?" Sophia asked them in awe. As she watched them tucking away at the mountains of food.

"Well, normally we lead very active lives," Rose told her.

"Usually we workout for two to two and a half hours a morning," Vic said.

"This morning was the first time that we've gone running in over a week," Angel told her.

As the meal was finishing, the waitress brought the bill, and Tia Sophia raised her hand to take the bill. She looked it over, and when everyone was ready to leave, she stood up signalling that it was time for them to go. Hector headed out to get the van and have it ready to pick up his passengers.

.

In the van, the six of them discussed what was going to happen in the morning.

As Ced was getting out of the van at the hostel, he looked at Sophia, "Pick us up at 3:30 tomorrow morning. We're going to go and relax for the rest of the day."

"Buenos noctes," she told him.

"Buenos noctes," Hector told him.

Ced slid the side door of the van closed and turned to join the four girls as they walked across the sidewalk to the front door of the hostel. Ced held the door for the four ladies, and then as a group, they walked to the front desk to claim their room keys from when Ced had checked them in earlier. After claiming their keys, they started to climb the stairs to the fifth floor. Along the way, they met other young people coming down the stairs. They turned down a few invitations to go out dancing for the night, telling the partygoers that they had been up for too many hours as it was. Rose and Angel took the rooms across the hall from Ced's room. When Ced opened the door to his room, he was pleasantly surprised. Vic went to check on the bathroom and was pleasantly surprised when she saw that the shower was big enough for the three of them.

"We need to go someplace that we can do our laundry," Cici said as she stripped out of her clothes.

"I'm running out of clean clothes too!" Vic said from the bathroom. She had the hot water running already.

The three of them were ready to share a shower. Cici set hers and Vic's shower products on the counter in the bathroom, Ced sat his next to theirs. The threesome stepped into the flow of hot water, each of them could feel the relief coming off of their mates. Ced reached out and grabbed a body wash at random, it was Cici's. He squeezed a generous amount into his free hand and set the bottle down in the corner of the shower. He knelt down in front of his wife and began washing her long toned legs. As he got closer to the top of her leg, she spread them so his large hand would fit between her thighs. The edge of his hand brushed against her sensitive spot, sending a small shudder through her body. Cici could feel Vic's excitement as Vic had her body pressed against her back, ready to catch her when she peaked. In a few minutes, she would be returning the favour. After a very long, and very intimate shower, the three of them retired to their bed for the rest of the night. With each wife claiming her side of their husband, the three of them drifted off to sleep and their shared dreams.

At three o'clock in the morning, Ced's eyes opened. He kissed each wife on top of her head.

"Mi Amor, Mon Amor, it's time to get up," he told them softly.

The two women rolled away from him so he could get up and take care of his morning business, then with Ced out of the way, the two women found comfort in each other's arms.

As Ced opened the door to the loo, Cici was standing there in her bra and panties waiting for him, with a kiss they exchanged places. He looked around and found Vic brushing her teeth in the kitchen sink, she finished rinsing her mouth, and they exchanged kisses. As Vic and Cici traded places in the loo, they shared their morning kiss also. The threesome finished getting dressed and packed their packs. In the hallway, they met Rose and Angel coming out of their rooms.

"We need to find someplace to go and wash our clothes!" Rose told them quietly.

"I've run out of clean clothes!" Angel agreed with her.

"Okay, we'll tell Sophia when we get into the van," Ced told the two women.

As they pushed open the front door to the building, the electronic door chimes sounded. They walked out into the street to get into the big Nissan van that had been sitting there waiting for them.

Vic handed Hector the address that she had written down on a piece of paper. By the light of the dome light Hector looked at the address, then he thought for a moment, and he put the van into drive. Twenty minutes later they were driving by the 'house' as the sex traffickers were calling it. It was more of a compound than a house.

"You need to let us out here," Ced told Hector. "Then after we get out, you will need to back up about forty metres to be safe from all of the magic."

Hector nodded at Ced. The five teens got out of the van with their packs and waited for the van to back up. As Hector backed the vehicle up, he turned off the lights to help keep from attracting attention. Then, under cover of darkness, they pulled on their wizarding body armour. All of them could see to the end of the drive. As Ced stood there looking for a moment, formulating a plan in his head.

"You two, take the building in the middle," he growled softly at Rose and Angel.

"You two, take the main house, and I'll take the small building with the lights on in it. Ready, set, go!" he said quietly.

And the five of them were off storming their buildings!

Vic walked up to the front door of the main house, she checked the door and found it to be unlocked. She twisted the knob and opened the door silently. Well, at least the hinges are oiled, she thought to herself.

" _Yeah, at least we caught a break there,"_ Cici thought to her.

" _Are you ready Dark One?"_

" _Let's go!"_

The two women moved from room to room, quickly and silently. They found a guy in the kitchen making a fresh pot of coffee. A touch to the back of the head, a save on the coffee pot, and they moved on. In the back room, they found three guys sleeping in front of the telly.

" _I guess the game wasn't any good,"_ Cici said silently as she touched the guy in the back of the head.

" _I guess not,"_ Vic thought to her, as she touched the other two. The telly flickered but stayed on.

" _Let's grab their cell phones and keep going upstairs,"_ Cici told Vic.

With that, the two women started searching for the cell phones. Between the four men, they found six phones. They dropped them in a laptop sleeve and then stunned the guys so they wouldn't wake up for several hours.

" _I'm finished with the small house,"_ Ced told them.

" _Check on Rose and Angel,"_ Vic told him.

" _Okay."_

At the top of the stairs, they stunned the guard that was sleeping in a chair. Cell phone in a sleeve and stunned him harder to keep him unconscious for the next several hours. Then they started a room to room sweep of the building. Most of the rooms were sleeping quarters with the occupants still asleep, their phones laying on the nightstand next to the bed. They sleeved the cell phones and then stunned the occupants of the beds to stay there for the next several hours.

" _Jackpot! We've just scored a communications room!"_ Cici cheered silently.

" _Well, while you've scored a communications room. Rose and Angel have been healing two dozen girls that have been abducted,"_ Ced told them.

"We'll be there soon, we've got just one more room and we're finished," Cici told him.

The door to the last room was locked, nothing a simple _alohomora_ couldn't fix. The door squeaked when it was opened. The two women slipped in, blending with the blackness in the room. One of the occupants of the bed lifted her head and looked at them for just a moment, then she lay her head back down and was out. Vic went to one side of the bed and Cici went to the other. There were five occupants of the bed. One old man, and four much younger women.

" _Must be the leader of the terrorist cell,"_ Vic thought.

" _Yup, well, now he's an unconscious leader of a terrorist cell,"_ Cici thought to her as she stunned the man hard, then she stunned the female on her side of the bed.

Vic stunned the three females on her side of the bed. _"We need to let Sophia know so she can get this guy and start interrogating him,"_ Vic told Ced.

" _I'll have Rose or Angel call her in just a minute,"_ Ced thought to her.

" _I think that we're finished here, we'll come and help you in just a minute,"_ Cici told him.

The two girls looked around the room to see if there was anything that they had missed. Vic walked over to check the en-suite bathroom, the door was closed, and she knew that some people closed their bathroom doors and some didn't. She stood off to the side as she tried the doorknob, it was locked.

Cici picked up on her wife's thoughts and walked across the room to take up a position on the opposite side of the door. With their wands out, Vic touched the doorknob with her wand and a silent spell. Then, using magic, Cici opened the door to a hail of bullets. The spray of bullets started out at waist height and climbed quickly to hitting the ceiling in the bedroom. In less than ten seconds the person inside of the bathroom was out of bullets, and the two women stormed the bathroom firing two stunners at the person inside. Using a luminous charm, they lit the face of a preteen boy laying on the floor of the bathroom in his pyjamas.

"Are you ready to go to Ced?" Vic asked Cici.

"Yeah, let's go."

And the two women shifted to Ced's side.

"Sophia says that back up will be here in five minutes, we need to leave now!" Rose told them.

"I'm ready, let's go," Vic said.

The five of them teleportused to their backpacks and stripped off their body armour. After stuffing their body armour into their bags, they waved to the van to come down and pick them up so they could leave.

As Hector was leaving the neighbourhood, "I'm hungry, can we find someplace to eat breakfast?" Angel asked.

"What's today?" Vic asked.

"It's Tuesday, why?" Sophia asked her.

"Can we go to Barcelona, today? And then I think that we're going to take a few days off and go someplace where I don't have to wonder if every guy that I meet on the street is wanting to abduct me," Vic blurted out.

"Okay, well, we're not supposed to be in Barcelona until Friday," Sophia told her.

"That will be great! The five of us will be back Friday morning by nine at the same spot that you drop us off," Vic told her. She and Cici were ready to take a break from the filth that they found themselves working in. She was reasonably sure that Angel and Rose could do with a break also. Rose seemed to be a human trafficker magnet.

"But where are you going to go? how will we get in touch with you if we need you?" Sophia asked concerned. This was going to look good on her annual performance review! But she was also responsible for the safety of these kids. If something happened to them, Jean-Claude would have a fit!

"Where we're going to go, not to be rude, is someplace that you don't need to know about, it is a private place. As far as you getting ahold of us, we will be back on Friday morning at nine like we said we would. Now, can we please find something to eat? Por favor?"

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	64. Year Six Chapter 64

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 64

.

.

The five of them landed outside of the gate in the wall that surrounded the white home on the beach on three sides. It was a beautiful bright sunny day without a cloud in the sky. As they walked down the path to the front doors of the house, the doors opened for them as they approached. Inside, they were greeted by three very excited elves.

"I don't know how you knew that we were coming here, but thank you very much for being here!" Ced told the elves.

"Welcome home Lord and Ladies Potter!" the three elves bowed to them. "Welcome Miss Bones and Miss Weasley," they greeted them with a bow also, just not as deep.

Leo closed the door behind the five young adults.

"I apologise for all of the dirty laundry that we have that needs to be done. They wouldn't let us stop long enough to even do our laundry!" Cici told the elves.

"That is okay, it is a privilege to serve," Maco told her.

"If it wouldn't be too much, could the three of you help Rose and Angel with their laundry too?" Ced asked the elves.

"It will be no problem to help them too," Lucy told him.

"Then we will go upstairs, sort through our laundry, and put it in the hampers," Ced told the young elf.

.

Cici used a beach wrap to cover herself as they walked to the potions lab and grabbed a vial of sunblock. Once outside the back door of the house, and the wrap was gone, she could let the girl's breath finally! Vic, Rose, and Angel were about two steps behind her in their beach wraps disappearing. Ced was doing just fine in his Bermuda short swim trunks. He had picked up the bag with all of the muggle snorkelling gear in it, for when the girls were ready to go swimming in the cove. For now, all of them were content to just lay on the beach and relax in private.

.

.

It had been a two-hour drive from Tarragona to Barcelona. Hector had selected a place close to the Casino Barcelona so the kids could just walk to the casino and check into their rooms. This was going to be another dress down mission, in the hopes of attracting the human traffickers. All five of them knew that Sophia wasn't happy about them leaving, they could hear her thoughts three metres away. So far, they had captured over sixty terrorists and one leader. They had rescued just over a hundred abducted girls and uncovered a mole in one of the police departments. The electronic data that had been captured would take them years to process, the laptops, the desktops, and the communications room were all a gold mine of information into what was happening in Spain, and the rest of the world. So, no, she wasn't happy to watch the kids disappear right in front of her eyes. She was looking at getting a promotion from the success of this mission. The local hospitals were running out of beds for the girls, most of whom were not in as bad of condition as they had expected. All of the girls talked about death healing them, which made no sense to the doctors. The local jails had filled up quickly, and most of the prisoners had been moved into the central prison system of the Spanish government until they could be interrogated, and run through facial recognition technology to link all of the ones they could, to other crimes and acts of terrorism around the country. Looking back on it, maybe it is a good idea that they take a little time off and let the backlog of prisoners get processed, Sophia thought as she walked back to the van.

"Where to Señora?" Hector asked her.

"Take me to the local police department," she told him.

He started the van.

"You know what? Take me around front, I can call headquarters from my room at the casino, and it will be a lot more comfortable than a desk," she told him.

And like the kids, she had laundry that needed to be done. It really wasn't the kids' fault that the girls kept getting abducted, it's what they had contracted them for. There really hadn't been a lot of time to sit around and do laundry. The girls couldn't hardly walk down a street without getting abducted! And what was with Ced and those two girls? Yeah, they were beautiful, and he was a hunk, but what was going on there? Did their parents know what was going on?

.

All five of the teens had fallen asleep when they rolled over onto their bellies. They woke up just in time for lunch. Thank Merlin for the sunblock potion! As they got up and collected their towels, the four girls covered themselves up magically as they approached the house.

The elves had outdone themselves for lunch, it wasn't just sandwiches and crisps. Lunch was a three-course meal, with a salad, choice of the main dish, and dessert.

"I think that the elves are glad to see us!" Cici told everyone.

"I'm glad to see them!" Vic told everyone joyfully.

The conversation over lunch revolved around their returning to the magical world and how much they missed being able to do magic whenever they wanted. When they had finished lunch, the four women returned to the beach, but Ced had stayed behind on a whim. He walked into the study and started looking through the portkeys, he found one for Cannes, Monaco, the one they had used for Venice, then he thought that he could feel some magic hiding something else in the drawer. He ejected his wand and used a complicated magic revealing spell, nope, nothing. But he could still feel the trace of magic. He closed the drawer and opened the lower drawer, he recast the spell, and nothing was revealed. He tried the top drawer on the other side of the desk, and the spell revealed a false bottom to the desk drawer, he lifted the false bottom to find a ring.

He opened his watch to the communications screen, "Dad," he told the screen. A moment later Harry appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Ced! How are you doing?" he asked his son.

"We're doing good. We just decided to take a few days off before we go back on Friday for the last mission in Spain," he told his dad.

Harry could see from the background that Ced was in the beach house.

"Your mum will be glad to hear from you. What's going on?"

"Well, for some strange reason, I came in here to the study and started looking through the portkeys, and I could feel some magic from somewhere. So, I started searching for it, and I found a desk drawer with a false bottom in it."

"And what'd you find?"

"I found a ring."

"Did you pick it up?"

"No. I can feel the magic, but I can't tell if it's cursed or not. So, I decided to call you."

"Well, you mum is in surgery, and she won't be back for a few hours. Some muggle beat his wife pretty badly."

"Okay, do you want to do this in the morning then? Say, after breakfast?"

"Okay, we'll see you tomorrow, about ten o'clock your time then."

"We'll see you then. Bye."

"Bye."

And the screen went blank. Ced closed the drawer and went back out to the beach to relax with the women. He took his spot between Cici and Vic. Rose and Angel had become comfortable with him that they were no longer bashful about going topless when they were here at the beach house. The nudity didn't really affect Ced, he didn't like Rose and Angel in that way. As comfortable as everybody was with each other, Ced really didn't think that his two cousins would ever join him and his wives in the tub late at night.

" _No, that's something that is for us alone,"_ Cici thought to him.

" _I agree, that is something that doesn't need to happen."_

"Oh, just so everybody knows, my parents are coming to the house tomorrow morning about ten," Ced informed his cousins.

"Okay, thanks for telling us. When do all of you want to go swimming?" Rose asked them.

"Whenever you want to," Vic told her.

Everybody rolled to look at Rose, who was laying next to Vic. Rose pushed herself up onto her elbows so she could see everyone herself.

"I'm ready," she told them.

"Okay, let's go!" Cici told the rest of them.

They all got to their feet and left their towels lying there. Cici and Vic took one of Ced's hands. Rose started walking next to Cici, and Angel was next to Vic. Together they speculated on how things were going for the other four members of their group. They wondered if they would go off and get married since there wasn't anybody to stop them from doing that.

"Mum would be so mad if Fred got married without telling her!" Rose told them.

"George and Amber might do it so that she wouldn't have to go back to America with her parents if they got sent back. She loves being here." Angel told them. "We've sat up late talking about it. We cast the privacy charms, so we don't wake my parents up, and sometimes we stay up late talking."

"What does George say?" Ced asked.

"He doesn't know. Mum put some wards on Amber's door, so he can't be in her room after a certain time. So sometimes she and I talk. She's someone other than my brother to talk to!"

"Sometimes, Julia and I do the same thing," Rose told them. "She's as excited to marry Fred, as he is to marry her! She's told me about some of the things that Candice used to make her do, and how Candice would treat her. It's a really good thing that you helped her like you did, Vic. She was really messed up."

"We're glad that those two found each other," Vic told her.

"When you bonded with Cici and Ced, that really tore George up," Angel told her. "And I'm glad that you three played matchmaker with George and Amber. I just hope that she's still taking the potion. I don't want a little niece or nephew right now!"

"Really!" Rose agreed with her.

"The good thing is, is that she only has to take it once a month, unlike some of the muggle pills that you have to take every morning, or you have to wear a patch stuck to your body someplace. They like patches, they even have a patch to help people stop smoking!" Cici told them.

When they got to the cove, Ced slipped the bag off of his shoulder and handed all of the women their water socks. Then he handed out the fins, masks, and snorkels. The group of friends walked out into the water until they were about chest deep, they rinsed their masks out in the water, then they put them on. After that, they pulled on their fins, and they took off paddling through the water. The water was about sixteen degrees Celsius, a little cool but warmer here, than it was in Spain. This time out in the cove, they were greeted with a pod of Striped Dolphins.

"They're beautiful!" Cici told her mates.

"They are!" Vic agreed with her wife.

It was almost like the dolphins could sense the special bond that the two females had. They changed course to come and visit with the five humans visiting their aquatic world. Two of the bigger dolphins swam past the women and offered to take them for a ride. With big breaths of air, the two-bonded held on, as the dolphins took them down under water for a swim. And down they took them until they could see the outline of a shipwreck. As the depth became too deep for the women, they let go and swam for the surface. When they broke the surface, both of the girls took deep breaths of fresh air.

" _There's another shipwreck,"_ Vic thought.

" _I saw that!"_ Cici told her.

" _Where?"_ Ced asked.

" _Out here, where we are."_

" _Can't we take some dive classes?"_ Cici asked.

" _Dive classes?"_

" _Yeah, SCUBA diving classes. I used to see it on TV when I lived at home,"_ Cici told them.

" _I don't know what you're talking about,"_ Ced told her.

" _Me neither."_

" _Fine, I'll ask Pierre or Toni when we go back to work,"_ she told them.

The two women could see the pod of dolphins still swimming around the other three of their group.

" _It would be nice if you could send those two dolphins back out here to give us a ride back to you!"_ Cici thought to Ced as she put the snorkel back in her mouth and started to swim towards their friends.

A couple of minutes later, the same two dolphins swam out to the girls and offered them a ride back to their friends. Both of them thought 'thank you,' to the friendly sea creatures.

" _We should ask Edmund if dolphins are magical creatures or not,"_ Vic thought to her mates.

" _You think?"_ Cici asked her.

Once the two dolphins returned them to their bond-mate the pod of dolphins moved on.

"There were two baby dolphins with them!" Angel told her two friends when they joined the group.

"Really? That's exciting!" Cici told her.

The five of them soon tired of treading water and swam back to shore. After getting out of the cool water and into the air, they covered quickly in goosebumps until they could dry off magically, and cast a warming charm on themselves. As the goose bumps began to fade, they walked back to where they had been laying out in the sun. As they lay there, they talked about the dolphins, they talked about the shipwreck that lay on the bottom of the sea, and they talked about the work that they had been doing.

"We've got to cut the head off of the Hydra and cauterise the neck so that the head can't grow back," Ced told the girls.

"That's the problem, the side of Darkness is so much easier than the side of Light. Even before they can interrogate the leader of those terrorist cells, a new leader will take his place," Vic said morosely.

"Well, I'm not going to quit!" Cici told her.

"Nobody is suggesting that we quit. But maybe, we should find a way to fight smarter, not just harder," Vic told her.

"We're doing some good," Rose stepped into the middle of this conversation, even though she was laying on her belly. "We've rescued so many girls in the last week or so!"

"We may not get them all, but at least we've put a dent in their operation!" Angel told them. "Maybe they'll think twice before they try to get any more girls in their cars!"

"When we go to France, we need to probe the leader of each groups mind. We need to find out all of the information that we can. There has to be at least one leader that controls everyone in that area. It's like a business, you have the head boss and then all of the managers underneath him. We just need to find the head boss and take him out, and if we can take out whoever is right under him, then maybe we can cripple their business," Ced told them what was on his mind.

"And then we can learn to go SCUBA diving!" Cici told him.

"What's that?" Rose asked her dark friend.

"What's what?" Cici asked her.

"That, that diving stuff that you just said."

"SCUBA diving?"

"Yeah, that."

"SCUBA diving lets you stay underwater longer."

"Oh! That'd be cool," Angel said. "Then maybe we could swim with the dolphins longer."

"Maybe we can take a class in France or Italy. Wherever we have the most time," Cici told them.

.

The next morning, the five of them ran for an hour. They ran far enough that they came across the wrecked ship. It was the first time that Angel and Rose had seen it or even one like it. They looked at the haunting vessel out of its element, resting over on its side. The rust streaking down the deck and the bottom of the boat. After a moment, the group turned and ran back the way they had just come.

"There's a wreck like that under the water?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, the two dolphins showed us," Cici told her.

"Do you think they showed you, or it was just coincidence?" Rose asked her.

"I don't know, that's something that we talked about last night before we went to sleep," Cici told her.

In the training room, they worked on flexibility training, they worked with the weights, and of course, they duelled. After breakfast, they went and laid on the beach, and they laid on the beach.

Ced's eyes popped open, "It's 9:30, we need to get dressed for my parents."

"What time are they going to be here?" Rose asked.

"At ten, but if they're running early."

Pop, "My Lord," Leo started.

The five teenagers were moving fast enough that it scared Leo for just a moment.

"My parents are here?" Ced asked.

"Yes, my Lord."

" _Teleportus_ to our balcony!" Ced told the four girls.

"We'll be there in just a moment," Ced told his elf. "Thank you for telling us," and he joined the four girls in walking into his room.

The two girls were able to slip out the bedroom door and down to their bedrooms. Vic was summoning clothing as fast as she could make it fly to her. Cici was pulling out bras and panties for her and Vic. Ced was just trying to stay out of the way as much as possible. He was just going to pull a t-shirt on and some loafers.

Downstairs, the five of them greeted Hermione and Harry with hugs.

"Mum, dad."

"Mom, dad."

"Mum, dad."

"Hermione, Harry."

"Harry, Hermione."

"So, what did you find yesterday?" Harry asked Ced.

"Here, let me show you," and he led them into the study. He pulled open the drawer and removed the false bottom. There lay the ring, just like he found it yesterday. "I can feel the magic coming off of it. But, I can't tell if it's cursed or not."

Harry and Hermione both looked at it where it lay. The four girls looked on as best as they could. Harry levitated the ring out of the drawer and lay it on the blotter on the desktop. And they looked at it. The seven of them formed a circle around the desk and looked at the ring. It was a signet ring like all of the Lords of the Ancient and Nobel Houses wore. But the thing was, Harry had accounted for Godric Gryffindor's ring, it was on his left pinky. Harry also knew where the Potter signet ring was, it was in the family vault because it wasn't on Ced's finger. Ced's title was more honorary than bestowed upon him. But this ring, this ring looked to be a cross between the ring of Gryffindor and the Potter family crest. Where did it come from?

"Do you mind if I take it to do some more research on it?" Harry asked his son.

"No, go ahead. But it sure looks a lot like the ring of Gryffindor," Ced told him.

"It also has some of the characteristics of the Potter family ring."

"Yeah, I can see that now that you mention it. Instead of a sword and wand crossed it has two swords."

"Yes, and instead of a gryphon it has a lion, like the ring of Potter."

"And the wording is different for the motto too," Ced told him as he got lower and closer to the ring on his desk.

Harry got down and looked. Ced was right it was the same as what was on the family crest hanging between the staircases at home.

Harry stood up, "Is everybody done looking at it?" he asked.

No one said no, so he conjured a small unbreakable container and levitated the ring into the container. Once in place, Harry sealed the container.

"How are things going here?" Hermione asked the girls.

"Great!" Angel said enthusiastically.

"Yeah! Yesterday, a pod of Striped Dolphins came by the swimming cove and took Cici and me out for a ride!" Vic told her.

"Wow! That sounds exciting!"

"It was a lot of fun, but they took us too deep," Cici told her. She left out the part about the shipwreck down there.

"Still, getting to swim with the dolphins. A lot of people pay for that experience."

"We found a shipwreck on the island," Ced told his dad. His mum and the four girls had stepped away from the desk to have their own conversation.

"Is it recent?" Harry asked, concerned about the security of the island.

"No, and there were no remains, either."

"Okay."

"Cici, Vic, and I chose to just leave it alone. It's not hurting anyone or anything that we can see."

"Have you gone completely around the island?"

"Yes, we flew around the island when Vic bought Angel and Rose their brooms. But that was the only thing out of place that we saw."

"Well, I'll probably take the ring and talk to the goblins about it. They can keep a secret better than the wizarding community."

"Did you want to stay for lunch?"

"No, it's still early for us. If your mum's ready, then I think that we'll head home. My afternoon is full."

.

Friday morning the five teens came down for breakfast after their shower. They were watching the clock closely so they wouldn't be late returning to Spain. They finished their leisurely breakfast, their backpacks were packed, they just had half an hour to wait until they would be portkeying back to the meeting point. They would rather that Sophia was late than they were late.

At 8:45, Vic said, "I'm ready to go. What about the rest of you?"

"I'm ready."

"Me too."

"Let's go."

"Leo, Maco, Lucy!" Ced called out.

A triple pop later and all of the elves were there.

"Thank you very much for making this a very pleasurable holiday. We're going to leave now and go back to work. Will you please secure the house when you leave?" Ced asked the elves.

"Yes, my Lord. It is an honour to serve," Leo said with a low bow. Maco and Lucy joined him in the bow.

"Thank you, Lucy!"

"Thank you, Maco!"

"Thank you, to all of you for taking care of us and doing our laundry!" Angel told the elves.

"Yes! Thank you for doing our laundry!" Rose told the elves.

Then the five of them walked into the living room and summoned their packs to them. With their backpacks on, they walked out to the apparition point and waited while Ced pulled out the portkey. With everyone touching the portkey, Ced activated it, and they were sucked into the network.

As they fell out of the sky, all of them took note of all of the police cars with their lights flashing in the direction of the casino. Cici looked down to see the big Nissan van sitting at the meeting point.

With five graceful landings, the five young adults walked over to the van. Hector opened the driver's door and walked around to open the side door of the van. Vic climbed in first, then Ced, followed by Cici, Angel, and Rose.

"You're early. That's good, we need to go!" Sophia told them anxiously.

"What happened?" Rose asked her.

"The local police tried to do a sting operation like we have been doing. Well, the terrorists were waiting on them when they tried to plant the girls that were to be the bait at the casino. Somebody must have tipped them off that we were going to be working the casino this weekend," Sophia told them.

"Who besides you and Hector knew?" Ced asked concerned about all of their safety.

"Nobody! Not even Pierre or Toni knew where I was going to be working with you five! Hector didn't know until Tuesday that you left!" Sophia told them.

"How bad was it at the casino?" Rose asked her sympathetically.

"It was bad from what I've heard so far. The casino was full of terrorists! It happened last night, about 9:45. The four girls walked through the front doors of the casino, two at a time. Just like you four do. From what one of the girls said, the guy came over to the second set of girls and started to talk to them, while the first two headed for one of the gaming tables, it may have been Black Jack, I don't know. So, the guy in the lobby is talking to the two girls, and they start to head back out the doors when the local police come charging up with their lights flashing and their siren wailing! The trafficker grabs the girl closest to him, and he uses her as a shield while he pulls his gun out to start shooting at the police. At the gaming table, the two girls turn to see what is happening, and another terrorist grabs one of them from behind and shoots her through the chest. Then the casino security, they come in with their guns drawn because they have all of this on camera. Both what has happened in the lobby, and what has happened at the gaming table. Well, the bullet goes through the girl's chest at the table and kills the dealer. One of the security guards tried to shoot the terrorist, and he misses killing one of the patrons. This shooting brings out more of the terrorists that are hiding on the gaming floor and waiting for the police. With shots fired, this brings all of the police in Barcelona to the casino, and the terrorists must have called for backup too! But, no matter, they said that thirty-eight officers were injured or killed, twenty-nine of the casino's guests were injured or killed. They don't know how many were killed just yet. Then there were forty-seven terrorists that were killed or injured, and almost all of the security guards were killed too."

"The terrorists knew that the police were coming?" Angel gasped.

"Yes!" Sophia exclaimed.

"Where are we going?" Rose asked Sophia, her brows furrowing in thought.

"We're going to the airport, so I can take you to Marseille," Sophia told her.

"We're leaving?" Vic said from the back of the van.

"Yes, it's not safe for you here anymore," Sophia told the group of remarkable teenagers.

"Does Pierre know that we're coming?" Ced asked her.

"No, not yet. I haven't called him," she told him.

"So. We could go to Italy instead?" Cici asked.

"Yes, I guess so. Why?"

"It's just that we're not very far from France and some of those terrorists could, I'm not saying that they did, but they could have come here from France. I don't know how many terrorists were here originally," Cici told her.

"Well, I guess that we could go to Naples," Sophia told her.

"Who's in Naples?" Ced asked.

"Toni. Naples is the Italian Headquarters for Interpol," Sophia told them. She turned in her seat and pulled out her phone. "Don't do any of that magic stuff!" she said loudly, "I have to make a phone call!"

Sophia talked on the phone for a while in hushed tones.

"Okay! Toni is very excited to have you coming to her instead of Pierre! They had two girls taken from the airport yesterday, and this would be a good time for you girls to go back to work."

"Are we too young to retire?" Rose asked the others in the van.

"What do we need to change into?" Cici asked Sophia.

"What do you girls think of struggling college student on spring break?"

"Do you want to do two of those and how about two rich girls spending daddy's money?" Vic asked their guardian.

"That could work, we would be covering two different classes of students with that."

"Rose!" Cici called to her friend, "Do you want to go as the struggling student or the rich girl spending daddy's money?"

"If we go as the struggling student, then we don't have to spend an hour putting on makeup."

"I like it! We'll go as the struggling students," Cici informed the people in the van.

"Well, Angel, I guess that we get to spend some more of daddy's money!" Vic told her friend. "Mi Amor, pass me my backpack please," Vic turned and asked Cici.

Cici leaned forward and tugged on Vic's backpack, then she lifted the weightless pack and passed to her wife.

"Are we wearing flats or four-inch heels?" Vic asked Angel.

"Well, I haven't seen a rich girl yet wearing flats in public!" Angel teased her friend.

"Heels it is. Which dress are you going to wear?"

"I was thinking about the yellow one we bought with the matching hat."

"Oh! With the matching yellow heels and the topaz jewellery?"

"Yeah, that's the one!"

"OH, I like it!" Vic told her friend. Then she dug around in her pack and pulled out her yellow sundress too. "This one here?"

"Yeah! That one! Remember when we bought them a couple of years ago?" Angel started to lead all of the teens on a journey down memory lane.

They were all laughing, giggling, and smiling as Hector pulled the van up to the International Flights terminal of the Barcelona Airport. He got out of the van and walked around to open the passenger side doors of the van. Tia Sophia collected all of her nieces and her only nephew. The kids all slung their packs over their shoulders, and then they followed her into the airport to get their tickets, that she had purchased online while the van had been driving. It was all paid for, all they needed to do was to collect the tickets and get checked in.

.

The two girls put Ced against the side of the aeroplane, and since Vic was going to need to put on makeup and change, Cici took the centre seat. Cici leaned over and kissed Ced passionately, and when they broke the kiss, she ran her hand over the back of his head, and he was asleep before she pulled her hand away. She gently leaned him against the side of the plane, and let his head roll forward a little.

Sophia watched the interaction of the two young adults, and then she saw Ced fall asleep. She watched as Cici moved him lovingly against the side of the plane. "What did you do that for?" she asked in hushed tones.

"Ced hates to fly."

With her eyebrows jumping up to her hairline, Sophia said, "Oh, okay." And then she took the aisle seat across from Vic and up one row.

When the seatbelt sign turned off, Vic and Angel both got up and headed for the lavatories in the centre of the aeroplane. They had their packs with them, and they knew that they didn't have an hour to get changed and their makeup on before someone would be knocking on the door to the loo.

.

The pilot slammed the plane onto the runway, and the engines screamed briefly before they turned off onto the taxiway. Cici reached over and pulled her husband's lips to hers. With another soul searing kiss, she woke him up.

"It's time to get up babe," she said to him softly as she ran her hand over his head, stroking his hair.

"What's happening," he asked her.

Silently his two wives filled him in on the plan for them exiting the plane.

" _Okay, I'm going to hang back and be one of the last off of the plane,"_ he told them.

The plane moved slowly to the correct terminal and jerked to a stop. The fasten seatbelt light hadn't even gone out before people were standing up trying to get into the overhead storage to be the first person off of the plane. Ced remained seated as the two beautiful women next to him collected their packs and began the slow trek up the aisle to exit the plane. And he waited, and he watched, and he listened with his mind. They had been seated just behind the wings of the plane. Ced reached out with his mind, and he felt the evil. There was evil on the plane with them. He focused his thoughts on that evil. Ced narrowed his connection to Vic and Cici, to protect them. He stood up in his row of seats and opened the overhead compartment door, he reached in and pulled out the last remaining backpack, and slipped it over his shoulders while he waited. The locals and the tourists alike walked past him slowly, there were breaks in the stream of people getting off of the plane. A mother and father with two small children. A single mum with a baby on her hip. Young lovers and seniors that had been married three times as long as Ced had been alive filed past. The man with the black hair and clean-shaven face filed past Ced without giving him a look. Ced stepped out behind him, in the gap. The evil flowing off of the man in front of Ced was strong enough that the muggles around him were uncomfortable. The baby in front of them began to fidget. As they exited the plane and into the jetway, the space opened up, and the man was able to move faster, Ced kept pace with him.

" _Have Sophia call Toni to meet us here, at the airport!"_ Ced thought to his wives.

As Ced walked past Cici, Rose, and Tia Sophia, he opened his mental link fully. In the customs line, he could see Vic and Angel in the line across from them. Ced let a couple of people get between him and the evil. He slipped off his pack and pulled out his passport. Zipped the pack closed again and back onto his shoulders.

"Passporto," the woman behind the counter said.

Ced handed her his passport.

In thickly accented English, "The reason for your visit?"

In beautiful Italian, Ced said, "I am here for a month to visit my Zia Toni."

Stamp! "Enjoy your stay. NEXT!"

Ced looked around for the black-haired man with evil in his soul. He saw him walking down the corridor briskly. Moving in and out of people efficiently. He avoided the moving sidewalk, or travellator, and the crowds of people riding along. The space between the two of them was open, and the man stretched out his stride. Ced was hoping that Toni would be there when he went to stun the man, he was running out of space. The travellator ended about twenty metres before the stairs and the escalators that led down to the luggage carousels. At the bottom of the stairs, Ced saw the stunning woman and off to the side were two big burly men in fine Italian suits. He also saw three much thinner men not dressed quite as nice, scanning the crowds of people moving towards the luggage carousel. As Ced got directly behind the evil man, he slipped and fell, knocking the man to the ground as Ced used him to break his fall. With a touch to the back of the evil man's head, he was stunned. The 'accident' drew the attention of everyone that saw what had happened, or better still, what Ced had wanted them to see.

With the loss of their leader, the three thin men didn't know what to do. One of them wanted to come over and help his master, one of them wanted to leave to avoid detection, and the third one wanted to just stand there like nothing had happened. Ced stayed with the man that he had just stunned until airport security was able to show up and take over.

When Ced saw the airport police, in Italian he told them, "I slipped and fell and knocked him to the ground! Is he going to be okay?"

The airport officer pushed Ced out of the way giving him an opportunity to slip away and to his Zia Toni.

The elegant woman walked up to Ced and kissed him on both cheeks. Ced addressed her in Italian, as he spoke to her, he took her by the shoulders as if he were looking at his favourite aunt. Slowly he turned her so that she could see behind Ced and get a clear view of the three men behind him. In their inability to come to a decision, the three of them had stayed in place.

"Do you see the three thin men behind me?"

"Yes."

"They are with the man that I just stunned, at the bottom of the stairs."

"Why did you stun him?"

"I could feel the evil coming off of him on the aeroplane. The three behind me can't make a decision, now that their master is out of play."

"What do you want me to do with them?"

"Have the airport police detain them for some reason. I need to get into the man's head to find out what it is that he is doing here."

"I can't just let you go poking around in people's heads! Unfortunately, he has rights."

"Are the rights of one evil person worth more than the lives of one-hundred innocent victims?"

"No, but …"

"Put me in a room alone with him for half an hour, and I will tell you what he is here for and what he has done," Ced told her softly.

Toni gave him a hard look. She didn't believe in trampling people's rights, but they had brought these kids here to help them fix a problem that was getting out of control too. "Fine, I don't like it, but I'll do it. Go and wake him up."

"I'll have Cici do it. She can say that she's a medical student."

Cici picked up on Ced's thoughts and veered over to the group of people standing around looking at the unconscious man on the floor.

"Excuse me! I'm a doctor, can I be of some assistance?" she pushed her way to the front. "I'm a doctor, what happened?" she asked the officer kneeling next to the evil man.

Even unconscious, Cici could feel the evil coming off of the man. As the officer moved out of the way, Cici got down on her hands and knees, with her face down, she put a glamour on to hide her true identity. Then as she pretended to examine the man, she rennervated him. He began to stir.

As the man began moving slowly, she asked, "Is there a room that we could move him too while we wait for medical personnel?"

The officer told her, "Yes, over here," and he stood up to begin clearing a path for the man to walk to the hidden room.

Toni and Ced began to move to follow, "You need to get those three men, they're getting ready to leave. They're scared of getting captured," Ced told her.

Toni was torn between protecting her charge and doing her job. She chose to intercept two officers and delegate the apprehension of the three men for suspicious behaviour. She could hold them for a few hours. If Ced were right, she would be able to hold them indefinitely on acts of terrorism.

As Toni went one way, Ced rushed forward to the officer, "I was the one that slipped and fell," Ced told the officer as he watched Cici slip through the thinning crowd of people.

"Come with me, I will need to get a statement from you."

"Yes, sir."

The officer put the two of them in the room alone while he went to get the proper forms for both of them to fill out. All accidents needed to be adequately documented in case of future problems. The only window to the room was in the door, and it had a curtain for privacy. As the officer was leaving the room, the stunningly beautiful woman whose outfit cost more than his monthly paycheck walked up to the room. She reached into her clutch and pulled out her Interpol ID.

Inside the room, Toni watched the two silent men staring at each other. Part of Ced knew that she had entered the room and he began an audio dialogue of what the terrorist had done on Italian, French, and Spanish soil. All of the different bombings that he had orchestrated. The random car accidents that had resulted in the deaths of government officials, in an effort to push their agenda forward. Plus, all of the different rapes, murders, molestations, and the casino in Barcelona.

"Sophia told me about that!" Toni said out loud softly.

Ced reached over and touched the guy on the head, and his face dropped to the tabletop.

"When I wake him back up. He's going to have an overwhelming desire to confess to everything that he has ever done," Ced looked up at Toni and told her. "That desire won't last forever, not more than thirty minutes. Is there someplace that you want to take him?"

"Sì! Yes, I want to get him back to headquarters! We can hold him there. I will call and arrange for them to come and get him." She looked at him, "On a stretcher." She had decided.

"Oh, and just a heads up," Ced started to tell her.

She looked at this remarkable young man. "?"

"All four girls have been abducted."

"Merda! So soon?" Toni realised that she should talk to Sophia, soon.

"Yes, from what Vic and Cici are telling me, they're actually headed for the same place. So that will make it easier to rescue them."

"Where's Sophia?"

"I don't know. The last I saw her, she was with Cici and Rose. But then we called Cici over to play the part of a doctor. Did your guys get the three terrorists?"

"Yes. I need to go and make a phone call," she told him as she got up and headed for the door. She turned back around to look at Ced, "Why don't you come with me."

Ced got up and left the terrorist leader where he lay. He followed Toni out the door. He watched as she finished swiping whatever number she wanted. Then he stood there while she spoke in rapid Italian to whoever was on the other end of the call.

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At the Italian headquarters for Interpol, Toni parked her sporty four-door sedan. Sophia and Ced got out of the vehicle and followed Toni to the employee entrance that required a card to enter. The other officers had just placed the terrorist leader in one of the interrogation rooms. He was now cuffed to the eyebolt on the top of the desk. His feet were in shackles, and his torso was belted to the chair. The terrorist's head hung limply, his chin on his chest. Toni made sure that none of the recording equipment was in use or turned on. Then she let Ced go in and 'talk' to the terrorist for a moment. Ced woke the man up, then he probed his mind, bringing up all of the evil, vile things the man had done in his lifetime, then he planted the overwhelming desire to confess to everything he had ever done wrong in his life.

"The next person in the room will be more than happy to listen to everything that you have to say," Ced told the evil being in the room as he got up and left.

From behind the one-way mirror, Sophia turned on all of the recording equipment as Marco entered the room to begin the interrogation.

"Oh! I have done so many evil things!" the terrorist began to tell Marco.

Sophia, Toni, and Ced left the building to go find the four girls that had been abducted. Vic and Cici both had given him addresses for where they had been taken. And now the terrorist abductors were trying to force them to take a drugged drink. Ced relayed the information to Toni who was driving like a crazed lunatic, the tires on the car were squealing as she was drifting the corners and the round-a-bouts.

"The girls are asking how much longer," Ced relayed the question.

Toni looked over at the GPS, "Ten minutes. Can they hold on for ten more minutes?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes. No, one of the guys just grabbed Cici in front of Vic. She just broke his wrist. Now all four girls are attacking the abductors. They've subdued their captors." Ced was giving a running commentary of what was happening in the building that they had been taken to. "Two of the girls are standing guard while the other two are putting on their body armour. Vic is zipping Rose up, and Cici is zipping Angel up. Somebody is coming down the stairs, Rose hexed him."

The GPS said they had five more minutes to go. Toni had one of the two pedals on the floor and both hands on the steering wheel, but on the back streets, the pedestrian traffic was thick. About two blocks away from the intersection of Traversa a Via Vesuvio and Via Bonifaci, Toni slowed down and drove more carefully. She pulled over to the curb.

When the car stopped, Ced yelled, "Call for back up!" as he jumped out of the backseat of the car and started to run. Thirty metres away he disappeared. Then he was standing next to Vic.

" _Go back and start bagging electronics."_ She looked at him, _"Here, take my pack, so you have some sleeves."_ She slipped her pack off, and it became visible to them.

Ced started working back down the hallway that the four girls had just secured. He collected the cell phones and dropped all of them into a laptop sleeve. Then he would close the bag and stun the people in the room. If there were only one or two people in the room, he saved the laptop sleeves and used the smaller cell phone sleeves.

" _We've found the communications room!"_

" _We've found the room where they're keeping the girls._ Men are such pigs. Why do they have to be this way? Why do they have to destroy everything? This is disgusting! I am so sick of the way these people treat other people! What can they hope to achieve by hurting little girls? I think that I'm going to start castrating them! Turn all of them into eunuchs! If one of these guys ever touches me again, I'm going to cut his balls off! I'm going to petrify him, and then I'm going to cut his balls off while he's still awake to enjoy the experience, just like all of these girls." Cici started on a rant.

The problem is, Cici has the knowledge and the skills to follow through with her threat.

Vic and Angel joined Cici and Rose in the room where the girls were secured to the beds. Ced started to bag up what he could in the communications room, when one of the cell phones rang, against his better judgement, he answered the phone. Ced waited to hear the langue that was being spoken by the caller so he could answer in kind.

"Did the boss make there yet?" the voice on the other end of the line said.

"No."

"Geez! What's wrong with those three idiots? I sent them over an hour ago to go and get him! Do you think there was trouble in Barcelona?"

"Maybe."

"Have you seen anything on the news yet? We need to take credit for the slaughter of the unbelievers before some other group tries to!"

"Yes."

"What's wrong with you? Is everything okay?"

"No."

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes."

"I'll get some more men, and we'll come and help!"

"Good." And Ced disconnected the call.

Ced ran down the hallway to the room where the four girls were working on healing the largest number of teen and preteen aged girls they had ever rescued. Except in Africa. Seeing the condition of all of the girls, Ced could understand his wife's anger. But for this instant in time, he needed to lock those emotions away.

"I need Rose or Angel to call Sophia and tell them to hold off on the, … somebody just call her for me and let me talk to her!" Ced changed his thought mid-sentence.

One of the girls stood up and slipped her pack off of her back, then she unzipped the back pocket and pulled out her phone. She handed it to Ced and told him what to do to call Sophia.

"Thanks."

Then he turned and walked away from all of the magic in the room to the far end of the hallway.

"Hello?" Sophia said when she saw who was calling her.

"This is Ced. You need to hold off on the backup! There are more terrorists headed here! We are also going to need enough ambulances for about fifty or sixty girls! If the terrorists see a bunch of police cars, then they're not going to show up! They'll just drive on by and write this place off as a loss," Ced told her.

Ced could hear Sophia relaying the message to Toni, then he heard Toni speaking in Italian to somebody else. All he could hope for was that everyone would listen.

Toni yelled at Sophia's phone, "I told them to stay back about five or six blocks!"

"Okay, I'm coming to you to get my backpack," Ced told them just before he showed up about forty metres in front of the car.

"What's going on!?"

"What's happening?!"

"The girls have captured the building, and they're working on healing all of the abducted girls, but right now, they're pretty angry. We'll call you again when it's safe for the local police to come in."

As Ced was leaning into the window to talk with the two women officers, four cars went tearing past them in the direction of the terrorist base.

"I've got to go!" Ced told them as he started to run in the direction of his wives. Then he was gone. As soon as he was in the old building, he opened his backpack and started to pull on his body armour. He zipped himself up and then pulled on the rest of the armour, preparing for a fight.

" _Here come the bad guys!"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Just hold them off, we're not even halfway done!"_ Vic told him.

Ced took up a defensive position and waited. The door across the room from him opened and the men started to stream into the darkened room. He heard one of them curse when the lights wouldn't come on, but the others just kept pushing their way in, bumping into the ones in front of them, ignoring the instructions to wait outside for a minute. With the last one in the room, Ced closed and locked the door. Using both his wand and his ring hand, he began casting _stupefy_ as fast as he could think, so much for the cell phones he thought.

" _They'll get over it,"_ Cici thought back to him.

With twenty plus men down, Ced started to levitate them to the side of the room behind the door, in case more terrorists showed up. And before he was halfway finished, Ced could hear more terrorist's cars skidding to a stop outside of the building. With a sweep of his hands, he just pushed all of the bad guys out of sight. Ced pulled out two vials of vaporising tranquilliser potion and waited in a corner away from the door opening. He wanted all of the bad guys to enter the room before he closed and locked the door again. The group of men started to file into the room with their weapons drawn, looking for a fight. They clustered around the doorway, Ced could hear one of the guys still flicking the light switch trying to get the lights to come on. This group knew that they should be seeing some of their own, or at least hearing a fight somewhere in the building. When the last guy moved around the bunched-up men, Ced closed the door and locked it, plunging the room into darkness, and the tossed the two vials of potion at the men's feet. As the men began to panic, Ced collapsed the ceiling in front of them to keep all of them bunched together. The potion acted fast, but it still needed a minute to take effect. How long could a minute be? Isn't a minute a standard unit of time? When he was in the shower with Cici and Vic, a minute was such a short amount of time! But this was taking forever! Finally, they started dropping, and Ced shifted to Cici's side.

"We need to go," the voice beyond the grave told her.

"Not yet."

Ced moved over to the windows, from here he could see the street side of the building, he looked both ways, and he could see Toni's bright red car a block away. He walked out of the room across the hall and to the windows on the back of the building. There he could see a cluster of cars parked this way and that.

"Toni's going to start getting nervous," he told Cici.

"I said not yet!" she put more force into her words.

"If you want it to go faster, start helping," another growling voice told him.

Ced started to walk, and an arm pointed him in the right direction to go. He went to the end of the beds that were divided by simple curtains and looked down into the haunted eyes of a girl as young as his little sister, Susy.

.

The five of them walked towards the bright red four-door, Alfa Romeo. As soon as they had appeared, Toni had gotten on the phone and called, letting all of the back up know that it was clear to go in with their gas masks on. The ambulances filed past in a long line after all of the police cars had passed. There were even some firetrucks in the line of vehicles that streamed by. And of course, there were the news crews looking for the headline for the nightly news.

"What took you so long?" Toni asked heatedly.

"It takes time to heal sixty-eight sexually abused girls!" Cici told her just as angrily.

"Sixty-eight? Oh, mama watch over them!" Toni said in shock.

"We need to go find someplace to eat and then to rest. All of the girls are tired from healing the abducted girls," Ced told Toni.

Where was she going to put seven people in a four-seater car?

.

With a quick call for a couple of Uber drivers, the group headed for a nice quiet family style restaurant. With easy favourites of lasagna and pizza. The four girls put away more food than Toni had ever seen a woman eat before, and stay so thin. They chose a large table in the far back of the restaurant for privacy.

"What happened in there?" Toni asked in hushed tones.

"He tried to force me to drink the drugged drink!" Cici said heatedly, but quietly.

"And then?" Toni asked conspiratorially.

"We stunned all of them!" Rose told her, standing up for her best friend.

"But, what else happened?" Toni asked.

"Well, after we put on our body armour," Angel started to elaborate, "We cleared the rest of the building of terrorists. Once we found the room with all of the abducted girls, we started to heal the worst of their injuries."

"There were some very young girls this time," Vic told her.

"How young?" Toni asked. When she had played the part of the bait, she was just eighteen, and the Polizia di Statohad kept her moved all over Italy so the sex traffickers wouldn't get to know her. But these kids, they did more in one day than she had in her entire career, and they just got off of the aeroplane!

"We're thinking ten or twelve years old," Rose told her.

"So young!" Toni said, "So young!"

"Our best guess on the number of terrorists captured, is between fifty and sixty, including the ones that tried to come to the rescue of the ones that the girls had already stunned. Then there's all of the cell phones and laptops that were recovered," Ced told Toni. "So, I would say that we've lived up to our end of the agreement, and now we want to learn how to SCUBA dive."

"What? What are you talking about?" Toni asked as Ced's question had sounded so absurd.

With a chuckle, Ced told her, "One of the things that we would like to do, is to learn to go diving."

With a laugh on her part, Toni told him, "I thought that you were quitting!"

With light laughter all around the table, Angel told her, "No, we live up to our agreements. We made a deal to work with Interpol, and we will live up to our agreement. It's just that we would like to learn to go diving, not just snorkelling."

"But for now, we're all pretty tired and need to get our rest so we will be ready for what you want us to do tomorrow," Cici told her a lot more calmly now that she has had a chance to rest and eat.

"Let's go over to the Hotel Palazzo Alabardieri, it's a nice hotel, and it's not too far from a park. Sophia tells me that all of you like to go running in the mornings. Plus, it's not far from my work."

.

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 **A/N:**


	65. Year Six Chapter 65

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 65

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Overall, the hotel was nice, even if the showers weren't large enough for all three of them to take a shower at the same time. At least the bed was large enough for the three of them, and it wasn't two smaller beds pushed together to try and make a larger bed. Ced's eyes opened before the crack of dawn, and the two women that shared his bed rolled off of him so he could get out and get his morning started.

Rose and Angel were waiting for them in the lobby of the hotel. Two men were chatting them up, and the girls were enjoying the attention, as well as they should. After all, they were two beautiful young women showing lots of skin in their sports bras and running shorts, showing off their legs, flat abs, and tight glutes. The group of five headed south to the park. Even at 5:30 in the morning, traffic was starting to build with people that needed to be at work by 6:00. Once they made it to the park, they joined others in their morning runs. Without a fitness room, the team of five chose to run for an hour that morning. Ced let Rose set a brutal pace as they ran along the waterfront. Rose and Angel had both brought their cell phones, they either put it in the cell phone pocket of the bra or put it in their cleavage. As they were running their third lap of the park, the two girls stopped suddenly. Rose pulled her bra away from her chest so she could pull out her cell phone, it was showing 00-1- and an unknown phone number. Angel's phone was showing Sophia's phone number. Both of the girls answered the calls and walked away from each other for some privacy. Vic followed Angel as she stepped away, she wanted to eavesdrop on the call and Angel was okay with that. Ced followed Rose, one of his oldest friends, and she tilted the phone away from her ear so he could hear the caller better. Cici was picking up on the calls from both of her spouses' telepathic links.

Toni had the six of them booked on a seven-day whirlwind tour of Italy, and the bus was leaving at 8:00! Thankfully the hotel was only two blocks away, and they had a breakfast bar downstairs. All of the young adults started a slow jog back to the hotel so they could get showered and ready for the tour that was leaving in an hour and a half.

The five sweaty teens walked through the hotel lobby, and the other early risers crinkled their noses at the sweaty teens as the guests walked around looking at all of the different artwork in the hotel. Instead of waiting for the elevator, the teens decided to run the stairs to their rooms.

"We'll see you downstairs," Cici said to her cousins.

"See you downstairs," Angel acknowledged her cousin.

Even before Ced got the door to the hotel room closed, the two witches were stripping off their running uniforms and slipping off their shoes. As Ced was triple locking the door, the two women had peeled off their socks and were walking to the shower. As Ced was getting naked to take his shower, he could hear the water start to run as the two wives waited for him.

"You need a haircut Dark One," Vic told her as she used her fingernail to draw a line across Cici's bum, showing her how long her hair was.

Cici turned around and looked at Vic, then she turned her around to see how long Vic's hair was. "You need one too, Little One. Your hair's down to here."

"Really?"

And Cici used her nail to draw a line across Vic's back, below her shoulder blades.

"Well, I like it," Ced said as he joined his wives in the bathroom.

Cici pushed the door closed, and she watched as Ced stepped into the shower. Vic gave her a gentle push to join her husband for their shower. She watched through the glass, as Ced began to soap Cici up. She could feel his hands running over her skin as he cleaned any unwanted hair from her spouse's long legs. She could feel his hand sliding up her over her muscular calf to her muscular thigh, towards her private area, and then as his hand brushed against her nether region. Vic placed a towel on the lid of the toilet so she could sit down comfortably, she knew what was coming for the two of them, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to stand up for either of the occurrences. The tingling sensations were running through her just like they had the very first time Ced had helped her with her first real shower. The mental link between the three of them was fully open, the two wives were sharing everything, all of the physical sensations of Ced's big strong hands caressing her body, all of the emotional sensations of their love for each other. Vic could feel Cici's peak and then Ced supporting her with his strong arm wrapped around her ribs, under her large breasts, as she fell back against him, his large hand between her thighs, her back pressed against his broad chest. Vic was doing her best not to slide off the lid of the toilet as she lay back. The two women calmed down as Ced washed Cici's long hair, and after she had rinsed it, Vic greeted her wife with a kiss and a towel as she stepped out of the shower.

Vic stepped into the shower knowing what was waiting for her. Her arousal was already happening with the anticipation of being bathed by her husband. Cici laid the towel over the toilet knowing full well what was going to happen to her and her wife, and knowing that it was better to sit down than to fall down when she and her wife's legs would no longer support them. Cici also knew full well that Vic would have several peaks. Vic may have multiple peaks, but Cici's peaks were more intense. And right now, Cici could feel the first of Vic's several peaks coming on. Just as Ced had supported her when she had begun peaking, Ced was supporting Vic, helping her along from one crest to the next, while Cici reached her peak outside of the shower. Slowly Vic came down from her mountaintop and was able to support her own weight again. As Vic calmed down, while Ced washed her hair, Cici knew that it would be safe for her to stand and continue drying herself off. Soon, the two women would need to take care of their husband and his physical needs. The water in the shower turned off. She could feel Vic begin to take care of Ced and his needs. The shower door swung open, inviting her into the cramped, wet space of the shower. Several minutes later, Cici was picking up where Vic had left off in taking care of their husband's desires. Then together they helped Ced reach his release, the two women supported him, until he was able to stand on his own again. Slowly, Ced regained his strength and was able to stand by himself. Ced kissed both of his wives, and they knew that they needed to hurry.

.

The line of people filed on to the tour bus. The six of them kept their packs with them, opting to put them in the overhead storage of the bus, instead of having them lost in the under-bus luggage compartment. Cici sat with Rose, while Zia Toni tried to sit with Ced.

"No, I need to sit with Ced for now," Vic told her quietly.

So, Toni sat across the aisle with Angel, and she watched as Angel pulled out her cell phone and a charging cable to plug her phone into the USB charging port provided. She looked across the aisle at the girl with the light-brown hair, and the good-looking guy with the black hair. Her head was resting on his shoulder, and his head was lying on top of hers. They looked to be asleep already. She could feel something that she hadn't felt in a long time, as she sat there watching them hold hands. Somewhere on the drive to Rome, Vic got up and walked to the loo in the back of the bus. The girl with the long black-hair got up and sat next to Ced. She interlaced her fingers with his, she laid her head on his shoulder, just like Vic had done, and he put his head on top of hers. And again, Toni could feel that feeling she had felt at the start of the trip. Vic came walking back down the aisle of the bus, she ran her hand over the dark-skinned girl's shoulder, and took the open seat next to the red-headed girl, Rose.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it," Angel leaned over and told her.

Toni asked her softly, "What can you tell me about them?"

"Well, it depends on what you want to know."

"How did all of you get into this kind of work?"

"Well, we were brought into it through a friend of Ced's family," Angel began to tell her. "Most of it, as you can guess, I can't tell you."

The two of them talked quietly for the rest of the two-and-a-half-hour bus ride to Rome.

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The bus stopped in front of the Westin Excelsior Hotel so the passengers could disembark and wait for their luggage. The group of six slipped past the rest of the group and went inside to check in.

The bubbly tour guide caught them slipping past, "We will meet down here in the lobby at 1:00 for a quick trip to see the Colosseum this afternoon!"

"Thank you!" three out of the six responded.

Inside, they checked on their rooms.

"Yes, ma'am. I see that with your tour, you have three economy rooms," the clerk behind the desk told Zia Toni.

At this news, six sets of eyebrows furrowed.

"I would like to go ahead and upgrade those rooms," Toni said to the clerk.

"I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible, ma'am."

"And why not?"

"It is not permitted for those prices."

Ced stepped forward, in eloquent Italian, "Zia Toni," he put his hand on her shoulder, "How long are we staying?"

"Three days to a week." She looked up at him.

"I would like to rent the entire top floor. I am tired of sleeping on two bed that are pushed together and falling into the crack. I am tired of taking a shower and having my shoulders rub the walls." Ced told the clerk.

"But sir, there are only three rooms, and there was six rooms reserved."

Ced reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened his wallet and pulled out his credit card. The clerk noticed that it wasn't the typical piece of plastic that they usually took. Ced dropped the card on the counter, and it didn't sound like a regular credit card. She picked it up and examined it, Gringotts Bank, Cedric O Potter. She turned the card over, it didn't feel like the other cards that she was used to taking.

"Excuse me please." And she took the card to her hotel manager.

Seconds later the manager came rushing out to meet the owner of this card. "Chiara tells me that you're wanting to rent the entire top floor?"

"Yes."

"I can have that freshened up and ready for you in half an hour."

Ced held out his hand for his card, "That'll be fine. We're going to go eat lunch and then we'll be back."

"Excellent, sir. I will make sure that it is ready for you," the manager of the hotel informed the young man standing there with five beautiful women surrounding him. "Lunch will be my treat." The manager told him.

"I will be sure to inform the wait staff," Ced told him with a smile.

The six of them turned, Vic took one of his hands, Cici took his other hand and the group headed for the hotel restaurant across the lobby from the desk.

"May I help you?" the young lady asked them as they entered the restaurant.

"Yes, I would like a large table in the back of the restaurant, as far away from everybody else as possible," Ced informed her with a dazzling smile.

"Please, follow me." She told the group of attractive people.

The group sat around the table, and as was his habit, Ced seated Vic and Cici. Once he was seated, the two women leaned over and kissed him on the cheeks. This did not go unnoticed by the hostess, and Toni just kept a watch on the trio, she didn't last twenty years in law enforcement by being stupid or blind. The hostess walked around handing out menu's and then taking their drink order.

"Your server will be right out," she told the six of them.

"Thank you," Ced told her.

As the last menu closed, Martina walked over to take their orders.

The six of them had a pleasant conversation over their lunch. The fact that they were seated far enough away from the rest of the tourists that had arrived on the bus with them helped matters a lot. They talked about what it was that Toni was hoping to achieve with their help in Italy. She praised them for the incredible job they had done yesterday, they had overloaded the police system with so many terrorists captured alive at one time. The number of cell phones and intact laptops, plus the four captured desktops was proving to be an intelligence goldmine. So far, it was looking like the massive flood of refugees into Italy was intended to overload, and bankrupt the government aid programs, and bring the Italian government to its knees. With close to 200,000 refugees entering Italy each year it won't take long to bankrupt the country, Toni feared. With the government being inundated with the flood of 20,000 non-Italian speaking refugees a month. The local police forces were swamped with misdemeanour crimes taxing their resources, letting the human smugglers abduct the girls that the terrorist organisations needed to help keep their freedom fighters happy. With 10,000 new freedom fighters joining their cause each month, and each freedom fighter being promised at least one wife, they needed at least 120,000 new girls each year just to meet the demand. Unfortunately, the terrorist organisations weren't getting the number of female volunteers that they needed to satisfy the desires of all of their freedom fighters. So, they were taking a different approach to the problem. With twisted thinking, females have no value other than to produce male children to help the cause. And with younger females being more easily subdued and their thinking corrected than older females, young females of childbearing ages were what was in demand by the human traffickers.

What was making the four females that were accompanying Ced so attractive to the human traffickers was how beautiful and naive they acted. The four gorgeous young women would bring a hefty price once they were sold and all of the recruiters knew this. When they walked into the nightclub that night, four different recruiters were already moving on them before they had even passed the bar.

Ced turned to Toni, she was the cougar with the hot young stud by her side, and said into her ear, "How much backup do we have tonight?"

"Why?" and then it clicked in her head. "Already?"

"Yup, four different guys are trying to isolate each of the girls. They didn't even make past the bar before they started to move on them."

"Are they going to be okay?"

"Yeah, they're not going to get separated. Vic is going to go with Rose, and Cici is going to go with Angel."

"Let's go get Angelo and wait in the van." Toni turned to head back out the door they had just entered. She stuck out her bottom lip and held Ced's muscular arm with both of her hands as he guided her back out the door. She realised while she was holding on to his bicep, that she couldn't wrap both of her hands around the muscles.

They had to walk down the street and around the corner to get to where the van had been parked. As they walked past an alley, five young men, twenty years old at the most, stepped out and blocked the couple's path. They were too close to the van for Ced to use magic to disable the guys. As they stood there in a faceoff, all of the guys pulled a knife of some kind from behind their backs and surrounded Ced and Toni. Some of the young men were even carrying katanas. Ced pushed Toni behind him, he knew that she wasn't carrying a gun in her clutch.

"Give us the woman and walk away." One of the thugs told Ced in Italian.

"No."

"Don't try to be a hero, rich boy."

"I'm not going to let you take her."

"There's nothing you can do to stop us."

"If that is what you want to believe," Ced told the one that was speaking. He reached into his front pocket and pulled out his shrunken sword.

"What are you going to do with that?" the thug laughed at Ced.

Ced unsheathed the miniature sword and put the scabbard back into his pocket. As he stared at the leader, he ran his fingers down the blade of the sword putting the cutting spell on it.

"At this point, I am going to tell you three times to let us go in peace. When I told you 'No,' that was the first time, when I told you 'That I wasn't going to let you take her,' that was twice, and when I told you just now, to 'Let us go in peace,' that was three times. There's not a court in the land that will convict me, it is all in self-defence."

"Whatever you want to believe, rich boy." And the thug lunged at Ced with his katana.

The Sword of Potter enlarged to full size, and Ced blocked the leader's swing of his sword. As Ced blocked the swing of the leader, the other's joined in. With the leader out of the way, Ced used the opportunity to thrust Toni out of the circle and to freedom. The woman moved far enough away but stood there mesmerised by the gallantry of the young man who was risking his life for hers. Flashes of light glinted off of the steel of the magical blade, then in one giant swing of the sword, Ced gutted three of the bad guys, cutting them deeply across their midsections. The two remaining thugs jumped back just in time to save themselves. The leader of the group tried to press his attack on Ced, and while Ced was focused on the leader. The underling attempted to cut Ced across his back. With one swing to block the blow from the leader, Ced followed through, thrusting the blade through the underling's heart. Spinning in place to keep his blade moving, Ced brought the blade up and cut the leader's arm off. The thug's sword hit the concrete with a clang, still clutched in his hand. The man would be dead before an ambulance would get there.

Staring into the dying man's eyes, Ced probed the man's mind forcefully, wanting to find out where they were going to take Toni.

Ced felt Toni tugging on him, "We need to go!" she told him urgently.

Ced wiped his sword off on the dead man's jacket. He shrank it back down and put it away.

"They were going to sell you to a brothel, here in Rome, that specialises in well-off, older, clientele," Ced told her, concerned for her safety.

Toni hesitated for a moment, then she pulled a willing Ced to his feet and started to lead him to the van. When they got to the van, Angelo wasn't in the driver's seat.

With several very choice words, Toni reached into her clutch and pulled out her phone. She swiped Angelo's name and waited for him to answer. "WHERE ARE YOU!?" she yelled into the phone.

Angelo stood up and dropped a twenty on the table and started to run. He had just gotten caught doing something that he shouldn't have done. He left his post.

Ced held the door for Toni as she got in, then he climbed into the back of the big Fiat Van.

"This is the latest set of landmarks that the girls have passed," Ced told Angelo.

Angelo fired up the van and turned on the headlights, bathing the five dead bodies lying in a circle in the street, their knives and swords reflecting the lights of the van. Angelo was realising just how bad he had screwed up.

"Don't worry about that now," Ced told him calmingly. "We just need to follow the girls." It wasn't going to help the situation for Ced to get angry right now. It would only serve to make Angelo more nervous than he already was.

Angelo looked back at Ced, "One of the problems is, is that," and he raised both of his arms and pointed in two different directions, "Those landmarks are in two different locations."

"Then go up the centre, and we'll make a choice when we have to." Ced's voice was ice.

Angelo pulled away from the five corpses lying in the street.

"The Colosseum is in the middle, that's why they went two different directions," Angelo stated as he veered to the right to go around the landmark.

"They've stopped and turned. They were on Via Prenestina. The driver had to honk to get the gates opened up." Ced gave them the name off of the sign that Vic could see.

Cici was in the car right behind her, she was able to give one of three addresses on the sign before they pulled through the gates. She turned like the naïve girl that she was pretending to be and watched as the gates were closed by two armed men. She faced forward again. The buildings slid by slowly, old rundown, dilapidated buildings. Boards covered the broken windows, weeds grew up and covered parts of the old fire exit doors. The car turned again, and the driver honked. The weathered door slid to the side.

"Where are we going? Is this some new club?" Cici asked immaturely.

"Yes, this is a very exclusive club that my friends and I know about," the recruiter told her with a smile at the driver of the car.

"Oh! Okay!" Cici said bubbly.

The driver drove inside of the dimly lit abandoned warehouse, he guided the car off to the side so the other vehicles would be able to find parking inside of the building. With the two girls they had in the car tonight, he knew that he would be getting a bonus when they were sold next week. These girls weren't going to the front-line fighters, it would be a waste of their beauty. He didn't know what they would sell for, but he did know that he would never be able to afford to buy a girl this pretty. He parked the car, with the child safety locks on, he had to open the back door of the car to let the two girls out.

Angel got out of the car first, "Where is everybody?" she asked as she looked around the dirty, empty space.

"I don't hear any music," Cici said as she stepped out of the car, bending over giving the human trafficker full view of her cleavage. She wanted his mind anywhere but on his job.

"Give me your phone!" the recruiter told the girls harshly.

"I don't have a phone!" Angel told him, whining, the sound of fear in her voice.

He looked at Cici.

"I left it at the hotel, I don't have a place to put it." She said with trepidation in her voice.

"Come with me!" the recruiter commanded the two girls.

Cici looked over and could see Rose and Vic getting the same treatment. As they entered the shadows, Cici heard another car honk at the sliding door, she turned in time to see the door open, and a third car pull in and park next to the others. A short blonde girl and a taller brunette got out of the back of the vehicle. One of the men backhanded the blonde girl, knocking her to the ground.

Vic watched as the blonde tried to get up, her hair was a mess, tears were running down her cheeks. She turned to watch where she was walking. Vic looked up and could see two more armed guards on the mezzanine above them, watching what was happening on the floor below. The recruiter led them single file, through an unused office next to the warehouse floor, the driver, bringing up the rear of the four of them, closed the door behind them. In here, it was more brightly lit, what was once a breakroom was now a makeshift kitchen with two men in it. Through the kitchen, they passed another room that had maybe half a dozen men watching football on a new flat screen telly. Vic could hear Cici's group of people walking up some stairs, and then the recruiter made a sharp turn and led them up the stairs that Cici had just gone up. The old wooden floors sounded hollow as the girls' heels tapped on them as they walked.

At a metal office door, the recruiter stopped and opened the door. "Inside!" he ordered the two girls.

The other two men had stood there waiting, and then with the four girls in the room, the first recruiter pulled the door shut behind them.

Cici watched as Vic and Rose joined her and three other girls already sitting in the room. A few minutes later, the door opened, and the blonde girl with the massive bruise on her face and the brunette were shoved inside, the door slammed shut behind them. A single fluorescent tube lit the larger than average office poorly. There was heavy metal screening on the outside of the window, the glass had a metal wire mess built into it, and the metal frame was screwed shut, blatantly obvious. There was no furniture in the room, no chairs, no table, no carpet, just the one light, and the bare linoleum floor.

Cici walked over to the bruised girl. In her four-inch heels, she towered over her. "Let me see your face," she told her.

The petite blonde cowered from her, turning her face away to protect it. Cici reached out and gently took her face, the brunette moved to stop her but was blocked by Rose. Cici gently turned her face so she could have a good look at the damage done. Then Cici laid her hand on the bruised cheek and blackening eye. The smaller girl could feel the comforting healing taking place. When Cici removed her hand, the black eye was not as swollen, the cut on her face was healed, and the bruising was fading.

While Cici was healing the blonde girl, Vic walked over to check on the original three girls in the room. She asked each of the girls where they were from and then she probed their minds, erasing any memory of them, after that she stunned each girl. Rose and Cici did the same thing. The four girls slipped off their heels and carried the five girls to the corner behind the door so they would be hidden from the view of the terrorists.

"You know, I was thinking," Vic started, "All of us are wearing stiletto heels with metal tipping tonight."

"Yeah?" Angel asked, wondering where this was going.

"So," and Vic lifted her shoes, "Why can't we do this?" and she transfigured one of the stilettos into a sharp metal-tipped spike.

Rose looked at the new weapon in her arsenal carefully, she cocked her head to the side in thought, "I was just wondering, how hard I would have to stomp down, to pin a guy's foot to the floor with that." She pointed to the shoe that Vic was holding in her hand.

"That's kind of where I was going with this idea."

"How far away is Ced?" Angel asked.

"About a block and a half," Cici told her quietly.

They could hear more footsteps coming down the hallway. They could hear someone sobbing and their heels clicking on the vinyl tile in the hall. The four girls hurried over to the wall so the traffickers would see them when the door opened.

They were careful to hide their faces when the door opened, looking as if they didn't want to see their abductors, like an ostrich buries its head in the sand, the girls hid their faces. They heard a body fall in the room and the door shut firmly afterwards. The sex traffickers were having a profitable night. The four of them looked up to see another brunette lying on the floor of the room, her little black dress had slid up over her hips, showing the thong underneath. The scoop back and the fact that one of the shoulders was down her arm told them that she wasn't wearing a bra. But the vibe that the four women were getting off of her was all wrong. She was a spy, planted there to get information on the other nine girls in the room. Were the terrorists on to them?

Cici walked up to the girl pushing herself up off the floor. She conjured a steel boot on her foot, and at the right moment, she kicked the girl in the face, breaking her jaw, shattering her cheekbone, knocking two teeth out and across the room, her nose was busted, and flowing blood freely. "Sorry about that, but I didn't want any resistance," she told her as she locked eyes on the spy and began to probe her mind.

"She's a true believer. She learned from her father, who had no sons, and eventually killed her mother for not giving him any sons. She's the only surviving daughter of four. The others were thrown down a hole under the outhouse. She watched as her mother threw the other three down the hole, under the outhouse just after they were born. She first started doing this several years ago when she was just ten. She learned to dress like the other girls to be more easily accepted by her victims. Unlike her mother, she is barren, caused by her father sexually molesting her from a young age after he had killed her mother. She too, has been unable to bear him sons, so she ran away, to save her own life and got into this part of the business. None of the men here wants anything to do with her, because she is unable to have children. And yes, the local group of terrorists are worried that we are here. They're going to have a sale for all of the abducted girls next Thursday night starting at ten at night." Cici told her teammates.

In the van, a block and a half away, Ced leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. "The terrorists are on to us," he said to the ceiling.

"How?" Toni asked him.

"They just put a spy in the room with all of the new girls."

"What did they do?"

"Cici kicked her in the face and then she read her mind."

"Oh. What are we going to do?"

"Well, What I'm going to do is, wait for another thirty minutes to see if they have captured any more girls tonight, and then I'm going to go to the girls and give them their body armour. What we're going to need you to do, is to call enough ambulances and backup when we tell you to. If you call too soon, then we have the problems that we had yesterday, with all of the emergency responders sitting and waiting. Let's just sit here and watch."

It was close to one in the morning when the last car pulled up and honked its horn at the first gate. When it was through the gate, and as Ced was leaning over, reaching for the side door handle.

"Let me turn off the dome light first," Angelo said to Ced.

"I didn't know that you could do that," Ced looked at the young man.

"Yeah," he said as he got out of the driver's seat and the lights didn't come on.

Ced got out and walked to the back where Angelo had already opened the rear doors. He collected all of the backpacks and started to walk in the direction of the gate. Angelo followed him like a lost puppy.

"If you want to keep your cell phone, then you need to go back to the van. Because, what I'm about to do will kill your phone, and you'll be buying a new one tomorrow," Ced warned the young man.

Angelo turned around reluctantly and walked back to the front of the van. He stood there and watched Ced pull out a bunch of shimmering material, and start to put it on. As he pulled on the clothing, Ced became almost invisible, the last thing Angelo could see was Ced's head. He watched as Ced ducked his head, and pulled on some kind of ski mask that made him, well, scary looking from even this far away. He watched the shape bent over and picked up the backpacks. Ced was walking again, and then he was gone.

Death appeared in front of the young female spy, and she was unable to scream, all she could do was to gurgle. Ced grabbed her around her upper arm with his large, strong hand, she was a traitor to her own sex, helping to put a price on another woman's head. He lifted her effortlessly, and they were gone, the fluorescent tube quit working. On the street, about fifty metres in front of the van, Ced dropped the girl in a heap and bound her with chains. He was gone again to give the rest of the team their body armour.

"Start at the top and work our way down?" Angel asked, she knew better, but she was getting tired of starting at the bottom and working her way up.

"No, if we do that, then the roaches will run and hide," Rose chided her.

Angel turned her back to Cici so she could zip her up and close the dragon scales properly. "I know," she said dejectedly. "Let's get the electronics and rescue the girls."

"You know, we're probably looking at €5,000,000 worth of bonuses because of the electronics," said Vic as she finished zipping Rose up.

"Really?" Angel growled at her as she fastened her utility belt around her waist.

"Yeah, on the mission that it was just Ced, I, and Cici, we almost tripled our money because of the electronic bonuses."

"Wow!" Rose growled at her. Then she looked at Cici for confirmation.

The shimmering form of Cici nodded to her. "Yup."

Ced looked between Cici and Rose, "Why don't you two go upstairs and work your way down, and the three of us will go downstairs and work our way up?"

"Pinch them in between us?" Angel growled.

"Yup, crush them between us, squash them like the pests they are. Watch out for the guns, they do hurt."

"Speaking from experience?" Rose teased him. Her own brother told her the same thing after he had been shot.

Ced grabbed ahold of the doorknob and cast a wordless/wandless _reducto_ on it. It turned to dust in his hand, he pulled open the door silently. There wasn't a guard on the door, Vic took the lead because she had been to where they were going. They checked and cleared each room on their way to the stairs, six rooms, eight terrorists, and four slaves. And they hadn't even reached the stairs.

Cici and Rose were having the same kind of luck going the other direction. Stun them lightly, bag the electronics, stun them hard, next room, repeat. With these many terrorists, it was slow going.

" _Room to room searches are always slow, Mi Amor."_

" _I know, if the electronics weren't so valuable to our clients, we would already be on the top floor."_

.

It was almost two o'clock in the morning when Toni got the call from Rose that she could send in the backup, and that they would need enough ambulances for forty-eight abducted girls.

Toni disconnected the call, and when Angelo reached to start the van, she held out her hand to stop him. They sat there waiting, an ambulance had already come and collected the girl bound in chains. Toni was wondering what that was all about. True, Ced did tell her that Cici had kicked her in the face, but wow! Remind me not to upset that girl!

The two people in the van saw a couple of flashes of light, and then they saw five otherworldly figures from beyond the grave step out into the street, and then they were about fifty metres in front of the van. Angelo went to start the van again, and again Toni raised her hand to stop him. Rose pulled her mask off, then Angel and Cici, then it was Ced, and finally, Vic pulled her balaclava off. The five of them helped each other get out of their body armour and put it in their packs. With the sound of wailing sirens approaching, the group of five ran for the van so they wouldn't be caught out in the street.

"How did it go?" Toni asked them, starting the debriefing.

"We rescued forty-eight girls, we liberated eighteen laptops, over a hundred cell phones, a communications centre with five desktop computers, two radios, and I gave up counting at seventy terrorists," Ced told her.

Angelo started the van and flipped a U-turn in the middle of the road. He drove away smooth and easy, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention to them.

"We also know that they were planning on having a sale next Thursday," Cici told her.

"A sale? Next Thursday? Where? What time? Who all is coming?"

"Thursday night starting at ten. I didn't go looking for where or who was coming," Cici told her. "Get Vic in front of the girl, and she can pull that information out of her better than I can."

"Let's go back to the hotel and deal with it this afternoon," Toni told them. Like the others, she had been up most of the day, and now, it was early in the morning of the next day.

.

Late in the afternoon, Toni and Vic headed for the hospital where the traitorous girl was being held. Once Toni had realised how important and dangerous the girl was, she had ordered around the clock security on her room. If a nurse or a doctor went into the room, a police officer watched them. If hospital staff wanted to enter the room to clean? A police officer watched them. Angelo dropped the two gorgeous women off at the front doors of the hospital. He pulled around to where he could watch the front doors and wait for them to come back out.

Inside of the hospital, Vic was following Zia Toni about a half a step behind, letting the older woman lead her to where it was they were headed. At the bank of elevators, they took the elevator to the seventh floor, out of the elevator, Toni turned and walked to the wing that had an armed police guard blocking the doors. She flashed her Interpol badge, the officer stepped aside letting the two women through. Toni led Vic down the corridor, past the nurses' station to a room with another armed officer standing guard outside of the door. Again, Toni flashed her Interpol badge, and the guard stepped aside for the two women.

"No one is to enter until after we leave," Toni told the officer.

"Yes, ma'am," the officer answered her.

By the time that Toni had closed the door, Vic was sitting on the edge of the girl's bed with her back to the door. Toni walked to the far side of the bed to watch.

Vic went into a monologue, like a narrator of the girl's life, going backwards from last night, "She and some guy agreed that she should be put into the room with the other abducted girls." Vic pressed for who the guy was, and the girl's drugged mind and lack of training were no challenge for Vic and her determination. "The guy is her boyfriend/lover, he is also the second in command. The leader of this group of fighters, the sectional commander, is back at a meeting called by the Leader. She wanted to go out with the recruiters to help find more girls for the upcoming sale, telling them that the quality of girls was substandard and the sale wouldn't bring in the money needed. She overheard a phone conversation from one of the other cells that the cell in Naples had been taken down and that the police had very pretty girls working for them. That's why she wanted to come into the room with us last night. She doesn't know who is coming to the sale, only the sectional commander and her boyfriend know that. But the sale is going to be at the usual place, she doesn't know the address, but it is a big beautiful house, with a tall wall surrounding it, there are armed guards watching the front gate and patrolling the grounds with dogs. The house is in a gated community with other large and beautiful homes. She says that it is a long drive from where they live in the warehouse." Vic pulled out and looked at Toni, "She doesn't know anything else. I can go in and erase her mind, but that would just make her a drain on your economy. She's a very hate filled young woman. If you can have someone get pictures of all of the men that were captured last night, I can put an overwhelming desire to tell the authorities who they are and what they have done in her mind. But if somebody doesn't act on that quickly, then that desire will go away, and she will close up and be of no use to you."

"They should have taken mug shots of all of the men last night. Let me call and tell them to bring them over." Toni stepped out of the room. When she reentered the room, she looked to be incredibly angry. "The imbeciles! They didn't take the mug shots of all of the men because there were too many of them, and the batteries in the camera died! And tech support wasn't there to replace the batteries! And, as they were printing out the pictures that they did take, the printer ran out of ink, and nobody knows where they keep the new toner cartridges!"

Across the room, they heard a noise that was a cross between laughter and gurgling. They could see the young woman's chest rising and falling rapidly. If there weren't a tube going down her throat, Vic would have told you that the terrorist woman was smiling at them.

.

The six of them continued on with the tour bus when it left, they stayed with it as it travelled from Genoa to Venice. They told Toni that they would show her around magical Venice. The bus stopped in Verona for a short tour of the city. The tour guide walked them past what was said to be Juliet's home from the play Romeo and Juliet.

When they got back to the tour bus, Ced overheard the guide asking the driver what had happened to their driver, Marco.

"Sick." Was all the new driver told her.

"Come on folks! Let's get on the bus! We don't want to be late for check-in at the hotel in Venice!" she was yelling loudly to be heard above all of the chatter.

"Oh! This is the whole reason that I took this trip!" said an overweight, pasty woman with a southern accent from America. Her hair was died red and stacked on top of her head.

At the back of the bus was a seat large enough for Ced, Cici, and Vic all to sit together. Cici sat against the outside wall of the bus, she wedged herself into the corner and closed her eyes, her fingers were interlaced with Ced's. Ced moved his legs far enough away from the seat that Cici and Vic's legs could be touching each other's legs, plus Ced's legs. The three of them closed their eyes and let the contentment of touching and being touched fill them. Rose and Angel were in the seat directly in front of them, Toni took the seat next to Vic. The one man and five women closed their eyes and soaked in the contentment. Toni hadn't felt this good in several years, not since before she and Jean-Claud had broken it off.

Ced's internal clock told him that they should be close to the hotel by now. He opened his eyes and looked out of the bus windows that he could see. Things didn't look right, but the thing was, he didn't have a reference point for what did look right. Cici opened her eyes, sensing her husband's distress, then Vic followed suit. Cici looked out of the window next to her. Vic looked down the aisle and out the front windows of the bus as best as she could, they were in traffic, but should they be going this fast? It was quiet on the bus, like most of the other tourists were asleep.

Vic reached over and put her free hand on Toni's leg, she shook it gently to wake the woman.

"What?" Toni asked her groggily.

"Something doesn't feel right," Vic told her.

"What doesn't feel right?"

"Well, we should be getting close to the hotel. But the bus seems to be going too fast."

Toni thought about it for a minute, the bus did seem to be still travelling at highway speeds. She looked out the windows that she could see. But again, she didn't have a reference point for what was right. She didn't know which hotel they were going to, or where it was located in the city.

Toni pushed herself up, "I'm going to go talk to the tour guide," and began to walk down the aisle.

Vic watched her go, grabbing each seat back to steady herself as the bus travelled down the highway, rocking and swaying. Toni got to the front of the bus and turned around. Vic could see a look of confusion on her face. Slowly, Toni walked back down the aisle, grabbing the seat backs to steady herself, her head going back and forth as she examined each person on the bus.

Rose took the empty seat next to Vic, Angel moved over to fill the seat that Rose had just vacated. Angel looked around the seatback.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"We're not sure. But we should have been at the hotel by now," Vic told her.

Both women got concerned looks on their faces. Vic looked up as Toni approached.

"The tour guide isn't on the bus with us," Toni said as she looked at her five charges.

"Any idea where we're headed?" Ced asked her.

"No, my best guess would be Slovenia. I think that they want to kidnap all of us and hold us for ransom. The group is too old to traffic, most of us." she looked at the five of them.

Cici reached up and wiped her hand over her face and down her body to her hips. The bus sputtered for a moment, but the big diesel engine smoothed back out as soon as she finished. What sat before Toni now, was a woman in her eighties.

"I don't know what you're talking about dearie!" Cici said in a quivering voice.

Toni covered her mouth as she let out a small laugh.

The time and the kilometres past, soon the bus turned off of the main road and down a smaller road, then another turn onto a dirt road that farmers used to transport crops and equipment. This land here had belonged to families for generations. Countries' borders may have changed, but the families that worked the fields had stayed the same. Soon the bus slowed even more as the road became too rough to keep up the speed that the driver wanted. All of the jostlings had woken the other passengers of the bus, and in the failing light of the day, they could see that they were pulling into an old farmhouse. Even the barn wasn't large enough to hide the bus. With the sound of the brakes being set, Toni moved several rows forwards while the five magical beings in the back of the bus put on their glamour charms, killing the electronics of the engine located below them. The engine sputtered to a stop. Ced moved forward, and took Toni's cell phone, and went all the way forward to protect it as best as he could.

The four younger women went to work on Toni, they changed her dress to older and frumpier, they changed her makeup to make her look older and less attractive, they put grey streaks in her hair to help sell the transformation.

"Is this the hotel, young man?" Ced's shaky voice asked the driver.

"Go back to your seat!" the driver of the bus ordered.

"Humph! Young people these days! No respect for their elders!" Ced scolded the driver and turned around to wobble to the back of the bus.

Another older lady placed her hand on his arm, "What did he say?" she asked loud enough for those around them to hear.

"He said that," Ced fought the urge to stir up trouble just yet, "We should all remain in our seats until they come for us."

Ced continued to wobble to the back of the bus to rejoin his group. "Nice job!" Ced complemented the girls on their transformation of Toni.

The group on the bus soon became restless as they sat there needing to use the restrooms inside of the hotel that wasn't outside of their windows. Soon some of the passengers went forward to find out when they would be allowed to use the restrooms in the building. With comments of medical needs or for personal hygiene reasons the people needed to get off of the bus and use the restrooms.

With several harsh words, the driver badgered the passengers back into their seats. Then he opened the door to the bus, and another man walked on to the bus.

"You are all now guests of Democratic Armies Revolutionary Council."

"I don't care whose guest I am, I need to use the restroom, young man!" an older balding, grey-haired man said to him loudly.

"I do too!"

"So, do I!"

"If you don't let me off this bus soon, you're going to have a mess to clean up!"

Why did he ever let them talk him into hi-jacking a tour bus full of old people? Because old people have money, they told him!

The people on the bus started to stand up and push their way forward to get off of the bus, they needed to use the bathroom, and they needed to use it now!

With a fresh revolution on his hands, the leader of DARC pulled out a gun and fired it several times into the top of the bus. This just helped several of the elderly people on the bus drain their bladders and their bowels there on the bus. Now the coach was beginning to stink, the trails of urine trickling forwards towards the leader's sandals.

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The hot water had run out hours ago as the elderly hostages had insisted upon being allowed to shower, and now the ones that were showering last had no hot water, and they were being very vocal about having to take a cold shower. The Revolutionary Leader of DARC left to go smoke another bowl to help him find his centre. All of this negative energy from all of these old people was really beginning to affect his inner peace. He was really looking forward to Veronica getting back from her shopping to help him get back on top of something. Well, at least get back on top of her. She did show them where her grandfather's old farm was, but this place didn't even have cable internet! And, the phone lines didn't work! Didn't she know that he loved her? He had come all of the ways out here, to the middle of nowhere, he had given up his video games for her! All of his online friends probably thought that he had fallen off the edge of the earth! He might as well have, this place was so far from civilisation that he only got two channels on the telly, and both of those had snow in the picture! He had never watched broadcast television before! No video games, no internet, no cable tv, not even a bloody microwave! What more did she want him to do to show her that he loved her? And now they had forty-five old people outside of his bedroom door complaining about a cold shower, no food, and now they've run out of toilet paper? He really hoped that she remembered to buy toilet paper, and she and the other girls needed to get back here soon so they could cook for all of these people! He seriously doubted that they had enough ramen soup for all of these people anyway.

.

About midnight, Toni checked that their captors were all asleep, and she told the other young adults that she was going to walk down the road until she got a cell phone signal.

"All of these idiots look like they're stoned out of their minds!" she told her charges.

"Yeah, while you go to make the call, I think that we'll go ahead and stun the nine 'revolutionaries.'" Ced told her.

The five octogenarians got up and followed Toni to the door, to see her off. Then they broke up to go to the different bedrooms and stun their captors in their sleep. In the room that Rose entered, she found two guys sleeping in the same bed, a touch to the back of each head and then she sleeved their phones. Angel found two guys and one girl sleeping in the bed and touched each of them on their heads. She sleeved their cell phones. Vic found a girl sleeping by herself and stunned her. Cici found the leader and Veronica sleeping together in bed, Veronica's arms were covered in small dark bruises, a needle and syringe lay on the nightstand, and she stunned them.

Ced walked to the kitchen and looked in the cold box, it was empty except for a couple of takeout boxes and a beer. He looked in the kitchen cabinets, and they were bare. Whose idea was this? What were they thinking? Were they thinking? The trash bin was overflowing with trash, and behind it were four or five empty pizza boxes. He watched as a mouse scurried off with a piece of pizza crust that it had liberated from a half-closed box. Ced picked up a plastic fork and began the process of converting it to a portkey for onetime use. He had had enough of the stupidity to last him the rest of the week, they would just take Toni with them. He pocketed the portkey and walked out to the front porch of the house. He found Vic and Angel sitting in the porch swing, rocking gently. In the moonlight, they could see a lone figure walking back up the driveway to the house.

"Well?" Ced asked.

"They will be here in about an hour. I told them that we would put out a marker so they could find the correct road. The bus should have some emergency flares or triangles on it." She turned and walked back to the bus and looked behind the driver's seat. There she found the red box that had some plastic triangles in it. She pulled the three triangles out and started back down the road.

When she had cleared the back of the bus, Ced summoned all of the backpacks to himself. He waved for all of the girls to join him as he started to follow Toni down the overgrown dirt road. He handed each of the girls their packs.

"Where are we going?" Angel asked him.

"Someplace nicer than this!" he replied.

They caught up to Toni as she was placing the first of the triangles. Ced handed her a sleeve for her cell phone.

"You'll want to turn it off before you put it in there." He told her.

She did, and then she put it in the back pocket of her pack. Ced took one of the triangles as they started walking again.

After she had placed the last of the triangles. They could see the flashing lights off in the distance of the dark road.

"This is called a portkey, …" Ced started to explain what was going to happen. Rose was on one side of her and Vic was on the other. Then the six of them touched the portkey, and they were pulled forward by their navels into the portkey network.

The next thing Toni knew was that she was falling out of the sky. She forgot all about Rose and Vic keeping her steady as she was falling to the ground below. Then her feet touched down, and she felt two strong hands holding her up. The place was dark except for the large white house that was well lit in front of her. The gate was lit on both sides, she saw as they started walking towards it. Where was she?

"Welcome to our home," Ced told her with a smile.

He reached out and opened the gate manually. Then he let all of the ladies through the gate and then he closed the gate manually. With Cici on one hand and Vic holding his other. Rose, Angel, and Toni walked two steps behind them. As they approached the large wooden doors, these opened without prompting, and they were greeted by three very welcome sights.

"Welcome home, Master and Mistresses." Maco greeted them with a bow, all three of the elves bowed as they entered the house.

"Thank you, Maco. It is good to be home. Thank you, Leo, thank you, Lucy." Ced addressed each of the elves.

Cici and Vic did likewise. So, did Rose and Angel.

"Maco, could you escort our guest to a room and help her get comfortable?" Ced asked his first elf.

With another bow, "Yes, Master. It is a pleasure to serve."

Toni was going into sensory overload. Everything that she had ever learned about witches and wizards was being turned upside down. They didn't live in gingerbread houses waiting to capture some poor unsuspecting children to eat. They lived in large white marble homes that were impeccably cleaned. The floors were polished, the woodwork was clean and polished. In fact, this whole house was more beautiful than any hotel that they had been staying in! These small creatures weren't being forced to serve, they seemed to thrive on helping these kids! There appeared to be mutual respect!

"Toni? Are you okay?" Cici asked her.

"What? I, I, must have been lost in thought," she stammered out.

"It's kind of overwhelming at first, isn't it?" Vic told her with a slight chuckle.

"Welcome to our home," Ced told her. "We will show you around some more tomorrow. Now, if you will follow Maco, she will show you to your room. If you have any questions or if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. It's late, and we are all tired."

"Yes, okay." She looked down at the tiny creature that was looking up at her.

"Please follow me," Maco told her, and then she turned and began to lead Toni to her room.

"Lucy, is it okay if Rose and I have the same rooms as last time?" Angel asked the elf.

"Yes, it is okay," Lucy said to them with a smile.

"Thank you, Lucy," Rose told her. Then she teleportused to the third-floor landing and started walking to her room.

Angel wasn't far behind her. Ced pulled Cici and Vic in tight against him and did the same thing to the front doors of their room. With a wave of her hand, Cici opened the door and walked through, followed by Vic. And before Ced could close the door, Cici was stripping off her clothes. Shirts, shoes, bras, pants, socks, and knickers were flying through the air. As Ced was peeling his shirt off, he could hear the water in the shower running, then he felt the contentment as both wives stepped into the oversized shower and began to wash off the day's filth.

.

Toni awoke much later than she had intended. The sunlight was peeking around the curtains in the room. The comfortable bed with the heavy comforter felt good against her bare skin. She woke up feeling amazing, rested. She slid out of the large comfortable bed, expecting the air in the room to be, cold, but it was warm, the rug under her feet kept her bare feet from getting cold. She walked over to the window and pulled the curtains open. From where she was, she could see the part of the island, off in the distance she could see the water and the faint outline of a ship of some sort. She could see the wall and the gate that they had entered through last night. She turned and looked at her room, on one of the walls were a couple of doors, she walked over to the first door, and it was a walk-in closet. She noticed that her clothes had been cleaned, pressed, and hung up. She walked over to the dresser, and began to go through the drawers, she found her bras, panties, socks, and nylons folded and put away neatly. She made her way to the other door, and upon opening it, the lights came on automatically to reveal a large on suite bathroom. Much larger than any bathroom in the hotels that they had stayed at. The shower was large and inviting. There were towels hung on towel racks for her. Inside of the shower, she found all of her bath products. She shook her head slightly, and a small smile crept on to her face, she reached in and turned on the water to start letting it warm up. There wasn't a need for her to take off her clothes before getting into the shower, she had stopped wearing clothes to bed by the time she was eight. She and her mother, she never knew her father, would argue about her not wearing any night clothes. Toni's argument was that the nightgowns would start to squeeze her and, in some cases, start to choke her as she slept. The shower felt amazing! She felt like a new woman when she exited the shower.

.

Out on the beach, Maco appeared, "My, Lord, my Ladies, your guest has woken up."

"Thank you, Maco," Cici said as she rolled over to get up.

The three other women laying out topless on the beach followed her lead. Ced got up also. As they followed Maco back to the house, the four young women all covered themselves magically before entering the house. Ced pulled on a muscle shirt that he had hung on a peg outside of the door.

As they walked into the living room of the house, Toni stood up.

"The little creatures said that I needed to stay here and wait for you," Toni told Ced when she saw him.

"Yes, they are called House Elves, and they live to serve. And by having you stay here in the living room, it would keep you from getting into something that maybe you shouldn't." Ced told her with a smile.

"Like what?" Toni asked playfully.

"Well, you wouldn't want us snooping through your house. The other thing is, we have given you a glimpse into our world," Ced told her openly.

"So, this is your parent's house?"

"No, this is Cici, Vic's, and my house," he told her, trusting her with more information than they had ever given a muggle.

Toni looked around confused. How could kids so young afford something like this?

"It was a wedding present from Ced's parents to us," Vic told her, looking for a reaction, and then seeing it.

"You're married?" Toni asked in shock, gesturing between Ced and Vic.

"No, we're married," Cici told her gesturing between Vic, herself, and Ced.

"Married, what do you mean married?" the investigator coming out of Toni at this point. "What about you two?" she looked at Rose and Angel.

"Naw! We don't want to be a part of Ced's harem!" Angel told her with some mirth filling her comment.

"Have you ever heard of the term soul-mates?" Ced asked the investigator.

"Yes, everybody that has ever read a romance novel has heard of that term."

"Well, we are a soul-bonded threesome. The first in the world," Ced told her.

Toni was sceptical, but she still retained an open mind. She sat there and looked at them. The only information that she had ever had on this kind of stuff came from the few romance novels that she had read. Still, there was something different about these kids. They weren't like the other kids their age, or even kids older than them. They really did seem special, and then there was that feeling that she got on the bus.

"Did you want something to eat? Or would you just like to go and join us on the beach until it's lunchtime?" Cici asked her.

Toni looked over at the large Grandfather clock at the base of the stairs. It was still a good way off to lunch, and she wasn't hungry. "I don't have anything to wear to the beach." She told them.

"I'm sure that we can find something to fit you!" Rose told her joyfully. "Your cell phone is still turned off, and in the sleeve, right?" Rose asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Well, you're staying in a house that is run on magic," Angel told her. "Everything about this house runs on magic."

"Really?"

"Yes! Now let's go and find you some swimsuit bottoms." Rose told her.

Angel and Rose both got up and waited for Toni to get up so they could help her select a swimsuit to wear.

"Don't forget to give her a sunblock potion, so she doesn't get burned!" Vic told her friends as they headed back up the stairs.

.

Out on the beach, laying on their towels, Vic was laying on one side of Ced and Cici was on the other, the three of them were holding hands and had their feet touching. Their eyes were closed, talking to each other telepathically.

Toni, Rose, and Angel walked up on the trio laying out in the sun. Toni saw how dark Cici really was, compared to Vic, Ced, or Rose, or even herself! Back in her younger days, Toni could lay out for hours just baking in the sun. But these days, she was paler than Rose or Vic. Toni was almost shocked to see the two girls laying out topless, Cici was one step away from being completely naked, Vic's swimsuit bottom wasn't much larger than Cici's. She turned for a moment, and Rose and Angel were both topless too, lying down on their towels. Toni remembered her days of laying on the balcony of her mom's apartment without a swimsuit on so she wouldn't have any tan lines. Why was she shocked by the behaviour now? Am I getting old? Was her own daughter at home right now doing the same thing that she used to do? What she was about to do? Was she really going to take off her bikini top with a strange man around? Did she trust him enough? And what would these other girls think of her? Would they believe that she's just some old woman that's trying to regain her youth?"

"NO! JUST TAKE YOUR TOP OFF! YOU'RE GIVING ME A HEADACHE!" Cici yelled at her. "Merlin! Woman, nobody here is going to judge you! And sorry to say, Ced doesn't really care one way or another! He sleeps with two women already!" Cici rolled over and looked at Ced, Vic did the same thing.

"And he had better not be thinking about adding a third!" Vic teased her husband.

The other women on the beach all joined them in laughing at the joke.

A towel appeared next to where Toni was going to lay down and start working on her tan. "You know, I am going to need to check in and let them know that I'm okay." She said with her eyes closed and her top lying next to her.

.

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 **A/N:**


	66. Year Six Chapter 66

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 66

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Toni had really enjoyed her week and a half that she spent on the island with the young adults. She really didn't think of them as kids anymore once she watched them practice duelling, sparring against each other in hand to hand, and then watching the girls fighting with their swords. Plus, she had started getting up early and running with them. The first few times it was more torture than anything, but once she got back into her grove, she realised just how much she had been missing it. She couldn't do magic, so the girls put the charm on the sports bras that they had gone shopping for in Magical Venice. The girls had told her that they had enchanted the bras so the spell would last forever on them. She was grateful for that! Because she had started running with them early in the morning, she liked how her endurance was coming back, and she loved the feeling of energy she was having again. All things that she didn't realise that she had lost slowly over time. Their afternoon swims in the cove were always amazing. And after the second day of laying out in the sun, she was already developing tan lines again. While they were in Venice, she did pick up some razors to take care of her grooming needs. She could feel herself being revitalised, it was incredible how restful being unplugged from the world could really be!

One evening, she walked down to the library and found the threesome all laying on what had to be a magically enlarged couch. Two of them, Ced and Vic, and Vic was sandwiched between Ced and Cici's back, looked to be asleep while Cici was reading a textbook of some sort. She looked at Ced with his arm wrapped around both of his wives' waists. She could see that Vic had her arm draped over Cici's waist, and she could see their other arms under the cushions that were being used as pillows. Again, she could feel that contentment come off of them.

"No, we're not asleep. Cici is reading a textbook on medicine. She wants to be a doctor like her mother, and a healer like my mum." Vic told Toni.

"Our mum!" Cici teased Vic, looking over her shoulder at her spouse.

"Okay, our mum!" Vic teased her back.

"How do you do that? Read my mind all of the time?" Toni asked them finally.

"You put your thoughts out there for all of us to read!" Ced told her, joining the conversation with a laugh. "Like right now, we can feel some of your confusion caused by what happened the other night when I protected you from those five guys. Love is what makes us stronger than those that hate. Love is what fuels us."

"But, the other night, …"

"Would you rather that I let them take you, drug you, and then sell your body to anyone with enough money to buy it?"

"No, but…"

"Here, sit down on the floor right here," Cici patted the couch at about her waist.

Toni did as she was told.

"Now, close your eyes and relax for a moment."

Then as Toni closed her eyes, Cici closed her textbook, and the loving threesome, closed their eyes and let their love for each other flow out of them and cover the older investigator. Toni could feel the love of the trio washing over her, and she sank back into it, to feel an incredibly powerful love flowing over her, covering her, making her heart race, and giving her encouragement that the side of darkness wouldn't win, their love gave her hope. When the threesome finally opened their eyes, there were two other bodies sitting beside Toni. Angel and Rose had joined them sometime while they had their eyes closed. It was dark outside now, the clock next to the stairs chimed out that it was a quarter past the hour, but what hour that was, none of them knew.

"Is everything okay?" Cici asked as she saw her cousins sitting there.

"That was incredible!" Toni told them as she turned to look at this fantastic threesome.

"It was," Angel said in awe.

"Yes, everything is more than okay, now," Rose told her.

They sat there in silence for a moment, soaking in what they had just experienced.

"Would anybody be up for a late-night walk on the beach?" Ced asked.

With that, the three women that were sitting on the floor got to their feet. Giving the people on the couch room to get up. As the trio started to sit up, the couch began to shrink letting each of them put their feet on the floor. With Ced, Cici, and Vic grasping hands, the six of them headed for the back door of the house so they could walk along the beach. A glance at the clock told them that it was closing in on eleven at night.

Walking barefoot along the beach, the group approached the swimming cove, as they looked at the water, they could see something glowing in it. The five magicals walked into the water slightly to try and get a better look at what it was that was glowing.

"What is it?" Angel asked in amazement that something could be glowing in the water.

"I don't know!" Vic told her.

"It's called Sea Sparkle," Toni started to tell them. "It's photo plankton."

The five of them looked at her like she was the smartest person in the world.

"Is it safe?" Rose asked her.

"Yes, you probably don't want to swallow any of it."

"So, it can't hurt us," Vic confirmed.

"No, it's plankton. Other fish eat it," Toni told her.

Cici kicked her foot in the water, splashing it. The cove lit up brightly showing them how much was actually there. It was almost tempting to try and go swimming in their glowing pool.

"We didn't bring our water socks," Ced told his wife as he heard her thoughts.

"Summon them, I think that I want to splash around in the water for a while," she told him with a loving smile.

Toni looked at her like she was crazy, she didn't even have her swimsuit on!

"Getting my wife out of her clothes isn't the hard part." Ced told Toni, "It's keeping her in them, that's the hard part!"

Soon enough, the bag with all of the swim gear in it came flying into Ced's now outstretched hand. He sat the bag on the sand and started pulling out water socks for everyone.

"If you would like to join us," Cici was telling Toni. "I can transfigure your knickers into swim trunks."

"Okay, I think that I could enjoy a midnight swim!" she hadn't done anything like this in years! Since before her divorce. Oh, what would her daughter think of her now?

"She might think that her mum is a pretty cool gal!" Ced told her softly.

As the six of them splashed around in the water, the photo plankton lit up and turned the cove into a glowing pool of water. Even their hair was glowing were they had splashed each other.

.

After they all got out of the swimming cove, Ced was quick to dry Toni off with the drying spell, as Cici and Vic dried each other. Then Ced dried himself off. Everyone found their clothes again and started to get dressed.

"Thank you, I needed that!" Toni told everyone with a smile. It had been so long! Had she really forgotten how to live? Or had her job just sucked the life out of her? I need to do something like this with Sofia before it was too late. She had the money, she may not have the money that these people had, but she really wasn't hurting. They could go to some island resort and leave the people that wanted to cause trouble behind.

At the stairs that led up to Cici, Vic's, and Ced's room, the trio said goodnight to their friends. Together they walked up the stairs to the outdoor shower so they could rinse off before they got in their large comfortable bed.

"I'm glad that we brought Toni here," Cici told them as they walked inside of their room.

"Me, too," Ced said as he closed the sliding glass door and the curtains.

"It has been good for her. She's really relaxed, a lot." Vic said to her spouses, just before she crawled across the bed.

Ced joined his naked wife in bed, and the two of them waited for Cici. Cici came out of the loo wearing a floor to ceiling flannel nightgown, complete with bonnet. The two spouses in bed started to laugh. A mischievous grin came across Cici's face.

"You know, Mi Amor, underneath all of those clothes, you're still naked," Ced told her with an enormous smile.

Cici couldn't keep a straight face any longer, she burst out laughing, and she reached down and peeled the heavy nightgown off over her head, the bonnet went with it.

Ced held his free arm out to her, "Come here, my love." And then as she climbed into bed with them, "I love the feel of your skin against mine," he told her lovingly. "I love how dark you have gotten, the feeling of your large breasts pressed into me, as we lay here. I love your citrus blossom scent." He pulled her in tight against him.

She tilted her lips up to his, and he tilted his lips down to hers so they could kiss. Then Vic leaned over enough to give her wife a kiss, before they both settled in on Ced's sides, his strong arms wrapped around them, keeping them safe. A kiss from Ced to Vic, and soon Ced's strong rhythmic heartbeat put them to sleep.

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Toni found herself falling out of the sky again, and still no parachute. Ced had found a portkey for Naples, Italy and cloned it. The six of them found themselves landing in magical Naples. The girls browsed the shops, and the clothes put out on the racks outside of the shops, as they walked past. Here and there, they all stopped to look at this piece of clothing or that. Some, but not many people looked at Toni in a less than friendly way. Most just ignored her. Eventually, they walked through a shop and out into non-magical Naples. Toni looked around to get her bearing, she was looking for landmarks.

"We're actually not that far from the first hotel that you stayed in," she informed them.

"Do you want to walk, or call Angelo?" Ced asked her.

"You know, I'm almost tempted to walk," she told him with a smile. She unslung her backpack and fished the cell phone out of the back pocket. "Let's walk while it powers up," she told the group of friends. Toni pointed the way, and the six of them took off walking.

Eventually, the cell phone gave the startup tune, and she waited while the phone told her to make sure the back cover was securely in place. Then she looked at how many text messages that she had missed. This was a crisis, that was a crisis, everything was a crisis! This crisis was from two weeks ago. The next crisis was from two days after the first crisis. Was everything a crisis? The last text message was from four days ago. She opened up her call log, and there were missed calls from several different numbers. She dialled the number for her voice mail. The voicemails went back as far as or farther than the text messages. They went back to when they had been abducted and taken to the farmhouse by the kids wanting to be revolutionaries. Eventually, she deleted all of the voicemails, emptying out her mailbox. She could feel the old stresses trying to creep up on her, trying to make her neck tight. Had she really been living this life? Then her phone rang as she held it there. It was from an unknown number.

She swiped to answer, then the call in Italian, "Congratulations! You have won …" she ended the call. Yup, nothing has changed.

She found Angelo's number, "Ciao Bueno Angelo! How have you been?"

Then to something he said, "We were abducted just like all of the other people on that bus! We rescued all of those old people!"

Something else he said, "I don't care what they said! We didn't leave until we could see the lights of the police cars coming over the hilltop!"

Something else, "We clearly marked the turns with the emergency triangles from the bus." Her tone had taken a turn for the angrier.

Then, "It's not my fault that there aren't enough cells to hold all of the prisoners in! Maybe if the local police had been doing their jobs all along, we wouldn't have had to bring in outside help!"

Later, "The IT guys are complaining about how much data they have to process? Fine, then let their daughters get taken and then see how fast they can process all of that data! What did they want? A map!? Oh, wait! We gave them one of those too!" she stomped her foot and waved her finger in the air.

Words, "What do you mean they never got any map?"

The group of six stopped at that revelation. The map had been on the wall of the communications room in Rome.

More words, "I don't care, where are you?"

Calmer sounding words, "Good, we're in Naples too. Could you come and pick us up?"

Toni looked around to find the street signs that she was looking for. "… and we're walking west, towards the office," she told him a little calmer. She touched the hang up button. "Someone stole the map out of the terrorist base in Rome," she told them.

A collective frown crossed the faces of the five. This really was just a minor setback. The terrorists had infiltrated their own Aurors on numerous occasions, why wouldn't they think that the terrorists had infiltrated the muggle police forces?

Soon enough the Big Fiat van pulled alongside the curb, and Angelo got out of the van to open the side doors for the group. This time, Toni sat in the back with her friends.

"Antonio is mad at you!" Angelo told her once he was back in the driver's seat.

"Why is he mad at me now?" Toni asked him.

"Because you haven't answered your phone in over a week!"

"Maybe, I was out of cell phone range? Or maybe my battery died." Toni told him.

At the mention of her battery dying, Rose and Angel started to find their charging cords. Even ten minutes would be a help to their phones.

"Don't worry about that, you can charge your phones at my office," Toni told the two young women.

"Thank you," the two of them chimed.

And less than ten minutes later, the van was pulling into a parking spot for the Interpol office in Naples. Angelo was quick to open the doors for them, and the six of them filed out of the van. They checked the traffic and crossed the street. The five magicals just stared at the building.

"It's not much compared to the Headquarters in Lyon, but it's home," Toni said to them with a smile.

As they were crossing the sidewalk, an elderly gentleman saw Toni, "Toni! When are you going to let me take you out for dinner?" he said to her loudly.

"Never! Marco! I keep telling you, that you can't afford to take me out for dinner!"

The two of them chuckled, and Toni pulled the door to the office open, Ced quickly grabbed the door and held it for all of the ladies, and then Angelo too as he ran across the street.

"Thank you," Angelo told Ced as he slowed down enough to enter the office safely.

She led them over to her desk and then scrounged up three more chairs. With her guest's taken care of for the moment, she started looking through all of the messages on her desk. Her expression darkened, and the five of them could feel her mood turning foul.

Toni got up from behind her desk, "Excuse me for a minute," she said politely. Then she took some of the messages and walked across the small office to a glass door that was closed. She tapped once on the glass and then entered without permission. She closed the door behind her. The five of them could see her posture straighten and become more rigid, they watched as she started talking with her hands and growing more animated in her gestures. Eventually, she started shaking the hand full of messages in the grey-haired man's face. The group could hear Toni's voice through the glass becoming shrill. Then she spun around angrily, yanking the glass door open and letting it swing behind her hitting the metal filing cabinet, the glass hitting the corner of the cabinet was all it took for the door to shatter.

"Let's go!" Toni told the five heatedly, the hand full of messages flying at her desktop. She grabbed her pack and was headed out the front door.

"Where are we going?" Vic asked her.

"Anywhere but here." Was the ice-cold response.

Angelo was up and moving as fast as he could without injuring himself on the desks in the crowded office.

With quick glances up and down the street, Toni led them at a brisk pace back to the van. Angelo was running to keep up and open the doors before Toni could get there.

"Where to ma'am?" Angelo asked once he was in the seat.

"They're supposed to be in Nice this afternoon," Toni said to the air around her.

"The airport?" Angelo asked.

"No, take us back to where you picked us up at, Angelo," Ced said in a commanding tone.

"Yes, sir!" Angelo said recognising that tone. He had heard it often enough as a child while his father was in the military.

Angelo cleared the traffic, and then he drove quickly and smoothly back to the intersection that Toni had given him over the phone.

Once they were all out of the van, Ced shook Angelo's hand, "Thank you for your help, Angelo."

"Thank you for yours." He responded.

Ced guided the five women back to the magical section of Naples, and once it was safe, he pulled out the portkey to take them back to their island home.

Toni looked at the portkey, and she backed up as she looked up into Ced's face, "Didn't you hear? I have to have you in Nice this afternoon!"

Ced looked at his watch, then he looked at her face, "We can be in Nice in the next five minutes if you want."

Toni touched the portkey, and they were falling out of the sky. This time, she was able to appreciate the view as she fell. Angel and Rose steadied her as they landed outside of the gates of the beach house.

After they entered the house and all of the pleasantries were exchanged, Rose yelled, "The last one on the beach is a Hippogryph!" and then she was standing on the third-floor landing.

"Cheater!" Angel yelled just before she appeared on the third-floor landing.

Rose took off running for her room laughing loudly, Angel was about a half a step behind her.

"I don't even know what a Hippogriff is!" Toni said with a smile. "But, obviously, I don't want to be one!" she said with her mood lightening.

"Well, let's go get changed, and then we can talk out on the beach about what happened," Ced said to Toni.

Vic walked over to Toni, "Here, hold on tight," she told her. Then, when Toni hugged Vic tightly, Vic _teleportused_ her to the third-floor landing.

"Wow! That was fast!" Toni said breathlessly.

"We'll leave a sunblock potion out for you," Vic said to her. Then Vic started to walk back down the stairs to her bedroom.

Vic was about halfway between the third floor and the mezzanine when Angel and Rose came running down the hallway to the stairs, Angel was in the lead, and she grabbed ahold of the bannister to swing herself around the corner to try and stay in the lead. The two girls hadn't even put a magical coverup on, they were just in their bikini bottoms and bare feet. Vic quickly pressed herself against the inside of the staircase as Toni started laughing at the sight of the two women racing before she turned and entered the bedroom that she had just left earlier that morning.

Cici stepped outside of her bedroom to see what all of the commotions were about. Seeing Rose and Angel running through the house topless, she scolded them, "NO NUDITY IN THE COMMON AREAS OF THE HOUSE! Put a coverup on! Have some respect for the house elves!"

The two women hit the bottom step at an all-out sprint for the back door of the house. Somewhere before they got to the door, they managed to conjure a coverup for themselves. Laughing almost as hard as they were running, they hit the back door of the house and started their sprint across the soft sand, two bottles of sunblock following after them.

Cici couldn't help it, she started laughing at the antics of her cousins. She pushed herself away from the bannister of the mezzanine and turned to walk back into her room. Vic joined her, slipping an arm around her wife's waist.

Eventually, the other four in the house joined the two women on the beach.

"Look! Hippogriffs!" Rose laughed at them.

"Look! A wave!" Vic said as she used her elemental magic to bring the water in a huge wave just over the two women laying on the beach.

"Alright! Alright! We're sorry!" Rose said as she cringed at the thought of the huge wave landing on top of her.

Toni was laughing almost as hard as Angel. It felt good to be here.

"So, what was it that made you so upset?" Ced asked Toni.

"Because we didn't have a search warrant, a solicitor for the terrorists has gotten all of the electronic data thrown out of court on the bust in Rome."

"What about the confession of the woman?" Vic asked.

"They're saying that it was coerced."

"Same judge, same solicitor?" Vic asked.

"Yes, we've had problems with this judge before."

"Can you get one of the four of us in front of him?" Vic asked her.

"What's your plan?" Toni asked, interested to see what it was she had in mind.

Angel and Rose sat up to hear better.

"I just want to have a look inside of his mind, that's all," she said as she pressed up against Ced's thigh.

"I don't know, I think he likes girls," Toni told her.

"What do you know about this solicitor?" Cici asked her.

"He's as scummy as they come," she told Cici. "A real bottom feeder."

"Does he like boys or girls?" Cici asked.

"I'm pretty sure that he likes girls. Are you thinking the same thing as Vic?"

"Well, what if the solicitor has something to blackmail the judge with?" Angel said to her.

"Like what?"

"Maybe he has something that proves the judge is dishonest," Angel said.

By now, all six of them were sitting in a circle so they could better see and hear the others. For the young adults, this type of work was more fun than going out and getting picked up every night. This actually felt more like real detective work.

"Maybe." Toni started thinking.

Do you think that we could get to him tonight?" Rose asked her.

"I don't know, we're probably going to have to figure out what his schedule is. When he comes to work when he eats lunch when he goes home at night. How long does he stay up at night, does he go home alone? Does he see a prostitute? Is it always the same prostitute? Is he married? What's his wife like? Does he have any children? And if so, what are their ages?" Toni started naming off all of the things that they needed to learn. "And these are just for starters."

"If one of us could get into his office with him, alone. We could have all of those answers for you in less than thirty minutes," Vic told the investigator.

Toni looked at her in disbelief.

"All we need to do is to get into his head!" Vic told her again.

Toni kept looking at her, this felt wrong on so many different levels. It felt like she was cheating. Could it really be this easy? She knew if the bad guys had this ability, they wouldn't hesitate to use it against the good guys. Maybe they already had used it against us.

"If he doesn't have a case this afternoon, that would be the best time to catch him alone in his office," Toni told the five young adults.

The six of them sat there and discussed different parts of the plan, and they built a plan to put into action. The only wild card was the solicitor. If the solicitor was around, then the group decided that Vic would be the best one to go after him, she had the most experience and was the subtlest when it came to this type of work. Rose and Angel, lacked experience, and Ced was more like a bull in a china closet than the others. Cici was a good choice also. The other three decided that they needed to let Rose and Angel get some more experience when they started working in France. Sorry, Jean-Claude, we'll get there when we get there became the attitude.

"Don't worry, Jean-Claude and Pierre, they will understand," Toni told them.

.

.

Three o'clock that afternoon. Three very stylishly dressed women walked up the steps of the courthouse in Rome. Between the three of them, there was probably €15,000 of suits and shoes. Toni flashed her badge at the guards, and they walked on past, their heels clicking across the marble floor of the government building. The next stop was the information desk to find out which courtroom belonged to the judge. Another flash of the badge and they were taking the elevator to the seventh floor. Out the door of the elevator and down the corridor to courtroom 722. They entered the courtroom about five minutes before court was adjourned for the day.

"That's the judge, and that's the solicitor," Toni told the two women quietly.

The prosecuting attorney looked upset, the defence attorney's client just had the case dismissed on a technicality. A whack of the gavel and the court was adjourned. Everyone stood up, and the judge went out the back of the courtroom. The solicitor never made it out of the courtroom before Vic was on him. €1,000 a bottle of perfume, €2,000 worth of shoes, and €3,000 worth of suit had the solicitor's attention. Neither of them heard the comments of the prosecutor as she walked past. Soon it was just Vic and Armando, alone in the courtroom. Cici and Toni had gone out the back of the courtroom as a shortcut to the judge's office.

Toni knocked on the door and was told to enter. She and Cici entered the office, and Toni closed the door behind her. Looking around, they were in the office alone with the judge. He turned around to find Cici standing less than a metre from him. Again, he could smell the expensive perfume on the young woman, he could see the quality suit, tailored to fit, and as he eyed the young woman, he could see the designer shoes. He looked back up, and Cici locked eyes on the overweight, greying judge.

"Please, sit down," Cici told him inside of his mind.

"Who are you?"

"Who I am, really isn't that important right now."

"What do you want?"

"I'm looking for what I want."

"Maybe, I can help you find what you're looking for."

"Really?"

"Yes, for whatever reason, I know that you're here to help me."

"Am I?"

"Yes, you have a good heart."

"Thank you."

"What can I do to help you?"

"Why are you letting all of the terrorists go? My friends and I risked our lives to put them in prison, and now, you're letting all of the go!"

"He told me that if I didn't let all of them go, then they would kill my wife and my daughter!"

"Okay, do you know where your wife and your daughter are being held?"

"Yes! They are being held prisoner in my own house!"

"?"

"We hired some private security because of threats to my family and me. Well, it turns out that the private security firm, are terrorists!"

"And they are holding you prisoner in your own home."

"Yes, and if I don't go to work every day, and release more terrorists, they will kill my wife and daughter, after they make me watch them rape them and then kill them in front of my eyes."

"Is it always the same men on the security detail?"

"No, they change guards every eight hours, and they have female guards watching my wife and daughter. The men aren't allowed to be around the women."

"I need to see everything, and I need to know your address."

Judge Ramono let her go through his mind giving her everything that he could think of to help her rescue his family.

"Who are you? He finally asked her again."

"I am one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." And then Cici was out of the judge's thoughts, and as he tried to recover, she and Toni were out the office door.

.

Vic went running and screaming out of the courtroom doors, she was screaming and crying and shaking her whole body as she sobbed and pointed at the courtroom doors, hiding her face. Security came running to find out what was wrong with this crazy young woman screaming and shaking in their ordinarily quiet hallway. Once the crowd had formed, Vic quieted down and walked away quickly. In the women's lavatory, she placed a silencing charm on her heels and took the stairs to the fifth floor before catching the elevator down. As she walked out of the elevator, her suit changed from a grey pinstripe pantsuit to a solid blue dress suit. She had collected all of the information to collect all of the terrorists for the second time. She also knew what they were doing to the judge and his family. The solicitor was proud of what he was doing, and he often availed himself of the services of the younger girls that had been abducted. His preference was girls under the age of thirteen that hadn't started to develop yet. And the judge's daughter fell into that category.

Vic walked to the corner. She checked both ways. Then she crossed the street with the walk sign. She turned and walked casually halfway down the block to the big white Fiat Van sitting there with the A/C running. She opened the side door and climbed in. She made her way to the back seat of the van and slid across Ced's lap to sit against the window. Ced pulled up his pant leg so Vic could rest her leg against his as they held hands.

.

Toni and Cici got into the van. Once they were seated, Angelo pulled away from the curb smoothly and calmly.

"What happened to the solicitor?" Toni asked from the first seat in the back of the van.

"He had an aneurysm," Vic told her calmly.

"What did you learn from him?"

"That the judge's daughter was next on his list of girls."

"Anything else?" Toni asked her clinically.

"I learned everything, even where the released terrorists are staying until the end of the week. From there, they're headed back home."

"Is the girl with them?" Cici asked from the other side of Ced.

"No, she's still in the hospital. They're planning on killing her before they leave."

"Tell us what you learned from the judge," Toni asked Cici.

Cici went into minor detail of what she had learned from the judge. From the rotation of the guard detail to the types of weapons that they carried. She told them about the wife and daughter and the female guards that watched them around the clock. She told them about the judge being chauffeured to and from work so he couldn't run and tell anyone. The judge was planning on pardoning all of the rest of the terrorists that they had subdued on Thursday, blaming it all on sloppy police work so he could meet the deadline set by the terrorists to save his family.

"Do you know what rooms they're keeping the wife and daughter in?" Toni asked.

Vic's head snapped up, and she was staring at Angel, "There's no way that you're going to try that!"

Everyone else in the van was staring at them, even Angelo was watching through the rearview mirror.

"What does she want to try?" Ced asked Vic.

"She wants to try one of Merlin's spells."

"Which one?" Cici asked.

"The one that lets you walk through walls," Vic said calmly, a little too calmly.

Cici looked at Angel, "Merlin always got stuck when he tried that spell. You read it in his diary! Whether it was a foot, or a hand, or his hair, he always got stuck! He never successfully completed walking through a wall, without getting stuck."

.

Judge Romano walked out of his chambers, with mixed emotions. He was scared, scared that his wife and daughter would be killed when the terrorists learned that their solicitor was dead. They would think that he had something to do with it, maybe. And maybe he did have something to do with it. He had given that young woman information, he could have fought her, but she was already inside of his head. How could he fight someone that was inside of his head? Who could do such a thing? Which of the four horsemen was she? Conquest? War? Famine? Or Death? The conflicting emotion of his fear was hope. Hope was a very powerful emotion. He now had hope for his family's salvation. But somehow, he knew that Death was coming to visit them. Ernesto Romano wasn't a praying man, not until that silent car ride home, where he was alone with his thoughts. Sometimes, a man shouldn't be alone with his thoughts, he might not like what he sees when he's alone; when he starts to analyse his life. When he looks back at all of the wrong choices that he's made. Maybe he shouldn't have taken that shortcut to success, or fixed those papers. Maybe he shouldn't have cut that corner, or looked the other way, or accepted that handout. He could see that he owed too many favours to too many of the wrong people, and Death was coming to collect what belonged to it. Was Death coming to collect from him? Did he have time to right his wrongs? But, oh, there were so many wrongs that needed righting in his life! But please! Spare my wife and my daughter! They had nothing to do with this! Do what you want with me, but if you give me another chance, I swear to you that I will spend the rest of my life making up for it!

And the big black car pulled through the electric gate and came to a stop in front of the large blue and white house. Two houses down the street, the big white Fiat van pulled smoothly away from the curb and headed down the quiet residential street.

"It matches the description of the house where the sale of the girls was to take place," Rose told the people in the van.

"No," Cici said softly, "He's a pawn in this. They're using his family against him. He opened up fully to me, willingly."

"She's telling the truth, they're using his family against him. The solicitor was going to take his daughter and keep her as his own personal plaything," Vic told all of them.

"So, where is that house then?" Toni asked.

"Angelo!" Vic said loudly from the backseat. She saw him look at her through the rearview mirror. "Turn left and go up the hill to the top!"

The van slowed and made the upcoming left turn. Angelo drove slowly up the winding road, past more and more elegant houses. The longer he drove, the more of Rome the group could see. The water, Vatican City, and the Colosseum. The top of the hill was shared by four houses, only one of which was guarded by armed men with dogs. Angelo drove slowly past, then he made a U-turn in the circle at the end of the street, where there were two more gates with electronic keypads, but no guards.

As they drove past the guards again, "There's the house that the sales happen in," Vic told them. She had gotten the address from the solicitor's mind before he had an aneurysm. "And no, I didn't kill the solicitor. He fought me, to keep me out of his mind. And the more that I learned, the harder he fought until his mind exploded."

Vic leaned back and closed her eyes. She reached out with her mind to the ones that she loved the most. Ced and Cici both closed their eyes and opened their minds fully to Vic, they could feel the pain that she was feeling. They could feel the disgust at what she had learned from the solicitor. Slowly the love of the threesome pushed out from their cores and slowly covered the seat in front of them.

Rose watched as Angels eyes closed and a look of peaceful contentment came over her face. She nudged Toni to move, to get out of the way. Toni looked at the rude girl sitting next to her, then she looked where Rose was looking and moved so Rose could go and sit next to Angel. Then Toni followed her, she chose to sit on the floor of the van so she could be enveloped in the feeling of pure love.

Pure love; no ridicule, no judgement, no anger, no loathing, no condemnation. Just acceptance; acceptance of who you are. And that gave them a desire to be a better person, to do what was right.

Eventually, the van came to a stop in front of a hotel. And Angelo turned around in his seat to look at the people in the back of the van. What he could see, were looks of happiness, contentment, peacefulness, joy. He didn't know how long he sat there watching them, but it was light when he started, and when the six of them opened their eyes, it was dark outside of the van.

"Where are we?" Toni asked him kindly.

"Outside of a hotel. I figured the kids would need a room. And then we could go and get something to eat," he told her.

"Thank you," she said. Then she pushed herself up and started to move to the front row seat.

"When we get outside and away from the van, I'll clean your outfit for you," Cici told Toni.

Toni turned her head to look at Cici, "Thank you."

Toni sat back down, and Angelo drove the last hundred metres to the front door of the hotel. The hotel Valet opened the side door of the van for the passengers in the rear of the van. To the young Italian's surprise, five of the most beautiful women that he had ever come face to face with started to exit the van. And as the ladies they were, they each covered their ample cleavage as they exited the van, holding a backpack in their free hand. Then a big, strong, good-looking young man, maybe his age, turned and held his hand out to the last of the beautiful women to exit the van. After he slung his pack over his shoulder, the dark-skinned girl with the long black wavy hair took the young man's free hand. All of the women had smiles that would light up the night. Angelo slipped out of the driver's seat and dropped the keys into the waiting hand of another valet. He hurried to catch up with the group.

As the group walked across the large hotel lobby, Cici took her free hand and ran it over Toni's back, cleaning her expensive suit.

"Thank you," Toni said over her shoulder as they continued to walk across the lobby towards the counter, the women's heels clicking all of the way.

Cici smiled at her in response.

.

At 5:30 in the morning the six of them met in the hallway outside of their rooms. Together they rode the elevator down for their morning workout. This hotel actually had a weight room with treadmills and stationary bikes. As they went out the front doors of the hotel, Cici looked in both directions and then she took off at a slow jog. At each of the corners they came to, they had to watch for traffic. An hour later, they were walking back through the front door of the hotel. Cici led them across the lobby at an angle to so they could go and make use of the weight room. While there wasn't enough equipment for all of them to use, the ones that were waiting started doing stretching exercises. Toni was surprised at how limber all of the girls were, but she was amazed at how flexible Ced was.

After breakfast, they gathered in the trio's room to discuss their plan. After a lot of discussions, they came up with Cici, Vic, and Angel would go into the house to rescue the family. Ced and Rose would go around the outside of the house and take care of any reinforcements that might try going inside to help. When it came time to discuss when they would attack the house, they chose 4:30 in the morning because it was late into the third shift and was too early for the morning shift to show up all nice and fresh, plus they would still have the cover of darkness. If they were lucky, maybe some of the men inside of the house would be asleep.

With a plan hammered out, Toni decided to take them on a walking tour of Rome. The tour bus had let them see the Colosseum and Vatican City, but Toni was going to take them through the fashion districts, she saw that all of the girls had great taste in clothes, and thought that they might appreciate the trip. She had Angelo drop them off at the Versace store and he could either join them or go and do what he needed to get done, and she would call him when they were almost finished. He told her that the van needed an oil change and other maintenance work that would take most of the day at the shop.

"Okay, I'll give you a call," she told him as they exited the van.

In a way it was a good thing, all of the women were comfortable around Ced, and trying on different articles of clothing with a strange man around would have made things uncomfortable. Angelo was a nice guy and all, but all of the women had been topless around Ced comfortably.

After several hours of shopping in the different high-end fashion stores, Ced suggested that they should go shopping in magical Rome also.

"Do you know where it is?" Angel asked excitedly.

"I think that it's across the street and a couple of blocks from the Versace store," Ced told her as he was thinking really hard.

"Really? It was that close to us?" Cici said to him.

"I thought that I could feel the magic and it seems to have faded the farther we've gotten from that store," he expressed to her.

Ced shrank all of the girl's packages and put them in the new backpack that he had purchased earlier. The store's lights had flickered a couple of times as he made the pack bottomless and weightless. Toni led them back out the door of the store, and she set a brisk pace to get back to their starting point so Ced could lead them to the shopping area of Magical Rome. Back at their starting point, Ced cleared his mind and reached out, trying to feel the magic in the air. Then he opened his eyes and started walking. He led them to where the two streets came to a point and then he turned left. He led the five women to the door of a restaurant. He opened the door and held it for the women, and then he entered.

Cici had already greeted the hostess in Italian and began the process of finding the entrance to Magical Rome. The hostess looked the group over and noticed that Toni wasn't a magical. She brought this up to Cici.

"It's okay, she has signed a blood contract. If she tells anyone, she will die, and I don't think that she's ready to die right now!" Cici told the older witch.

"Fine, follow me," and she led them through the back of the restaurant past the banquet rooms, past the restrooms and through the storage room. Then she opened a door on the back wall into Rome's equivalent of Diagon Alley.

"Thank you very much," Vic told the witch.

"Questo è magnifico!" Toni said in awe. How many times had she been to Rome and never knew that this existed?

The six of them slowed their pace to take in as much as they could. Of course, they stopped at the different clothing stores.

At the last clothing store, Cici and Vic invited Toni into their changing room. "Ced, give us Toni's bags so we can put the spell on her new bras for her," Vic told him.

Ced slipped the pack off of his back and opened it up, he looked inside, but all of the bags looked alike. "Here, you take it, because I can't tell the difference between yours, Rose's, or Toni's bags."

"All three of us aren't going to fit in there!" Toni said. "Besides, the salesclerks aren't going to let us all go in there with a bag!"

"Let us worry about that!" Cici told her as she opened the door to the changing room and stepped inside.

Toni was close behind when Cici stopped and then she waved her hand and enlarged the room so all three of them would fit. Vic brought the bag inside the room and then she started to pull out the different shopping bags.

"This one's mine and I had two more," Toni told them.

Ultimately, they found all of Toni's bags and pulled out her bras. One by one they started to put an enchantment on the bras so the spell would last the life of the bra.

"There, that's done! Let's go see what we find here!" Cici told the two other women.

Outside of the changing rooms, Ced was sitting in a large comfortable chair watching Rose and Angel try on different articles of clothing and then seeking his opinion.

"What's Ced doing?" Toni asked.

"Oh, he's giving Angel and Rose his opinion on whether he likes something or not," Vic told her.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Do you see any guys around?" Cici asked her jokingly.

Toni hadn't been shopping with a man in more years than she cared to remember. She had just chosen what she liked, but she remembered shopping for Jean-Claude, those had been more pleasurable times.

The three women started going through the store and selecting things that they liked. Toni could see subtle fashion differences between the magical and the non-magical worlds. Some of it she liked and some of it she didn't care for. With an armload of clothes, the three women headed back to the changing rooms to start trying on their selections.

When Toni started to enter the same changing room as Vic and Cici, they stopped her. "No, you need to use that room over there," Cici pointed to the room next to theirs.

"Oh, sorry!" she blushed at the two women. As she opened the door, she turned and looked to see Rose opening the door to her room to show Ced what she was trying on. She looked farther and saw Ced give some neutral feedback. Then she looked at Rose, and she was closing the door.

Two hours later, the five women had selected four outfits to purchase. When Vic got up to the counter, she asked the woman if they could possibly tailor their clothes while they continued to shop. The clerk nodded her head and led the five of them over to the seamstresses to help them out.

"Thank you very much!" Vic told her as the seamstress had the five women climb up on to some stools so she could start working.

Another salesclerk walked up to start helping the seamstress, "Oh! Do you have some matching heels for this?" she asked Rose as she pinned some adjustments.

"No! Do you have a sale on some shoes that we didn't see?" Rose asked her tentatively.

"Yes! We could do a buy three get two free! If you like!" the sale girl told her. "What size are you?"

"Well, I'm a thirty-eight," Rose told her.

"I'm a thirty-nine!" Angel said.

"Me too, I'm a thirty-nine too!" Toni blurted out. Buy three get two free?! A woman could never have too many pairs of shoes now, could she?

"We're both a thirty-eight and a half," Vic told the sales lady.

The sales lady chuckled, "Let me get some help and we'll bring some shoes back over here to you."

.

.

At 3:30 in the morning, the six of them climbed into the van for the drive to the judge's house. As soon as the van pulled out into the near vacant street, the young adults started stripping off their outer layer of clothing. Underneath they had on the special long underwear. At 4:00 Angelo was pulling off the side of the road about a block past the house. He shut the interior lights off so the team could open the door to finish changing.

"Constant Vigilance!" the voice from beyond the grave said.

"Constant Vigilance!" the others responded.

Then the five of them walked away from the van before they teleportused into action. Vic and Cici were using their infrared vision to find the rooms that had two heat signatures up on the second floor of the house.

" _I see one,"_ Vic thought quietly.

" _I see it too,"_ Cici replied to her.

" _Let's go, the other may be on the back of the house."_

Cici took Vic into a tight hug and then the two visions of shimmering death were standing in the darkened room of the teenaged girl. The female guard was in the loo. Vic went over to the girl and stunned her gently on the forehead. Cici waited for the female terrorist to finish her business and open the door to the loo before she stunned her all the way into tomorrow. The terrorist's head made a hollow thump when it hit the ceramic tile floor. Cici turned off the light in the loo as she stepped through it into the adjoining bedroom. As bad as they wanted to eliminate the terrorists, they had decided to only stun them. But they could stun them as hard as they wanted. In the adjoining bedroom, Cici found two naked men sharing the same bed, one was laid half way on top of the other, tap-tap. And she was walking out the bedroom door closing it behind her.

Vic had gone across the hallway to another bedroom. With her infrared vision, she could see two people in the act of fornicating. Silently she unlocked the door to find a couple going doggie style on the large bed. With the light from the hallway announcing her entrance, both of their heads turned to see who was walking in on them, and then Death was standing next to them. Vic stunned them both at the same time. Vic heard a snap as the couple slouched forwards. The woman's head drooped, and then the weight of the man falling forwards broke her neck. You were supposed to be on guard duty, not on the pleasure patrol, Vic thought to herself.

" _Well, if that is both of the female guards, then that means that the wife is unguarded,"_ Cici thought to her.

" _I'll keep going down this way."_

" _I'll join you, all I have here are stairs leading down. Besides' if I remember his memories correctly, the master bedroom is this way."_

Angel had _teleportused_ into a room that had only one heat signature on the bottom floor. There she found the judge sitting behind his desk working on some paperwork. He looked up when he saw a change in his environment. There, standing before him was Death, and he let out a small scream of surprise.

"Silence!" Angel told him.

The judge stood up, "My wife is this way!" he told her. "They took her to the pool house last night!" his desperate, shaking voice told her in what he thought was just above a whisper.

The judge opened his office door and was going around the edge of the door when he was met with a hail of bullets, one of the terrorists had been passing by when he had heard the conversation and stood off to the side waiting to catch whoever was in the office with the prisoner. In his excitement, the terrorist kept holding the trigger down even after the judge had slumped to the ground, leaving a bloody smear on the pale blue wall behind him. The rest of the bullets went through the wall and caught Angel by surprise. The onslaught of the bullets pushed her backwards, and as the heels of her boot caught on the rug, she tripped, exposing the one weakness of the wizarding body armour, it allowed the bullets to get under the dragon's scales, and they started tearing through her flesh.

Angel had just finished telling the judge to be quiet, and he starts talking like he's in his courtroom or something! He's telling her where to find his wife, and then the guy gets up and starts walking to the door! Doesn't he know that his house is full of terrorists? I should have just stunned him, Angel thought to herself. The judge walked quickly to the door to the office and opened it, then he turns the corner and all Angel knows is that there's automatic weapons fire. As her brain is processing this information, she felt something slamming into her body over and over and over. Driving her backwards, then the next thing she knows, is that she's falling backwards. As she's trying to catch herself, her arms flailing to her sides, the first of the white-hot pokers stabs her in her shoulder. Pain like she had never felt in her life, the next one is below that, and more pain, just above her breast, then the next one is lower, below her breast, shattering her rib, she had been wrong, this hurt more than the first poker. The next hit her in her gut, after that the last one strikes her in her pelvis, shattering her pelvic bone. Angel never felt herself hit the carpeted floor that tripped her, or the armchair that was behind her. Now there was just pain, just pain, and her life leaving her slowly, with each thump of her heart.

Outside, Ced and Rose had split up going in opposite directions as fast as they could think. _Teleportus_ , stun. _Teleportus_ , stun. _Teleportus_ , stun, as fast as they could think, until they met in the back of the house by the pool house, thirty-five metres from the main house. A large free-form swimming pool separated the pool house from the main house. With their infrared vision, the two of them could see three people inside of the pool house. One sitting, one standing and walking around, and one lying down. Ced and Rose huddled together to have a quick discussion on how they wanted to attack this problem. So far, they had had it easy. They had heard the gunfire in the main house, and these people didn't seem to have heard it. They decided to just blast the front door off the hinges and go in, wands a blazing. Ced was going left, and Rose was going right. On the count of three, two, one, blast! The two of them charged in, and their attack went down flawlessly. The wife was on the bed, battered and bruised, but alive. Rose moved over to start running diagnostic spells on her.

"I'm going to go and check on the main house," Ced told Rose.

"I'll finish up with her and come join you," Rose replied to him.

Inside of the house, Vic and Cici heard the sound of automatic weapon's fire. They had already stunned all of the people in the other bedrooms and had just opened the door to the master bedroom to find the bed mussed and empty. They looked around quickly and then headed downstairs to help Angel clear out the main floor of the house. As they rounded the curve in the staircase, they could see four or five men standing around the dead body of the judge.

" _Where's Angel? This is too easy of a target!"_

" _I don't know, but I agree that she would never let an opportunity like this pass."_

The two witches stunned the five men and came the rest of the way down the stairs cautiously. With the coast clear, they walked over and looked at the dead judge. Vic looked up, and she could see the blood smeared down the wall to where the judge lay on his side. She could also see the bullet holes in the wall. She listened to that little voice in the back of her head and looked in the room where the bullets had travelled. There she found one of their own lying on the floor in a puddle of blood that the carpet could no longer absorb.

" _CICI, CED!"_ Vic screamed in her head.

With a flick of her wand, Vic shoved all of the furniture up against the walls so they would have room to start healing Angel.

The wizarding body armour wouldn't let Vic run any of the diagnostic spells on Angel, but the gurgling sound coming from her mask gave Vic hope. Vic moved to Angel's head and started to remove her balaclava. Ced got to the room as quickly as Cici, he had shifted to his wife's side. Between the three of them, they rolled Angel on to her side so they could start to undress her. With Vic and Cici holding Angel on her side, Ced unzipped the armour, and they rolled her back on to her back. Ced pulled Angel's boots off of her feet, and they were able to slide the body armour off of her limp form. Cici pulled two blood replenishing potions from her utility belt and poured them into Angel's mouth. With a wave of her wand, Vic banished the long underwear that Angel was wearing, leaving her only in her bra and panties. They counted five bullet holes leading from her left shoulder down to the centre of her pelvis, just below the waist of her blood-soaked panties.

"Ced, give me a midlevel diagnostic spell," Cici ordered her husband. "Start here at her chest, and we'll go from there." Cici was all serious now. Her friend and her cousin was dying, and she was going to work to prevent that from happening.

As she was pulling the bullet out of Angel's lung, Rose walked in to see them huddled around her cousin lying on the floor in a puddle of blood. Her gasp announced her arrival into the room.

Ced looked up at her, "Rose, go call Toni and tell her that we need her to bring our packs to us, we are leaving from here when it's safe to transport Angel. GO!"

Rose turned and ran out of the room as quickly as possible, she needed to put some distance between her and the other suits of armour to make the call. Outside in front of the house, she pulled off her balaclava and fished out her phone from between her breasts. As fast as the phone was, it seemed to be moving in slow motion. Then it took forever for the call to connect and start to ring.

On the second ring, "Allo?"

"Toni, this is Rose. We need you to bring us our packs. Angel has been shot, and as soon as she is safe to transport, we are leaving. We will be in the office," Rose tried to say that as slowly and as clearly as she could. She hoped that Toni understood what she said.

"We'll be there in a minute!" Toni told her speaking fast.

"I'll open the gates for you," Rose told her. Then she hung up the phone and forced it between her breasts again.

Rose _teleportused_ to the front gates of the property, with a wave of her wand, she ripped the gates off of their hinges and threw them into the yard. As she turned around, she _teleportused_ to the front doors of the house. Then she walked the short distance to the office to see how she could help.

When Ced saw her, he told her, "Make a portkey to take us to the Potter Mansion."

Rose started to look around for something large enough so they could all touch it, but also something that wouldn't be missed when the police got here to investigate. She settled on a travel brochure that she found in the trash can.

While Rose was making the portkey, Toni walked in carrying all of their backpacks, plus the new pack that Ced had purchased yesterday. Toni looked down at Angel, and she was covered in drying blood. Cici had gotten all of the bullets out of her and was in the process of healing Angel's lung while Vic was draining it of all the blood that had pooled there. Ced was holding a diagnostic spell up so Cici could see inside of Angel's chest to do her job. Vic was using the same screen to get all of the blood out of her lung.

"Give her another blood replenishing potion," Cici told Vic.

Vic stopped what she was doing to pull out another vial of potion and pour it down Angel's throat. Angel choked a bit, and then she swallowed.

"I'm cold," Angel told them as her eyes fluttered and then closed.

"That's because you don't have any clothes on," Vic told her softly.

"That sucks. Why don't I have any clothes on? Am I with a cute guy?"

"Just Ced."

"That sucks!" and Angel choked as she tried to laugh at her own joke.

"Stop moving and let me keep working!" Cici told her with faux sternness.

"Yes, ma'am," with another choking chuckle.

"Okay, her shoulder is patched, her pelvis is patched. We need to get her to mum," Cici told her soul-mates.

The diagnostic screen disappeared, "Is it safe for me to pick her up?" Ced asked his wife.

"Let's levitate her and then you can take her from there," Cici told him.

"Can you grab her stuff?" Vic asked Toni.

"Here, let me take a couple of packs from you," Rose told Toni.

Toni willingly gave up a couple of packs to the young woman.

"Scourgify everything, Vic," Ced told his wife.

Vic looked at Toni, "Are you ready to go?"

"Go? Go where?" Toni asked in shock.

Angelo came into the office, "It's getting late! It's 6:30 and the next shift is going to be getting here soon!" He looked at who Ced was carrying, it was Angel, and she was just in her bra and panties. She was covered in dry blood, and he could see where she had been shot five times. The carpet was soaked in blood, and now that he could see it, he could smell it too.

"Call for backup!" Toni told him. "We're going someplace safe!"

Angelo understood that the young adults needed to keep their secrecy, but they were leaving again in less than a week. The boss was not going to be happy about this! He turned and left the building before he pulled out his phone and called for backup. He turned around in time to watch the lights in the house flicker and then they went out completely.

The six of them were dropping out of the sky, and it was cold and raining. As they landed, Cici, Vic, and Rose cast water repelling spells and warming spells on each other as they started walking to the front doors of the mansion. As they approached the doors, they opened for them.

"Welcome home, Lord and Ladies Potter, Mistress Rose," Charles greeted them with a bow.

"Thank you, Charles," Cici replied to him. "Winkey!" Cici called out for her mum's house elf.

Pop! "Yes, my Lady?" the tiny elf answered her with a low bow.

"Winkey, would you please have mum come to the medical room? Angel's been shot, and I'm going to need lots of help!" Cici told her, keeping her calm.

"Yes, my Lady!" and she was gone silently.

The five of them headed for the medical room as quickly as they could. Angel's sixty-five kilos wasn't wearing on Ced just yet. He had only been carrying her for less than fifteen minutes. As Cici led them into the medical room, she waved her hand and pushed the second examination bed up against the wall, out of the way. Ced walked around the bed to lay Angel on the examination table correctly.

"I'm still cold," Angel told them again. "Could one of you please cast a warming charm on me?"

Ced quickly cast a warming charm on her. "Better?" he asked her.

"Yes, thank you," she sounded tired.

Ced cast a basic diagnostic spell on Angel, her blood pressure was borderline low. Cici looked up at the display, then she summoned another vial of blood replenishing potion and had Angel drink it.

"It still doesn't taste any better than the last time I drank this!" she complained to them.

"What happened to her?" the familiar voice behind them said.

"She got shot five times and lost a lot of blood," Cici told her mum.

"How many blood replenishing potions has she had?"

"I poured two of them down her throat while she was unconscious," Cici told her. "And then we gave her a third one while we were still in Rome, so this makes four."

"Four in how long?"

"An hour and a half, two hours," Cici told her.

Hermione looked down at Angel and smiled. She could see all of the bullet holes stitched across her torso leading down to her pelvis. She looked up at the basic diagnostic display that Ced had been holding up. As Angel's body absorbed the potion, her blood pressure was coming up from the low end of the scale.

"Give me a high-level diagnostic display please," Hermione told her son.

Ced did as requested and settled the display over Angel's torso/chest.

"Look here," Hermione pointed out where the bullet had tumbled, and bone fragments had pierced a capillary that was still leaking into Angel's lung. With a flick of her wrist, Hermione banished Angel's bra.

"That was one of my favourites!" Angel protested weakly.

Ced held the display steady, he had seen his cousin topless enough times that it really didn't have an effect on him. Hermione picked up on this tidbit of information. She also noted that Angel didn't have any tan lines, only down at the very edges of her privates. She kind of wondered how many of the other women in the room didn't have any tan lines. Instead of shutting her mind off to distractions.

"Cici, go ahead and heal the capillary to stop the bleeding. Once that's done, you should heal the rib so it won't cause problems later in life, just like you did with Ced's shoulder," Hermione started to coach her daughter-in-law.

Vic looked over at Rose and Toni still burdened with their packs. "Lucy, Maco, Leo!" she called softly.

She was rewarded with three silent elves standing and bowing before her, "Yes, my Lady?" they all said.

"Could you please take all of our packs and put them in their rooms? And we will need a room for our guest, Toni?" she asked them.

"Yes, my Lady," Lucy said, and they took the packs, and left as silently as they had arrived.

At some point, Harry walked into the room to see a topless Angel lying on the examination table, he blushed at the sight, Ced was still holding the high-level diagnostic display. There was a Muggle woman in the room that he didn't recognise. He would get answers from the kids later.

When Cici had finished piecing the rib back together, Hermione had her move on down to Angel's digestive track so they could inspect and heal whatever internal organs had been damaged. With the high-level display, they could see where the bullet had passed through the small intestine four times before it severed a major nerve before exiting her body, thankfully it had missed her spine. After Cici had healed all of the damages to the intestine, they had Angel roll over so Cici could more easily heal the severed nerve. That's when everyone saw Harry in the room.

"Uncle Harry!" Angel gasped and started blushing.

How the girl could get any darker than she was, was beyond Harry.

They all turned to look where Angel was looking. Harry started to blush again.

Vic looked at her blushing dad, then she looked at Angel and saw that she was blushing too, "When she blushes," Vic turned to look at Cici, "She get's dark like you do!"

All of the eyes in the room focused on Angel, and then on Cici to see if it was true. Cici looked at her wife, maybe it was a glare before she started blushing too. Smiles went around the room of friends at Vic's teasing of her wife.

"Would anybody like me to bring them something to eat?" Harry offered.

"I'm hungry!" Angel said, sounding stronger.

"Of course, you're hungry! I just finished healing all of your guts!" Cici teased her.

"She can have a little something, maybe a small breakfast sandwich," Hermione told her soul-mate.

"Ooo, I want one!"

"Oh, me too!"

"I'd like one!"

"Can I have one?"

"So, basically, everyone would like a breakfast sandwich," Harry confirmed.

There was silence.

"Yes, honey. I think that we are all hungry," Hermione told him lovingly.

"You need to finish rolling over so I can heal your nerve," Cici addressed Angel.

Angel finished rolling over and adjusted herself to get comfortable, she laid her head on her arms and closed her eyes. Godric! She tensed up. Her uncle had just seen her tits! Is he going to say something to her parents? Merlin! Hermione knows that I don't have any tan lines! Is she going to tell my mum?

"Relax! Nobody is going to tell your parents anything!" Hermione told her.

Angel twisted her head around to look at Hermione.

"If you don't lay still, I'm going to make you put your face in the hole in the table!" Cici threatened her.

Angel laid back down and tried to relax as much as she could. She could feel the warm tingling sensation of the healing spell on her back.

"See how the nerves spread out from here and go all over this part of the body?" Hermione asked Cici as she pointed to the path that the nerves took.

"Yeah," Cici said. Then she hit Angel with a small stinging jinx.

"Ow! What was that for!" she said as she jumped and twisted around to glare at Cici.

"Just making sure that your nerves still worked okay!" Cici smirked at her.

Harry had returned with a tray of breakfast sandwiches, and another elf had appeared with a tray of drinks.

"Can I at least cover myself up so I can eat?" Angel asked.

"Yes," Hermione told her.

Ced cancelled the diagnostic spell, he was famished!

"Well, is anyone going to introduce our guest?" Harry asked. "Or are we going to wait for Charles to find out?"

"This is …"

"Toni from Interpol"

"… in Italy."

"We like her." Rose finished.

"Hi, I'm Toni."

"I'm Harry, and this is my lovely wife, Hermione."

"Pleased to meet you," Toni said.

"Pleased to meet you too," Harry told her.

"How long have you known the kids?" Harry asked her.

Toni looked at the young adults, then she frowned in concentration, "Maybe three, four, weeks now. I first met them in Paris when we went shopping for their clothes."

"Hum, that long?"

"Yes, they came to me from Sophia, in Spain and they caught maybe forty-five or fifty terrorists that first day! The girls didn't even make it out of the airport before the terrorists had abducted them!"

As Toni told Harry her story, Cici had gone back to healing Angel. While Cici healed Angel's reproductive system, Vic started healing Angel's shoulder. It was after lunch when a naked Angel hopped off of the table, and Hermione conjured a half circle of mirrors so Angel could see herself front and rear. They showed her where the bullets that had passed through had gone in and exited her body. Angel was happy that she didn't and wouldn't have any scars. She rotated her shoulder and found that it worked just fine, and with no pain.

"What's wrong?" Cici asked her first major patient.

"It just feels tingly," Angel said with concern written all over her face.

"Mine did too, but that went away by the next morning," Ced told her.

"Okay. Can I have some clothes now?" Angel asked someone, anyone, cheekily. Not only had her uncle seen her topless, but now he has seen her without any clothes on, at all!

"Yes, you can cover up now," Hermione told her with a laugh and a smile. The mirrors disappeared.

With a wave of both of her hands, from top to bottom, Angel covered herself with a set of robes. "Are my clothes in my room?" she asked.

"Yes, we gave the elves our backpacks to put away for us," Vic told her. Then she lunged at her and gave her a crushing hug. "I'm so glad that you're okay!"

Ced and Cici joined her in a group hug. Almost immediately, a golden green glow enveloped the four of them. Toni stepped forward.

"Don't touch them!" Hermione warned her, more loudly than she had intended, putting an arm out to block Toni's path. But, she had been told what happened at St. Mungo's.

"Why?" Toni asked confused.

Rose stepped back also.

"It's their healing magic. It's finishing what we couldn't see, and it will defend them from," she paused to think about what she was going to say, "Other people."

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	67. Year Six Chapter 67

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 67

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With the unplanned detour to the Potter Mansion. Toni was seeing more of the Wizarding World than she would have ever imagined. Angel had been shot five times and was up and walking around the next morning. What a fantastic world this was too!

"I'm going to take a day or two off!" Angel told the others with a grin.

"Wimp!" Cici teased her.

Toni woke up each morning and went running with the group of friends. She had met the Grangers, and they had hit it off well. But she still had one thing nagging at her, she needed to check in with her boss and let him know she was okay, and what had happened.

After breakfast one morning, "Harry, I need to go someplace where I can make a phone call. I need to check in with my boss," Toni told him.

Harry had two choices, he could show her the hallway that led to his in-law's house, or "Well, I need to go to London this morning, will that work for you?"

"That would be great!" she hadn't been to London in years! She looked over at the other five, then back to Harry, "Could they come with us also?" she asked him. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries, but with the other five, well, she would just feel better.

Harry looked at the others, then he focused on Ced, "Sure!" Ced told his father to the unasked question. "Where did you need to go?" he asked his dad.

"I need to go and talk with one of the editors," Harry told him.

"Okay."

"This works out great for me, I can go and check on my company too!" Vic told them.

"We'll go with Vic!" Angel and Rose said quickly. Nothing has gone smoothly with her company yet, they both thought.

"Well, I have surgery in," Hermione checked her watch, "In three hours."

Everybody kind of looked at Cici. She looked up, "Like I'm going to let Ced go someplace without supervision! We all know that we can't take him anywhere without him getting into trouble!"

All of the women except for Toni giggled at her pronouncement. And Ced blushed in response to the teasing.

Cici noticed that Toni didn't get the inside joke. "Just after Ced and I became bonded, he wanted to go to a bookstore, well, once we were in the bookstore, Rose, Angel, and I went to look at some books, and he went to get some books on how to cook. Well, the female clerk in the bookstore decided that Ced was on the menu for her lunch that day."

"Oh, tell her about the time that he wanted to go and buy some records!" Rose told her.

"Oh, geez!" Cici threw her head back and rolled her eyes. "Then there was the time that Ced wanted to go and buy some records so we could all do some Salsa dancing here at the house. The same clerk that was at the first bookstore was now working at the second bookstore, in the record department. So, Ced gets his albums, with Vic, and I standing guard over him, one of us at each end of the aisle that Ced is looking for records in. And we watch the clerk eyeing him, so she can try to swoop in and steal our man from us at the checkout line!"

"She was checking Ced out alright!" Vic cut in. "She was wanting to take him for a spin! Well, Cici was so mad that she didn't even know that her wand had jumped into her hand, and she had burned a hole in the floor of the bookstore!"

"Her wand was crackling!" Angel teased her with a grin.

"Yeah, well a few minutes after that, the salesgirl is out in front of the store, and she threw a curse at me …"

"And if I hadn't been as quick as I was, it would have cut Cici's heart out of her, killing the three of us," Ced finished the story.

"Well tell her about the time that we all went to the salon to get our hair cut!" Angel started.

"Oh, not the salon!" Ced protested loudly and over dramatically.

"Oh, now I have to ask! What happened at the salon?" Toni teased.

"Well, …"

"Speaking of salons, who wants to get a mani-pedi this afternoon, after we all take care of what we need to do?" Rose asked, and looked around.

"I'm willing!" Vic said.

"Me too!" Angel chimed in.

"It's been so long since I've had a mani-pedi, they will probably throw me out!" Toni told them.

"And you, mum?" Cici asked Hermione.

"Well, if it's late enough, I should be out of surgery by 3:00."

"Would anybody mind if I invited my mom to go with us?" Cici asked. She hardly ever got to see her mom. Would the floo network reach that far?

They all looked at each other. "No! Bring her along! The more, the merrier!" Angel said loudly.

"Great! We'll all meet at the salon between 3:30 and 4:00!" Angel told all of them.

Vic looked down at what she was wearing, "I need to go and get changed."

Angel and Rose looked at their clothes, "We do too!"

"And I need to get ready to go," Hermione said to all of them.

Harry got up and held Hermione's chair for her. Ced did the same thing for Vic and Cici. Toni was thinking that she couldn't remember the last time a man had held a chair for her. Everybody was going to their rooms to get changed for the day out.

"Cici," Harry said before she left the dining room. "The floo network doesn't reach that far."

She stopped and looked at him.

"We can pick up a portkey and go and get her if you would like."

"Could we please?"

After letting their spouses know that they would be back in about an hour, Harry threw some floo powder into the floo and they flooed to the private floo in the DMLE.

"Lord Gryffindor!" the two guards jumped to their feet and snapped to attention.

"Gentlemen," Harry said as he took off at a brisk pace.

Cici was quick to cast the spell on her bra as she stepped out to keep up with her dad.

Harry didn't even slow down to say hi to Tonks and Kingsley, they just exchanged greetings in passing. The elevator took them up two floors where Harry stepped out again at a quick pace. At the next bank of elevators, they went up two more floors. Out of the elevator they turned and walked down a dingy hallway to a much brighter hallway, this was the public face of the ministry, on display here. Harry stopped at a highly polished door, labelled International Portkeys. Harry opened the door and slowed down as he stepped into the lobby of the office.

"Next!" one of the clerks behind a counter called out without even looking up.

A portly witch with tangerine hair stepped forward.

"Where would you like to go?" the clerk asked dryly.

"Lithuania." The witch told her.

"What is the purpose of your …"

"Next!" another clerk called out loudly.

A portly old wizard that was balding stepped forward.

"Next!" another clerk shouted.

The tall wizard in dress robes stepped up to the counter.

The witch with the orange hair turned and left, placing the portkey in her handbag.

"Next!" the clerk yelled.

Harry and Cici stepped up to the counter.

"Where would you like to go?" she droned on, looking at a magazine on her desktop.

"Romania."

"Where at in Romania?" monotone, flips the page.

"The Dragon Preserve."

At this announcement, "I'm sorry, the Dragon Preserve is off limits to unauthorised persons." She droned on looking at the magazine on the desktop.

Harry stood silent. After a minute of silence, the clerk couldn't take it anymore, she had to look up to see if someone was still there.

"Lord Gryffindor!" she said in shock.

At this announcement, all of the work in the office stopped. And every eye in the office was staring at the two of them.

"May I please have my portkey now?"

"When would you like to leave sir?"

"In the next ten minutes."

"Yes, sir. Just a minute sir." And she got up and hurried to the back office. A minute after that, she came rushing out with a red circular object.

"It is set for fifteen minutes from now, sir. That is the closest portkey that I could get you!"

"Thank you very much," Harry told her kindly.

"That will be fifty galleons, sir."

Harry stuck his hand into his robe pocket and pulled out an old-fashioned coin purse. He opened it up and shook out some galleons into his hand. He started to stack them on the countertop, ten, twenty, twenty-five, thirty-three, forty, forty-seven, fifty.

The clerk slid the portkey across to him.

"And this will work to get our guest back to the Dragon Preserve?" Harry asked.

"Yes, sir. The portkey is good for up to two weeks before it deactivates."

"Thank you," Harry told the clerk.

Again, Harry set a brisk pace to the elevators, this time they went all of the ways to the lobby of the ministry, from there they headed for the public floos to get back home to the mansion. From there, they portkeyed to the Dragon Preserve.

"Aye! You can't be here!" a voice shouted at them from behind.

Harry and Cici both turned to look at the owner of the voice. It belonged to a grizzled old man that was missing two fingers on one hand, his face had been badly scarred. Behind him, they could hear a dragon roaring loudly in displeasure.

"Uasal?" Cici said softly.

"Aye, and she's in a right foul mood too." The old man said to her.

"Why? What is wrong with her?" Cici asked concerned for their dragon.

"Aye, it's mating season, and she's angry at somebody for putting her into a cage with a male."

"You're going to force her to mate with a male that she doesn't like?" Cici growled.

"Aye, been doing it that way for centuries."

"No wonder she doesn't like the people here," Cici told him. Then she went to step around the man and go to the aid of her familiar.

"You can't be going out that way lassie."

Cici looked down at the man, "Try and stop me," she told him coldly.

The old man went to reach for her, "If you touch her, you'll lose that hand," Harry told him just as coldly.

"And who might you be?" the grizzled old man asked Harry.

Cici opened the back door of the office that they had portkeyed into. "UASAL! CAR-BAUN!" she screamed as loudly as she could. She continued on down the stairs to walk to the aid of her dragon. In the quiet between roars, Cici yelled again.

" _Cici?"_ she heard the hard thought come to her head.

"Yes," Cici said soothingly.

" _What are you doing here?"_

"I came for my mom. But now I am here for you!" Cici said out loud.

" _Why are you here for me?"_

"Because they are making you do something that you don't want to do!"

" _And what is that?"_

"They're trying to make you mate with a dragon that you don't like!"

" _NO!"_ and if a dragon could laugh, Cici would have sworn that Uasal was laughing at her. _"In our culture, the male has to be worthy of me! If he can not best me, then he has no right to mate with me!"_

"Really? So, everything is okay?"

" _Yes!"_

"Okay, will we see you over the summer holidays?" Cici asked.

" _Yes, and everything should be fine by then. What do you want your mother for?"_

"I haven't seen her in a long time, and I wanted to invite her to get a mani-pedi."

" _Is that where they paint your claws?"_

"Yes," Cici said with a chuckle.

" _Could you tell her to bring back some polish for me? She knows which colour of pink that I like."_

"You've polished your nails?" Cici asked her in disbelief.

" _Yes, right up until this targe chipped the polish on them the other day!"_ and with that announcement, Uasal let out a bellowing roar at the male in the cage with her.

"I'll tell her!" Cici laughed.

Harry and Cici walked along looking for the medical building. Soon they saw a building with a red cross on it, and they headed up the couple of stairs and into the building. There they found Angelica trying to heal a stubborn man that wouldn't stay still.

"If you don't sit still, then I can't heal you properly!" Angelica was arguing with him.

"Ah, just do your job!" he said gruffly.

Cici walked up behind the man and touched him on the back of the head. Down he went, scaring Angelica until she looked up and saw Cici.

"Hey! Mija! What are you doing here?" her mom asked her excitedly.

Cici went around the table to give her mom a hug. "I just came to get you, and take you to get a mani-pedi!"

"Let me finish with this guy, and then I'll tell Howard and Charlie! This guy's going to be in a bad mood when I rennervate him though."

"You mean that that was his good mood?" Cici asked in shock.

"Yeah, I think that he's been around the dragons too long. Have you seen what they're doing to Uasal?" Angelica said sadly.

"Yeah, I talked to her a little bit on the way over here. She explained it all to me."

"Yeah? Well, this guy thinks that that's the way it should be with us girls too!" Angelica chuckled at her own joke.

"She wants you to bring her back some pink nail polish?" Cici asked her mom.

"Oh, yeah! She really likes this one shade of pink! I tried to get her to try some other colours, that I thought would go better with her eye colour, but no, that's what she likes!"

"She told me that one of the males chipped her polish?"

"Yeah! And she tore into him for most of the afternoon the other day. They finally pulled him out of the cage before feeding time. I guess they thought she might eat him. There, I even left a scar to make him happy." Angelica said. "You might want to hide around that corner so he won't see you when I wake him," Angelica told her daughter.

Harry and Cici went and hid around the corner while Angelica woke up the Dragon Trainer.

"Arh! What did you do that for! I was only playing!" the Dragon Trainer bellowed.

"Look, I even left you a scar so you could show it to the girls down at the pub tonight!"

"Arh!" he bellowed again. "Thank you!" he said just above a whisper. "Arh! THEY OUGHT TO GET A REAL HEALER IN HERE!" he shouted just before leaving.

"It's all an act?" Cici said as she walked around the corner.

"It's all an act! Hey, Howard! I'm going to go with my daughter the rest of the day!" Angelica yelled down the hallway to her boss.

.

The floo spit the four of them out in the lobby of The Daily Prophet.

"I don't know which I like less!" Toni said quietly as she regained her balance.

"Wait until you try apparating!" Cici whispered to her.

"Lord Gryffindor!" the witch behind the receptionist desk said in shock.

"Edna, how have you been?" Harry asked politely.

"Fine, sir! Are you here to see …?"

"I am here to talk with Colin," Harry told her, leaving it at that.

"Let me get him for you!"

"No, we'll just go on back," Harry told the witch with a warm smile. Then he started walking to the back of the editorial offices.

"Yes, sir." She said as she turned around and watched the four of them go.

Colin was quick to run around his desk to hold the chair for Toni. He noticed that Toni wasn't wearing a ring signifying that she was married. She was wearing three rings for fashion though. Harry had been hoping for this secretly.

"What did you need to speak to me about?" Harry asked one of his oldest friends.

"What? Oh!" and Colin talked to Harry for close to an hour about a couple of ideas that he had for the paper. One of which was to introduce a second newspaper as a completely new company. "Magical Britain needs to get its head out of the sand!" Colin told Harry.

"I couldn't agree with you more! But do you remember the last time that we tried to add an International section to the paper?"

"That's why I want to create a new, newspaper from the ground up. We could aim it at the younger generations. It would have many of the same columns as the Prophet. But we could have a younger generation writing for a younger generation. We could add sections about music, travel, international sports, other than Quidditch, fashion, finance, food!"

"How long do you think it will take before the paper becomes profitable?"

"I don't know Harry, it could take years," Colin told him with a downturn of hope.

"It's what we need, dad. We can't keep living with our heads in the sand like an Ostrich," Ced told his father.

There was silence in the room for a long time.

"I know," Harry said. "And just where would you put this new newspaper?"

"In this same building, we have the room."

"And who did you have in mind to run it?"

"My son, Josh," Colin admitted. "He's got the heart of a newspaperman, but he doesn't want to work for the Prophet. He's looking at a couple of the muggle papers."

Harry turned around and looked at Ced, "Do you want to run it? From the business side?"

Ced looked like he had just been shot, again. "But I don't know anything about running a newspaper!"

"It's not just a newspaper, it's a business."

"Can I at least think about it?" Ced asked.

"Does Josh have any friends that he wants to bring with him?" Harry asked.

"He has two."

"Two?"

"Do any of the reporters here have kids that are interested in writing, like Josh?" Ced asked from the back of the room.

"My daughter loves fashion!" Toni said suddenly. And then regretted it almost as fast.

"How old is your daughter?" Colin asked the elegant woman.

"She's only thirteen, and lives in Naples, Italy."

Colin's heart was almost crushed, learning that the incredible woman sitting before him wasn't from here. She was the most perfect woman to walk the face of the earth, to him. Everything was perfect about her, her long dark hair, the colour of her skin wasn't pasty white, her big dark brown eyes, her deep-red, full lips.

"Colin! COLIN!" Harry almost shouted to get his attention again.

"Yes? What?"

"Did you hear anything that I just said?" Harry asked him.

"Uh, um, sorry could you please repeat it?" Colin said as a deep blush came over his pale white face, it was reaching up into his hairline, his ears were turning red.

Well, this is working out, Harry thought to himself. "I was asking if your son could ask around at school."

"Uh, yeah, sure. I'll send him an owl this morning." Colin told his boss.

"Good, I want you to think about this some more. Get some ideas down in writing, and then I would like it if you would join us for dinner tonight. We'll discuss it some more after dinner. Will that work for you?" Harry asked him.

Harry went to stand, and Colin rushed around his desk again to get the chair for the woman that he didn't even know her name. He held it for her a second time, and this time she also blushed, a little.

"Hi, my name's Colin, by the way," he said as he inhaled her perfume from behind, as he held her chair again.

Toni turned her head to look into his deep blue eyes, her body twisting some, and her smile growing. "I'm Toni," she said, her lips parting in a big beautiful smile, showing him some beautiful, straight teeth.

This close, Colin could see that she wasn't wearing that much makeup, just enough to enhance her already stunning good looks. As he straightened up, he appreciated that she wasn't that much shorter than he was. Standing this close to her, he realised that he was close enough for a kiss, but he understood that it was too soon, as her hot breath brushed across his already inflamed cheek, sending warmth through the rest of his body.

"Colin," Harry said to get his attention. "Dinner will be ready at six."

"Okay, Harry, I'll be there at six." He repeated the time so he wouldn't forget.

Ced got the door for the group, Cici was the first out, and then Toni, followed by his dad. "Did you want the door open or closed?" Ced asked the man staring at the door.

Colin was still staring at Toni as she walked away from him, she was wearing heels he saw, and her legs were as perfect as the rest of her. Her hips made her knee-length skirt sway just so, he noticed that her hair came down to her mid back. Her tailored suit showed off her small waist. Colin jerked his head up, "Open, please."

Ced nodded to him, and gave him a smile, as he left the stunned man's office.

The meeting had taken them to lunch time, and Harry offered to treat them to fish and chips at The Leaky Cauldron. He was pleased with the meeting on several different levels, and he was encouraged to talk to Ced some more about it. While they waited for their food, Harry walked Toni across the street so she could make her phone call.

"What do you think of Colin?" Harry asked as they waited for a gap in traffic.

"He seems nice enough." Was the standard answer.

But like the kids, Harry could hear all of the thoughts behind the spoken answer. He has a son, so he's married, don't get your hopes up. You've been that woman before, and all it brought to you was heartache. The only good thing to come out of that was your daughter, Sofia, and she spends more time with your mother than she does with you! I need to quit my job, but I can't afford to. I need to find something that pays as well and is safer. Look what happened to Angel! She's so lucky to be alive! If Cici, Ced, and Vic hadn't been there, she would never have survived the ambulance ride. But I can't afford to quit, I'm trapped, I make too much money to leave now. I'm almost eligible for retirement. Long distance relationships never survive, we're too far apart. Besides, he's married.

"I don't know when I'll be back. One of the kids got shot and …"

To something said on the phone, "I'll take care of Jean-Claude! You just make sure that they don't get released this time!"

Words on the phone, "These kids captured the same terrorists, TWICE! What more do you want out of them?"

More words, "It's not their fault that the terrorists got released twice! And it's not their fault that the judge got his fat ass killed!"

Mumbled words on the phone, "She wants to do what!? You had better make sure she doesn't try and press charges against these kids. That is the last thing that she'll want to do!"

"If it weren't for those kids, she'd be dead, and her daughter would be a SEX SLAVE FOR A PERVERT!" Toni yelled into the phone.

More words to inflame her already overheated temper. Toni just touched the disconnect button on her cell phone. "Fanculo quel coglione se pensa che mi spingerà in giro!"

Toni started to walk, but she stopped and took a deep calming breath. And then another, trying to find something that would help her calm down. Her mind drifted to the time at the beach house when she had sat there on the floor next to the couch. Her heart rate slowed down, her breathing slowed down. After a few moments, she opened her eyes. Her boss really was a dick.

Harry stood there and waited for Toni's emotions to calm down, then he could feel her calming down at the memory. The kids had really opened up to her if she had that memory.

As Toni started to walk again, "Colin is single. His wife was killed in the same terrorist attack that killed Vic's mum," Harry told Toni.

She stopped before they had stepped into traffic and looked up at the tall, good-looking man standing next to her.

"Yes, there is hope," Harry told her.

"Let's go eat," she said to Harry, tiredly. Who was her boss to say those things? If you didn't want to catch terrorists and stop the sex trafficking, you shouldn't have hired … Hired, he was going to do what he was going to do because the kids were private contractors. He was going to blame everything on the kids to save himself!

At the front door to the Cauldron, Harry told her, "Go ahead without me, I'll be in in a moment. I just need to talk to someone for a second." Harry turned his back to Toni so she would go on into the pub. He walked a few steps away from the front door, and then he opened his communications watch.

Toni walked into the private dining room by herself.

"Where's my dad?" Ced asked her curiously.

Tom held off on serving them their food until after Harry got back into the pub. He didn't want Harry to have a cold meal, not after all of the years they had known each other.

Before Toni could answer the question, Harry walked into the room, "Sorry about that. I just needed to make a call. So, tell me about what you have been doing, gallivanting all over Spain and Italy!"

The two teens told Harry what they had been doing from the time they were in France training, then what had happened in Spain. They told him about what had happened the first hour that they had been in Italy, all the way up to the point that they had been abducted and taken to the farmhouse in Slovenia.

"After that, we just decided to leave," Cici told her dad.

"Oh, you make my country sound so bad!" Toni scolded them with faux annoyance.

Then the two of them fessed up about taking Toni with them to their beach house.

"Oh, it was so wonderful there!" Toni exclaimed.

"We stayed for a week and a half to let things cool down back in Italy," Ced told him.

"And once we get back into Italy, the whole place is falling apart. We were supposed to go to France the afternoon that we got back. So, we used the portkey and went back to the island with the intention of portkeying to France. But, over half of the terrorists that we caught had been released by the same judge and the same solicitor. So, when we're back on the beach, we came up with a plan to find out if the judge is corrupt, …" Ced was telling him.

"But when I performed legilimency on him, I find out that the terrorists are using a security company as a cover to force the judge to release all of the other terrorists. They're holding his wife and daughter as hostages in his own house! The security guards where actually some of the terrorists that we had just captured two weeks ago! From there you know what has been happening," Cici told him.

"The bad news is, that the wife of the judge wants to bring charges against the five of you," Toni told the two of them.

"She has to know who we are first," Ced told her.

"My boss is going to tell her," Toni told them, embarrassed for working for such a man.

"This is where the blood contract protects us," Cici told her.

"Not if he didn't sign the contract," Harry told them.

"How did he not sign the contract?" Ced asked incredulously. Looking between his dad and Toni.

"Two weeks before you came to Italy, while you were still in Spain, Interpol replaced my original boss with the new guy that I can't stand. He's more of a politician than he is a police officer," Toni told them.

"So, this is Jean-Claude's doing?" Cici asked heatedly.

"Is Jean-Claude still alive? Or is the real question, who told the new guy, that hasn't signed a contract, about us?" Ced asked.

"That's what Allen is going to find out for me this afternoon," Harry told them. "So, let's talk about the newspaper!" Harry changed the subject.

They talked about the newspaper for quite a while, until Ced told them that Vic was finished at the office and she, Rose, and Angel were on their way to the pub. The Three women joined them in the private dining room.

Tom poked his head in, "Three more fish and chips? And three more butterbeers?"

"Yes, please!" all three of the women said together.

Harry just chuckled at the three of them. Ced got up and held Vic's chair for her as she sat down. He turned his head so they would kiss on the lips.

Vic gave them a quick rundown on everything that was happening at the broom company.

"You own a company that makes brooms?" Toni asked confused.

"Yes," Vic answered her, confused by her confusion. And then, "Oh! Not the kind of brooms that you're thinking of!" she said loudly with a smile taking over her face.

"What other kind of broom is there?" Toni asked innocently.

"We'll show you when we go to get our mani-pedis!" Vic told the older woman.

"And with that, your mum is on her way here," Harry told all of them. "And, speaking of mums. Did you tell your mum that you were shot yet?" Harry asked Angel.

"NO! and please don't either! I'll tell her when we finish with this mission and get paid. I've got over a million euros riding on us finishing this mission!" Angel pleaded with Harry.

"Okay, just make sure she hears it from you, and not someone else," Harry encouraged her.

Angel knew that her mum would go around the bend on her, especially if she learned about her being shot, from someone else.

"Hears what from who?" Hermione said as she walked into the room. She had already told Tom that she an Angelica wouldn't be eating.

As the three young women finished their butterbeers, they sat their bottles down and started to get up. "Harry was just asking me if I had told my mum about what had happened the other morning," Angel told Hermione.

"Well, she won't hear it from me," Hermione reassured her.

"Thank you," Angel said humbly.

Angelica entered the room after using the loo.

.

The eight of them walked over to the public floo network and took the floo to Hogsmeade, Vic had made a strong case for going to the salon in Hogsmeade over the one here in Diagon Alley.

As they were walking across the street, Angel said out of the blue, "You know, getting shot wrecks your hair."

"It must be the shock that your body takes," Hermione told her.

"Who got shot?" Angelica asked, worried for her girls.

"I did," Angelica told her.

"What did your mom say?"

A long pause from Angel, "I haven't told her yet."

"Why not?"

"I'm scared of what she might say. I'm scared of what she may try and make me do. That she will make me quit." Angel told Cici's mum, mom. She had to remember to separate the two of them, Hermione was Cici's mum, but Angelica was her mom.

"Well, I can see why. What happened to the body armour? Why didn't that stop the bullet?"

"Well, it did stop the bullet, it stopped the first ten bullets, but then I tripped!" Angel was only telling her part of the story.

"What do you mean the first ten bullets? How many times did you get shot?" Angelica asked outside of the door to the salon.

"Five, I think that I got shot five times."

"Five? You just told me that you got shot ten times, and now you're telling me that you only got shot five times?"

"Well when I first started to get shot, the body armour protected me from the first ten bullets, but when I tripped, the next five bullets went under the dragon scales."

"Why did you trip?"

"Because the first ten bullets started to push me backwards. Then the heel of my boot caught on the rug on the floor, and well, I started to fall backwards, and that's when the next five bullets got under the dragon scales, and well, I'm just glad that Vic and Cici were there to help me!" Angel finished humbly.

"Yeah, well, I'm glad that we were there too!" Vic told her.

"Okay, happy faces on!" Rose told all of the women, and Ced too.

Ced grabbed the door and held it open for all of the women, and then he closed it after he had entered the salon. Like his wives, he was in need of a haircut.

"Have you got room for eight of us?" Vic asked the old witch behind the counter.

"Eight?" she asked in surprise. She only had the two stylists working at the moment. "Sure! Come on in! It might be a while, I've got a couple of girls out on break right now, but let me go and see if I can find them."

"Do you want to wait? Or go someplace else?" Vic asked the others in their group.

"We're here, let's go ahead and wait," Angel said.

"I agree."

"Me too."

"What all did you ladies want to do today?" the owner asked.

"Well, we all want to get a mani-pedi, and I need a haircut," Vic told her.

"I need a haircut too!" Angelica said.

"So, we need seven mani-pedis and eight haircuts," Cici told her.

"Okay, let me see if I can call a couple of extra girls in to make this go faster." She had put it together that Lady Gryffindor was there, and that at least one of the girls was her daughter that she had just adopted and the really good-looking guy was probably her son. Plus, she thought that she had seen them in here before. She headed off to the back to make the floo call and see if she could get some help in there quickly.

The large group moved over to the waiting area and took what seats were available. Toni reached over and picked up a copy of Witch Weekly. She looked at the cover and examined the attractive young woman on it. She was blonde, pale blue eyes, pasty white skin. She thought that Cici or Vic was much more attractive, or even their friends.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Angelica asked Toni.

Toni looked up from the strange magazine, "No, I don't believe so, I'm Toni."

"Hi, Toni, I'm Angelica. Cici's mom."

"Oh! Okay!" Toni said excitedly. Now she could see where Cici got her looks from. But Angelica was a lot shorter than Cici. She must get her height from her father Toni reasoned.

"Oh, sorry Toni, sorry mom," Cici started. "This is Toni, she's with Interpol. We're helping them with some work. Toni, this is my mom, Angelica."

"Oh! You work for Interpol? That must be exciting work! Do you get to travel a lot?" Angelica asked her.

"Some, mostly in Europe, and the work can be pretty boring most of the time. What is it that you do?"

"I'm a doctor, I mean a healer, kind of like Hermione."

"Really? You must be so proud of Cici, saving that girl's life like she did."

Vic quickly cast all of the privacy charms over the whole group of friends. This was a conversation that nobody else needed to hear.

"Cici was there when Angel got shot?" What kind of work were Cici and her spouses doing?

"Yes, she didn't tell you?" Now you've stuck your foot in your mouth!

"No, but they do a lot of things that they don't tell me about." Angelica glared at Cici.

"Mom! It was an accident! If Angel hadn't tripped, then she would never have gotten hurt!"

"She's right, Angelica, if I hadn't tripped, then the body armour would have protected me, and I could have blasted the guy that shot me!" Angel tried to distract Angelica's worry away from Cici.

"Have you ever been shot?" Angelica asked Cici.

"No!"

"And what about you?" she looked at Vic.

"No."

And she thought for a moment, then she turned around in her seat to catch Ced trying to put her on ignore. "And what about you, Ced. Have you ever been shot?"

Ced got caught, he shook his head, "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

Ced stayed quiet.

"Well?" Angelica asked, her hands going to her hips. Her eyes glaring up at him.

Vic was glad that she had cast the privacy charms when she did. Angelica was getting upset.

"Yes, a terrorist shot me almost thirty times before I was injured. The same thing that happened to Angel happened to me, the onslaught of bullets drove me backwards until I fell down, letting one of the bullets hit me in the shoulder. Cici was the one that healed me too." Ced came clean with his mother-in-law.

Angelica looked around the group of people, "Well, has anyone else here been shot?"

Toni raised her hand quietly, Angelica looked down at the Italian woman, then she sat down again and looked at her.

"I got shot several years ago when a pimp found out that I was really a police officer. He grabbed me by my hair and dragged me out behind the brothel, into the alley, and he shot me three times in the chest."

"But I didn't see any bullet wounds when you were with us on the island," Vic said to her.

"I learned over the years how to hide them with makeup. They aren't very big, plus as my breasts have sagged some, it helps hide the scars."

"He shot you in your breasts?" Angelica asked in shock.

At this point, Hermione was starting to take an interest in the conversation.

"Well, just below my left breast. It wasn't a very big gun, and I'm a pretty good actress!"

The owner of the salon came walking towards the group of eight. Rose cancelled the privacy charms. She had four other women following her as she crossed the salon floor.

"Hi! these four young ladies have agreed to help with your group today!" she told them chipperly. "So, who wants to go first?"

"I do!" Angel said as she stood up. Her hair was driving her loopy.

.

.

"Well, I need to be getting back to the Dragon Preserve!" Angelica told all of the others in the group as they walked across the living room of the mansion.

It had taken over two hours to get their haircuts and the mani-pedis. Vic and Cici made Ced sit between them as he got his haircut. And they were constantly checking on the young witch that was cutting his hair. Thank Merlin that this girl was a professional and kept her hands to herself!

With hugs all around, Angelica headed out the front doors of the mansion with her store bag of pink nail polish for Uasal.

"I still don't understand why your mom needed so much nail polish?" Toni said to Cici.

"It's for Uasal!"

"Yes, I understand that; but who is Uasal?"

"Oh! You don't know who Uasal is!"

"NO!"

"Uasal is a dragon! And she and my mom are best friends!"

"Your mom is best friends with a dragon?"

"Yeah, weird huh?"

"Yes!"

"Well, we had all best get ready for dinner. Colin is supposed to be coming over for dinner tonight." Ced told the two women.

"Oh, that's right!" Cici said.

"Do you have anything to wear for dinner tonight?" Cici asked Toni as they started walking to the stairs.

"Not really, I mean I appreciate what Vic did to my backpack, but I just didn't pack all that much stuff!"

"Here, why don't you come up to our room, and Vic says that you can look through her closet, and you can look through my closet too."

"Okay, but I don't know if anything that you have will fit me!"

"That's okay, we can make it fit!"

"Well, let me see what I have in my pack first, we did do all of that shopping the day before Angel had her accident."

"Okay! Well, like I said if you need anything just come and knock on our door!"

At that, Ced and Cici entered their room, and Toni continued on to hers.

.

The seating arrangement worked out nicely, with Toni sitting next to Colin. Colin had been over to the Potter's home before, so he knew to watch his table manors carefully. Cici and Vic had both dressed very conservatively, not wanting to distract Colin from Toni. Cici had shared with Vic, that Colin really had a crush on Toni, and that they were all just waiting for him to ask her out. Hopefully, that night after the meeting with Harry, because time was running out. Angel was feeling ready to go to France and finish up the mission that they had started almost two months ago. It was during the pudding portion of the meal when Colin finally worked up the courage to ask Toni if she was doing anything this coming weekend.

"No, I don't think so. Why?" she put him on the spot.

Girl! You can't do that! Cici thought. He's not that aggressive!

"Well, uh, I was wondering, uh, if you might want to, uh, go to, uh, the Museum of Art with me, uh, this weekend," Colin finished, and he was almost as red as the wine that was served with dinner.

"I think that I might like that," Toni told him as she placed her hand on his.

" _I think that she heard you!"_ Vic thought to her wife.

" _Oh, Godric I hope so! He seems like a super nice guy!"_

"Wwwould 10:00 on Saturday, be okay with you?" Colin stammered out.

Toni looked at Cici and Vic, they both nodded back to her that would be fine.

"I think that would be acceptable," Toni smiled up at him.

"Great!" Colin almost shouted. "Sorry, I'm just a little nervous for some reason!" he said bashfully, looking down at his lap. "I don't normally do this." He confessed.

"That's okay, neither do I," Toni told him.

"Really? A beautiful woman like you? I would expect that you would have all sorts of guys chasing you!"

"Well, I do have a lot of guys that are chasing after me! But most of them, I manage to put into prison!" Toni told him with an award-winning smile.

"Oh? What is it that you do?"

"I'm an agent with Interpol." Seeing the confused look on his face, "Interpol, we're an international police force," she explained to him.

"Oh! You're like an Auror!"

Now it was Toni's turn to have a confused look on her face.

"Aurors, you don't know what an Auror is?"

She shook her head, no.

"You're not a magical? You're a muggle?"

Muggle? She had thought that she had heard the kids use that term before. He thinks that I'm a witch! "No! I'm not a witch. I'm a, what did you call them? A muggle." Toni told Colin.

Now everybody at the table was waiting to see if this was going to be a problem for Colin. And Colin sat there quietly for a few moments.

Cathaoir yawned loudly in the corner of the dining room. _"It is obvious that you like her Colin!"_ his thought boomed in their heads. _"The question is; are you going to let all of that pureblood non-sense, wreck your second chance at happiness?"_

Colin and Toni both looked at Cathaoir.

" _Would it make it any easier for you if I told you that she comes from a line of squibs?"_ the thought boomed again.

"Squib? What's a squib?" Toni asked softly in confusion.

" _A Squib is what your mother is, it is what your grandmother is, and what her mother before her was. In fact, the magic in your family has been dormant for nearly five-hundred years!"_

"What magic? Five-hundred years? What are you talking about? There aren't any witches in my family! Well, except for me, but that's only if you ask Jean-Claude! He used to call me a witch all of the time before we got a divorce!"

" _Ha-ha!"_ Cathaoir laughed. _"You should check your families vaults in Italy."_

"What vault? I don't know what you're talking about Cathaoir."

" _Have Ced, Cici, and Vic go with you to Gringotts in Italy. To the ancient vaults of Mantua. You are a descendant of Isabella d'Este who was Marchesa of Mantua. You will also want to go to Ferrara and claim your family's vaults there."_ Cathaoir told her.

Cici was covering her smile with both hands, Toni really was a magical! No wonder they had hit it off so well! She was one of them! Now comes the question.

"Cathaoir, is it possible to re-awaken magic that has gone dormant?" Vic asked.

" _Well, it hasn't been a thousand years,"_ he said contemplatively. _"I would think that there should be a ritual that could re-awaken it. You would probably have to sacrifice your first-born virgin daughter or something like that!"_

"Oh, very funny!" Kitten said from behind Cathaoir.

" _Kitten!"_

"Hairball!"

" _Ah, now that's just mean!"_

"And what you said about having to sacrifice her daughter wasn't?"

" _I was just teasing her!"_

"Give me a hug!" Kitten told the Golden Gryphon.

"Rah!" Cathaoir said as he reached out with a massive paw and pulled Kitten into a huge hug.

"What are you doing home, honey?" Hermione asked.

"I just came to tell you that the ritual isn't in any of the books that we have here at the mansion. But there is a ritual to reawaken her families magic. Well, I have to go, Solaria and Raven are getting ready to play a practical joke on a boy that Willow likes!" and she was gone as silently as she had appeared.

.

"Next week will be the middle of April!" Cici told her spouses as they relaxed in the tub, she reached over and grabbed a butterbeer off of the serving tray.

"Really? We've missed a month and a half of school already?" Vic said in shock. She stuck her hand out so her wife would hand her a butterbeer also.

"Yeah." She told her as Vic took a long pull on the sweet liquid.

"Things have been going slower than what we had planned," Ced told them. "I thought that we would spend maybe a week in each country and that would be it."

"But we're catching so many terrorists! I think that we're actually scaring the people that hired us because we're catching so many terrorists." Vic said just before she arched her back and tilted her head back to soak her hair in the hot water.

"I don't think that these people thought they had so many terrorists working in their countries. And now here we come, and we're flooding their jail cells with all of these terrorists that they didn't know that they had." Ced agreed with his wife.

"It really sucked when all of those terrorists got released. That was a lot of work to catch them." Cici said.

"A lot of risk on our part," Vic added to Cici's statement.

"You know, I feel sorry for the judge and his family. But that's not our fault," Ced told them.

"We lived up to our end of the contract," Vic said. "We put ourselves out there to get picked up by the human traffickers. They picked us up and took us back to their base of operation. I'm not going to sit there and wait for them to drug me and then rape me. I'm not going to do it!"

"I agree with Little One, we've done our part. I say that when we finish with France, we call it quits. We retire, and do something else that we like for a while."

"Like what?" Ced asked.

"I don't know! Lay out on the beach or something like that!" Cici told him, exasperatedly.

"Okay, so let's take this summer off to work on our animagus form. Let's really try to become animagus by the end of this coming summer." Vic challenged her spouses.

"I like it! We've been putting it off for too long as it is!" Cici sided with her wife.

"I agree, we've gotten to busy doing other things that we haven't made the time to work on it. But the first thing we need to do is to find that ritual so we can help Toni and her family," Ced told the two women.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	68. Year Six Chapter 68

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 68

.

.

"HARRY POTTER!" the shrill female voice sounded out of the floo in the house.

"I think that Angel told her mum," Rose quipped.

"I think that you might be right," Harry responded to Rose.

A moment later Angel and her mum stepped through the floo, George followed behind by a step.

"What do you mean letting my daughter get shot, in one of your hairbrained schemes?" Angelina was still yelling at Harry.

"I tried to tell her that it wasn't any big deal!" Angel said to Harry.

"No big deal?!" Angelina glared at Angel. Then she turned her glare on Rose, "Does your mum know that Angel got shot?"

Rose stayed quiet in the face of her Aunt's rage.

"I asked you a question!" she shrieked at Rose.

"No."

"NO? No, what?"

"No, my mum does not know that Angel got shot," Rose told her aunt.

"And why not?" Angelina asked almost calmly. The fire of her anger burning just below the surface.

"Because, all it would do is upset her."

"And why would it upset her?" Angelina asked sarcastically.

"For the same reasons that it had upset you, for the same reasons that it upset Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione when Ced got shot. For the same reasons that it upset Ced and Vic when Cici was beaten nearly to death!"

"What we do mum, is important. We help people just like you do." Angel told her mum soothingly, calmingly.

"But I don't get shot at!" Angel protested weakly.

"No, the people that you chase throw the killing curse at you. And even our body armour won't protect us from that. But at least our armour protects us against almost everything else. If I had seen the guy that shot me, I could have avoided being shot! But he shot me through a wall, and the armour did save my life! Along with Cici, Vic, and Ced! And then Aunt Hermione helped Cici so I won't have any scars."

Angelina's head snapped around to look at one of her oldest friends. How many times over all of the years had Hermione helped or saved her or one of her co-workers? Ced, Cici, and Vic had saved a full team of Aurors not so long ago! And she had read the reports of what had happened to Cici when they were finally able to push that monster through the veil. Ribs, arms, pelvis, kidneys, lungs, heart, eye, eye socket, tooth, jaw, almost every part of her body had been broken or bruised from the guy. It took everything that Harry and Hermione had to save her, plus Angelica and Vic, and Ced. For four days the only person that was allowed to see her had been her mum. And she wouldn't have known if Angel hadn't told her that she had been shot. She was walking and talking just like, like, normal.

"I'm sorry. It's just that, it's just my job to worry about you, that's all," Angelina told her daughter as she calmed down. "I'm sorry Harry, Hermione to come in here yelling and scream and acting like a crazy person."

"It's okay, Angelina, we all worry about our kids when they go off on these missions of theirs. But how many people have they helped in the last couple of years? How many of the bad guys have they put away?" Harry asked her.

"A lot."

"How many young women have you kids saved since you've started this mission?" Harry asked the kids.

"Well, we've saved and given medical assistance to almost two-hundred girls," Rose started to say.

"And we've come close to getting almost four or five-hundred terrorists off the streets," Angel told her mum.

"In just this little bit of time?" Angelina asked. She hadn't put even close to that many bad guys in either of the two wizarding prisons.

"There are always between fifty and seventy terrorists per cell that we capture," Cici told her aunt.

"And almost all of the girls that we rescue, are sexually abused, physically abused, malnutrition, all of that kind of stuff!" Vic told her, her hands waving a little bit.

"I'm sorry, it's just hard knowing that your baby is going out there and getting shot at!" Angelina started to cry.

George stepped forward and took his wife into a hug, holding her tight against him. Then Angelina started to struggle against his hold on her.

"And I haven't heard from George and Amber in months!" she wailed, and then she collapsed against her husband's chest again, sobbing her frustrations out against his work robes, her tears flowing freely down her cheeks and into the cloth of George's clothes.

The others stood there silently, letting her get her frustrations and anxieties out.

After a little while, Angelina's sobbing had settled down, her shoulders weren't heaving up and down anymore, "Remus said that he would be by later today," George told the assembled group.

"Thanks, George," Harry told him as he walked with them to the floo.

After Harry saw the two friends back through the floo, he turned and walked to the others, "Well, we still need to get our morning run in, and then I think that we will have all of you run the confidence course, to see how Angel is doing."

"Come on, let's go!" Hermione said as she turned to finish leading the others out the back door and to the course that they would typically run. After they had warmed up, Hermione stepped up the pace and stretched her legs out, so it was a winded group that walked over to the obstacle course.

"Have you ever run one of these before?" Harry asked Toni.

"Not since being a cadet at the police academy!"

"Do you want to skip the rappelling part?"

"I think that I should skip the rappelling part. I haven't done something like that in several years!" Toni told him.

"Okay, then you can hold a rope for one of the kids as they do the rappelling part and then if you want you can run the rest of the course with them."

"Okay, I can do that," Toni told him.

She watched as Harry and Hermione climbed the cargo net to the top of the tower.

Then Harry leaned over the edge of the tower, "GO!" he shouted at the kids.

The kids started the climb to the top of the tower, Angel was hanging in there from what Toni could see. She was up and over the edge. And a moment later she was sliding down the rope in two long slides. With Toni's help, she was out of the harness and Toni took off with her running for all she was worth to the next obstacle. By the time they hit the last obstacle, Angel had got over the top by herself and then she turned around and offered her hand to Toni to help the older woman over the top so they could run back to the finish line

"Thirty-eight minutes forty-five seconds, not to bad!" Harry told them encouragingly!

Toni was bent over holding on to her knees, breathing heavily. She straightened up and started walking around trying to regain her breath and cool her muscles down so they wouldn't cramp.

"Here, have a Vitamix potion," Vic told Toni as she held the small vial of liquid out to her.

Toni looked at the potion as if it might bite her.

"It's safe, we all take one at least once a day when we workout. You've seen us at the beach house take one after we're done with our workouts!" Vic told her.

Toni uncorked the small vial of liquid, she sniffed it, and then she curled her nose up at the smell.

"The best way to take it, is to drink it like a shot of whiskey," Harry told her. "Like this!" and he took the top off and swallowed the whole thing at once. "That way you can't taste it too much!" he said with a smile.

Toni looked at him, then she put the liquid to her lips and threw her head back, swallowing the liquid as fast as she could. Her face got all scrunched up, then she shook her head a couple of times, her tongue came out of her mouth, "Yuk!"

The rest of the group laughed at her.

"You know if you're going to be a witch, you have to get used to this stuff!" Cici told her mirthfully.

"What? Who's going to be a witch?" Angel asked Cici.

"Oh, that 's right! You weren't here for the fantastic news!" Vic told them.

"What!?" Rose yelled at her.

"Toni's a magical!" Cici told the other two girls.

"She's a what?!"

"She's a magical! The magic in her family has been dormant for almost five-hundred years!" Vic told their two best friends.

The two other girls got so excited that they started squealing and jumping up and down and then they bounced over to Toni and gave her a big hug. All of the enthusiasm started to rub off on Toni, and she didn't have much choice other than to start jumping with all of the girls now.

"And you know, we drove right past both of those places when we got hijacked on that tour bus," Ced told them.

.

.

"Officer Esposito! Why have you been out of touch with dispatch! We have been trying to contact you for over a week!" Jean-Claude was scolding Toni.

"It's our fault," Ced said as he stepped forward. He wasn't going to let this man treat a magical like this. Especially since she really hadn't had much of a choice. "We grabbed Toni when we needed to seek medical assistance for Angel," Ced told the man.

"That's still no excuse!" he started to scold the big teenage boy. "She should have been checking in every morning!"

"Well, in case you've forgotten, magic and electrical items don't mix well. So, for the one time that Toni did call you. We had to make a special trip." Ced told the middle-aged man.

"Ced, stay out of this!" Toni pleaded.

"No! He's not going to talk to you like this! He's going to show you the respect that you deserve!" and then Ced saw the thought clearly. His head turned slowly back to Jean-Claude, "Even if you two used to be married and he used to beat you whenever one of his cases got dismissed because of a technicality."

"Ced, stop!" Toni pleaded again.

"He will never threaten your life, or the life of your daughter again," Ced rose to his full 180cm and started to look down on the older man. "He's nothing more than a coward who likes to hit women." Then Ced's head cocked to one side, and an evil smile came across his face, "Attempted murder! You actually planned to get rid of Toni! That's not covered by the statute of limitations! You paid the guy that shot her! And then you killed him. You've been working with the Russian Mafia! You sent the guy down to Naples, knowing that he hadn't signed a blood contract hoping that Toni would say something and that the blood contract would finish the job that you started all those years ago!"

"This is absurd!" Jean-Claude said loudly. "I never did such a thing! I loved you Toni!" he tried appealing to her old feelings for him.

Ced reached out and took the deflating man's upper arm in a steel-like grip, to guide him inside of the local police force's offices that Interpol was borrowing for this operation in southern France. Ced didn't need to make eye contact anymore with the guy, he was already in there planting the desire to confess to the attempted murder of his wife, the abduction of their daughter, to witness tampering, planting evidence, and many other things, including fixing a parking ticket! All they needed now was an officer to take his statement.

.

"I think I need a shower!" Ced said as he wiped his hands on his pants.

The six of them walked out into the springtime air on the French Riviera. Somehow or another Pierre had been resigned to a case in Eastern Russia. Jean-Claude was going to prison for life; if he lived that long. The only people that could run the case were Toni and Sophia. Toni's old boss in Naples had been fished out of the water a week ago, and the guy that had replaced him had walked into the local police precinct claiming responsibility for the murder and then died of an aneurysm.

"Well, let's walk back to the hotel while we wait. I'll call HQ and see what it is they want to do." Toni told them. Her head was still spinning learning that Jean-Claude had tried to kill her, and had even paid someone to kill her!

The walk, through Marseille, was pleasant, the weather was warm and welcoming. They walked past many sidewalk cafes, street vendors, and regular shops alike. Even before they had made it to the hotel, Toni was dropping her phone into her handbag.

"They want you to work the Cannes film festival, which is going to start on Monday," she told the group of kids.

"When did they want us to start?" Vic asked her.

"Thursday night."

"Tomorrow night," Rose confirmed.

"Are they going to get us a driver? Or are you going to be the one driving us around?" Ced asked her.

"They didn't say."

"So, it is probably safe to say that you're going to be our driver," Ced commented sardonically.

"Rose and I can help you drive if you like!" Angel told Toni cheerfully.

"When we get back to the hotel, I'll get a cab to take me to rent a van. Did you want to stay here for the night or just go on to Cannes?" Toni asked the kids what they wanted to do.

"Can we go to Monaco?" Cici asked hopefully?

"No, Monaco is too far. It's past Cannes," Toni explained to the beautiful witch.

"Okay, we'll just visit it sometime when we're at the beach house," Cici told her.

"Maybe when we're finished in Cannes we can take a trip there," Toni consoled her.

.

The doorman looked down his nose at the group of teenagers climbing out of the van with their backpacks. Toni slipped out of the driver's seat and left the van door open with the engine running. Angel handed her, her pack, and the six of them walked past the doorman paying him no attention. Toni led them over to the counter so they could get checked in.

"Welcome to the InterContinental Carlton Cannes hotel." The young woman behind the counter said to them pleasantly.

"I have a reservation for four rooms," Toni said to the young woman.

"I'm sorry, that must have been made in error. We are all booked up until next month," she said pleasantly.

"Well, the young woman that I spoke with on the phone was very eager to rent me four rooms at a premium price for the next ten days."

"I do apologise, but the hotel has been booked up for quite some time."

Rose stepped forward, "She didn't make the reservation, she sold your credit card information."

Now the clerk looked scared, because that was precisely what she had done, to Toni and over one-hundred of the other guests in the hotel.

"Well, at this time, I guess that I need to speak to your manager. Please call them up here," Toni used a pleasant smile, and a, butter wouldn't melt in my mouth tone of voice.

Vic let go of Ced's hand and moved off to one side, covering an escape route, Cici did the same thing going in the other direction. Angel moved off to the side, stepping back from the counter half way between Vic and Toni, ready to plug the gap if need be. The clerk knew that she was looking at time in prison.

"Pick up the phone and call the manager."

The clerk was still hesitant.

"You're not going to get out of here except in handcuffs," Toni told her gently.

She picked up the handset and dialled the manager's extension. Then when he answered the phone, she told him nervously in French "I have five women and one man that is trying to rob the hotel!" and she slammed the receiver back down.

"Well, now that was a dumb thing to do!" Ced told her in flawless French. "But then, you've been doing dumb things for a long time now." He looked at her.

Soon enough the municipal police were flooding into the lobby of the hotel. The clerk started playing the victim as soon as they entered through the doors. She was screaming and crying and drawing as much attention to the six new guests of the hotel as she possibly could.

With half a dozen officers pointing their pistols at the group of visitors. Vic started to move closer to the other teens. "I am going to pull out my identification!" Toni said loudly and slowly. "I am Interpol!" Slowly she brought her handbag around to the front of her. Then slowly she opened it up, and slowly she reached inside and slowly she removed her Interpol ID and badge.

The young clerk turned and tried to make a run for it, and ran right into her manager's chest, nocking herself backwards and landing on her bum. She looked up at his stern face, disappointment was written all over her uncles face.

"Get up!" he growled at her.

Upon seeing Toni's police badge, the officers holstered their weapons and moved closer to the gorgeous women standing in front of them. They were really hoping that Toni was a cougar, and that Ced was hers.

The ranking officer stepped forward as the young girl got up off the floor behind the counter. "What's going on here?"

"I was just about to ask the same thing; my clerk calls me and tells me that these six people are trying to rob the hotel, so I called you. Now it turns out, that they are Interpol! And my clerk, she's trying to run away!"

Toni explained her side of the story, and that the credit card belonged to Interpol, along with their still needing four rooms for the next ten days.

"Well, I am sorry, mam," the hotel manager started to say. "But we don't have four rooms available. The Film Festival starts on Monday. All I do have, and all of you would have to share, is the Presidential Suite, and it has five beds."

"We'll take it!" Toni said before the manager could withdraw the offer.

It was late in the afternoon when the manager looked up for a bellman, he made eye contact and waved him over, "Please take our guests up to the Presidential Suite."

"Yes, sir! Please let me get the key, and then I will take you to your room," the bellman told them.

.

Ced was the last one into the room, and he placed a twenty in the palm of the bellman, the bellman thanked him and handed Ced the room key. Ced made sure the door was locked before he joined the others in exploring the vast suite. Two of the bedrooms had double queen size beds in them, Angel and Rose took one, and Toni took the other. Both of those rooms had built-in bathrooms, and the last bedroom was the master suite with a king size bed in it. So, basically, the suite was a three-bedroom apartment with four restrooms, a small kitchenette, and a fabulous balcony that looked out over the Mediterranean Sea with tables and chairs to either lounge in or have a meal at.

"Do you know what sucks about magic!?" The five sets of ears heard being yelled loudly. "It lets my backpack hold too much stuff!" the tone had changed from one of annoyance to one of humour so quickly.

"Do you know what sucks about being in the muggle world?" Vic yelled back with faux annoyance. "I can't use magic to put all of my stuff away!" Which brought a laugh from all of the people in the suite.

When they had almost finished putting all of their stuff away, Vic just stopped. She just stopped putting her clothes away and started stripping off all of her clothes, she was standing there in her bra and panties and took off her bra letting it hit the floor. Then she started to massage her breasts.

"It's been a long time since the girls have been confined for this long!" Vic said to her mates.

This was all Cici needed to start shedding her clothes, and soon she was standing there completely naked, rubbing her breasts also.

"You're right! It feels so good to let the girls out for a while!" Cici told her soul-mate.

"I wonder what we're doing tonight?" Vic asked.

"I don't know," Cici told her.

Vic moved back over to the bed and found one of Ced's old t-shirts and some loose-fitting shorts. Cici did the same thing, and together they walked barefoot across the suite to Toni's room. Rose and Angel caught site of their cousin's padding across the suite, and they exited their room in a similar state of dress.

Cici knocked on Toni's door. "Come!" the older woman called out to the door.

Cici pushed the door open, and the four younger women found the fifth dressed in an oversized t-shirt also, standing there barefoot.

"What are we doing tonight?" Vic asked her. As the four girls filed into the spacious bedroom.

"I don't know. I was going to ask you girls what you wanted to do tonight."

"What I don't want to do, is to go out there and get hit on by every guy in the city," Rose told them bluntly.

"Well, baby, that means that we're going to stay home with all of the lights turned out so nobody can see us!" Toni told her almost but not quite sympathetically.

"Really? Is this what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life?" Rose asked in a whine.

"Yes, honey. Until you get married, and even that doesn't slow the most desperate of men down," looking up and at the door. "Or in Ced's case, women."

The four girls turned to look at Ced, they had all seen him get hit on by different women, even this last trip to the salon had been a close call with the young witch trimming his fingernails. How the girl had turned trimming his nails into a sexual act was beyond him, but somehow or another she had done it. It had happened when the seven women had accepted the offer of a free facial with the mani-pedi. With all of their eyes covered, Ced was basically left alone in the salon with the girl doing his nails, and she had used that opportunity to turn the manicure into an act of sexual pleasure as she tried to seduce Ced.

With Cici on one side of Ced and Vic on the other, the two women sat up straight in their chairs, the cucumber slices falling into their laps, they tried to focus on what was disturbing their husband so much. Catching the girl in the act of seducing Ced, their wands jumped into their hands. With two screeches, worthy of two small dragons, the women started to attack the nail tech with stinging jinxes, driving her away from their mate. The screeches were all it took for the other five women to sit up and see what the danger was. They watched as Cici and Vic, with their faces contorted in rage, drove the interloper off.

Toni looked over at Hermione, "They really can't take him anywhere, can they?"

Hermione looked over at her, "Nope."

The other five women were all shaking their heads, 'no.'

.

They decided that since this was a film festival, they would go to see a movie. So, dinner and a movie it was. They chose a sidewalk café off of the beaten path. Although the trio could speak beautiful French, they couldn't really read it. So, Toni ordered for the group.

As they were finishing up dessert, two young men in their twenties came over to the table and began speaking to the four younger women. They had been in Cannes less than twenty-four hours, and their first mission was starting to happen.

First, they walked to a club, and from that club, much later, the two guys wanted to move to a second 'special' club, and that their friends would drive them. At this point, Ced and Zia Toni begged off saying that they didn't feel well and that they would see the others in the morning. Vic got in the car with Angel and Cici got in the other car with Rose.

Back at the hotel, Ced was collecting the backpacks as quickly as he could. All of the women had left their body armour in their packs along with their utility belts, restocked with potions. Uncle Lupin had shown up the day that Angel's mum had come over yelling and screaming, he had brought with him another set of long underwear and a new suit of armour for Angel. Like Ced's armour, Angel's had taken a beating from the automatic weapons fire, and everyone agreed that it would be best to replace it.

While Ced had been collecting backpacks, Toni had been on the phone arranging back up for later in the night, when the phone call had dissolved into an argument.

"The French government is pulling their support for the mission," Toni told Ced.

"Then why did they want us to come to Cannes?"

"Someone had forgotten that next week is the film festival."

"So, what happens now?"

"Now, we are on our own. The French government doesn't want the bad publicity that a large-scale raid will generate. What happened in Rome is still fresh in their memory."

"So, how do they expect us to get our people out?"

"They don't care, you are private contractors and all. They said that they will pay you through the end of next week to fulfil their end of the contract."

"So, they are paying us to go away."

"Yes, it seems that way," Toni told him sadly.

"Cici and Vic have heard everything, and they're in agreement that we go in and save the girls. The French can clean up the mess we're about to make."

Ced collected his backpack that had all of the other packs in it. He walked out on to the balcony, Toni was following him to see what it was that he was going to do. Ced held his arm out to her, and she walked over to him, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in tight against his hard torso, then they were standing across the street from the hotel. Ced released Toni to stand on her own again.

"Well, that is more enjoyable than portkeying," she told him as they started to walk across the street to the valet.

"And faster than waiting for the elevator."

Toni gave the valet the claim stub for her rental van, and once they were in the van, she asked Ced where they girls were.

Ced gave her a set of cross streets to plug into the GPS to get them going in the right direction.

"Rose and Angel are both in agreement with Cici and Vic," Ced told Toni.

"Well, at least the team is all in agreement on this," Toni replied to him, grimly.

It was almost two in the morning when Ced started to get ready. Cici and Vic had both told him that almost all of the girls that had been abducted were all college-aged girls or a little older. And again, the human traffickers had put a spy into the group to keep a watch on the girls.

Cici started on the spy, "Do you believe in the supernatural?" she asked the hate-filled young woman.

"No, why would I believe in something like that?" the hate inside of her spilling out in her words.

"Because, I have summoned Death, and Death is going to come and collect what belongs to it tonight."

"Try your little mind games on someone else. The only thing that is getting collected tonight is our fee for capturing you!"

"Believe what you want, but Death is on his way as we speak." Cici switched to Farsi. "And he brings with him his three brothers, War, Famine, and Conquest."

Ced appeared between the spy and his wife, the girl screamed as loud as she could, the foreigner had been right, Death had come, and his hand was stretched out to her. Then everything went black and blank.

Ced dropped the backpack full of packs and stunned the screaming traitor in front of him. All of the other girls in the room began to scream also, as the lights in the room went out. He bound the spy with chains and began to stun the other girls in the room. He spun around when he heard the door open behind him and stunned the slaver carrying an older Kalashnikov, his next spell was a diffindo to cut the slavers hand off so he couldn't pull the trigger on the assault weapon. The curse cauterised the cut, keeping the terrorist from bleeding out where he lay. Ced turned and stunned the last four of the fifteen girls in the room. He levitated the body of the guard into the room and then he summoned the rifle and the severed hand to the corner where the body lay. Softly Ced closed the door so the four women could get changed.

" _Really? No knickers, Dark One?"_

" _Hey! This was supposed to be my night! This wasn't supposed to happen!"_ Cici thought to her as she pulled on the long underwear.

Vic just shook her head as she held her wife's body armour to help her get dressed.

" _You should probably put the spell on the long underwear to support your breasts,"_ Vic told her.

" _Thanks, Little One,"_ Cici told her as she brushed her free hand over her chest. She could feel the charm take effect, relieving some of the weight off of her back.

"We're ready," the voice growled behind him.

"Find the girls, don't worry about the electronics or the terrorists," Ced's voice growled at them. "I'll take this floor, the rest of you take the second floor," Ced told the team.

He opened the door and cleared the hallway, he turned and headed for the next door. Stun and go. Stun and go. If they raised a weapon at him, they got hit with an _expulso_ and a stunner. Ced was using _reductos_ on the doors to open them. This mission was turning out to be quick and dirty.

The four women were using a run and gun technique as they worked their way to the second floor to find more of the girls. Just like Ced, if someone raised a weapon at them, they got hit with something more than a stunner, more than one slaver got thrown into a wall and then stunned for their efforts.

Less than ten minutes later, the women had found where the human traffickers were keeping the rest of the girls they had abducted. They found five rooms with more than a dozen girls in each room, there were no beds. But at least they were clothed, even if some of the clothing looked like it had been ripped off of the girl's body forcefully. The four of them each took a room with Cici and Vic telling Ced that they needed his help to check over a room of girls. Ced shifted to Vic's side, and then he went to find the room that needed his help. Thankfully, none of the girls was severely injured.

It took longer to heal the captured girls than it did to subdue the terrorists. At half past four, the tired group of teens got back to the van and a tired Toni.

"You know, sitting out here alone for this long, and staying awake is hard!" Toni told them as they walked up to the van.

When the group got to the van, they had already removed their balaclavas, and the girls were shaking their hair out. Ced pulled the side door open, and the four girls and the one guy climbed into the back of the van.

"They are going to need enough ambulances for seventy- five to eighty abducted girls. We didn't count the terrorists or bag any of the electronics in the building," Cici told their driver.

"Seventy-five or eighty?" Toni asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, the spy is wrapped in chains, and she said that they already had a buyer for all of the girls," Vic told her.

"Already? Where did they get all of the girls from?" Toni asked in wonder.

"We'll never know, because the government wants to stick its collective head in the sand and pretend like none of this happens!" Ced said from the backseat of the van.

The group of them sat there and waited for the first ambulance to arrive, then Toni turned the van around, and they headed back to the hotel to get some sleep.

.

All of them had finally awoken before noon, Toni was sitting curled up on the couch, her feet tucked under her as she sat there lost in thought, the telly was on, but she wasn't watching anything on the screen.

Cici walked over to her and started to rub her back as she sat there. "What's wrong?"

"Headquarters, they're upset that we went ahead with the mission. They want to call me in. Probably to discipline me for not following orders," Toni told her gloomily.

"Well, the way I see it, it was a rescue mission to save our fellow colleges in arms! If they think that I'm just going to abandon my wives and friends, well then, they have a lot to learn about honour and integrity," Ced told her as he started looking for something to eat in the place.

"There's no food, we've already looked," Angel told him.

"Humph! Does anybody want to go to Mantua or Ferrara?" Ced asked. "We could take a portkey to the beach house, and then take another portkey to Venice, and from there we could drive it," then he looked at Toni, "I should say you could drive us!"

"Is there food somewhere in this plan?" Rose asked, and then her stomach growled as if to emphasise her statement.

"Any bets the elves beat us to the island?" Ced asked the others.

All of them looked at Toni. "I'm all for it! I am so sick and tired of them yelling at me for doing what it is that they want me to do!"

After all of them got packed, Ced had Angel make a portkey out of a piece of hotel stationery. They turned the rental van in and walked to an alley where they portkeyed to the island. As they walked to the front doors of the beach house, the front doors opened for them. The elves had beaten them to the beach house.

.

It was a fabulous meal that the elves prepared for them as the group put their clean clothes away and their dirty clothes in the laundry hampers. Rose had walked down the hall to check how Toni was doing with all of her clothes.

"Would you mind if I helped you?" Rose asked Toni.

"Well, I don't know if there is anything that you could do to help! I have to put all of these clothes on hangers and get them hung up! Then I have all of my delicates that need to be put away. I really love what Ced did to this bag, but it lets me pack to much stuff!" Toni said with a laugh and a smile. It felt good to laugh again, if only for a moment.

"Here, watch this," Rose said as she pulled Toni back from the bed. Her wand ejected into her hand, with a flick and a swish, all of Toni's clothes were flying through the air, this way and that. Drawers were opening and closing on their own, shoes were headed for the shoe rack in the closet, and in less time than it was taking Toni to get a hanger, pull out a dress, hang the dress, and then repeating the same steps over and over, it was all done!

After lunch, Ced walked into the study to look through the box of portkeys, Cici picked up on his look of astonishment.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"There's a portkey to Banca in Mantua, filed under Italy." He told her.

"Really? There's a portkey straight to the bank in Mantua? Is there one for Ferrara?" Cici asked curiously.

Ced flipped through the portkeys, "No," he told her.

Ced led the group out onto the front lawn of the house for some odd reason, they had portkeyed from the living room, but for some odd reason, Ced took them out into the warm sunshine. He held out the portkey, and when everyone was touching it, he activated it.

.

The inside of the bank was fabulously decorated, the old paintings on the walls watched the group of them walk by as they approached one of the goblin tellers.

"May I help you?" the teller asked Ced, almost in a snarl.

Ced gave the teller the formal goblin greeting with a slight bow.

The goblin was taken aback at the formality and the respect shown to him by this young wizard. He looked over the group, "Please, follow me, Lord Potter." And the goblin hopped down from his chair and walked around the counter to lead the group to a private room. "Master Sharpstone will be here in a moment." And he closed the door behind him.

Angel had already conjured enough chairs for all of them Ced noticed when he turned around and looked.

"What was that creature?" Toni asked when the door had closed.

"Those are Goblins, they run the banks in the Wizarding World," Rose told her softly. "You really don't want to be too rude to them."

"But he looked surprised when Ced said all of that stuff and then he gave him a little bow."

"That's because most of the Wizarding World considers them to be inferior beings. So, they don't treat them with the respect that they should," Ced told her.

"So, they're rude to them because they're different than they are?"

"Yes, that about sums it up," Angel told her as the next goblin walked into the room.

Ced stood up and greeted the goblin in Gobbledygook and with a bow. The goblin manager was totally taken aback by Ced's courtesy and respect.

After returning the formal greeting and bow, the manager asked, "How may I help you today, sir?"

"Our friend here," gesturing to Toni, "Would like to claim her family's vault or vaults," Ced told him.

"Does she know the name on the vault?" the goblin asked getting leery of the request.

"My ancestor's name was Isabella d'Este," Toni told him.

"And do you have identification, mam?" Sharpstone asked.

Toni lifted her purse and opened it, she reached in to remove her wallet, and show him her driver's license, "Here."

The goblin frowned at the muggle form of identification.

"Is there a problem?" Ced asked.

"No, let me go and verify and then there will be documents that need to be signed and ancestry that needs to be certified," Sharpstone told them. "Would you like some refreshments while you wait?"

"Yes, please," Ced told him.

"I will send someone in with refreshments." And he closed the door behind him.

A long while later, Sharpstone returned with a stack of parchment, he set it down on the edge of the desk and then took his seat.

"Yes, there is a vault for Isabella d'Este. It is one of the older vaults here at this branch." He pulled the top piece of parchment and laid it in front of Toni. "This is the form to verify that you are as you claim to be, a blood descendant of Isabella d'Este. Read the form, then you will sign it with this quill. This is a blood quill, you will be signing this document with your blood as the ink for the quill, it can be unpleasant. After you sign it, then you will place your thumb in the circle at the bottom of the page."

"So, it's a blood contract," Toni said flatly.

At this comment, the goblin looked up at Toni sharply, and then he recovered his composure.

Toni read over the form carefully, then she laid the form back on the desk and signed it with the quill the goblin provided. She winced at the pain and then she placed her thumb in the circle and waited for the sharp pricking. Then she stuck her thumb in her mouth as the goblin took the piece of parchment. And they all waited. Then on the second page, Toni's family tree started to grow, showing her daughter, her mother and all of the other relatives that she didn't know that she had, going all the way back past Isabella, to her parents and her grandparents, grandparents.

When the family tree finished growing, Sharpstone picked up the other stack of parchment and handed it to Toni, "These are the contents of your vaults," he told her.

Toni looked down at the stack of parchment.

"How many vaults does she have?" Ced asked casually.

"She has two here, and four in Ferrara. I will have the verification forms sent over to the branch bank there, so she can claim her vaults there also. Would you like to go and see your vaults at this time?" Sharpstone asked her.

Toni hadn't heard a word that was spoken since the time that he handed her the stack of parchment. All that kept going through her head was, 'I am a magical!'

"May I see my family tree again, please?" she asked Sharpstone shyly.

"Of course!" and he handed the piece of parchment back to her.

She looked it over carefully, "Does this show all of my relatives from Isabella to me? Like here," and she turned the form around so Sharpstone could look at it. "This person here his line ends at this point, and for this person here, her line flows out and then it stops also. Are my mother, daughter, and I the only living relatives of Isabella?"

"Yes, because if you look here, you can see that your mother is an only child, you are an only child, and your daughter is an only child. These other lines, have all died out for one reason or another, leaving only you. How is it that you found out about these vaults?" Sharpstone asked smoothly.

"From a very old friend," Toni wasn't going to give up her source that easy!

Toni looked down at the stack of parchment again.

"So, this really is all mine?" she asked starting to get that giggly feeling running through her. If half of all of this was in there, then she was filthy-filthy rich!

"Yes, my Lady."

"Lady?"

"Yes, your title would be Duchess of Mantua," Sharpstone informed her. "Now, if you would please follow me, we still have much to do!"

The group stood up to follow Sharpstone to Toni's vaults.

.

Inside the front, and in the centre of the second vault was a small pedestal, and on the pedestal was a wand tied to a very old and yellowed envelope that when looked at, was sealed with the wax seal of the Duke and Duchess of Mantua.

Toni picked up the envelope and the wand, and when her hand touched the wand, the wand felt warm and inviting to her. She slipped the wand out from under the ancient ribbon holding it to the envelope. She looked around the room for something to slip under the flap of the old envelope. She walked over and picked up a jewel-encrusted knife and used that to break the wax seal. Then she started to read the letter that was inside, still holding the wand in one hand, and the knife in the other.

.

 _To my beloved offspring,_

 _._

 _I hope that you have found this letter and that not too much time has gone by. It was with the heaviest of hearts that I have done what I did. This is my wand, the wand that I used to do the unthinkable with. If it has been less than one-thousand years, then what I have done can be undone, but if time greater than one-thousand years has passed, then it is permanent, then you are as you will forever be._

 _._

 _Isabella d'Este, Marchesa Mantua_

.

When she had finished reading, she turned to face the others, tears were making tracks down her cheeks

"Is it safe for the rest of us to enter the vault Sharpstone?" Ced asked.

"Yes, as long as she gives you permission," he said as he looked at Toni.

"May we enter your vault?" Cici asked the older woman.

"Yes, all of you may enter my vault," she said smiling, the tears were tears of joy.

There were hundreds and hundreds of years of wealth built up in the two vaults. On one wall of the vault were shelves of books, and some of the books were letter diaries. Diaries of the letters that Isabella had written to her family and friends so that she could keep track of what she had written to whom. Vic handed her one of the diaries and Toni looked at it, then she closed it and tucked it under her arm to take with her so she could read it tonight.

"Look! A box of portkeys!" Ced exclaimed. "There's even one to Ferrara! We could use that tomorrow if you like!" Ced said to Toni.

"Yes, go ahead and take it. That way we won't have to spend the time driving." She said to him absentmindedly. She had started looking at the walls of stuff in 'her' vault.

.

That night as she sat in the chair next to the reading lamp in her room …

 _._

 _6 March 1492_

 _._

 _My Dearest Gertie,_

 _._

 _It is with extreme gladness that I write to you to tell you the fantastic news. I was betrothed to Fernand of Mantua! I know that I am only eight, but since the betrothal, I have been travelling with mama. I am meeting a lot of new and exciting people! The things that mama can do and the power of her influence amazes me! We should be returning to Ferrara sometime next year._

 _._

 _Bella_

 _._

 _._

 _10 October 1499_

 _._

 _Dearest Gertie,_

 _._

 _Fernand has not touched me or kissed me since the wedding ceremony. He does not seem to know or desire the pleasures that a fifteen-year-old woman can bring him! Mama is worried that if I do not produce an heir to the throne soon, I may lose my control over Fernand. I have tried to explain to her that he prefers the thrill of the hunt more than he prefers the pleasures of a woman, of which I am not yet. She has instructed me to try harder._

 _._

 _Bella_

 _._

 _._

 _9 June 1502_

 _._

 _Gertie,_

 _._

 _At last, Fernand has expressed an interest in the pleasures that I have in store for him, now that I am eighteen. It has been three long years of worry and stress that I could be unseated by the lack of desire of a child. At this time, his satisfaction comes quickly and is what is most important. As yet, he has been unable to satisfy my desires._

 _._

 _Bella_

 _._

 _._

 _3 November 1502_

 _._

 _Gertie,_

 _._

 _It is with great joy that I can tell you that I am expecting! As the weather turned cold and the hunt has been put on hold until the warmth of spring. Fernand has topped me almost every night, if only for a few minutes. Still, my satisfaction is second to his, with me feeling little to no pleasure. But at least my position here, though submissive, is ensured by the child that I carry._

 _._

 _Bella_

 _._

 _._

 _7 December 1505_

 _._

 _Gertie,_

 _._

 _With three children in three years, and expecting a fourth this year. I have met a stranger with good looks and dark eyes. My body was growing weary, and my mind numb from bearing so many children in such a short time, with no satisfaction from the act. He has brought to me pleasures that my husband has not. He puts my satisfaction and desires above him, and for this, I have been selling off my magic one tiny bit at a time._

 _._

 _Bella_

 _._

 _._

 _1 May 1512_

 _._

 _Gertie,_

 _._

 _With my magic almost gone, I lay here with swollen belly and breast again. With the arrival of this child next year, it will make twelve children in eight years. Who's is what, I cannot tell you as I have tried to balance my wants and desires with those of the throne's. I have given my husband no need to seek his satisfaction in the arms of another woman, as I have always provided a willing vessel for him to deposit his seed._

 _Though my lover has returned to Durmstrang, I fear for good, as I have no more magic to give him. It is with a heavy heart that I have begun binding the magic in the children so they will not know the curse that it has become._

 _._

 _Bella_

 _._

 _._

 _6 March 1527_

 _._

 _Gertie,_

 _._

 _It is finished, I have bound the magic in all of my children so they will never know the curse that it can be. Maybe someday in the far distant future, someone may re-awaken it when it is no longer a curse. To lay there night after night while Fernand topped me, knowing that he preferred the hunt or a prostitute, to the pleasure that I could bring him, drove me into the arms of a thief. But how could he be a thief when I willing sold my greatest gift for the pleasures of the body._

 _My children will never know the selling of their gift as their mother has. I am leaving to travel as my mother had. I can no longer bear the depression that my prison has become, I have tried for many long years to turn a boy into a man that can gratify a willing woman. And yet, after twenty-eight long years, he has yet to bring me to gratification once. I will take with me my youngest of eight surviving children, my daughter Livia._

 _._

 _Bella_

 _._

 _._

.

 **A/N:**


	69. Year Six Chapter 69

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 69

.

.

Toni slept little that night, she didn't wake up in the morning to go running with her hosts. Her ancestor's wand lay on the nightstand next to her bed. The letter diary sat on the lamp table next to the chair that she had vacated just a few hours before. Had Isabella's home life really been that bad? Was she just existing in a gilded cage? Were there still bars that imprisoned her? Even if they were made out of gold instead of iron. Draped with silk instead of cotton. Was the handmaiden that bathed her just another form of prison guard?

Toni rolled over and crawled her way to the edge of the massive bed. She walked to the bathroom and slipped off her nightgown and tossed it across the top of the laundry hamper. She started the shower running as she used the loo. She noticed that all of her shower products were waiting for her. Then she met the kids downstairs for breakfast.

"Did you stay up and read the whole diary last night?" Rose asked her with a teasing smile.

"Yes," she told her. "It was fascinating and sad at the same time. She was betrothed at the age of eight and had all of the dreams of marriage that an eight-year-old girl would have. But her husband never loved her. He was more interested in going out and playing like a child than he was in fulfilling his role as a man. She ended up trading her magic for affection, and when she didn't have any more magic to trade, that man left her too. She saw her gift as a curse and bound the magic in all of her children. Eventually, she left her husband and started travelling very much like her mother had." Toni answered Rose's question.

"Did she tell how she had bound the magic in her children? Did she say how to undo it?" Vic asked her.

"No."

"When you picked up her wand, did you feel anything?" Cici asked.

"No. Yes! No. Yes! Wait, it felt warm to me. Does that sound right?" Toni asked confused by what she was seeing, what she was reading, and what she was feeling. This was all still so new to her! Three months ago, she was working with Vice team in Naples, and now here she was a Duchess! And last night, she learned that her ancestor was little better off than the girls that they had been rescuing! She was nothing more than a baby factory with a title. A baby factory that had failed to attract the affection of her, … owner? She guessed that one difference to be, that she was at least able to get up and leave. And leave she did.

"It's good that you felt something," Ced told her. "The magic in the wand recognised the magic that is in you. At least she didn't strip her children of their magic, she only bound it inside of them."

.

They were landing outside of a large old building, there was a patch of green, but the rest of everything had been built up over the centuries. Newer buildings were pressed up against the older buildings. There were cars and people everywhere, but in this one spot, they would be able to hide their true selves. Toni was getting better at portkey travel, she no longer needed someone to support her when she landed, and if she had to admit it, it was better than sitting on an aeroplane for hours on end as the person in the seat next to you tried to take up your little bit of space too. At least with portkey travel, the discomfort was over in an instant, not dragged out for hour after hour, for hours on end.

Ced walked up and pressed the button next to the old oak door. A slot, low in the door opened and looked at them for an instant, then it slammed shut with a snap. The six of them could hear the sounds of heavy locks being unfastened, and then the door opened to them eerily quiet for its size.

Compared to the bright sunshine outside, it was dangerously dark as they walked through the door. Ced walked in, what he hoped was far enough for the rest of his party to clear the door. Then with growing darkness and a click, the door closed behind them. All they had to do now was to wait for their eyes to adjust to the darkness within the entryway of the building.

"How may I help you?" the hard voice in the darkness said to them.

Ced turned to where the voice was last. None of them wished to use a luminous charm to light their way. Their eyes were adjusting ever so slowly. Ced gave the formal greeting. And the formal reply was returned to them. And with that, the wall sconces lit up more brightly, lighting the hallway before them.

"Please, follow me, Lord Potter," the goblin told them. He led them to a private room that was large enough for the group. "Master Rookweave will be here momentarily." And he closed the door behind him as he left.

Master Rookweave was a very friendly goblin if a goblin could be friendly, "Ah, Lord Potter! Duchess Esposito! I am guessing that you are here to claim your family's vaults!" he said jovially. He sat a large stack of parchments down on the corner of the desk. He pulled the top one off of the stack and slid it across to Toni.

"But, I just did one of these yesterday!" she said dreading the use of the blood quill again.

"Yes, I understand that, and that verified your bloodline through that portion of your family. For here in Ferrara, we need to verify your bloodline to the family tree here, your ancestor's, mother's, father's side of the family. Your ancestor's, mother's mother came from Naples, and you may be able to go down there and verify your bloodline and claim those vaults also!"

With the pricking of her thumb, the group watched as her family tree grew on the second page of the Bloodline Verification Form, and then the branch that the goblin was looking for appeared, and he handed her the second stack of parchment that was the inventory of the four vaults in Ferrara. Down at the vaults, all of them could see that it wasn't just money, gold, silver, copper, and bronze coins that were in the vaults. There was a thousand years' worth of wealth that had been stored up in these vaults, plus the interest that was paid on the money in these vaults. But there was still no spell or ritual given to undo the binding of the magic.

When they had finished with the vaults in Ferrara, they apparated back to Mantua to get the rest of the letter diaries and anything else that Isabella may have written.

"You're going to need to select a home bank and get yourself a debit card and/or a credit card issued to you," Ced told her as they walked back down the path to the beach house.

"Do you want to read inside, or outside?" Cici asked her as they carried the load of diaries to the library.

"Both!" Toni told her, "We can read out on the beach until it gets too dark to read out there, and then we can read here, in the house until we fall over from lack of sleep!"

All of them enjoyed the laugh that had brought.

"While the girls are reading the diaries, I think that you and I need to look over the inventory of your different vaults and your new real-estate holdings, plus whatever businesses that you may own and not know about," Ced told Toni.

"What are you talking about? What new real-estate? What businesses?" Toni asked him confused.

"It is only logical that your relatives owned houses in different parts of the world, especially if they were magical. The beach house here, this was one of several different houses that my family has passed down through the generations. We need to do two things as quickly as possible, the first is to find a way to reverse what Isabella has done, and the second is, to visit as many of your homes as possible so that your magic can recharge the wards that protect those homes from intruders," Ced told her gravely.

"But how are we going to get to all of the different houses?"

"Remember that box of portkeys?"

"Yes."

"It would only make sense, that they would have a portkey to each house unless the houses were close enough to apparate to."

"Oh, okay."

So Ced sent Toni upstairs to get the inventory list that the goblins had given her the other day when they went to the bank in Mantua, then he spread out the two different inventory lists on the large tables in the library.

"Okay, it's all in Italian, so, I'm going to need you to translate it for me," Ced told her as he looked the pages of holdings over.

"Their penmanship is beautiful! Look how elegant it is! So, the goblins, that's what you called them, right? The goblins don't use computers at all? It's all handwritten?" she asked him as she looked over the list of houses that she owned now. "Hey! I have a house in Greece also!" she exclaimed, hoping that it was a beach home like this one.

"We should bring all of the portkeys back with us so we can match up the portkey to the house."

"This says that I own the Ducale Palace in Mantua! I own a Palace!"

"And what about this one here?" Ced pointed out the second Palace to her.

"Oh, my gosh! I own a second palace? I'm rich!" her hands covered her mouth, but it couldn't cover the smile that had reached all the way to her eyes. As the only living blood relative, she was the rightful heir of the two palaces.

"Here, what does this say?" Ced pointed out, 'Castello Estense.'

"It's Isabella's father's castle, Castle Este." Toni was growing quiet.

"And what's this?" Ced pointed to another, 'Palazzo dei Diamanti.'

"Palace of Diamonds." The enormity of what she owned was starting to weigh on her.

"And this?" Ced pointed to a couple of other names. 'Palazzo Schifanoia and Ludovico Il Moro Palace.'

Toni found the two pieces of parchment that showed her family tree, and she used her finger to trace back until she found the names. "The one would have been Isabella's uncle, and the one's name means to Escape from Boredom." She looked up at Ced, they built a palace because they were bored?"

"They could have! It seems that your family was extremely wealthy. But it also seems that they had a lot of bad luck. Do you want to go outside and see if the girls have had any luck?"

"Yes, let's go catch some sun before it goes down." She looked up at him with a smile. It seemed like there had been a lot of inbreeding in the family to keep the wealth in the family. Maybe, what Isabella did was for the best after all.

After changing, the two of them stopped by the potions lab to grab a couple of vials of sunblock before they headed out the door to the beach. Toni was maybe two steps out of the door when she started to peel her coverup off, and her bikini top was coming off also. Ced peeled his pullover shirt off, exposing his muscular chest and hard abs.

"It is so beautiful here!" she said as she massaged her breasts with her hands for a moment.

As they walked over the small sand dune, they could hear the girls talking and laughing loudly. It seemed like they were having a lot of fun. And the sounds of laughter were infectious. By the time that Ced and Toni had gotten there, they were wearing smiles also.

"What's so funny?" Toni asked when she got close enough.

"Isabella's husband!" Rose told her.

"What a wanker!" Angel exclaimed.

"He would rather go to the loo and rub one out on his own, …" Vic was saying.

"Then make love to his wife!" Cici finished.

"Yeah! He was a real, 'tosser!'" Angel told them loudly.

All of the girls dissolved into laughter again, and again, the laughter was infectious, with Toni and Ced joining in with some small laughter of their own.

"Hey?! When can we go back to get paid?" Angel asked Toni suddenly.

"How about not this Monday, but next Monday? So, they can't complain too much." Toni suggested.

"Okay."

"Did you have any luck in finding the spell or ritual that Isabella used?" Ced asked the girls.

"Oh yeah! It's in this book over here! We set it off to the side so we wouldn't lose it. But just reading what she wrote to her other friends and relatives, oh my Godric! The guy never wanted to grow up! The only time that she could get the guy to have sex with her was when he was home alone and drunk!"

"And in almost thirty years! He never once helped her reach her climax!"

"Thirty years!?" Toni exclaimed. "No wonder she left him!"

"She had a lot of kids though!" Rose shouted.

"Between her lover and her husband being drunk most of the winters no wonder she didn't know which kid was whose!" Cici told them.

"She was definitely fertile!" Vic told them.

"Yeah, she was, this woman could get pregnant on a whim!" Angel told Toni.

"What are you looking at me for?" Toni asked.

"Your daughter! Isabella's blood flows through your veins and into your daughter's!" Rose told her.

"How often was Isabella pregnant?" Cici asked Toni.

"A lot!"

"What was it? One kid a year for twelve years or so?"

"Yes. OH MY GOSH! Sofi!" Toni exclaimed, her eyes growing large at the thought of her thirteen-year-old daughter having a child.

"Yeah, if she's got Isabella's fertility, you could be a grandmother in the next twelve months! If she's not careful." Vic told her seriously.

.

The group of six to a portkey to Naples and then walked the short distance to the private bank.

"Lord Potter, Duchess Esposito." The goblin greeted them as they entered through the private entrance to the bank. She led them across the lobby of the small banking centre to a larger private room. "Master Rokspar will be with you shortly," she addressed them.

Several minutes later, and angry looking goblin entered the room, Ced stood up and gave the formal greeting in Gobbledygook followed by a bow. This helped lighten the goblin's demeanour considerably, the rumours that had been spreading through the goblin community here in Italy, were real! Here was a young Lord showing respect to those of the Goblin Nation!

"You have come to claim your ancestor's vaults?" Rokspar addressed Toni.

"Yes, it was suggested that I come back to Naples to claim my family's vaults," Toni said to the much older looking creature sitting across from her. This was all still so new to her! Just a couple of weeks at that!

"Well, the holdings in your family vaults are still safe, although, all of your real-estate holdings were wiped out centuries ago through feudal warfare and conquest. Castel Nuovo, that was built by your ancestors and held for a few generations, but then lost in battle, along with all but a very few of your relatives." Then Rokspar took the top piece of parchment and slid it across to Toni.

Toni grimaced when she saw what it was, but she read it carefully, it was worded just like the other two had been. She signed it and placed her other thumb in the circle for the bloodline verification.

Rokspar took the second piece of parchment and unfolded it to make room for the family tree that was growing on it, tracing back close to six-hundred years to a set of grandparents that she never knew she had. When he saw the correct names appear on the sheet, Rokspar handed Toni the second stack of parchment. Toni flipped to the back of the stack, and like the goblin had told her, she only had a few houses that now belonged to her.

"May we go see the vaults, please?" Toni asked politely.

"Yes, follow me," Rokspar told them, and he led them out the second door in the room.

The two large vaults were filled with a thousand years' worth of wealth. Toni looked at the inventory list in her hands and what she saw in the vaults.

"Rokspar," Ced asked. "Would it be possible to have all of her different vaults brought together into just one large vault?"

"Well, sir. If she goes to Taranto to claim the family vault there, then I would suggest that she open an ancestral vault in Rome, at the main branch there. They have the largest vaults here in Italy. But yes, it could be done, and it would save her a considerable number of galleons a year, just don't let my boss know that I told you that!" the goblin chuckled at his own joke.

"May we enter your vault?" Cici asked.

"Yes!" Toni said as she stood there trying to come to grips with what was happening to her life.

Inside the vault, it was more of the same; gold, silver, copper, bronze. Weapons and jewels, jewellery and clothes. There were shelves lined with books, pottery, and figurines.

"Rokspar, would it be possible to get a portkey to Taranto, so we can finish up today?" Ced asked the goblin politely.

The girls had taken to looking through the diaries as quickly as possible, looking for more clues, seeing what life had been like for royalty so many centuries ago, was it really all that different now? For Cici and Vic, their futures had been chosen for them, just like Isabella's future had been chosen for her. Thankfully for them, their husband loved and respected them, he valued their input and respected their opinions.

"Yes, sir. I can have one made while you wait," Master Rokspar told him.

Rose was staring at the paintings in the two different vaults, she was looking at them, comparing them, examining the brush strokes that made them. The blending of colour, she lived in an art museum, she went to school in an art museum, and she spent most of her free time in an art museum. But this, all of these different pieces that she had been seeing since her arrival in Italy, had begun to stir something in her soul. It touched her, it spoke to her in ways that all of the old portraits never would, even if they could talk to her.

"Are you ready to go, Rose?" Cici asked her friend.

"Hum? Oh, yeah, let's go." She told Cici.

"They're pretty, aren't they?" Cici whispered to her as they walked back to the lobby of the bank, arm in arm.

A bit later, Rokspar handed Ced a portkey to take them directly to the bank in Taranto. The two of them parted company with the traditional sayings.

Then they were landing behind the bank in Taranto. Once again, Ced walked up to the private entrance and pressed the button next to the door, and once again a goblin greeted them by name, and once again, formalities were observed. Another room, another form, and then they were going down to look at an old vault dating back a thousand years.

"This vault looks like it has been enlarged over the years," Ced commented to the goblin.

"Yes, it has been."

Ced examined the ceiling in the vault, he could see the different markings of where different people had enlarged the vault at least four times to make room for the wealth of people that everyone but the history books, had forgotten about. If Toni wanted to know more about her ancestors, then she would need to read their diaries, but did she want to learn about young girls being sold off into loveless marriages through betrothal contracts? Of conquests on the battlefield and in the bedroom? The sinking of dreams and of ships? Or was she going to use her new-found wealth to forge a brighter future for her, her daughter, and her mother?

"I'm ready to leave," Toni announced suddenly.

"Okay, where did you want to go next?" Angel asked her.

"Let's grab the diary and go visit Harry and Hermione," Toni said with some firmness. She needed to get her magic back. If she was going to have a future in this world, she needed to have her magic back. Colin, Colin stirred things in her that she hadn't felt since she was a school girl. She was done with Interpol and their politics.

.

Back at the beach house, Toni asked Cici if she could help her pack so they could leave all the sooner. She made sure that all of the bank forms, detailing her new-found wealth, were in the pack also. Together, with their backpacks on their shoulders, they touched the portkey and were sucked in by their navels.

It was raining in England as they fell out of the sky, as soon as they landed, all of the magicals cast a water repelling charm on themselves, Vic flicked her hand at Toni and cast the charm on her too.

"Lord Potter, Ladies Potter, Duchess Esposito," Charles greeted them. "Duchess, you may have the same room as before," Charles informed her.

"Thank you, Charles," she replied to the ancient elf. "Charles, how old are you?" Toni asked suddenly.

Charles eyed her, he looked at her, and he looked inside of her.

She felt that he was weighing her soul with the way that he was looking at her.

Choosing to trust her, "I am over six-hundred years old, but less than seven-hundred. Why do you ask?"

"Because, I have learned that I may have properties that might still have house elves, and I am worried about their wellbeing, about their health, if they're doing okay, I guess." Toni knew nothing about being the Lady of a House, she knew how to be a police officer, how to arrest the bad guys and make the charges stick. She wasn't even raising her own daughter!

.

"What brings all of you home so soon?" Hermione asked as Toni, Ced, and his wives sat down for dinner with the family that night. Angel and Rose had flooed home shortly after they arrived at the Potter mansion, promising to see them in the morning for their workout.

"Well, we found the ritual to undo what Isabella has done," Cici told her.

"But it's a ritual," Vic said.

Toni was watching and listening to what was being said. She may not understand all of it, but she was learning.

"A ritual," Hermione frowned. Then she ordered the fish for dinner.

Toni seeing what appeared on Hermione's plate ordered the same for herself.

"So, what are you thinking?" Harry asked the kids.

"That we might need to talk with Mask and Aunt Am. To get permission to perform a ritual," Ced answered his dad.

"So, how did things go in France? Not well, I take it if you're home already," Harry said to them.

"Oh, it went well enough," Cici said.

"We rescued close to eighty-five college-aged women," Vic told him.

"Yeah, after Interpol told us not to do anything because the host country didn't want any negative publicity! They expected me to leave my wives and friends behind!" Ced said forcefully, setting his utensils down a little harder than he had intended.

"They're going to pay us through the week and then we're done," Vic told her parents.

Hermione looked at Toni, "Did you go and claim your vault?"

"Yes, the goblins were actually very helpful," Toni told her. "It's amazing that they don't use computers!"

"It is, isn't it!" Hermione said. "What did you discover in your vault?"

"Well, we started with the vaults in Mantua, and then the next day we went to Ferrara and claimed the vaults there. You know, those blood quills hurt! But from there, they suggested that I claim my families vaults in Naples! I have lived in Naples for most of my life, and I never even suspected that, … anyway, the goblin there suggested that I go to Taranto and see if I could claim my ancestor's vaults there. From there we went to the beach house and packed up and came here for your help."

"And, what did you discover?" Hermione urged her on.

Toni sat there quietly for a while, thinking about what she had discovered, "I discovered that I'm now a Duchess, that my family has acquired a thousand years of wealth that has sat untouched for a thousand years. That I have no idea how to run a household, and I have Isabella's wand, which Ced told me is responding to the magic inside of me. And that maybe, what she did in anger, worked out for the best. Out of four families, my mother, myself, and my daughter are all that is left."

"Well, it's good that the wand is responding to your magic. That gives us hope that we can restore your magic," Hermione told her soothingly.

After dinner, the adults retired to the sitting room to discuss the ritual.

Vic looked at Toni and asked, "Do you mind?"

"Do I mind what?"

"Do you mind if I summon the diary to us, so we can look at the ritual, and see what is involved," Vic asked her respectfully. She didn't want to go into what happened at the last ritual that had been performed.

"No, go ahead," Toni told her.

Vic summoned the diary to herself and Toni watched as the black book with the lavender ribbon tied around it came sailing into the room. Vic untied the ribbon with care, and then she opened the diary to the correct entry.

"Toni, could you read to us the different steps of the ritual?" Vic asked her. She had just assumed that no one else in the room could read Italian.

Toni stood up and started to read the ritual out loud to the others in the room. Soon, all of them but Toni could feel the magic building inside of the room, and they quickly put shields around themselves. Without Toni's knowledge, Isabella's wand came flying through the open doors of the sitting room and landed on the table next to the diary. Then without thinking, Toni picked up the wand and started to wave and flick the wand about, as she continued to read the ritual out loud. No one heard Cathaoir as he landed outside of the sitting room doors and sat down, blocking the doorway. The swirling wind in the room was causing loose papers to fly about, the candles in the wall sconces flickered, threatening to go out with the next gust of magically charged air. And still, Toni continued to read the ritual, louder now, to make herself heard above the wind in the room. She came to the end of the second page and flipped the page without missing a beat, then, halfway down the page, Toni was struck by multiple bolts of visible magic simultaneously. Her body stood there twitching and jerking, looking as if she were having a seizure, and then, the magic released her suddenly, and she collapsed on the carpet like an old rag doll. The wind in the room died down, the candles stopped their flickering, the loose papers fluttered to the floor like lost feathers from a bird. A few moments later, Toni began to push herself to a sitting position.

"Are you okay?" Ced asked with a chuckle as Cici and Vic disentangled themselves so they could help her up and back into her chair.

Toni looked up at him, and then she felt her hair, it was a mess! What had happened to her? How did she wind up on the floor? She remembered starting to read the ritual to the others but how did Isabella's wand get into her hand? She felt different, something in her had changed, she felt, dare she say it, powerful? Is this how the others in the room felt? She knew from being a police officer that with power came responsibility.

"Why don't we move to the training room?" Harry suggested.

" _That might be a good idea,"_ Cathaoir agreed.

That statement got everybody else's attention in the room.

"Would you mind if I carried your wand for you, Toni?" Hermione asked gently.

"Uh, yes, go ahead," she told her. She was still trying to process all of these new sensations. And she handed Hermione the wand, unsteadily.

Together, the group moved out of the sitting room and towards the training room. With a flick of her wand, Cici straightened up the sitting room as she and her mates walked out of the door holding hands.

"Why did we come in here?" Toni asked as she looked around at the bare walls.

Hermione handed her, her ancestor's wand, and Toni could feel the rush of power flow through her again. A bolt of light flew from the tip of the wand and was absorbed by the enchanted wall.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Did I do that?"

"Yup," Harry said.

Toni squeaked as another spell shot from the end of her wand and the floor absorbed it this time. The six of them got together to discuss what was happening to her, and their best guess was that Toni was experiencing bouts of accidental magic. Even while discussing this, two more bursts of accidental magic happened.

"How long is this going to happen to me?" she asked worriedly. After all, if she couldn't get control of her magic, then she was a hazard to others in public!

"Well, we're really not sure. You're a very unique case! But I will say this," Harry started trying to explain the unexplainable. "I think that it would be best if we put your wand in a safe place for tonight, and we'll have an elf stand guard over you with a fire extinguisher in case you burst into flames while you're sleeping!"

Hermione spun and backhanded Harry across the arm, "Harry James Potter! How dare you!"

"I'm going to burst into flames and die!" Toni wailed.

Vic and Cici both glared at Harry, as they moved over to start comforting Toni, for the tasteless joke and the distress that he had just put the new witch in. They pulled her away from the group and started to soothe her, and they began to talk to her about what she was experiencing. Then after they had gotten her calmed back down, they began to teach her a couple of simple spells.

"My mom was already a doctor when she got her magic," Cici started to tell Toni. "It happened the Christmas that Ced and I bonded."

"Really?" Toni looked at her with puffy eyes, and hope.

"Yes, Kitten had just received her wand, and she walked up to my mom, told her that she wasn't a muggle. Then she started to pull this curse out of her! It turns out that another witch had placed my family under a curse, seven generations ago! I was the first girl born that was no longer under the curse!"

Hermione walked over to the women, "And what I suggested to Angelica, and what I am going to suggest to you is, that you start reading some of the wizarding children's books. They're simple to read, and they show you some basic spells that are easy to learn. Just like what the girls have been teaching you."

Toni's eyes blinked at Hermione.

"Let me show you where they are in the library," Hermione said to the overwhelmed witch.

"What causes this accidental magic?" Toni asked as Hermione started leading her away from the training room and towards the library.

"I apologise for teasing you, Toni," Harry said sincerely. "But what causes the accidental magic in children, are extreme emotions, anger, fear, happiness," Harry told her, before letting her follow Hermione to the library.

"Thank you." Was all that Toni said before she turned to catch up to a waiting Hermione.

"How do you think that your daughter will take it when she finds out that she's really a witch?" Hermione asked Toni as they walked down the hallway, back to the main part of the house.

"I don't know! And Mama!"

"How old is your mother?"

"She's about as old as your parents!"

"Hum."

"Hum? And what is that supposed to mean?" Toni looked at her as the continued to walk.

"It means that I don't know how her becoming a witch at her age will affect her," Hermione said as they entered the formal living room.

"Hum."

.

The next morning, Toni joined them for their usual morning workout. After running for close to an hour, they walked into the training room. Cici and Vic took Toni off to the side to work with her some more on the very basic of magical spells.

"Okay, so, take out your wand," Cici told her.

"I don't have it."

"What do you mean, you don't have it?"

"Well, I left it up in my room. These running clothes don't have any pockets big enough to hold it."

"True, I guess that you will need to buy a wand holster. But the thing is, is that you should always, have your wand on you! Except, maybe, when you sleep." Cici scolded her lightly.

"Well, let me run upstairs and get my wand."

"Okay, we'll see you in a few minutes," Vic told her.

Once Toni was out of the room, Angel and Rose walked over to their two best friends.

"What was that all about?" Angel asked the girls as Toni walked around the corner in the hallway.

"We asked Toni to translate the ritual last night in the sitting room," Vic started to recant the story.

"And as she's reading the ritual, the magic starts to swirl around her, and her wand comes flying in the room to her!" Cici said.

"Well, Ced casts a shield spell around the three of us," said Vic.

"And Harry cast one around him and mum," Cici said.

"But there's all this wind and stuff is just flying around in the study."

"And then Toni gets hit with these bolts of magic from all over."

"And then she collapses."

"And when she comes to."

"Harry suggests that we all go to the training room."

"And we're not in here five minutes when the first bout of accidental magic shoots out of her wand!"

"Wow! Just by her reading the ritual out loud, reversed the spell that Isabella cast on her kids?" Rose asked in awe.

"Yeah, imagine my surprise!" Toni told them as she walked up behind the four girls. "But then Harry tells me that I had better be careful or I could burst into flames while I'm sleeping!"

"Really? He said that to you?" Rose asked as she turned to glared at Uncle Harry.

"Yes, he did!" Cici told Rose.

"So, we got Toni calmed down," Vic said.

"And then we started to teach her some basic spells!" Cici told them.

"And well, Hermione had me start reading some children's books, and those have a lot of simple little spells in them!"

For the next several minutes, Cici worked with Toni on some basic magic. She kept checking her magical core to make sure that it didn't get overextended to soon.

"Why do you do that?" Toni asked her.

"Well, we don't want you to overextend your magical core. In the best-case scenario, you wind up in bed for a month. In the worst case, you can die from it. And right now, your magical core is very," she wanted to say weak, but she also didn't want to insult the woman, "Small."

"Okay, so how do I know when I am reaching my limits?" Toni asked a very intelligent question.

"You get tired. You learn to feel it. When you're getting tired, and you've been using a lot of magic, you need to stop and take a break. Let your magical core recharge." Cici told her.

"And as you may have noticed," Hermione came over and caught the tail end of the conversation, "It takes a lot of calories to recharge your magical core fully."

"Is that why the girls eat so much? They just keep eating and eating, and they don't put on any weight! If I ate like they do, I'd be as big as a villa!" Toni exclaimed, her statement full of mirth, her arms out from her sides, and her cheeks puffed out.

The six women all had a good laugh.

.

The five women gathered around Ced as he pulled out the portkey to take them to Lyons, France. Back to the headquarters building for Interpol.

"I need to call mama and talk to her. I also need to talk to Sofia. Do you think that it would be okay if we took her to your parent's house?" Toni asked as they walked to the rooftop doors of the building.

"It might be better if she went to see Hogwarts first," Ced told her.

"Why, what is Hogwarts?" Toni asked.

"Hogwarts is the largest wizarding school in Britain. Its full name is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There is also a school in France called Beauxbatons, and then there is another school called Durmstrang." Ced told her, just before they reached the doors.

"She will never, go to that Durmstrang school! That is where the guy was from that convinced Isabella to give away her magic!" Toni hissed as Ced pulled the door open.

Ced and the others all shared a look of astonishment.

Seven hours later, five mentally exhausted young adults were being reassured that their money would be in their accounts on Friday as promised and agreed to in the contracts.

"Well, it's official. I am now retired!" Toni told them. "May we go to Naples, please? I need to see my family."

Ced picked up a napkin from one of the tables on the roof of the building, he walked off from the group and transformed it into a portkey.

The six of them were climbing the stairs to Toni's mother's apartment. Her daughter had been living here full time for the last several years, while Toni's work was keeping her away for days and weeks at a time. A desk job just didn't pay enough, plus, there was no overtime pay, to help out with everything. So, as a single parent, Toni was stuck doing fieldwork to earn enough to take care of her mother and her daughter.

"Mama! I am home!" Toni yelled as she opened the door to the three-bedroom apartment.

"Mama!" a young dark-haired girl with dark eyes yelled as she ran in her stocking feet to hug her mother.

Toni hugged her back just as ferociously as she was being hugged. Then she squatted down and pick up her thirteen-year-old daughter. She turned with Sofia on her hip to introduce her to her new friends.

"Sofia, this is Rose, Vic, Ced, Cici, and Angel."

Sofia, slipped off of her mother's hip to look at these strangers that were in her house. Never in her life, could she remember her mother bringing home visitors.

"Hello," Cici said as she held out her hand to the young girl. I was her age when I got married! Cici thought. So young! So small!

Sofia eyed her coolly before she tentatively accepted Cici's hand. She looked at her mother, and Toni just nodded her head.

After Toni took a couple of hours to talk with her mother and Sofia about why she had retired, she told Sofia to go to her room and fill her school backpack with all of the clothes that she would need for a week. She was going to take her on a trip. So, as Toni finished talking to her mother, who reassured her that she would be okay, Sofia went to her room and filled her backpack with clothes. Vic followed the young girl to her room to make sure that she didn't forget things like toothbrushes and knickers, or shoes.

"Yes, Antwan has been visiting me more and more as Sofi is off at school. And if what you are saying is true, then maybe he and I, well, we can spend more time together. Maybe go up to Rome and see the Vatican," Toni's mother was telling her when Sofi reappeared with her backpack stuffed to the bursting point. "Where are you going first?" The old woman looked at Ced.

"Someplace right here in Naples," he told her truthfully.

From the magical district in Naples, for the first time in her life, Sofia felt the pull from behind her navel as she was sucked into the portkey network. She had Cici on one side of her and Angel on the other as she started to fall out of the twilight sky towards a white house on an island.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	70. Year Six Chapter 70

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 70

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Amber was ten years old when she had her first bout of accidental magic. She was playing a video game while her parents worked in the other bedroom, or the office as they liked to call it. She had been doing great at the game when all of a sudden, her character died on the screen. For no reason! It made her so mad! She started to yell at the TV, when a bolt of light escaped her body and killed all of the electronics in the house, cell phones, TVs, the microwave, and worst of all, her parents' computers and laptops. The instant that the bolt of light left her body, all of the lights in the house stopped working, anything and everything electrical stopped working. The whole house was plunged into darkness, and because it wasn't a single-family home, their three neighbours were plunged into darkness too. The electric company blamed it on a voltage spike and told them that because they didn't have a whole house surge protector from them, that they weren't paying to replace anything.

Eventually, Amber's family was contacted by an organisation called MACUSA, and they told Amber's parents that they specialised in children with Amber's unique gifts. It was a private boarding school that was cheaper than replacing all of their computers again. As fast as Amber's parents could pack her up, Amber was on her way to Ilvermorny, the largest magical school in the United States. As she joined the other new students at her new school, they led her into a room with four different statues. In what seemed like an eternity to her as she stood there, the centre of attention, the Thunderbird claimed her for its house. All of the students behind the Thunderbird cheered loudly for her. It was the first time in her life that someone had cheered for her being on their team.

The next thing that she had to do was to select a wand, along with all of the other first-year students, she was led into a room with thousands of wands on display. She just followed what all of the other students were doing and walked around the room looking at all of the different wands. Eventually, another girl had a wand light up as she ran her hand over it. So, Amber held out her hand and walked around the room waiting to see what would happen. Then, eventually, for her too, a wand lit up as her hand passed over it.

"Oh, congratulations dear!" an old woman with blue-grey hair said to her enthusiastically.

Amber turned and looked at her, lost. What was she supposed to do next?

"Go ahead dear, pick it up! That's your new wand!" the old witch told her excitedly.

Amber grasped her new wand and just held it. She looked around to see what the other students were doing with their wands, and it seemed to her that they were just holding onto their wands also, and doing nothing.

In due course, Amber made friends with Gregg and Marc. To them, it didn't matter that Amber came from a no-Maj family, she was just fun to be with.

The first Christmas, Amber spent it at school. Her presents from her parents arrived and were placed on her bed, but her parents asked her not to come home because there wouldn't be anybody home with her. They had work that needed to be done, and they were going to work through the Christmas holidays.

Her first summer vacation came, and her parents were at the pickup point for the students, and as soon as her parents picked her up. The person that got her there was gone. Over the course of her first year at Ilvermorny, Amber had learned to control her magic, so accidental magic was almost a thing of the past. And to help with that, the school had made her, and all of the other students, turn in their wands. In her enthusiasm, Amber sat in the back of the car and tried to tell her parents all about what she had learned and done.

"Oh, that's nice."

"Uh-hu that's great dear."

"Yeah, that's good."

"You did? Wow, we're so proud of you."

"Honey, did you remember to send that email to the boss?"

"Just sent it right now."

"What were you saying, dear?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Amber said as she looked out of the windows of the car. This was going to be the longest summer ever.

The day her parents dropped her off to start her second year at Ilvermorny, was the happiest day of her summer. Yes, she liked the new flat screen TV and the two new game consoles. But she would rather have had her parents to spend time with her. At least one weekend.

She clapped and cheered for all of the new Thunderbirds that her house had gotten this year. She, Marc, and Gregg caught up on everything that they had done over the summer. After the sorting, while the first-years were getting their new wands, all of the returning students were going to a different room to get their wands returned to them.

Again, at Christmas, Amber's presents arrived right on time. And again, she was one of the few students that spent the holidays at school. Even most of the teachers left to go to their families. But Amber was there to greet Gregg and Marc when they got back to school. And she listened as they talked about all of the different things they had gotten for Christmas and all of the different things that they had done over the holidays.

And so, Amber's life went, being shuffled off to a boarding school for most of her time. Then at the end of her third year, Amber's parents asked the staff at school if there was a boarding school in Ireland. They were told no, but there was an excellent school in England call Hogwarts. They had the person write the information down and thanked them.

"I'll send them a letter, and let them know that you're coming," the staff member said to them.

"Oh, that would be wonderful!" Amber's mom said.

"We have just enough time to get some McDonalds before we have to catch our flight," Amber's dad said to his wife as they tossed Amber's backpack into the back seat.

Thankfully, Amber was able to sleep for most of the flight to Ireland. In Ireland, they were greeted by a company employee, in a company car, to take them to a company house.

"All of your stuff has already been delivered and put in the correct rooms for you," the petite woman told them with a heavy accent.

Jeez! They even drive on the wrong side of the road here! Amber thought to herself.

The car worked its way through the wet streets and eventually to their new home.

"I'll pick you up at seven in the morning!" the woman told her parents as she stopped in front of their new home.

"Here's the keys! Enjoy!"

Two days later an envelope shot through the mail slot on the front door of the house. Amber walked over to see what the noise was, and there laying on the floor, face up was a letter from her new school, the Hogwarts Crest staring her in the face. The letter had been sealed with an old fashion wax seal that had been embossed with the same crest that was on the front. She opened the letter and looked at it. It was unlike any letter that she had ever seen in her life. It was a welcome letter, letting her know that someone would be by to pick her up and bring her to the school. There was also a list of required items on a separate piece of thick heavy paper.

That night after her parents got home, "I'm going to need to buy some things for school."

"Okay, dear."

"Here, here's a credit card. Get what you need, just don't go crazy with it!" Her dad told her.

"Thanks, dad! You're the best!" Amber told him.

"Love you too!" he told her as he turned to go to his room.

When Amber woke up, both of her parents were gone. She poured her self a bowl of cereal and sat down in front of the telly, that's what they called the TVs here. When she was finished with her cereal, she sat the bowl on the coffee table and went upstairs to get dressed. She came back down the stairs and sat back in front of the telly to watch some really strange TV.

And this was Amber's new normal. The same as if she were still in San Francisco only now, she was in Dublin, Ireland, half a world away from the people that she knew.

On one of the days, she couldn't tell you which, it really didn't matter to her, they were all the same. Someone rang the doorbell. She walked to the door and looked through the peephole, it was an elderly woman, kind of mean looking if you asked Amber, but alas, Amber opened the front door to her new home.

"May I help you?" Amber asked her tentatively.

"Hi, I am here to see Amber Davis?" the stern looking woman told her.

"That's me," Amber said. But who knew that she was here?

"Right, well we must be going. Put on your cloak, it's raining," the woman told her.

"Cloak? I don't have a cloak."

"Well then, put on a rain slicker."

"What's a rain slicker?"

"Do you have anything to protect you from the rain and keep you warm?"

"Not really."

"Well then, put on a jacket and we need to leave."

"Where are we going?"

"To your new school! Hogwarts. Didn't your parents tell you? Where are your parents?" This was not going to do at all! Septima thought to herself.

"No, my parents are at work. Hogwarts? I got a letter the other day from someplace like that."

"Yes, that was from us. Now, do you have the letter?"

"No, I gave it to my parents."

"Well, anyway, get your coat, and we will just talk to your parents later. Come along!"

Amber got her hoodie and slipped it on. Then she locked the front door behind her with her key. And then she followed the woman down the street for a block or so. The stern looking woman turned and walked between a couple of old trees.

"Okay, now take my arm and hold on tight," the older woman told her.

Amber took her arm and then it felt like she was being squeezed through a straw! Then she was standing outside of some really old gates in a really tall wall! Then as she turned and looked around, she saw the castle, and it looked really old! Like it was right out of an old black and white horror movie! Marc and Gregg are going to be so jealous!

"Come along! Follow me! Do try to keep up!"

This crazy old woman sure does walk fast! Amber thought to herself. They had to walk all of the ways from the front gates of the castle to the front doors! And all of those stairs! Wow, those doors are so massive! Amber was just looking around and not paying attention to where she was walking and then she bumped into the old woman when she stopped in front of the gargoyle. She said something to the thing, and it moved aside. Inside there was a circular staircase that led upwards. Great, more stairs. Hadn't they ever heard of elevators? Or at least an escalator!

When she exited the stairs, there was another door that was already open. She followed the old woman into the other room. This place was filled with shiny things and all of those old men in all of those old portraits! Then she looked at the old woman behind the desk, she made the other old woman look young! Wow! These people over here are old!

"Hello, Miss Davis. I am Professor McGonagall, I'm the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We received a letter saying that you would be transferring schools. We sent your parents a letter and have not received a reply. So, I sent Professor Vector to retrieve you so we could get you sorted into your new house. What house were you in at Ilvermorny?" Minerva asked her, checking the time on the clock behind Amber.

"Well, I was in Thunderbird," Amber said not quite meeting Professor McGonagall's eyes.

"Thunderbird, the house of adventure!"

"Yes! You've heard of it?" Amber looked up, more excited that somebody knew something about her old school.

"The magical world is much smaller than many want to believe. Here, we have Gryffindor, which prides itself on bravery. Hufflepuff, which prides itself on loyalty, Ravenclaw, which prides itself on intelligence, and Slytherin which prides itself on being ambitious."

Amber looked around for the four totems that would select her.

Professor McGonagall watched her looking around for what was going to sort her into her new house. "We use what we call a sorting hat. It was created by the four founders of Hogwarts, almost a thousand years ago, to help you select your new house." Professor McGonagall told her as she got up from behind her desk and picked up the Sorting Hat. "If you will sit on that stool right there we can get this part done today."

Amber looked around and found the stool that she was talking about right behind her. Funny, she didn't see anybody bring the stool in, and she knew that it wasn't there before. She shrugged her shoulders and got on the stool to appease the old woman. The Headmistress sat the old, torn, hat on her head. Then she started hearing it talk!

"Oh, yes, I see, uh-hu, I see, oh look! Gryffindor!" it finally yelled out.

"Congratulations!" the Headmistress said to her. Professor Vector here is your new Head of House!

.

A couple of days later, Amber was in the Headmistress' office when five of the best-looking people that she had ever seen in her life came walking in behind her. Two of them were older, the parents? And the other three were holding hands. As good looking as that guy is, I'd be holding his hand too! She thought to herself.

"Ah! Harry! Hermione!" Professor McGonagall said with a huge smile. Then she changed her gaze, "Mister Potter, Miss Ramos, Miss Potter, would you be willing to show Miss Davis around the school while I discuss things with your parents? She was just sorted into Gryffindor!"

"Sure, we can do that!" Cici told her.

Damn, he's good looking!

As they headed out of the office, the guy turned and called the two older ones' mum and dad. So, I was right, they are the parents! At the bottom of the stairs, Amber introduced herself to these three really good-looking people. They're fourth years? Like her? They look so much more mature than that!

The dark-skinned, wavy black-haired girl is Cici, okay. The girl with light-brown, curly hair is Vic, and the guy is Ced. Okay, got it!

"Where're you from?" asked Cici.

"San Francisco, the bay area. And you?"

"My parents moved here from Tucson, AZ."

"Wow! I hear it gets really hot there!"

"From what I remember it does. I've lived here since I was ten." Cici told her.

"My parents moved here for a tech company that is working in Ireland."

"Oh wow! So, you're, muggle-born?" Cici exclaimed cheerfully.

"Yeah, in America we call them no-Maj, is that a problem?" Amber asked because she knew that some people did have a problem with that.

"No, not with us, my parents are muggles too," Cici told her.

Well, at least they're not going to hold my parents against me, Amber thought. The three of them took her all over the school, they showed her where the Gryffindor common room was located. Behind some old painting of a fat woman! The place was empty for the summer. It looked like someone was in the middle of cleaning. Vic and Cici showed her where her room would be. It was a lot different than the room she had at Ilvermorny, where there were just two to a room. When they got back down the stairs, Ced wasn't there. The girls were waiting for him as he exited from behind a statue of a gryphon.

"Oh, what's in there?" Amber asked curiously.

"That's where we stay, we're helping the Headmistress and the Head of House with a special project," Ced told her.

"Oh, what's the project about?"

Cici said, "Soul-Bonded couples."

"Those aren't real! Everybody knows that! That's just something the romance writers use to sell more books!" Amber just all but called them a liar to their faces.

"They still want us to do it, so we do it. Plus, it gets us special sleeping quarters so that we're not disturbed as we dig through some really old tomes." Ced told her, wow is he good-looking!

Cici asked her about her parents, and Amber lied, kind of. But then it turned out that their experiences were really similar! Her dad works a lot with computers, and when she had her first bout of accidental magic he was working on something too! And she felt just like Amber, not wanted. She felt that her parents were glad to be rid of her! But why would they be glad to be rid of her? She's so pretty! I love her hair!

Wow! They just invited me to come over to their house! But first, we need to go and find their parents. So, Ced introduced Amber to his parents, what's his face and what's her face, and they wanted her to take wizards oath of loyalty or something like that.

"But I don't have my wand," Amber told them.

"Oh! It came yesterday I believe," the Headmistress told them.

Then Amber watched as a package flew through the air into her hand. Professor McDonald, no that's not right! Professor What's her face opened the envelope, and there was Amber's wand.

"Is this your wand?" the old witch asked.

"Yes, I think so."

Minerva peeled the envelope back some more.

Amber walked over to look at the wand, it was hers. So, she grabbed it and didn't say thank you.

Harry walked her through the oath thingy, and Amber watched as magic flowed around her wrist and her wand for a moment. And then they were trying to get rid of her already! But then they're talking about taking her someplace call Dragon Alley or something like that. Why can't they have normal names? Like The Mall? The old witch asked the three kids if they had talked to the doctor lady and they told her no. She told them that they needed to do that so they said that they would go and do it now. They walked into the other room, and she turned to ask Ced's dad, what is his name?

"What is this Dragon place they want to take me to?" Amber asked.

"No, it's not Dragon Alley," he said with a chuckle. It's called "Diagon Alley," he pronounced it slowly so she could hear the difference.

"Diagonally," Amber repeated.

"Close, but you need to separate the two words, Diagon," and he paused, "Alley."

Amber's face contorted in confusion, "Diagon," and she paused like he did, "Alley."

"Correct!"

"Now, what is it?" Amber asked.

"It's the shopping district for witches and wizards," Ced's mom told her.

"Oh! We're going shopping! Why didn't they just say so?" Amber asked.

Then the three kids walked back into the office, and Ced asked the Headmistress if he could use her floo to make a call. Is that what they call a telephone over here? A floo? They call the bathroom the loo. She'd heard that when she walked down to the local restaurant to get some lunch or dinner.

So Ced made the flames flare up big and green, and the idiot stuck his head in them! Amber could feel her eyes get so big that she thought they were going to fall out of her head! He was talking to some guy named George the weasel. Then she watched as Ced's parents threw some more powder into the fireplace and stepped into the flames! These people over here are crazy! Ced was telling her something.

"… throw the powder into the floo and say The Leaky Cauldron clearly, …"

Amber just nodded her head, she had zoned out with everything that was going on, so she threw the powder into the fireplace, floo? And jumped into the flames. She got turned this way and that way, upside down, around and around and then she was thrown out into a room! Cici and Vic were waiting there to catch her when she got thrown out of the floo. Amber stumbled about for just a moment with Cici and Vic holding her up while she regained her sense of balance. Then the three of them watched as Ced stepped out of the green flames just as calmly as could be! He's handsome and graceful? Of course, he is!

Amber, Cici, and Vic sat across the table from Ced and his parents. The three of them started talking about something when two other kids joined them. They were a little darker in skin colour than she was, but they both had reddish-brown curly hair. They were so much alike that Amber figured that they were brother and sister. The boy just stopped and stared at her. The girl walked around the table hugged Vic and sat next to Cici.

Ced was saying something to the new boy in the room.

Then Vic leaned over and said, "I think he likes you!" into Amber's ear.

She leaned back a little, "I think I like him too! He's so; different!" she could feel a smile growing on her face.

Then Ced introduced them. "Amber, I'd like you to meet George. George, this is Amber."

"You're so beautiful!" George blurted out.

"Thank you!" Amber said quietly, blushing.

And then George sat next to Amber.

After lunch George's sister Angel walked up to a brick wall in the back of the restaurant and tapped on the bricks with her wand and they opened up to make a doorway! As they walked through the opening in the wall, George reached over and took Amber's hand in his, and she took his hand in hers. Here was a boy that was willing to hold her hand in public! I could get used to this! Amber thought. He held her hand everywhere they went!

Ced and the two girls said they needed to go to someplace and that they would meet back up with them. Angel said that they would be at the bookstore and then she wanted to go and get a manicure. Amber had never had a manicure before, so she was excited about that, but going to the bookstore? Yuk!

Amber followed George all around the bookstore, holding his hand everywhere he went as he looked at different books. When the trio came and found them, they asked where Angel was, and George didn't know. So, the five of them went looking for Angel and found her in the basement of the place digging through some old dirty trunks, and the girl was excited about it! Cici, Vic, and Ced got excited about it too! How weird! These people like books! So, Angel bought all three of the trunks and Ced shrank them down so he could carry them in his pocket, how cool is that!

So, the six of them are walking to the salon to get their manicure when some jerk walks into George deliberately! What an asshole! Amber thought. George apologised to the guy, but he just wanted to be a bully! George moved Amber behind him, Cici pulled Amber behind her, Ced pulled Amber behind him. The group stepped back and spread out. Amber stepped around the side of Ced so she could see and hear what was happening to her boyfriend.

"To teach you a lesson!" the bully was threatening George. "Teach you to pay attention to where you're walking!"

"But you're the one that walked into me," George replied to the bully.

"Are you calling me a liar?" the bully's chest started to puff up, just like the knuckle draggers back at school!

"I didn't say that," George said, but he wasn't going to let this jerk push him around.

"So, you did call me a liar!" the guy's wand was in his hand now.

Be careful George! Amber thought he's older than you and bigger than you!

George ejected his wand into his hand. He had been practising for just this moment.

Where did George get a wand from? She had watched as George had done everything he could to resolve the problem without a fight.

"I didn't say that," George repeated himself.

Yeah, it's better to back down now than to get into a fight, Amber thought.

The guy jerked his wand up and tried to shoot a spell.

George!

George cast a _protego alavaris_ , this reflected the guy's own spell back at him, then he shot a _reducto/expelliarmus_ at the angry guy.

Wow! Go, George!

He held his hand out to catch the guys wand. "My wand, I won it fair and square through a rite of combat!" George told the bully lying on the ground.

Yes! This is my man! Amber thought, proud of what George had done.

The guy tried charging George, " _Stupefy,_ " George said, and he sidestepped the falling body.

Amber looked down at the body laying on the ground, asshole! This will teach you to mess with my man!

And then, instead of running away so they wouldn't get into trouble from the cops, they just stood there! They could see the cops coming, and they just stood there!

"What're you kids doing!" the large, gruff Auror asked them harshly.

So, then the group of them explained what had happened, and the stupid cop believed the asshole! Just like them to believe the adult instead of the kids!

And then the cop called all of them a liar to their faces! Jerk!

Ced stepped forward, "At this point, I would like to go ahead and call the guy a liar to his face. We were walking across the street, taking the girls to the beauty salon when the man hit George's shoulder. George apologised several times, but the guy was bent on making an example out of the incident. George beat him easily in the magical fight that ensued. George used _expelliarmus_ to disarm his opponent."

"Well, I think that we're going to go ahead and take all of you in until we can get this sorted out."

"That'll be fine, I haven't spoken to Uncle King in a couple of months, or to Aunt Tonks, not since the incident when they found an Auror that had turned traitor."

"I remember hearing about that. They say that there were dragons that almost burned them alive."

"Yes, those dragons are my familiars. And they're here in Britain at this time. Do you know how many other families keep two Hungarian Horntail dragons as familiars?"

"There's only one."

"That's correct."

"You're Harry Potter's son, Cedric."

"That's correct. So, what do I have to gain from lying to you? George? This is George Weasley Jr., and this is his sister Angel Weasley."

"You're Angelina's kids?"

"Yes, sir." They said together.

"Okay, that guy over there is saying a bunch of things that are all lies. We'll take him down to the station and have a talk with him, and if we don't like what he says, then we'll let Tonks have a go at him. You kids go on and have a good afternoon."

"You too and thank you." They said together.

"Wow! What's that guy's problem?" asked George.

"He just didn't like getting beat by a teenager," Ced told him.

They chatted a little more until they got to the beauty salon. Because it was slow, all of the girls sat there and talked while they got their hair trimmed and their mani-pedi's.

They swung by Madam Malkin's to get their school uniforms and robes. Amber needed a full set of uniforms and robes, she was glad that her dad had given her the credit card. Vic and Cici found half a dozen fancy new bras that they wanted, so they got them too. Amber looked down at her chest, she really didn't have anything that would require a bra like what Cici and Vic were buying.

Then they all headed to the end of the street closest to the restaurant, and there were a bunch of floos for public use. Vic went through the floo with her, and they exited out into what had to be a museum or someplace like that.

"Why are we here?" Amber asked Vic.

"This is our house!"

"This is where you live?" Amber asked in shock.

"Yes, this is our home, me, Cici, and Ced. George and Angel live someplace else.

"Do you really have two Hungarian Horntail dragons or were you just making that up?"

"No, we really do have two Hungarian Horntails that live with us part-time. They really don't like the winters here, but they come for the Christmas holidays."

She looked at George, he just nodded back to her.

They looked through the trunks with Ced's mom, and she tried to tell them that some of the books were written by Merlin the wizard. Yeah, right! The last time that Amber had seen Merlin, he was in a cartoon!

They invited her to stay for dinner, well, at least she didn't have to go find a restaurant to sit there and eat by herself in. After dinner, after hanging out for a couple of more hours, and after George and Angel flooed home.

Amber asked them, "So, what's your story? Sister's don't hang all over their brothers like you two do."

Ced was on the couch with Cici and Vic snuggled up next to him, their legs laid across his and theirs.

Cici looked at her, "Remember how we mentioned Soul-Bonded couples before?"

"Yeah, but that is just something that is made up!" are they still on about that soul-mate stuff?

"What do you know about Soul-Bonded couples, that you can say that?"

"Well, I've never read one of those romance novels, but from what the other kids at school have told me, they don't exist."

"So, you know nothing about Soul-Bonded couples, other than what someone else has said couldn't exist."

"I guess."

"If we gave you a book to read, and we would want you to read it all tonight, would you do that? Would you read it?"

"Okay, sure." She said not too convincingly.

Vic held out her hand, and a book from the library sailed into it.

"How did you do that?"

Cici and Vic stood up, Amber stood up, then Ced. As a group, they walked out the front doors to the apparition point for the mansion.

When they reached the apparition point for the mansion, Cici held out her arm for Amber, "But you're too young to apparate! How can you do this?"

"Because we're something that doesn't exist in your mind. Your mind is closed to all of the possibilities. Did you ever really believe that Merlin existed?"

"No, he was just a legend that was made up for bedtime stories."

"Yet, today, you saw and handled some of his books, his diaries! So how can you say that he doesn't exist? Hold on tight." Cici told her.

Amber grabbed Cici's arm in a death grip, and then they were standing in her neighbourhood.

A moment later, Vic and Ced were standing next to them. They started walking her home. Talking softly, to avoid attracting unwanted attention. They turned and walked up a short path to the stairs leading to the front door. This is where Amber turned to say her goodnights.

"I would invite you in, but my parents." She lied.

"That's okay, do you want to come over and visit some more tomorrow?" Cici asked her.

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay, we'll pick you up at eight?"

.

The next morning, Amber went to have another bowl of cereal, but there wasn't any milk. She slammed the refrigerator door in her frustration and pulled on a light jacket so she could walk down the street and find a restaurant that was open. She walked into the first one that she found open and sat down in a booth.

"Hey, Amber."

"Hey, Devin," she replied to her friend that she had met over the internet. He was older than her by at least twice her age.

"No breakfast this morning?"

"No, no milk." She said as the waitress dropped off a couple of menus.

The two of them talked as they waited for their food.

"Hey, I need to go use the, what do you call it?" Amber asked.

"The loo."

"Yeah, I need to go and use the loo."

Amber went off and used the loo. When she got back, her food was waiting for her, along with her orange juice. She ate ravenously, and then she swallowed all of her orange juice in one long drink.

"What's the rush?" Devin asked her.

"Oh, I've got some friends that are going to take me someplace today."

"Okay, well, have fun!"

"Yeah, I think that I will." And Amber started to feel a little bit fuzzy headed. She must have eaten to fast she thought.

"I'll get the check this time," Devin told her.

"Okay," Amber said, feeling like she was in a dream.

"We will meet here again tomorrow at the same time," Devin told her sternly.

"Okay, I will see you here tomorrow at the same time," Amber repeated back.

"Go with your friends now," Devin commanded her.

"Okay." And she turned around and headed for her house.

Amber got home and sat down on the couch and waited for her friends to come and pick her up.

.

Amber woke up with everybody staring at her. Why are they staring at me? Am I naked or something like that? Amber looked down as best as she could, then she sat up and looked down to make sure that what she saw was what she saw. I am naked! Why am I naked? Where am I? What's going on? How did I get here? When did I get here?

She looked down at herself, "I'm naked!" She squeaked.

"You need a shower too." A second-year girl told her.

Amber looked around, embarrassed at her nudity.

"If you'll get out of bed, I can help you with your clothing shortage." The girl told her.

She looked at the girl, why was a second-year telling her what to do? She looked around, and all the others seemed to be waiting for her to do what she had been told. She slipped out of bed on the girl's side of the bed wanting to hide her modesty, or what was left of it.

With a simple wave of her hand, the girl dressed her in an incredibly beautiful deep purple dress. Amber felt her hair fly up and then settle back down perfectly brushed. She felt herself grow a little bit, and when she looked down, she was wearing purple, glittery, strappy heels, she felt something on her wrist, and when she looked at it, she was wearing a four-row bracelet made with amethyst stones. She checked her neck and found she was wearing a necklace that she assumed was the same, she felt the weight on her earlobes and touched them, there were three strand earrings that she would have to wait and see. She smiled for the first time in weeks, she felt like her old self, herself before she moved to Ireland, her happy self. The fact that she was looking like a princess helped too.

"What happened to me?" Amber asked.

"George can explain it to you. I think that we're going to head to bed. Professor McGonagall? May we be excused from classes today?" Ced asked the old Scottish witch.

"I believe that will be acceptable, you will, however, be responsible for any missed homework." She smiled at them.

"Kitten, are you ready? Kitten too?" asked Ced, looking at Professor McGonagall.

"Kitten too."

Amber looked and felt like an entirely new person.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, Cici let go of Ced and Vic's hands and walked up to Professor McGonagall, "Professor, would it be possible for us to have three dances during the school year? One at Halloween, one before we leave for the Christmas holidays, and then the last one before we go home for Spring break? I'd be willing to do all of the planning for them!"

"I'd help her!" Vic chimed in.

"I would too!" Angel said.

"Me too!" Rose called out.

"I would also," Amber said feeling better than she had in a long, long time.

From that point on, Amber's life had done nothing but get better!

.

.

They had been caught unawares, and Amber was paying the price for not practising constant vigilance. The _diffindo_ had torn right through her shoulder, and she was losing a lot of blood. If she survived this, Cici was going to rip her a new asshole, she could just feel it! Amber took a moment and used her uninjured hand to try and stop some of the bleeding at least. She placed her hand on the hole that the curse had left in her bare shoulder. Why can't we just wear our body armour all of the time? It sure would have helped now! Well, she had stopped some of the bleeding, but she still had a hole in her shoulder on her back. Is George okay? She tried to turn her head and look for George. There he was, he was fighting for all he was worth, he even had his teeth bared in a snarl as he fought their ambushers. Where's Fred? Fred was covering George's left side. Julia? Julia was belly crawling towards her. Oh, Julia was going to be pissed at her! That was her favourite dress that she was wearing and her favourite pumps!

Amber looked around some more, then she conjured a boulder as a barricade to help protect Julia when she got here. Then she twisted her head around again and conjured another boulder to protect Julia as she crawled across the open field to where Amber lay.

"How are you feeling?" she heard Julia's voice in her ear.

"I'm not doing to good. I plugged one hole, but I can't reach the other," Amber told her weakly.

Julia tried to lift Amber just a little, "Roll over for me so I can heal your back. And then I'll give you a couple of blood replenishing potions."

Amber willed herself to roll over and expose her back so Julia could heal her properly.

"Well, it went all of the way through. And I need to clean it. Hold on, this might hurt a little." And Julia scourgified the wound. "Okay, now I'm going to just do some field medic work until we're safe." And Julia healed the wound so it wouldn't bleed anymore.

"Thanks," Amber told her as she let Julia lean her up against the boulder that she had conjured.

"Here, take both of these, and then drink the Vitamix," Julia told her.

Amber winced as she drank the two blood replenishing potions, then she washed them down with the Vitamix.

"Don't go anywhere, I've got to go and help the guys!" Julia told her.

Amber gave her a half-hearted laugh. Well, at least she wasn't going to bleed to death today! She watched as Julia teleportused next to the guys and started to cast shield spells to help them out. Amber realised that they needed to take the fight to their opponent, but right now, she knew that they could outlast them. Ced and Harry had made sure of that much. As she sat there, she could feel the Vitamix starting to kick in, she rolled to her good side so she could push herself up on to her feet.

"A little wobbly there, Amber," she said to herself.

Tentatively she took a step, and then another, and another, then she _teleportused_ to George's side and cast a shield spell so he could concentrate on throwing hexes and curses even more so.

"Let's go lover boy, there's only a dozen of them, and this should have been over fifteen minutes ago!" she encouraged George.

George stepped up his pace of casting spells, and they started to move towards the attackers. Amber noticed that Julia and Fred had split up and where working at dividing and concurring their opponents. As the blood potions kicked in, and the Vitamix in full swing, Amber turned offensive and started to take on two opponents by herself. She was throwing triple packs of spells and beginning to overwhelm her opponents. Then she and George hit the same guy with two triple packs of spells and put him on the ground, his wand landed at Amber's feet. She reached down and pocketed the wand. Amber watched as Julia put another wizard down and then Fred put one down also. Seeing their comrades falling, the rest of them _apparated_ away.

George spun and grabbed Amber in a crushing hug.

"Ow!" she cried out in a yelp.

George let her go quickly and looked at her with a hurt look on his face. He never wanted to hurt her, and he just had.

Amber's arm just hung at her side.

"Let's go find some shade and see what we can do about your arm," Julia said as she walked up to her again.

They were in a meadow, in a forest, and they were supposed to be on their way to a club. That's why they were all dressed up, but somehow or another, they had gotten ambushed. Who even knew that they were living out here? Another bloody leak! She just wanted to walk over and kick the guys in the red robes in their teeth!

But back under cover of the trees, Julia conjured an examination table for Amber to lay down on. Julia looked at George, "Give me a midlevel diagnostic spell right here," she pointed to Amber's shoulder.

The three of them could see the amount of damage that had been done to her shoulder. Thankfully, the curse had missed her bones. Amber had heard about the pain that Skele-gro could cause, and she really didn't want to go through that right now. Julia slowly and carefully began to knit Amber's shoulder back together.

When Julia had finished, she looked at Amber, "How does it feel? Move it around and see if it's right," she told her.

Amber moved her shoulder and arm around, she wiggled all of her fingers, she flexed her wrist, she even did some large circles with her whole arm.

"It feels okay, a little sore, but I guess that would be normal," she smiled at Julia.

"Well, I say, let's go home, I'm hungry, and I'm tired. And it's late," Julia told Fred.

Fred walked around the conjured table and took Julia into his arms. At that point, Julia allowed herself to be supported by him. Fred swept her off of her feet and carried her bridal style as he apparated back to the apparition point of their cabin.

George took Amber into his arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up to give him a kiss. As he backed away from the table, she released his neck with one arm and with a wave of her hand, the table was gone. She wrapped both arms around his neck again, and he apparated them to the cabin they had been staying in. Effortlessly he carried her to the living room of the cabin and put her down next to the couch. George kissed her again, and then he kissed her scar, she knew that he was willing it to go away. They had been here too long. The job had kept spiralling upwards as far as what they were earning was concerned. They had been here going on five months now. Each of them had earned €5,000,000.00, more than enough for them to retire on and do nothing but travel the world. They had saved a lot of girls, and all of them had helped put a lot of the bad guys in prison. But this evening, when the UAA wizards showed up, it was time to quit. But who leaked the information about them? They had been meticulous about getting the blood contracts signed! They had been out of touch with their parents for over four months! Almost five! Not one single owl did they send. But do I want to do nothing but travel the world? I like being active! Amber thought to herself.

Amber looked over at Julia, she had fallen asleep in the corner of the large couch. Her dress was ruined. Amber looked down at her shoes, those were destroyed too. Amber could smell the food from the kitchen. The men had put together something that at least smelled good. Gently, Amber started to wake Julia up. She knew that she needed to eat something to help her magical core recharge faster. Julia's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, come on let's go eat and then we can go to sleep," Amber told her softly.

Julia started to push herself off of the couch.

"Thanks for coming to rescue me," Amber told her sincerely.

"You would have done the same for me," Julia told her quietly.

"Yeah, but thank you anyway," Amber said with a smile.

The two women shared a hug before they walked into the kitchen. The food was still on the stove, and the men started to portion it out and putting the plates in front of the women. Amber knew that both of them needed to eat so they would be stronger in the morning. Fred and George were the last to sit at the table.

"I'll call Diggerty and let him know that we're not going to make it," Fred told them.

"I think that we're done here," Amber said. "This is the second time that we've been ambushed close to home."

"I agree with Amber, we've been compromised," Julia said in-between mouthfuls. Charles had instilled table manners in all of them, and after getting her knuckles whacked a second time, she had learned to take smaller bites. No one was going to steal her food.

"We need to leave in the morning," George said.

"I would say tonight, but Julia needs to sleep," Fred told them. "Healing Amber took a lot out of her."

"Yeah, we need to leave tomorrow, early," Amber said.

"I agree with Amber, we need to leave early, wake up at 2:30, and out of here by 3:00," Julia said as she looked at Fred.

Fred nodded his head in agreement.

"Where do we want to go?" George asked.

"Let's go to Brisbane. The magical district there. And then from there, we can decide on what we want to do." Julia said.

"Okay, let me go and call Diggerty, let him know what has happened," Fred told them just before he put the last of his dinner in his mouth.

"You guys cooked dinner, we'll clean up," Amber said. Then she motioned with her head that George should go with his cousin to stand guard while Fred talked to Diggerty. Fred acknowledged what she wanted.

Once the door to the cabin closed behind George, Amber flicked her wand, and the kitchen was cleaning itself.

"Are you going to be okay?" Amber asked Julia.

"Yeah, I was going to ask you the same question!" Julia's response was filled with mirth.

"I'm sorry about your dress."

Julia looked down at her dress, "Yeah, I really liked it. I'm glad that I got it on sale though. Are you and George really going to get married?"

"Yeah, I think so. We don't have a reason to wait like you and Fred do."

"Yeah, we have all of the formalities that we have to go through. The public announcement of our engagement, and then the public announcement of our wedding. It will be a year before we actually get married. All of that pomp and circumstance that has to be done by the Ancient and Noble families. You two can just jump over the broom, and the only ones that are going to get upset are Angelina and maybe his dad."

George and Fred came back into the cabin a little later than what a simple phone call would have taken.

"While we were out there, we decided to reinforce the wards and strengthen the Notice-me-not enchantment," George said.

"Diggerty says that he understands and that he will tell accounting to go ahead and transfer the funds in the morning. The judges are all complaining about the workload that we, us four, have created for them. He said that we've captured almost a thousand terrorists or human smugglers and that we've rescued a few hundred women and girls that were being trafficked into a life of slavery," Fred told them.

Julia had let herself get really relaxed again, and when Fred had finished speaking she headed for their room, "Good night!" she said as she walked through the door to her bedroom. Amber watched as she waved her hand and banished all of her clothes. She could see all of the dirt stains on Julia's legs and arms where she had crawled her way to her. Fred was close behind, and he closed the door behind him. A moment later, Amber could hear the shower turn on.

Amber turned and walked to her bedroom across the cabin from Fred and Julia's room. She looked down at her clothes, Julia was right, they weren't worth saving. With a wave of her hand, Amber was naked and walking to the shower. It had taken one cold shower for George to enchant the hot water heater into an infinite hot water tank. Since that time, Amber and George had not taken a cold shower. George followed his future wife into the bathroom, Amber waved her hand at the shower to start it warming up. Then she turned into her future husband, George wrapped his arms around her, letting his hands go to her slim waist, then he pulled her in tightly against his muscular torso.

"I got really scared out there today." He told her huskily in her ear.

"I'm sorry," she said. Her ear was on his chest, she could hear his heart beating rhythmically.

"Let's get married tomorrow when we get to Brisbane. Then we could buy a honeymoon portkey to wherever you want to go," his head was laying on top of hers. He could smell her, and he could smell the dirt from where she had fallen.

"But what about your parents? Your mom?"

"She'll get over it. She already considers you to be a part of our family."

"She's more of a mother to me than my own mom."

Fred moved a little so they could get into the shower.

"We should get Hermione to remove the scar before it becomes permanent," George said as he pulled away from her.

Amber turned to look into the fogging mirror, "Julia did a good job, but she lacks the experience of Cici or Hermione." The scar was about the size of a galleon. But at least she was alive to look at it.

"Yeah, she worked hard to heal you, but she had already expended a lot of magic in the fight."

"I know, I'm not mad at her. I'm just glad that she was there."

Amber stepped into the large shower. The hot water felt great running over her tight shoulder muscles. She had been injured before, but only in the simulations. She worked her injured shoulder and could feel some of the kinks working their way out. Yeah, she'd be better in the morning. She felt George's strong hands starting to bath her. This had to be one of the things she enjoyed the most about going on a mission, George bathing her. She couldn't imagine her dad doing this to her mom. They were always in such a rush to go everywhere! It was like they were trying to go as fast as the electrons inside of the computers that they were working with. Amber could feel the weak _diffindo_ as her future husband ran his soapy hands up her torso and over her armpits. With both hands, he would wash one arm at a time. Their bodies pressed together as he kissed her ardently, his tongue touching her lips, pressing for entry into her. He pulled back again, and the water that had built up in her cleavage flowed down her hard, flat belly in a warm river. George knelt before her, his hands on her foot as he began the slow massage of her leg. Her ankle, her calf, her knee, her muscular, slender thigh, then she felt his hand brush her private region. Amber let out a little gasp as he touched her button. Then the teasing started over again with her other foot. As George's hands reached Amber's thigh, George pulled one of her nipples into his mouth and began to suckle it tenderly. As he stood, he let her nipple slip from his lips as his hand came to rest at her private region. George moved around Amber's slim body and pulled her back into his chest. Knowingly, Amber spread her legs for what was to come. She tilted her head up knowing that his lips would be there for her. To accept her moans of pleasure as he helped her achieve her climaxes. Slowly, George let her down from her peaks, gently he let her return to the here and the now. Now, it was Amber's turn to work her magic on her man, they both knew that they would finish this in their bed.

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2:30 in the morning came bloody early! But the two couples were both out of bed and getting dressed quickly and quietly. With a flick of two different wands, four backpacks were packed and ready to go. As the two women walked out the front door, the two men were undoing everything that they had done to make the cabin livable for the last month. And soon enough, it was back to the tiny size that they had started with. The shutters were shut, and the door was locked. George went one way, and Fred went the other as the two of them cancelled all of the security wards they had placed on their temporary home. When they got back around to the girls, Julia pulled out a spoon.

"Are you two ready?" she asked them.

Fred wrapped his arm around her torso, and touched the portkey, "I am now."

The four of them were sucked into the network, and then they were falling out of the sky. The weather had grown steadily colder, and now they were falling through a late-season rain. They could just make out the lights of the magical district in Brisbane, Australia. The four of them landed gracefully, and then Amber ejected her wand.

"Point me," she commanded the wand. The wand spun and pointed behind them.

As the group turned around and began to walk to the hotel that Amber was looking for, Julia pitched the spoon into a bin. Two blocks down, they opened the door to a pub with rooms to rent over the pub.

"Yeah," the tired man behind the counter grumbled at them.

"We need two rooms, please," George told him.

"Twenty galleons each. Sign in," he grumbled as he turned around and pulled two keys out of some pigeon holes behind him.

When he turned back around, there were four stacks of coins sitting on the counter. He slid the two keys across the counter to each of the two couples. Fred looked down at the tag hanging off of the key, 11. George looked at his, 13.

"Check out's at 11:00," the tired clerk grumbled at them.

"Thank you," Julia told him.

The two couples looked around and found the stairs hidden behind a wall.

Later that morning, the two couples met downstairs for breakfast.

"Julia told me that you wanted to get married before we go home," Fred looked at George.

"Yeah, we just feel that this is something that we need to do," George met Fred's look.

The two of them leaned back when the waitress brought their food. She placed the check between the two guys, and turned around and left. As soon as she was gone, they leaned into each other.

"Why?" Fred asked, and then he leaned back in his chair.

"We don't know, it's just become a pressing desire that we need to get married."

"Whatever!" and Fred started to tuck into his breakfast.

"Who do you think that we could ask about getting married here?"

"Try the waitress!"

George shrugged his shoulders, as good an answer as any he thought. He picked up his knife and cut a piece off of his sausage.

.

"Okay, the waitress said that we would go in here and buy a permit," Amber was doing a monologue. "Then after we get the permit, we would see a Magistrate that would perform the ceremony."

"You two don't even have a ring!" Fred was turning into a wet blanket.

"There's a jewellery store over there!" George turned icy on his cousin.

"What's Fred's problem?" Amber asked, even though she had a good idea.

"Fred has been wanting to marry Julia since just after they met. But he is stuck being the heir of an Ancient and Noble house with all of the protocols that he has to follow," George told her.

"That's what Julia said last night."

The bell above the door tinkled as they opened the door.

"The old woman behind the counter looked up, "May I help you?" she asked pleasant enough.

"We would like to look at wedding sets please," George told her pleasantly. At least someone could be pleasant around here!

"Do you know what you're looking for?"

"No." George.

"Yes!" Amber.

"And what are you looking for, young lady?"

Amber rattled off the ring that she had been dreaming of since she regained her senses, and since she had met George.

"Okay, that will be over here. It's very costly, are you sure that you can afford a ring like that?"

"Yes."

"Well, we have wedding sets over here also," the woman was already going for the upsell.

An hour later Amber was walking out of the jewellery store floating on air. It may not be the wedding that she had been dreaming of, but at least she got the ring that she had been dreaming of. A formal wedding ceremony could come later. Maybe after Fred and Julia got married. An hour after that, she was now Mrs George Arthur Weasley. The clerk that sold them the permit told them about a travel agency that sold honeymoon packages that included five different islands and the hotel rooms. So, they could spend a week island hopping the South Pacific and laying out in the sun. Amber and George both asked Fred and Julia if they would please join them on this adventure.

The two of them looked at each other.

"Sure, why not." Fred.

"We'd love too!" Julia said excited for her friends.

"Great!" the travel agent told them. "I will set the portkey to take you to Pentecost Island for the festival that starts tonight! You will be absolutely amazed!" and she got up and went to the back of the office.

Several minutes later she returned with the portkey.

"It has been set to take you to Pentecost Island first. Then when you activate it again, it will take you to another island randomly until you have visited five different islands! Will this be cash or charge?"

George reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He slipped the credit card from its spot and handed it to her. A minute later he was signing his name.

"Congratulations! And I hope that you have a wonderful honeymoon!" then she turned to Fred and Julia. "I hope that you two have a wonderful vacation!"

"Thank you!" three of them said together.

With their packs slung over their shoulders, the four of them stepped out into the street and touched the portkey. A second later they were falling out of the sky towards the greenest place they had ever seen in their lives. If they thought that the jungle in Africa was green, this made it look dead.

They landed in the soft sand outside of a small beachfront resort with a dozen huts going off in each direction. They chose to walk into the largest of the huts, the one directly in front of them.

"Welcome!" The darkest woman they had seen since leaving Africa greeted them warmly.

"Hi," George said nervously. "We have a reservation for the night and tickets to see a festival?"

"Wonderful!" she said to them again, showing her pearly white teeth in a full-face smile.

George pulled out the paperwork that the travel agent had given him. He showed it to the overly friendly woman behind the counter.

"Ah!" she smiled again, lighting up the already brightly lit room. "Two of you are in hut number two, and two of you are in hut number twelve, the honeymoon hut!" she pointed in the proper directions. "Congratulations! Now, you may notice that many of the local women don't wear tops, just like many of the men don't wear shirts, these are our traditions. That end of the beach is clothing optional," she pointed towards the honeymoon hut side of the beach. "And that end of the beach is family oriented. Please wear the appropriate clothing when you visit the family-oriented section of the beach. The farther you go in that direction, the more secluded the beach becomes," she smiled at the four young adults. "A van will park out in front of this hut to take you to the festival at 7:00. You are free to use magic in your huts, but please don't use magic out in public," she warned them.

"Thank you," George told her and handed Fred the key to number two. He took Amber's hand and entwined their fingers together as the turned and walked out the door.

Amber and her new husband walked down the beach, the warm, soft sand was not giving much traction to their shoes. Amber didn't care, she was holding George's hand tightly, and smiling for all she was worth. The two of them walked up the stairs, and George opened the door, then he turned and scooped up his new bride in his arms, and he carried her across the threshold of the honeymoon hut. Yes, it wasn't some big fancy wedding that they had, there was time for that later, but this just felt so right! George sat her down on the edge of the massive bed that took up most of the room. They looked around and knew immediately that the room was enlarged magically. After another kiss, they slipped their packs off and started to explore their room for the night. The loo had a separate tub room with a large tube, a huge walk-in shower, a vanity with a double sink, and a separate water closet. The deck on the back of the hut opened out into the jungle, and their front door led straight to the beach. With a flick of her hand, Amber put all of their clothes away, making it easier for them to find the swimsuits that they were looking for. The other thing they wanted to do, was to go and see all of the shops in town before they went to the festival tonight. So, with a change of their attire, a couple of towels, the honeymooners headed out to the beach to do nothing for at least two hours, then go and find something to eat!

The four of them caught the shuttle van into town just after noon, they took the driver's advice and ate at an out of the way place that the locals frequented. From there, they followed the advice of their server and walked to a few different shops to check out some of the local clothing. With the purchase of some lightweight shorts and muscle shirts for the guys, the two women selected some shorts, dresses, and tank tops for themselves. A trip back to the hotel to change and get ready for the festival.

.

For the tourists, there was a meal prepared with their choice of local cuisine. Then they all sat around a tower that had to stretch thirty or forty metres high. They watched as young men, wearing not even enough clothing to cover their manhood, climbed up to a platform, high up on the tower. Another man would tie a vine to one of their feet, then the boy would hesitate for a moment, then he would jump off of the tower head first. They learned that the outsiders call this land diving, the locals called it nanggol. It was initially done to ensure a successful yam harvest and later morphed into a rite of passage into manhood. The four of them sat there and snacked on their meals as they watch guy after guy prove his bravery by jumping off with nothing but the vine attached to his leg.

On the return trip to the hotel, the driver asked them, "What did you think? Do you want to try it tomorrow?"

Amber told him, "When I first watched what was happening, I thought that the men," she didn't want to offend anyone by calling them a boy, "Were crazy to do something so foolish. Then as we watched several of them, I came to realise that they are just facing their fears."

"Would you like to try it tomorrow?" he asked again hopefully.

"No, we have to leave in the morning. We're on a fairly tight schedule," she turned him down gently. She didn't want them to make a mistake on her and select a vine that was half a metre too long. And, they did have a reservation at the next island.

"The locals sure don't wear much clothing there do they?" Fred asked the driver.

"No, it is always warm here. It is only those of us that interact with outsiders that wear a lot of clothing!" he told the group of tourists.

They chatted about other things and then the van pulled into the turnaround for the hotel, "Have a wonderful trip! And we will see you next time!"

George reached over and opened the door on the van. The warm, humid, night air accosted them, making their clothes stick to their skin as they exited the airconditioned van. Maybe the locals were on to something, Amber thought as her long shorts clung to her thighs, her short sleeves stuck to her arms not letting her move as freely as she was used to, and her hair frizzed.

All in all, they visited four more islands: Bora Bora, Tahiti, Upolu, Espirito Santo. The last of which is known for its friendliness. Amber and George's honeymoon was beautiful, but they were ready to go home, it had been almost five months.

.

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 **A/N:**

 **05.20.2018**

 **A special message from MSN:**

This month (May 2018) we're working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Missing Children Society of Canada, and Baby Come Home to help reunite kids with their families. Together, we're making progress. Baby Come Home is using Microsoft facial recognition to identify missing kids in crowds, for instance, and the Missing Children Society of Canada has scaled its powerful social media tools to millions more people using the Microsoft cloud. You can help, too. Please consider donating your time or money now.

I found this interesting that my whole story deals with missing and exploited children, and I was writing about it May of 2017. As MSN is saying, one child is one child too many.


	71. Year Six Chapter 71

C O Potter

Year Six

Chapter 71

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When they had finished walking around the island of Tahiti and visiting all of the tourist shops for souvenirs for themselves and their friends, the four of them made a portkey out of the dancing Island Girl and then they were standing at the apparition point for Bones Tower. In an instant, they went from warm and sunny to cold and wet. It was late spring in England, and it was raining, cold, and dark. So, you could say that it was cold, dark, and wet, and they were wearing lightweight island shirts and shorts. Well, what's the use of being a witch or a wizard if you can't cast a little spell on yourself to warm up and stay dry?

As they walked to the front doors of the castle, the doors opened for them, and they were greeted by Lookie, the Head House Elf of Bones Tower.

"Master Fred, Mistress Julia, Master George, Mistress Amber. I trust that your trip was a success?" the ancient elf greeted them with a bow.

"Yes Lookie, it was a good trip. Is that clock correct? It's 2:10 in the morning?" Fred asked the old elf.

"Yes, Master Fred, it is 2:10 in the morning on Wednesday. Your parents are not due to awaken for another five hours." The old elf told him.

"Thank you, Lookie," Fred told the elf.

"Hey, mate. I think that we're going to head home and we'll catch you later," George told his cousin.

George thought about flooing home, but with the noise the floo would make, he decided to apparate home instead. He and Amber headed for the door and Lookie was already there.

"Thank you, Lookie," George and Amber both said. With a water repelling charm and a warming spell on themselves they walked to the apparition point of the castle.

As they approached the apparition point, George let go of Amber's hand and slipped his arm around her waist. With a slight twist, they were walking down the street to their parent's home. As George and Amber approached the front door of the house, George cancelled the alarm spell and unlocked the front door of the house. The two of them slipped in as quietly as possible, and they walked towards the stairs. George looked over, and he could see the light was on in the kitchen. They changed course for the kitchen. There, they found Angelina sitting at the table nursing a cup of hot tea.

"Hey, mum. What are you doing up?" George asked her.

"Just got home a few minutes ago. How was your trip?" a tired Angelina asked her son and future daughter-in-law.

"Good. We caught a lot of bad guys and saved a lot of girls that were destined for the sex trades."

"That's good. Here, here's a letter from Amber's parents that arrived a couple of weeks ago by muggle post." She slid a letter across the table to the two kids.

George held a chair for Amber, and then he took his seat next to her. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before she reached for the envelope.

.

 _Dear Amber,_

 _We are not really familiar with all of the different ways of the magical world. That is why this letter arrived by regular post. We understand that Magicals don't have computers, so they don't email either. We have been transferred back to Palo Alto, CA at the end of June. That was as far as we could get them to push off the transfer so you could finish the school year out with your little friends. Please let us know when and where we can come and pick you up when school is over._

 _Love,_

 _Mom and Dad_

 _._

 _ps: We got the bonus!_

.

Amber's facial features changed from one of happiness to one of anger and disgust in the length of the letter.

"What's wrong?" George asked his wife. Shite! We still have to tell mum!

George read over the short letter, and then he slid it across the table so his mum could read it.

Angelina's face became hard like Amber's had.

"They haven't seen me in two years, and now, they want me to drop everything and uproot my life to go back to Palo Alto with them? They can bugger off!" Amber said a little louder than she had intended.

"Well, the good news is, you don't have to go with them," George told her.

"Yeah, that's true!"

"What do you mean?" Angelina asked them. "They're still her legal guardians."

"Well, this isn't the way that we wanted to do this," George opened his backpack and silently summoned the Marriage Certificate. "Here, like I said, this isn't the way that we wanted to do this." And he slid the piece of paper across the table to their mum. "But just before we left Australia, Amber and I got married. We had been fighting the urge to get married for a couple of months, and then just before we left, something in the back of our heads told us to get married. We were going to wait until next year after we graduated from school. But if we had done that, then it would have been too late."

Angelina didn't yell, she just looked at the piece of paper and then she slid it back across the table to her son. "So, how big was this bonus that your parents received?" she asked tiredly. She knew that Amber's parents were working 100 plus hour weeks for the last two years. Amber was more her daughter than she was her parent's daughter.

"I think that it was like, $500,000 or something like that. I know that it was less than $1,000,000," Amber told her.

"So, how much did the two of you earn for all of this time in Australia?" she asked with a soft chuckle. She knew that it was way more than that.

"€10,000,000 combined," Amber told her.

"Shite!" Angelina said softly. "I wish that I had known about this kind of work when I was your age! But we were too busy fighting Death Eaters back then. The bloody idiot wanted to kill all of the muggles and all of the muggle-borns back then. It didn't matter that he was a half-breed himself!" she looked at Amber, "You would have been a ripe target for the idiot and all of his followers.

"When are you going to tell your parents?" Angelina asked them, looking at Amber.

Amber looked over at the kitchen clock, "If we did it now, they would probably be home," she looked over at George.

"Hey, we're still on island time!" Then he looked at his mum. "It was just after noon when we portkeyed home."

"The two of you made an international portkey? And didn't tell anyone?"

The two of them shrugged and frowned at her, "No, why? It's not the first one that we've made," George told her.

"And I suppose that you went to Fred and Julia's first? And then you apparated here? Without your apparition license, yet?"

"Uh hu." They both said softly.

"Just don't get caught! Now go, tell your parents!" she shushed them off with a wave of her hand.

"We'll be home in a bit!" Amber told her mum, then she got up and walked around the table to give her a hug. "Thank you for not blowing up at this. It really turned out to be a good thing that we did it when we did."

"I know, now go and tell your parents before I ground you!" mirth filled Angelina's voice as she said it.

The two of them headed back out the door and back to the apparition point for the neighbourhood. As they slipped their arms around each other's waist they were no longer in their neighbourhood, they were now walking down the street to Amber's parent's home. They turned and walked up the short walkway to the two steps leading up to the door. Amber had left the door key in her backpack, so she ejected her wand and gave the door lock a really weak _alohomora_ to unlock the door. She turned the knob, and the door didn't open. She stepped back, when had they installed a deadbolt? Another _alohomora_ unlocked the deadbolt, and she opened the door to the sound of an alarm screaming inside of the house. Fantastic, when had her parents installed an alarm system? Why had her parents installed an alarm system?

The two of them saw the light at the top of the stairs turn on, "Go away! We're calling the police right now!" a high-pitched woman's voice yelled in despair.

"Mom! It's me! Amber!" Amber yelled at the stairs. She started walking to the bottom of the stairs so her mother could see her. "Mom! See, it's me! Is everything okay?"

"Yes, no. Ever since your dad got that bonus check, now he's convinced that everyone is out to steal it from him!" Amber's mom looked around the corner at the top of the stairs, cautiously. When she saw that it really was Amber her face broke into a huge smile. Then the rest of her followed her face around the corner, and she started to walk down the stairs cautiously in her nightgown.

Amber met her halfway up the stairs to give her mom a hug. "Where's dad?"

"He's probably still trying to call the police! They don't use 911 here like they do at home, so he's probably trying to Google the emergency number. Let me go and get him," she told her daughter.

Amber noticed that her mom had large circles under her eyes from a lack of sleep. She hoped that they weren't permanent.

"Jeffrey! Jeffrey! Stop! It's Amber!" they could hear Amber's mom talking to her husband.

"Amber? When did Amber get home? Good, now we can leave before they try and steal the money again!" Amber's dad said in a frantic voice.

Amber walked the rest of the way up the stairs and then to her parent's room. "Is everything okay, dad?" she asked him in a soothing voice.

"Who are you? You're not Amber! Go away before I dial 911!" he said in a frantic voice.

"Dad, 911 doesn't work in this country. They use a different emergency number. 911 only works back at home. Now, who has tried to steal your money?"

"Some hooligans! They broke in the other day while we were at work! But I had the check on me! It wasn't here!" and he gave a maniacal laugh.

"Dad, when was the last time that you had a day off?" Amber asked worried about her father's health, now.

Jeffery became really silent. He couldn't remember the last time that he had had a day off. He hadn't even been there when Carol gave birth to Amber. He had been sitting at his desk in a cubicle answering phones. He had been the company man for so many years. He had worked all of the major holidays when his vacation time got too much he would just cash it in. He had over 6,000 hours of sick time.

Amber pulled her mom out of the room and down the hall to her old room. She opened the door, and it was just like she had left it, like a shrine or something like that.

"If you want, I can cast a sleeping spell on him, and he will wake back up in about eight hours. It's perfectly safe."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mom. Parents use it on their babies when they get really tired and fussy, but they won't go to sleep."

"Okay, but only if it's safe!" she told Amber softly and worriedly.

"Okay," she told her mom. And then she led her back down the hallway to her parent's room.

"Dad," she said to get his attention, as she walked around him.

He followed her every move like he was a hawk.

Amber moved around him slowly, not making any sudden moves. "Dad, are you doing okay?" she asked as she sat down next to and behind him.

He followed her all the way around, then he turned to look at Carol. When he turned his head away from Amber, she reached up and touched him on the back of the head, his eyes fluttered closed, fighting the spell all of the way until his head was on the bed. Amber stood up and pulled her dad upon to his pillow. Then she covered him back up. As she walked out of the door, she turned off the bedroom light and closed the door.

"There is something that I need to tell you, mom, downstairs," Amber said gently.

Nervously Carol followed her daughter back down the stairs where there was a young man with dark red hair waiting for them.

"Ma'am," he said in greeting. George made sure not to make any sudden moves, he had heard most of the conversation that had happened upstairs.

"Mom, this is George, my husband. George, this is my mother, Carol," Amber introduced them.

"Your husband? When did you get married? Why weren't your father and I invited?" Carol asked, hurt by this betrayal of her only daughter.

"Mom, when's my birthday?" Amber asked her quietly but in an accusatory tone.

"Um."

"Right, and you were there for it, at least! George and I got married two weeks ago."

"Well, we'll just get it annulled!"

"No, I don't want to get it annulled!"

"You're too young to know what you want! Besides, how is he going to support you? He's just a boy!"

"Mom, George and I will be just fine. You don't need to worry about us." Then the thought hit her, don't tell your mom that you're rich! "We can stay with his parents until we finish school and then we will both get jobs. We will be just fine."

"No! You're my little baby!" she started to sob.

"I will always be your little baby, mom. Nobody is trying to take me away from you. But I am not going back to Palo Alto. I'm staying here. This is where my life is now. This is where my friends are. This is where I belong," Amber told her mom lovingly.

Then angrily Amber's mom lashed out, "What's he going to do? Flip burgers at the local pub? He's too young to do anything else!"

George didn't rise to the bait, this is what he had expected from his mum.

"Mom, do you really want me to have your life? Do you really want me to work so many hours a week that I don't even remember the last time that I had a day off was? Do you even remember the last time that you cooked a meal at home? I don't want that life for my children and me. I love you very much! You're my mom! But I don't want the life that you have. I have good friends here. This is where my life is now, not back in Palo Alto."

"But the weather here is always raining! Or it's cold and snowing!"

"Then we will just take a trip to Tahiti or someplace warm!"

"But that is so expensive! How are you going to afford that? Your dad's not going to give you the money!"

"Mom, we'll be just fine! And please tell me that dad's not carrying around your bonus check."

"No, that was direct deposited into his account."

"His account? You and dad don't have a joint account?"

"No, we've never had a joint account."

"Where does your check go?"

"Into my account, and then I pay all of the bills out of my account, and we save everything that is in your dad's account. Why?"

"Did you get a bonus check?"

"No, I was just your dad's assistant."

"So, you don't have any access to dad's accounts?"

"No, I've never needed to, why?"

"When I had those bouts of accidental magic, who paid to replace everything?"

"Well, your father did, because I didn't have the money in my account."

"Oh, mom!" Amber said sadly. "Dad's getting ready to leave you! He has all of the money, and you have nothing! Everything is in his name! remember how mad he would get all of the time?"

"Yes."

"That's because he was having to spend his money, instead of your money! He's been using you for all of these years! Oh, mom, I am so sorry to have to tell you this!"

"But how do you know?"

"Here, let's all go back upstairs, and I can read dad's mind while he's sleeping. He will just think that it's a dream or something."

Amber turned and led the way back up the stairs. Carol was in the middle, and George brought up the rear. She opened the door to her parent's room and grabbed the chair at her mom's makeup desk. With the chair in tow, she walked around the bed and sat down next to her dad. She reached over and rolled his head towards her, then she was inside of her dad's mind. She was eight years old again. Amber ran a monologue of everything that was going on in her dad's mind so her mom could hear it all.

.

"That filthy, dirty, rotten, no good, lying, cheating, piece of scum bag filth! I gave him the best twenty-five years of my life! I won't let him get away with this! I'll get the best damn divorce lawyer on the planet!" she started jabbing her finger at Jeffery. "And! I'll make him pay for it all! That piece of shit won't use me like this!" her mom started yelling and pacing the floor. "Where's all of the money you piece of shit!" she screamed at Jeffrey.

And he just smiled in his sleep.

"It's someplace that you or I can never get to," Amber turned and looked at her mom.

"Well, since we can't get to it, where is it?"

Amber probed her father's mind a little harder to get him to tell her what he had done with the money.

"He gave it all away!"

"To who?"

"He gave it to a terrorist organisation. The same one that raped me repeatedly for months." Amber started crying at that revelation. Everything that had happened to her had happened because of her own dad!

With soft sobs of revelation, "And the bonus check?"

"It went to them last Friday," Amber looked up at her mom. "You have all of the money that there is, mom. Whatever is in your account is all that you have." Sadness filled Amber's voice, and tears filled her eyes as she looked at her mom.

Carol had dedicated her whole life to supporting her husband, she had helped put him through school, he had never worked until he got the job with the computer company. She had supported them both for all of these years, and he was giving the money away to terrorists? WTF?

"Mom, we have to turn him over to the authorities. He's a terrorist sympathiser. He's the enemy, mom. He's helping the terrorists abduct girls all over the world and turning them into slaves," Amber was telling her mom. Amber wasn't heartless, but she really didn't have deep feelings for her parents. She sympathised with her mom. "But I can't be here when they show up. I can try and plant the urge for him to confess to everything. But the urge will only last about thirty minutes. So, from the time that I wake up dad until they get him to the police station, has to be less than thirty minutes. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah," Carol said, her voice dead. If guns weren't illegal in this county, her asshole husband would be dead. That was the only thing keeping her out of prison right this instant. "Let me go and call the police." Her tone was still dead, emotionless. She got up and left the room for just a moment, while she made the call.

George walked over and hugged Amber. Giving her emotional support.

"Okay, they're on their way," her mom told her.

"Okay, let's wait just a minute before I wake up dad and plant the desire to confess to everything he's ever done wrong in his life. But I will try and make the terrorist thing super urgent," Amber told her.

They waited for a few moments, George checked out the door. "They're almost here, babe."

Amber went upstairs and woke her dad up. As soon as his eyes fluttered open, she was inside of his head planting the desire to confess all of his sins. Even the one where he told the terrorists about his daughter.

"We'll be back for you tonight, mom," Amber told her just before they slipped out the back door and down the alley to the apparition point.

"My dad's the one who gave me to the terrorists."

"I'm sorry that he did that."

.

That night they went back to collect Amber's mom and take her to Angelina's for the night. Let her be around a loving family for a while. George and Angelina may not be rich in money, but they were rich in love. And when they got Carol back to Angelina's, Angel was there waiting for them.

When the two 'sisters' saw each other, they started squealing with delight.

"Show me, show me, show me!" Angel all but screamed at Amber.

Amber held out her left hand so Angel could see her ring.

Angel started to squeal again, and she covered her mouth, "It's so beautiful!" she said reverently.

"Thank you!" Amber said graciously.

"And you got a suntan!"

"Yes, I did!" Amber pulled up one leg of her shorts to show more of it off. "We did our honeymoon in the South Pacific. Five different islands, and then we had all of that time down in Australia before it started getting cold."

"How did that go for you?" Angel asked.

"Well, it went pretty well. Right up until the end."

"Why, what happened?"

"We got ambushed, and a guy got me with a _diffindo_." Amber pulled her t-shirt off of her injured shoulder.

"Ow!" Angel said.

Carol gasped at seeing the scar that he daughter had on her shoulder.

"Julia did an excellent job of healing me, but I'll have to talk to Hermione or Cici to see if they can remove the scar."

"Cici's going to rip you a new one!"

"Yeah, that's kind of why I would rather try and catch Hermione when we're away from Cici."

"Who's Hermione and who's Cici?" Carol asked, looking kind of confused. She had no idea what her daughter had been up to for the last two years, well, in all honesty, since she was eleven and she went away to an expensive boarding school.

"Is everybody ready to eat?" Angelina asked loud enough to be heard above the noise.

"Yeah! I'm starved, mum!" George Jr said excitedly.

"And when aren't you starving?" she teased him.

"I swear! He's got Ron's appetite!" George Sr teased him also.

"So, what were you doing when a guy hit you with a defibrillator?" Carol asked Amber again.

"We were working for the Australian government on a sex trafficking case where people that were running illegal gambling casinos were taking women as payment for their gambling debts," George told her sternly. "I would go into one of these clubs and lose a lot of money, and then I would give them my girlfriend as payment, and they would let me walk away." The Australian government hadn't made them sign a confidentiality contract. "Well, one evening, while we were walking to work, a dozen terrorists ambushed us, and we were all taken by surprise when Amber got hit with a cutting curse. I guess that we got a little too overconfident in what we were doing and what happened to Amber was our wake-up call. We left the next morning realising that we had been compromised after working there for almost five months."

"Five months? But aren't you supposed to be in school still?" Carol asked. "How did you get out of school?"

"Dad signed the papers one night just as the two of you were rushing out the door to your oh so important job," Amber told her harshly.

"But he didn't know!"

"He didn't care! As long as I told him that he was the greatest, he would have signed anything! The only thing that was important to him was his job. And we learned today why he was working so hard!" Amber softened her tone at the end. "Mom; George, Angel, and myself, we've already passed all of the tests that they can give us in school. We spend our days helping our classmates pass some of the simplest tasks. We're all teachers aids now. And some of our friends are now full-fledged professors! They're the ones that have helped us get as good as we are!"

"But, I don't understand! How did you get to Australia?"

"It's okay, mom. I'll explain it to you later."

"Have you told Rose yet?" Angel asked Amber.

"No."

"What about Cici and Vic?"

Amber's head turned to look at Angel with a 'you have got to be kidding,' kind of look.

"Do you really want to go to her funeral?" Angelina asked Angel with a chuckle. "She just got married!"

Angel looked at her mum, "We've been talking about retiring. We're getting tired of this line of work."

"Really?" Angelina asked. All of the others were looking at her too.

"Yeah, it's gotten to the point that we can't even walk through an airport without a human trafficker trying to pick up on us. We had one incident where we got picked up in the airport, and we busted so many terrorists that we flooded the prison system in one night!"

"Really? We had something similar happen to us! The Aussies were getting frustrated with how many terrorists were really in their country!" George Jr exclaimed. "We were flooding their prison system!"

Carol's head was spinning, none of this fit with what she thought that she knew about her daughter.

Amber picked up on her mom's thoughts, "Mom, you need to think about this. When you sent me to Ilvermorny, I got put into Thunderbird, the house of adventure. When we came here, and I went to Hogwarts, I got put into Gryffindor, the house of bravery. I have been living my adventure since I got rescued from the terrorists by George and his friends!"

"But you've never been brave!"

"Mom! I have played tag - with dragons!" she said really slow so the words would sink in.

Her mother blinked at her owlishly, she really didn't know her own daughter.

.

The next morning, everyone gathered at the Potter Mansion for their morning workout. It was here that everyone else learned that George and Amber had tied the knot by jumping over the broom. There was much fawning over Amber's rings, and Cici had even backed off on chewing her out for letting her guard down. They were in the middle of nowhere, after all, someone had obviously compromised their security. But the part that got everyone's attention was when she told them about her father.

"Wow! Your own dad!" Rose said out loud.

.

While Harry was giving everyone else a brutal workout in the training room, Cici and Hermione took Amber and Julia to the medical room and started repairing the scar. They brought Julia along so she would know what to do next time, if there was a next time. At the end of the training scenario, it was the four women that were healing the others, so this worked out to be Julia's next time.

After their showers, and over breakfast, they discussed what to do with Amber's mother. After much discussion, they realised that she only had what was in her checking account at this time. Did she even have a job still, back in America? After what Jeffery had done, for so many years? Amber and George decided to take her back to her house in Ireland so she could call and see if she still had a job or not.

The other thing they discussed was going back to school on Monday.

"You know, I think that I want to open a type of preschool for magical kids. Something that will teach the kids the basics before they go to Hogwarts," Vic said suddenly.

All of the others stopped talking and looked at her. It was definitely safer than getting shot at by terrorists! They had all been talking about retiring. None of them wanted to put the hours in that Angelina and Tonks did as Aurors.

"But we don't know anything about being teachers!" Angel said finally.

"So, we go to uni and learn!"

"I'd like to teach art!" Rose said. She had really been affected by all of the art that she saw in Spain, Italy, and France.

"What do we teach them? They're too young to learn magic." Julia said.

"We teach them the basics. Reading, Writing, Arithmancy. Their colours, some geography, some history, Godric knows that I didn't learn anything from Professor Binns!" and the others chuckled with Vic. "There's so much we have to give!"

"None of us is hurting for galleons," Amber said to the rest.

"So, when do you want to do this?" Angel asked Vic.

"After we graduate from uni," said Vic.

"Do magicals even go to uni?" Julia asked.

"Why not? It would teach us what we don't know. What I do know, is that the daycares are charging so much, that a lot of single mums can't afford to put their children in daycare, so either the mum doesn't work, or the child gets left at home alone. Ginny and Willow for example. Daycare was taking almost half of what she was earning!" Vic told them.

"So, we all go in as equals? We all work together?" Amber asked.

"Everyone would be an equal partner," Vic told them.

"I'm in," Rose said.

"Me too," Amber told them.

"I like it," Julia said.

"Okay, I know that I don't want to be an Auror anymore, so I might as well do this!" Angel told them with a laugh.

.

Carol thought about what it was that she wanted to do. The computer company didn't blame her for her husband's actions, and they offered to keep her on. She thought about staying in England, she knew that she didn't want to stay in Ireland, but she realised that she really didn't know anybody in either place. She didn't really know anybody in Palo Alto or Seattle.

"Where is it that you want to go, mom?" Amber asked her Sunday afternoon.

"I think that I'm going to go and visit your grandmother for a while. Go and relax, get my head on straight, and find my centre again. For too many years, I made your father the centre of my existence that I couldn't see the forest for all of the trees. It's far enough away from everything that I think that your grandmother still used dial-up internet. So, even that will help slow me down so I can start to think for myself again.

"Angelina, George, thank you for your hospitality. It's been good to sit back, relax, and unplug for a while. I even got to read a book for the first time in twenty years! It may have been a sappy romance novel, but it was still good to lay down and read a book!" Carol thanked them.

"Are you ready to go, mom?" Amber asked.

"Yeah, I need to go and buy a plane ticket. The company was able to recover the bonus that your dad tried to give away and they put it into my account, so at least now I'm not penny less."

"That's good news! So, you're going to Grandma Rhodes' farm?"

"Yes, the movers will pack up what little we actually brought with us and put it into storage for me. So, I'm ready to go."

Amber picked up a plastic fork that they had used for Chinese takeaway. She grasped George's hand in hers, and she led her mother out the door and down the street.

"What are you doing dear?" Carol asked as she watched Amber using her wand to cast some spells on the fork.

"She's creating a portkey that will take us to Grandma Rhodes' farm," George told her softly.

"A portkey, what's that?"

"It's a way to travel great distances safely. Are you ready?" Amber asked her.

"Yes, I think so," and Carol eyed the fork like it was a poisonous snake.

With George on one side of her mother and Amber on the other, "Okay, what you're going to do is just lay your finger onto the portkey. What's going to happen is that we're going to get sucked into the portkey network by our navels. A moment later, we're going to be falling out of the sky over grandma's place. George and I will help steady you as we land. I set the destination point for the other side of the barn from Grandma's house. That will give us the most privacy for our arrival."

Carol just nodded at what she had been told. She didn't hear much after the part about getting sucked in by her navel. As soon as she laid her finger on the plastic fork, she felt the pulling sensation in her belly like Amber had told her. And then she was falling through the bright Montana sky. She had never experienced anything like this in her life, and she started screaming as she fell through the air without a parachute. Amber and George steadied her as they landed gracefully in the tall grass on the backside of the barn.

"That's scary!" Carol hissed at her daughter.

"Would you rather be standing in line at the airport waiting for a ticket? And then spend fourteen hours on an aeroplane with two crying babies?" Amber leaned over and hissed back in her mom's ear.

Carol snorted in reply.

The three of them walked around the barn and towards the driveway that would take them to the front of the large old farmhouse with the porch that wrapped around three sides of the house, and a roof that covered the porch so you could sit outside during a late spring rain and enjoy it. Amber saw the old porch swing that hung in front of the large picture window that she remembered from so many years ago. The three of them walked up the stairs to the screen door that was still peeling paint, and Carol knocked on the door. There was no doorbell, and Carol knew that the door wasn't locked. Nobody out here locked their doors; the nearest neighbour was thirty minutes away by car.

A little old lady, with grey bushy hair like Amber's, walked up on the other side of the screen door, "Carol? Is that you? Oh, my baby! Come here and give me a hug!"

.

.

Monday morning found the group of friends walking down whatever set of stairs that they needed to walk down to get to the Great Hall for breakfast. They were early enough that they could claim their old seats. The three men sat their women, and all of them received kisses for their show of respect. Soon, Neville and his girlfriend Jennifer showed up. Then Kitten, Willow, Solaria, and Raven. Neville already knew about Amber's wedding ring from working out with them this morning. Last night, just before going to bed, Amber cast a charm to make her ring invisible, just like the threesome's rings were invisible. With Jennifer around, the conversation was subdued.

"Mr Potter! Welcome back." The Headmistress called to them as she was sitting down for her morning meal.

"Thank you, Professor!" he said back to her with a smile.

"Raven," Cici called to the black-haired girl. "When are your dad and Ginny going to get married?"

Raven looked at her, "They said in June. But I'm not sure of the date yet."

"They haven't said anything to me either," Willow chimed in.

"So, did Nev tell you that he almost got suspended for fighting?" Kitten threw out there.

Ced and all of the others stopped and looked at him.

Ced asked, "Did you start it?"

"No some stupid 'Claw named Sanders did," Neville told his big brother.

"When did they stop giving detention and go straight to a suspension?" Rose asked.

"This wasn't the first fight that he got involved in," Kitten told them after she took a drink of her juice.

"What's going on?" Angel asked.

"Well, ever since all of you left, the 'Claws have gotten really mean. Some of the sixth and seventh years pick on the younger kids. I just chose to stick up for them. So, they've been picking on me!" Neville told them.

"So, who's doing this to you again?" Ced asked him.

"Sanders and his two friends Murray and Rogers. They're the ones that are causing most of the troubles from Ravenclaw. Then you have Avery and McNair in Slytherin that do their own thing. But Sanders and his two friends will be mean to the first and second years until they cry, and then they will tease them for crying," Neville told them.

"Do they ever use witchcraft or just words?" Vic asked.

"I've felt them trying to probe my mind using legilimency. So, I think that's how they are finding out how to be the meanest to them."

"Have they tried to pick on any of you?" Vic asked, looking at Kitten and her friends.

"They're scared of her. They remember back to when she caught that killing curse, and, well, one boy tried to do something mean to her. But she froze the stairs in front of him and, and he fell all of the way to the bottom of the stairs," Neville told her.

Kitten looked at Neville, "He slipped!"

"You froze the stairs!"

"He still slipped!" Kitten said indignantly.

"Whatever!" then he looked back to his big brother for some support. "See what it's like to fight with her?"

"You're preaching to the choir!" Ced told his second-year brother with a smile.

As breakfast was coming to an end, all of the young adults got up to go to their classes. The three of them that actually had classes to teach, wanted to be there early so they could speak with the other professors about their students. They wanted to see how they were doing. The others were going to wait in the hall for their classes to start. They just needed to get through the rest of May.

Cici walked into Armina's office. "Hi! You're back!" the other potions professor said to her as she got up to give her a welcome home hug.

"Yeah, we got back late last night," Cici returned the hug.

"Well, your kids are all doing fantastic! A couple of them have tried taking shortcuts with their ingredients, and their potions have come out substandard, for your students anyway, and I graded them accordingly. They didn't like that very much at all!"

"Good! I taught them right from wrong, and if they want to take shortcuts, then they will learn that there are very few shortcuts in potions! I'm sorry, but brown is not a shade of orange!"

The two women had a good laugh at that, remembering all the way back to Professor Lively's first semester at Hogwarts.

Vic walked in and said good morning to Professor Flitwick, "Good morning, Professor!" she said with her head peeking around the edge of his office door.

"Good morning to you too!" he squeaked back to her.

"I was just checking to see how my students have been behaving in my absence," Vic told him as she walked fully into his office.

"For the most part, all of them have been doing a fantastic job. But …"

"There's always a but," she joked with him.

"Yes. But, there are a couple that seems to have developed Spring Fever! They just can't seem to keep focused, and their grades are suffering for it too!"

"Hum, I'll make sure that I keep an eye out for that," she told him thoughtfully.

"Other than that, all of your students are performing above their grade level. They're doing better than most third years and some forth years!" the tiny professor told her enthusiastically.

Ced walked in and knocked on Professor Vector's office door. "Hi, I was just wanting to check and see how my students have been doing," he told his Head of House.

"Your students are doing excellent work. But, we need to talk about your little brother," she said to him, concern on her face.

"I heard a little bit at breakfast, but not much," he said to her.

"It's good that he's standing up for his fellow classmates. But the seventh years are starting to make a sport out of it," she told him gravely.

Ced's face clouded over at the news that older students were making it a sport to antagonise his little brother, his jaw took a firm set to it. "Thank you. I need to get ready for my class now," he told her.

At lunch, he informed the others as to what was happening with Neville. With Jennifer around, they really couldn't talk much, she hadn't taken an oath of loyalty, and Nev wasn't thinking of having her take one. Things really weren't working between them, but then again, they had just turned thirteen.

That night, after dinner, the nine of them got together in the trio's apartment to talk strategy. All of them had gotten good enough, and magically strong enough to almost, but not quite be invisible with a disillusionment charm. The plan was to hide in different parts of the hallways to catch Sanders, Murray, and Rogers when they would start to taunt Nev. In the meantime, the group of nine began to work with Neville in the chambers, they wanted to build up his magical core so if nothing else, he could outlast his opponents.

.

And nothing happened until the second to last day of school when Sanders, Rogers, and Murray caught Neville out behind the school with Jennifer, after dinner, and they started to pick on Jennifer.

"Oh, look at the ugly fat girl with the glasses!" Sanders started to tease her.

"Yeah! They make her eyes look like they're bulging out of her head they're so thick!" Murray teased.

"Stop it! Sanders. You take that back!" Neville told him harshly.

"Or what, freak?" Sanders turned on Neville.

The other two surrounded him, forgetting about Jennifer. Seeing her chance, she ran for it. She looked over her shoulder, and she could see Sanders starting to push Neville.

"The little punk thinks that he's big and bad!" Rogers told his mates.

"Yeah, now that his big brother's back in school! Too bad he couldn't make it out in the real world!" Sanders sneered at Neville, and they let out a cruel laugh.

"Yeah, the little punk's gonna be a failure just like his big brother!" Rogers focused his harassment on Neville, and the three of them laughed again.

Neville kept moving backwards as Sanders kept pushing him in the chest.

"Yeah, and those two whores are probably having to pay for everything by working on their backs!" Murray taunted him. Again, the three of them let out a cruel laugh.

Neville kept it together, so far it was just words. Hurtful words, but words none the less. He knew that none of it was true, and he also knew that he couldn't rise to their bait. He had to wait for one of them to pull a wand, he wasn't big enough or strong enough to fight three of them hand to hand.

"I wonder what they charge!" Rogers said.

"Yeah, I wonder if they give a volume discount for the three of us!" Murray taunted Neville.

Jennifer ran back into the Great Hall and found the group of nine still sitting at the Gryffindor table. She ran up to them as fast as her legs would carry her, and then she skidded to a stop next to George and Amber.

Rose cancelled the privacy charm as Jennifer skidded to a halt.

"Neville's in trouble!" she said in a panic.

The five of them on Ced's side of the table could see the hall starting to empty out faster than usual.

"Where's Neville?" Ced asked her urgently.

"We were talking out behind the school when Sanders and his friends caught us," she began to tell him.

Ced got up and started walking quickly to the doors of the hall. He was doing his best to move through the crowd of students. As he looked over the heads of most of the students, he could see Avery and McNair moving slower than the other students causing a bottleneck as the students tried to go around them at the doors to the hall. Then, when McNair turned and saw Ced in the crowd, he turned and pulled Avery off to the side when they had cleared the doors, like they were going to head down to the Slytherin dungeons. The crowd surged forwards and created their own blockade at the doors, and McNair and Avery had a good laugh at Ced's predicament.

Sanders pushed Neville one last time and Murray and Rogers each grabbed an arm to hold him while Sanders tried to start punching him. With Rogers and Murray holding his arms, as soon as Sanders pulled back his fist to hit him, Neville waited for just the right moment, then he jumped up and kick Sanders square in the mouth with the heal of his shoe. Neville could feel Sanders' jaw break under the impact of his kick. When Sanders reeled back, the other two could see that their leader was bleeding from his mouth and his nose. They let go of Neville in their shock. Neville elbowed Murray in his guts as hard as he could as he moved to put some distance between him and them. He wasn't going to run from this fight. It just needed to be on more even terms. He stood about two or three metres away from them. Sanders glared at him with hatred in his eyes, but he couldn't talk clearly because of his jaw being broken in multiple places. Neville snorted at him when he tried to tell his to mates to do something.

"You have a glass jaw, you idiot!" Neville laughed at him harshly.

Sanders stood there, kind of bent over, trying to keep the blood off of his school robes. The words coming out of his mouth were unintelligible, but the pieces of tooth falling out of his mouth were evident of the damage done by the younger student.

Ced came flying around the corner of the school in time to watch Neville defend himself with a simple _protego_ spell. The other students stood off to the side that they felt was going to be the safest to watch this fight. Eighty to ninety students stood there to watch a second year take on three sixth year students. Now, this fight was getting on a footing that Neville was comfortable with.

Sanders straightened up and pulled his wand out of the pocket of his school robes, then he pointed it at Neville, "uhmfphmazeugglebeph da!" he tried to shout with blood flying everywhere. Everyone watched as he turned himself into a little pink pig. The crowd roared with laughter at him, and he took off squealing loudly as he ran.

Neville stayed defensive as the two opponents started to wear themselves out. The other eight joined Ced as he watched what was happening. As a group, they began to move behind Murray and Rogers. As the spell casting slowed down, Neville turned offensive with his spells. He kept them short and simple, things like the stinging jinx, expulso, and agua eructo. With renewed anger, Murray and Rogers tried to overpower Neville and overextended their magical cores. With one last failed curse, both of them collapsed in front of all of the other students. To add insult to injury, Neville summoned both of their wands to himself. Now, the two bullies would get to spend a month in the hospital, plus their parents would need to buy them a new wand. Sanders's wand? He left it lying right where it was. When the spell wore off, he could go looking for it himself. Without any fanfare, Neville dropped the two wands into the pocket of his robes and walked over to join his family.

"Nice job!" Ced told his little brother as he gave him a tight one-armed hug.

Professor McGonagall, Professor Riddle, Professor Vector, and Professor Flitwick all came hurrying around the edge of the school in time to watch Murray and Rogers casting their last two curses at Neville, and him merely blocking them with little to no effort on his part at all. They watched as the two sixth years collapsed on top of each other. The Headmistress quickly sent a patronus to Madam Pomfrey who was twenty steps behind her.

With a stern look on her face, Professor McGonagall walked over to Neville, "I see that you've been fighting again! Twenty points from Gryffindor for fighting with a fellow student!"

"But Professor!" Neville tried to defend himself.

"But what, Mr Potter?"

"Professor," Ced got the Headmistress' attention. "Neville was defending his girlfriend Jennifer when Sanders, Murray, and Rogers began to antagonise her. They then turned their attention to him, because he was protecting her. Jennifer came running into the school to get me to come and help Neville. From what she was telling me, Sanders was physically assaulting Neville."

"Yes, he was!" Neville told her. "And then Murray and Rogers grabbed me so that Sanders could start beating me up!"

"Where is Mr Sanders?" she asked as she looked around for the troublemaker.

"Well, he tried to curse me," Neville began to tell the professor. "Then his curse backfired on him turning him into a pig. When all of the other students began to laugh at him, he ran off. His wand is still laying right over there where he dropped it." Neville pointed to the spot on the grass.

"Did you throw the first punch or cast the first spell?" Ced asked his little brother.

"No, I did not throw the first punch or cast the first spell. I was just defending myself and Jennifer before she was able to run off and get help," he answered the question.

"Okay, fifty points to Gryffindor for standing up for a fellow student," Professor McGonagall told him. Then she turned to the other students that were still milling around, "All of you! Off to your rooms!" she told them sternly.

.

The next morning over breakfast, Vic told everybody, "I need to go and check on my company."

"I'll go with you!" Angel told her.

"I'll go to!" Rose said.

"Well, I need to go and check on the paper that my dad has put me in charge of," Ced told them.

"I'll go with you babe," Cici told him.

"I really don't want to ride that train," Fred told the group of friends.

The other three shook their heads in agreement.

So, with their minds made up, the group of nine caught the last two carriages going to the train station. As soon as they had cleared the gates of the school all of them jumped out of the carriages.

"We'll see you four in the morning?" Ced asked the two couples.

"Yeah, we'll be there," George told him.

"Yeah, we'll see you in the morning," Fred told him too.

"Okay," then he turned to Vic. "We'll see you at home, Mon Amour," he told her before kissing her goodbye. Then with a tiny little twist, he and Cici were walking down the path that led to the front doors.

Vic looked at Rose and Angel, "Do you want to apparate or fly?"

"Is this a rhetorical question?" Rose asked her as she started pulling her broom out to enlarge it.

"I agree with her, is this a rhetorical question?" Angel asked Vic sarcastically while digging frantically.

Vic had already begun to fish her broom out of her trunk. This was going to turn into a race, and the loser was going to take some serious teasing!

Suddenly, there was a bunch of tapping, and then three red streaks shot into the air. Angel was in the lead, but just barely. The aerodynamic shield on the brooms made them a lot more comfortable to ride, and it was easier on their school robes. Still, the three of them were flattened out on the sticks, willing their broom to go just a little bit faster.

.

After Ced and Cici changed clothes into more formal business attire, they told Harry that they were headed for the newspaper to see how things were coming with the new paper. The two of them stepped out of the floo and into the lobby of the paper. Ced looked and turned to walk towards Edna.

"Good morning sir. How may I be of assistance to you?" the older greying witch asked Ced.

"Good morning, we are here to see Colin," he told her with a smile.

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked, she didn't remember Mr Creevey having any appointments today.

"No, this is an impromptu visit," Ced told her.

"I will see if he has time to speak with you Mr?" she asked him.

"Potter, Cedric Potter."

Edna's eyes narrowed at him.

"Yes, I am Harry Potter's son, and this is my girlfriend, Cecilia," Ced told her.

"Just a minute sir while I go and get Mr Creevey!" She rolled her chair back and spun it so she could get up and go talk to Colin quickly.

A moment later Colin came out of the back of the office to greet Ced. "Good morning, Ced!" Colin told him as he shook his hand.

"Good morning, Colin," Ced said to him.

"Please, come on in back where we can talk. Thank you, Edna," Colin dismissed the receptionist.

Ced and Cici followed Colin into the back offices of the newspaper. He showed them to the chairs in front of his sat down and talked more in depth about where they wanted to take the paper.

"Josh wrote to me and told me that his friends were interested in working for the paper. He should be getting here soon." Colin's eyes narrowed at Ced and Cici. How had they gotten here quicker than Josh had when they're a year behind him?

"How has Toni been doing?" Cici changed the subject.

"She's been doing great. She has an international portkey that she uses to get between here and Naples. She and Sofia are supposed to spend the summer holidays with Josh and me," Colin told her.

"That's good. So, has Sofia decided to become a witch?" Cici asked him.

"Yes, we're just waiting for them to get here this summer. Harry said that she could do the ritual at your place until she stops having bouts of accidental magic."

"Oh! So, they're going to be staying with us for a little bit this summer?" Cici wanted to clarify.

"Yes, Harry didn't say anything to you?"

"No, we were only home for a few minutes before we came over here to talk with you," Ced told the newspaperman. "Let's get back together again on say Wednesday morning? About nine?" Ced asked him.

"That would be great. That will also give Josh and his friends a little time to get settled in, in their new desks," Colin told him. Then he got up from behind the desk to walk them to the lobby.

Ced held the chair for Cici as she got up, then she turned and gave him a little kiss on the cheek for his efforts.

In the lobby, Colin turned to Ced, "Okay, we will see you again on Wednesday morning!" and he stuck out his hand to shake Ced's in departure. Then he turned and shook Cici's hand also.

The two young adults walked to the floo, tossed in a wee little bit of Floo Powder, and holding hands they stepped into the flames.

.

Vic got home about thirty minutes before dinner. Everyone was looking at her concerned. Cleansweep Brooms had been a rough company the first couple of years that Vic had owned them. The family was waiting for her to tell them what was going on. Thankfully, it was just family at the table tonight, so the two young women had dressed down in heavy cotton tack pants, a couple of Ced's old loose fitting t-shirts, no bras, and some house slippers.

"Caroline is doing such an amazing job at the company!" Vic said as the pudding was served.

"Oh?" Harry asked intending for Vic to say more.

"Yes! Profits are at a record high, employee morale is higher than it has ever been, and sales are up too!"

"That's great!" Harry said excited for her.

"R&D is developing a new broom, based on the Hunter luxury exotic broom that is going to be a two-seater! So far, they are calling it the Hunter II, or the Deuce," Vic was telling them enthusiastically.

"Really?" Ced asked her.

"Yes! It is based all on customer feedback. And what they have learned is that there's a market for a two-seat high-performance broom! They were telling me about a muggle thing called a motorcycle, and that they can come as either a single seat version or a two-seater! Imagine that!"

"Why would somebody want a two-seat broom?" Neville asked.

"Well, think about this. Let's say that you and Jennifer wanted to go fly around the Black Lake …" Vic started to tell him before he interrupted her.

"Jennifer and I broke up."

"Why is that?" Ced asked.

"She wanted me to give up Quidditch because it was taking up too much of my time from her."

"She wanted you to give up Quidditch?" Cici asked him in disbelief.

"Yes!"

"Okay, so back to what I was telling you now. Let's say that you and your new girlfriend want to fly around the Black Lake together. Well, the only thing is, she doesn't have her own broom, or she doesn't like to fly. With the Deuce, you could take her on your broom, comfortably," Vic finished explaining.

"So, how many do they expect to sell?" Harry asked her.

"We're going to keep production very limited, so about fifty units a year, worldwide," she told her dad.

"Wow! Worldwide? That's going to hit the Italians and the Germans right between the eyes!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, it is! Nobody is doing this yet! We figure our market will be rich playboys that want to take their girl with them for a ride."

"So, how are things at the paper?" Harry asked.

"We have another meeting on Wednesday morning. To meet with Colin's son and his friends. Colin said that Toni and her daughter Sofia are coming here for part of the summer?" Ced changed the subject.

"Yes, they should be here sometime tomorrow. Why wasn't Josh at the paper this morning?" Harry asked.

"He was still on the train home. We just apparated. Who is going to teach Sofia magic? She's several years behind!" Ced asked his dad.

"We haven't gotten that far yet. So Josh didn't apparate home? Isn't he a seventh, or wasn't he a seventh year?" Harry asked. "He should have graduated." What good is a newspaper reporter that can't apparate? How are they going to get to the stories as they happen? The Knight Bus?

"No, Colin said that he would be there shortly, and then he started to look at Cici and me, wondering how we got home so quickly," Ced told him.

"Well, let's just wait and see for now. I still like the idea of a magical newspaper that covers international news. And we still need to aim it at the younger generation. Most of the older witches and wizards aren't going to buy it. This is definitely going to be a long-term investment. I would like it if we could be selling copies of it in time for school to start. We could give the kids four months for free on a trial basis."

"I like that. We could call it MBT, Magical Britain Today. Cici was quick to change the subject when Colin started looking at us funny. She brought up Toni. He said that she had a portkey between here and Naples?"

"Yes, she goes back and forth between the two places fairly regularly. I like the name, 'Magical Britain Today,'" Harry said with a smile. "Now, all we have to do is to get people to buy it!"

"Doesn't Uncle Os have a marketing company?" Vic asked.

"I think so, I would have to ask Daphne on Monday."

"Okay, we can get together with them, say on Thursday?" Ced turned to look at Cici.

"What are you looking at me for? I was planning to hang out with mum at the hospital for a few days!" Cici told him.

"The three of you also need to finish your Animagus transformation. You're going to have a busy summer!" Hermione told the threesome.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	72. Year Seven Chapter 72

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 72

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Saturday morning after breakfast and before lunch, Gareth announced that Duchess Esposito wished to come through the floo with a guest.

"That's fine, Gareth, thank you very much," Harry told the elf.

Once Gareth had granted permission, the floo flared back to life, and Toni stepped through the floo holding onto her daughter tightly. Neville was walking past the floo when the most stunning girl in the whole world stepped out of the fireplace. He walked right into Gareth, knocking both of them to the ground.

"Master Neville," came the stern voice.

"Sorry, Gareth. I must have tripped over something," Neville told him as he looked around on the highly polished marble floor. He pushed himself back up to a standing position.

Gareth had gotten up on his own. "Duchess, if you would follow me please," the formal elf told her as he straightened his uniform jacket.

Toni and Sofia both followed Gareth to Harry's downstairs study. She kept a firm grip on Sofi's hand, as the young girl was too busy staring at all of the grandeur of the mansion.

"My Lord, Duchess Esposito and her guest," Gareth announced formally as they walked through the doors of the study.

"Thank you, Gareth," Harry dismissed the elf. "Toni, please have a seat." He said as he gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk.

"Thank you," Toni said as she let go of her daughter's hand.

Sofia gave up on trying to be discrete in her gawking. She had never seen anything like this in her life. Not even when they toured the public portions of the Vatican two weeks ago. Not even when they went and spent time at that incredible beach house! This, this, this was indescribable!

"Sofia!" Toni said for the umpteenth time.

"Huh?" was the unintended response from the thirteen-year-old young girl.

"Lord Gryffindor asked you a question!" Toni scolded her daughter.

"Huh? Um, I'm sorry," Sofia said in heavily accented English. Her mother had made her take English for the last two years at school, and she had hated every second of it, but now she needed it.

Harry asked her again in beautifully flowing Italian, "Are you ready for the ritual?"

"What ritual?" Sofia asked in Italian.

"The one that will release your magical powers. You do want to become a witch, still, correct?" Harry asked her in Italian again.

"Yes! I see all of the things that my mama can do, and," she paused for a breath. "I want to do them too!"

"Good! You do understand that all of that won't just happen. It takes studying and practice to make those things happen." Harry asked her as he leaned on his arms on the desktop.

Sofia's face fell just a little, "I guess that makes sense. Like learning to cook spaghetti or bake a lasagna. It doesn't just happen, you have to learn how to do those things. So, yes, I get it now." She smiled at Harry.

If Harry's heart didn't already belong to Mione, her smile would have melted his heart.

"Dobby!" Harry called out to the air.

Pop! Announced the elf's arrival, "Yes, my Lord?" he said with a deep, respectful bow.

"Would you please go ask Ced and the girls if they would join us in the training room?"

" _I'll get them, honey. I'm walking past their room now_ ," Hermione thought to her mate.

"Yes, my Lord!" and the eager elf was gone with a pop again.

Dobby appeared in the threesome's room just as Hermione was knocking on the partially open door, swinging it farther open.

"Master Cedric, Mistress Cici, Mistress Vic, your father asks if you could please join him in the training room," Dobby said with a bow.

"Sure, Dobby! Thank you for letting us know," Ced told one of his father's oldest friends.

With a pop, Dobby was gone, and the trio's mum was standing in the doorway with a pleasant smile on her face. Looking at her children. She could feel the love in the room, and it warmed her heart.

The three of them looked up to see her standing there quietly. "Hey, mum!" Vic said at seeing her looking at them fondly.

"Are you ready? Toni's here with her daughter."

"I guess that dad wants to do it in the training room this time, so there's not as big a mess to clean up?" Ced asked his mum.

"He says yes," their mum told them.

The threesome slipped off of their bed and slipped on some shoes. They weren't dressed in fancy clothes, just jeans and t-shirts. The girls slipped on some comfortable three-inch heels, while Ced pulled on a pair of canvas docksides.

.

Once they were downstairs, the trio and their mum joined Harry and their guests. The large group was headed across the living room when they caught Neville's attention from the library. He started to follow the most beautiful girl in the whole world as they crossed the living room. Hermione reached out and pulled her youngest son into a one-armed hug around his shoulders as they walked to the training room. From the hallway, they turned into another hall that led to the training room and the medical room, and from there, they entered the training room.

With a wave of his wand, Harry conjured a table in the centre of the room. Toni laid the diary on the table, and she pulled out her ancestor's wand and laid it next to the diary. Her actions were almost ritualistic. This was a solemn occasion for her and her daughter. Her daughter was getting her magic back after nearly five-hundred years of being dormant.

Toni explained what Sofi needed to do. And as she explained things to her, the others in the room formed a loose circle around the witch to be. When Sofi nodded her head in understanding, her mama looked around and joined the others in the circle.

Sofia began to read the pages of the diary. As she read, the others in the room could feel the magic starting to build. Unconsciously, the others in the room joined hands, forming a magical barrier to the magic that was being released as Sofi continued to read the words out loud. Without her knowing it, the young girl had picked up her ancestor's wand and was moving it intricately in the air. As the wand moved through the air, it was leaving trails of sparks, forming designs, and ancient runes. The page of the diary turned by itself as Sofia read on. The magic kept building the air in the room was swirling as she read the words that appeared on the blank pages just ahead of where she was. Her hand kept moving the wand in intricate ways. The air in the training room was swirling around them violently as it changed colours. Their magic contained what was happening before their eyes, as suddenly, the diary exploded nocking all of them to the ground. The magical shockwave raced through the mansion nocking delicate items off of their perches. Elves tried to move as fast as the shockwave to save the priceless artefacts from hitting the floor.

Upstairs, Cathaoir, put up a shield to protect Cub and himself, and he deflected the majority of the shockwave out the back and side of the mansion. Kitten did the same thing and rolled over in bed, pulling her pillow with her.

In the training room, Sofia was trying to get to her feet, Neville rushed over to help her. "What happened?" she asked as she pushed her hair out of her face, trying to tuck part of it behind one of her ears.

Neville looked at her with reverence, "I, I, don't know."

"How do you feel?" Hermione asked her.

"Strange. I don't know how to describe it. I feel, different, but then I feel the same," she tried to express what was going on inside of her.

"What happened to the diary?" asked Toni as she looked at her daughter who now had a pure white streak running through her hair.

The others looked, the diary was missing from the top of the conjured table, and the table was the only thing in the room, there was no place for the journal to hide. Sofia was still clutching the wand in her hand, and thankfully, it was pointed at the floor when a bolt of light shot from the tip of the wand and hit the floor.

"EEEK!" Sofia squeaked. "What's happening to me!" and instead of dropping the wand, she clutched it tighter.

"You're experience…" Harry started to try and explain what was happening to her when she brought the wand up and pointed it at him.

Neville quickly pulled her arm off to her side as another bolt of light shot from the tip of the wand and hit the wall of the training room.

"Why am I doing this!?" Sofia asked fearfully.

Neville stayed with her to make sure that no one got hurt by what was happening.

"It's okay vita mia! The same thing happened to me!" Toni told her daughter. The concern for what she was experiencing was written all over her face. She wanted to go and hug her, but that could be dangerous.

"What you are experiencing is called accidental magic. When a child first gets their magic, they release it when they experience strong emotions," Harry told her.

"Ooo, I once destroyed my dad's entertainment wing with accidental magic!" Neville told the most beautiful girl in the whole world that he was standing as close to as he could without actually touching her. "I started laughing really hard at a cartoon, and the magic shot out of me and ruined everything in the room!"

Sofia turned to face him and saw how close he really was. Normally this would have bothered her, but she liked his closeness, it was soothing to her. She liked the way he smelled, it was comforting to her runaway emotions that she was feeling. She liked the sound of his voice, it was calming to her raw nerves.

"Everybody experiences accidental magic," Neville told her. This close, and she was even more beautiful! Her olive coloured skin was flawless, and she wasn't wearing makeup he saw, just red lipstick. This close and he could smell her, the scent of apple, and it made him want to bury his nose into her hair at her neck. Her eyes were so dark brown that they were almost black. She wasn't very tall; the top of her head came just above his shoulders he thought. And having her this close was doing things to his insides that he had never felt before, not even with Jennifer. The white streak in her hair only made her dark brown hair that much more vivid, it was like that mutant girl's hair in that movie he saw. Only to him, it was prettier. He reached over and took her hand in his, it just felt natural that she should be there with him.

Sofi didn't protest when the boy took her hand in his. She had never realised that she was incomplete without him. He completed her. She had had a lot of boys that had wanted to hold her hand, but she had never let them. Her grandmama was right, boys were icky, they just wanted to slobber on your face! She hadn't even let a boy kiss her yet! And plenty had tried! She usually pushed them, or in one boy's case, she had to punch him! But this boy, he was making her feel things, strange things!

The others in the room were watching what was happening between the two young kids.

Toni had never seen her daughter like this. She had not been home enough as her daughter was growing up to even know if she had even had a boyfriend.

Harry and Hermione were watching their youngest son standing so close to this girl, you couldn't even put your hand between them. They were just staring into each other's eyes. They watched as Sofi's wand arm just hung limply at her side with different coloured spells hitting the floor, and the girl was unaware of what was happening she was so lost in their son.

Ced pulled Cici and Vic in tighter against him. Were they going to be the first to watch a natural born bond happen? Right here, right now? The love that they had for each other had started to radiate off of them heavily.

Toni could feel the love from the threesome touching her back, she wanted to step backwards into it, let it engulf her. But she was watching her daughter and this boy intently. Part of her wanted to go over and rip the two of them apart. They were too young! But how old was she when she had her first time? She had always been more mature than her age, and she had found out that older boys were a lot more fun to be with than boys her own age. Thinking back now, it had been a miracle that she hadn't gotten pregnant. Her mother had been right to take her to the doctor and get her on the pill. Was that what she was going to have to do with Sofi?

Harry pulled Mione in close against him. They could feel the love flowing off of their oldest son and his wives. What's with Potters and soul-bonds? Hermione started to wonder. This was going to be something that she was going to start looking into. Harry could feel their own love starting to swirl around them.

Neville realised that he had never kissed a girl before. Jennifer had tried to get him to kiss her, but he never had. That was part of the reason that they broke up. He didn't want to kiss her, but he wanted to kiss this girl, standing so close to him that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his face. Slowly he lowered his head down until his lips met hers.

Sofia had never wanted a boy to kiss her as much as she wanted this boy to kiss her. They were so close that she could feel his breath against her hair. She turned so that she was looking up into his dark green eyes. Green had always been her favourite colour, and now she knew why. Her dark red lips met his pale red lips and nothing else mattered.

Ced saw the two young kids start to kiss and he reached out and grabbed Toni and pulled her back towards him and his wives. It was either Cici or Vic that cast a shield over them as Neville and Sofia's lips met.

As fast as Hermione was, Harry had always been just a little bit quicker. He saw Ced reach out and pull Toni in next to him and his wives. Then he saw the shield spell happen. At that instant, he cast a shield spell over him and Mione as his son's lips touched Sofia's lips.

Neville's free arm went around Sofia's torso as both of Sofia's arms wrapped around his neck. Neville's other arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her in tight against him, wishing that he could become one with her.

Sofia wrapped both of her arms around this boy's neck, pulling his head down so she could kiss him harder. She had never wanted anybody as much as she wanted him in her life. She could feel him pulling her body against his much harder body. She could feel the intensity of his emotions, the need to kiss her. She didn't even know his name!

" _It's Neville,"_ she heard. _"What's your name? You're so beautiful!"_

" _It's Sofia and thank you. You're not bad yourself!"_

" _No, not me. All of the girls in school have a crush on my brother."_

" _I don't care about your brother, all I care about is you!"_

" _Do you have a boyfriend?"_

" _No, not unless you're going to be my boyfriend."_

" _I'll be your boyfriend if you'll be my girlfriend."_

" _You don't have a girlfriend?"_

" _No, she broke up with me because I wouldn't kiss her."_

" _Well, silly, you're kissing me now!"_

" _I like kissing you. I bet that you've had a lot of boys kiss you because you're so pretty."_

" _No, I've had a lot of boys try, but you're the only boy that I have ever let kiss me. I like you kissing me too."_

" _You do?"_

" _Yes! You're a good kisser!"_

" _You're a good kisser too!"_

" _I think they're watching us."_

" _Whose watching us?"_

" _My mama and your parents and those other three."_

" _I don't want to let you go!"_

" _I don't want you to let me go!"_

" _This feels so, so, so amazing!"_

" _It does feel amazing. I never thought that kissing a boy would feel like this!"_

" _Me neither! I mean kissing a girl."_

Sofia loosened the hold that she had on Neville's neck, and he pulled his lips unwillingly off of hers. She lowered herself off of her tiptoes and was standing flat-footed on the floor once again. She kept her body pressed up against his as if she needed the physical contact to keep her strong.

Neville felt Sofi loosen her grip on his neck. Reluctantly he lifted his head to break the contact of their kiss, the warmth of her lips. He kept his arm around her torso, holding her tight against him, he could feel her arm around his waist, her being, gave him strength. The two of them turned to face the others in the room. All of them were strangely silent.

As the two of them kissed, the golden glow enveloped them, it swirled around them sealing them together for all eternity. With her ancestor's wand firmly gripped, Sofia's arms wrapped around Neville's neck tightly. As their kiss developed, a shower of sparks began to flow from the tip of the wand, bathing them and the room in a variety of colours. The two of them held each other tightly, their bodies pressed firmly together, trying to become one.

Toni stood there watching her daughter kiss this stranger of a boy. A kiss that no thirteen-year-old girl should know how to do. A kiss that ninety-nine percent of adults have never experienced even once in their lives, kind of kiss. She didn't even notice the shower of sparks flowing steadily from the wand and filling the room. She did see the glow that covered her daughter and Hermione's son, but only because it was between her and her daughter, her thirteen-year-old daughter. A kiss that was lasting much too long. A kiss that was making her uncomfortable to watch, kind of kiss.

Ced saw Toni start to move towards his brother and her daughter, he reached out quickly and grabbed her by her arm, holding her, "Don't," he said softly.

Toni looked down at Ced's hand holding her by her arm, keeping her from going over there and putting a stop to this, this, this kiss!

"You will only get hurt if you go over there and try and stop what is happening," he told her gently.

"Right now, they're in a cocoon of magic," Hermione told her newest in-law.

"What's happening to her?" Toni asked Hermione.

"They are bonding, they're a soul-bonded couple," she told her.

"How did this happen?" Toni asked in bewilderment.

"Everybody has a mate in this world. Some of us are just lucky enough to find the one person that we're supposed to be with. And in this case, Sofia, found her true mate, her soul-mate, in our son Neville," Hermione explained things to her as best as she understood them.

"So, what does this mean?" Toni asked her.

"What this means is that your daughter and their son are going to be spending a lot of time together and you're going to have to get used to it. Quickly," Angelica told her as she stood behind them.

"Mom!" Cici said excitedly as she turned around to give her mom a hug. Vic and Ced joined in, in giving Angelica a crushing hug.

"In my case, I didn't lose a daughter, I gained an incredible son and a second daughter!" she hugged all of them back as best as she could.

"What do you mean you gained a son?"

"In the eyes of the wizarding world, your daughter and Neville are now married," Angelica told her as gently as she could. She could remember back to when this had happened to her.

"They're married? But she was just supposed to read some words out of a diary and get her magic back." Toni looked confused now.

"It's okay mama," Sofia finally spoke up after hearing what had happened to her. "I want this."

"But you're too young to know what you want! You're only thirteen!"

Toni was taking this not so bad. Harry decided.

Ced reached around and shook Charlie's hand as he stood there quietly.

"Why don't we move to the sitting room," Hermione suggested as she let go of Harry and made her way to Toni.

Vic, Cici, and Angelica all joined her in separating Toni from the others. There were going to be questions that she was going to ask that they would answer while there were no men around. The group of women ushered Toni out of the training room and slowly they began to make their way to the sitting room.

Charlie was caught between a rock and a hard place, being that he was the only guy in the room that wasn't involved in a soul-bond relationship. "I think that I'll take our stuff up to our room," he told Harry.

"That would probably be a good idea. We'll see you for lunch in a little while," Harry told him.

With a wave of Harry's hand, he conjured two wingback chairs and a couch for the newest couple in their family.

"How do the two of you feel?" Harry asked them.

"I can feel a difference in my magic," Neville told him.

"That's because your two cores are joining together," Harry told his youngest son.

"It will take about a year for the two of you to bond fully," Ced told him.

"So, what I am feeling right now is caused by this bond thing?" Sofia asked.

"What has happened is that you and Neville were meant to be together and you found each other. When you kissed, that activated the bonding process. At this stage of the bonding, if you two are separated for as little as, say fifteen minutes, the two of you will be in an incredible amount of pain. That's why you're touching even now," Ced told his sister-in-law.

Harry saw her looking down at the two of them holding hands, their legs were pressed up against each other, their hips were touching, their arms and shoulders were touching too. "Go ahead and try scooting to opposite ends of the couch and tell me how it feels."

Neville scooted a little bit away from Sofi, but she jumped to the far end of the couch.

"It hurts!" Sofia said as she scooted back next to her new husband.

Vic shifted next to Ced, "Now, imagine being forced apart for thirty minutes or more! That's what happened to me the day that I bonded with Ced and Cici. I became physically weak! I was in so much pain that I was crying out for help! I had never hurt so much in my life! This is what we are talking to your mother about. She's all set to take you back to Italy, right now."

"But I don't want to go!" Sofia told her, looking up from the couch.

"Cici says that they're ready for us in the sitting room," Vic announced to the others still in the training room.

"Your mum says that Charles just walked in with the envelopes and the packages," Harry told them.

With that news, Ced and Harry both pushed themselves out of the chairs and waited for Neville and Sofia. Unconsciously, Vic moved over next to Ced and interlaced her fingers with his.

Vic looked down at her hand, she looked at Sofia, "See?" she said with a smile, as she raised her and Ced's hands to show her that they still needed the physical contact.

With Harry up front, Neville and Sofia in the centre, Ced and Vic brought up the rear as they left the training room. With a wave of his hand, Harry cleared the room as he walked through the doorway.

As the young couple walked into the study, Toni came rushing over and grabbed Sofia in a tight hug, "If I had known that this was going to happen to you, I would never have asked you to do it!" she sobbed as she held her daughter tightly.

"You mean that you would not want the best thing to happen to me, to happen to me?" Sofia asked her mama.

Toni pushed her away to arm's length so she could look her in the eye, "What do you mean?" still holding her by her shoulders.

"Neville will never hurt me, he'll never cheat on me, he won't do any of the things that 'normal' boys do! He won't go telling lies about me to the other boys! Like the boys do to me now!" Sofia told her mama.

"But you're too young to know what has happened to you!" Toni said through the tears running down her cheeks.

"Yes, I may be too young to understand it all. But I do know that I have found the one person that I should be with for the rest of my life." Sofia told her mama gently.

"Oh, mi Tesoro! This is forever!"

"Mama, I may not understand everything that has happened, but I do know that Neville won't do to me, what my papa has done to you," Sofi told her lovingly.

Toni pulled her in for another tight hug, then she pushed her away again to arm's length and stood up straight. "Well," she started as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the backs of her knuckles, smearing her eyeshadow in the process. "I guess that we have a wedding to plan for!" she said with false bravado.

"Well, for right now, they have some mail that needs to be opened and read," Harry told the people in the room.

The others in the room looked at him. Harry turned and walked over to a table with the mail on it and lifted the two envelopes.

"Here, these are for you," he said as he handed the envelopes to the young couple.

Neville took one of the envelops and Sofia took the other. He let go of Sofi's hand so he could open the one that he was holding and pull out the folded piece of parchment inside. Sofi unconsciously pressed her slender body against his more muscular frame. Neville unfolded the two pieces of parchment, they were their wedding certificates, both in English for one and Italian for the other, telling them that on this day, in the eyes of the wizarding community that they were now married and given all of the rights and responsibilities as such. Neville showed it to Sofi, and she just kind of looked at it. She could see that it was all fancy and official looking. Sofia opened her envelope and pulled out the two pieces of parchment inside, she unfolded the letters and one was written in English, and the other was in Italian. She handed Neville the letter in English while she started to read the letter in Italian.

Sofia looked up from her letter, "It says that it is from the creator and that there are some rings." Then she went back to reading some more.

The other soul-bonded couples in the room could see, that as the two of them were reading their letters, that they were talking to each other telepathically.

Toni looked over at Hermione, "The letters are from God?" she asked in amazement.

"No! The letters are from the creator of the magical world, Edmund." Hermione told her softly, not wanting to distract the two kids from what was happening to them.

Neville looked up at his dad, "It also says that there's a …"

Harry interrupted his son, "We'll get to that in a bit. But for now, are you ready for the rings?" he didn't want Neville and Sofia to tell anyone about the house in the bottle.

Neville looked at Sofia for a moment, "Yes."

Harry turned around and took the smallest package and handed it to his son.

Neville turned to face Sofia with the package, and together they unwrapped it from the brown postal paper it was wrapped in. Neville took the small box and opened it to show Sofia the two gold bands inside. On the smaller of the two bands was engraved SGP + NSP on, the larger of the two gold bands was engraved NSP + SGP.

The two youngest members of the group looked to the others in the group for guidance.

"This is your ring ceremony. Tell each other what is in your heart," Cici told them.

"And then slip the ring onto their finger," Ced said to them.

"Boys go first," Vic told them.

Neville took Sofi's much more slender, delicate hand in his much larger and stronger hand, holding it gently, he looked into her eyes and said nothing. Then the others in the room could see tears starting to run down Sofi's face as she smiled up at him. Then he took her hand in one hand, the small ring in the other, and he slid it onto her ring finger. The ring adjusted to fit her long delicate finger.

Sofi took Neville's much larger hand in hers, then she looked up into his deep green eyes that had become flecked with dark brown. The others in the room could see the tears hanging in the corners of his eyes as she slid the ring onto his ring finger.

When she let go of the ring, Harry said, "You may kiss your bride."

And Toni lost it.

Angelica moved over to Toni and took her into a comforting embrace. "Don't think of it as losing a daughter, think of it as gaining an amazing son-in-law that only wants the very best for her."

Through the sobs, Toni said, "I know."

When the two newlyweds stopped kissing. Harry handed them the last of the packages. "Take this to your room," he addressed Neville, "And open it there.

"Then later tonight, you need to do what the letter tells you to do. But for now, lunch should be almost ready," Hermione told them.

"I'll follow them upstairs to make sure they don't get lost," Ced told his parents.

"We'll follow them upstairs," Cici corrected her husband.

Then together, the five of them headed for Neville's room. When they got to Neville's room, Ced encouraged them to open the largest package.

"It's a house in a bottle," Neville commented underwhelmed with what he had sitting on his bed.

"Rather unimpressive isn't it?" Ced asked him dryly.

With a flick of her finger, Vic closed the bedroom door, and another flick locked it.

"What that is, is your last safe refuge in a time of extreme danger," Cici told the two of them.

"Nobody but you two can ever enter that house," Vic told them.

The newlyweds looked at the unimpressive house and then back to the threesome, and then back at the house in the bottle. Their house was on the side of a lake that stretched all of the ways to the edge of the bottle, and the other side was a forest. They could see where a waterfall fell into the lake from a river that would be outside of the bottle.

"We put ours on a nightstand," Ced told them.

Neville looked at his nightstand, and it was already cluttered with stuff. Then he looked around his room and decided on his chest of drawers. He carried the house over to the chest of drawers and set it dead centre on the top. Then he stood there and stared at it for a while. Sofi came over and took hold of his hand while he looked at the bottle.

"We need to go down to lunch before you do that," Ced told his little brother.

Neville's head jerked up for a second, then he turned and looked at Cici, Vic, and Ced. "Okay, I was just thinking about stuff."

"With the ring, I can understand more of what you're saying, and I'm able to express myself better in English," Sofia looked at the older soul-bonded.

"It's a benefit of the ring, the letter explains everything, but it takes time to absorb all that has been opened to you two. After lunch, we'll take you out and introduce you to Uasal and Car-baun." Cici told her.

"Uasal and Car-baun will want to meet you," Vic told her.

"The only relationship advice that I have for the two of you is, no secrets, don't hide things from each other," Ced told the two of them earnestly.

The two of them looked at him, then they looked at each other for a few moments.

"We agree with you!" Neville told him.

"Honesty, it seems like a good thing to have in a relationship," Sofia told him with a nod of her head.

.

With only two extra for lunch, lunch was served in the smaller family dining room, and there were still empty seats. As the five of them entered the room, Kitten and Cub looked up to see who the newest member of their family was, Cathaoir was laying over in a corner, his eyes closed, and purring contentedly. Ced held his wives' chairs for them, and they both kissed him on the cheek.

Neville, watching his brother, held Sofia's chair for her, and she took her cue from the two beautiful witches and kissed Neville on the cheek also.

"I'm glad that this is a quiet Saturday," Ced started talking after he ordered his lunch. "So, when's Ginny and Zander's wedding?"

Hermione got a thoughtful look on her face, two weeks from today, at the Burro," she told him.

"And when are we going to do Neville and Sofia's wedding?" Vic asked.

Everyone looked from Hermione to Toni. The two of them looked at Sofia. The crisis atmosphere that had surrounded Cici and Ced's wedding was long gone. Vic's wedding to Cici and Ced had made sure of that.

"The Saturday before? Or the Saturday after Ginny's wedding," Cici suggested two dates.

"Well, we don't want to upstage Ginny's wedding by having the wedding before, that would just be gauche," Hermione was thinking out loud now.

"If we do it the Saturday after, then they will be on their honeymoon," Cici stated.

"Why don't we do it at the same time as their wedding?" Sofia asked.

"Do you mean, have two separate weddings? Or have the two weddings at the Burro?" Harry asked her.

"If we have two separate weddings, in two different places, a lot of the people that should be here at your wedding will be over at her wedding," Vic told her.

"And if we do both weddings at the same place at the same time, there will be people there that don't need to know that you're now a soul-bonded couple. That would jeopardise your safety, our safety, and Harry and Hermione's safety. There are a lot of people out there that would like to see the seven of us dead." Cici told her.

"Why? Why would they want to kill us?" Sofia asked her.

"Because of what we represent," Neville started to tell her out loud.

"And what's that?" she asked him.

"Love. We represent love. There are those people that just want to hate, and make other people miserable. One of the professors told me once, 'Misery loves company.'"

When lunch was over, everyone was standing up to leave, "We need to get her a wand, dad!" Neville told his dad in a near panic.

Harry turned around to look at his youngest son. He was right, then he looked at his watch, it was after two in the afternoon.

Ced could see the look on his father's face, he was dreading going to Diagon Alley at this time of the day, even with a glamour on, it didn't always fool everyone. "We can take them, dad," he told his father.

Harry didn't want to shirk his responsibilities, but he also knew that if he went, they might never make it to Ollivander's. "Toni needs her own wand too. She should have gotten hers a couple of weeks ago, after she read the ritual."

"I can go with them," Hermione told her husband. "I'll ask Dobby to bring you once we're inside of Ollivander's. Will that make you feel better?"

"Yes, but I just wish that we could do this in the morning! But Neville's right, she needs her own wand, and she needs it now," Harry told her.

.

With their destination confirmed, Hermione threw a pinch of FlooPowder brand floo powder into the floo and said clearly, "Diagon Alley," and she was gone.

Toni was next and then Neville with his new bride of just a few hours. The threesome brought up the rear. Hermione gathered them all up on the other side and started to lead the group to Mr Ollivander's small shop. With a brisk pace, they were walking in groups of two, Hermione was keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, Ced and his wives were doing the same thing. Even Toni was looking for any strange behaviour, although if you asked her, she still found the behaviour of most wizards, strange.

"HEY, CED!" George called to them as he and Amber exited the ice-cream shop.

Ced, Cici, and Vic stopped to talk to George and Amber while the other four kept walking swiftly.

"Keep your voice down, mate!" Ced scolded his friend.

"Oh. Sorry! What are you doing?" George asked sheepishly. They had flooed home right after the morning workout routine. Angelina wanted some family time.

"Come on! We need to catch up!" Ced told the couple.

"What's happening?" Amber asked.

"I'll tell you in a minute," Ced told them softly, just before he took off at a brisk pace to get to the store.

The other two joined in and they stepped it up to get to Ollivander's in another minute or so.

The bell hanging over the door tinkled when Ced opened the door for his wives. Once inside the tiny shop, George held the door for Ced as a sign of respect.

"The two of you have met Toni, this is her daughter, Sofia. Sofia, these are our friends, George and Amber." Ced did the introductions quickly.

Toni was at the counter with Hermione, waiting for Mr Ollivander to return with his first armload of wands. Upon hearing her name, she turned around to see the couple that had joined them. Ced and his wives trusted them, so she decided that she would trust them too.

Sofia looked up at the boy with the dark-red hair and the girl with the kinky brown hair that was barely controlled, "Pleased to meet you," she said to them.

"Pleased to meet you too!" Amber said with a genuine smile for the girl. She picked up on Sofia having a grip on Neville's hand.

"Pleased to meet you," George told her politely. He was more interested in what was happening at the counter. Toni had just dropped her third wand like it had burned her hand.

As the wand rattled on the countertop, Mr Ollivander was shaking his head, "No, not that one," he mumbled loud enough to be heard. Looking up at Toni's face, Mr Ollivander could see the frustration written all over it. "Remember, it's the wand that chooses the witch, not the other way around." He tried to soothe her.

A couple of dozen more wands, and finally, the one in her hand emitted a shower of green, white, and red sparks, and the smile on Toni's face said it all. Harry was relieved, one down and one to go.

Neville let go of Sofi's hand, not by choice, but because he had to. Sofi stepped forward and took her mother's place at the counter. To her, it all seemed like trial and error, but the old man behind the counter insisted otherwise. Her mother's new wand was Ebony and Phoenix feather, the black wood was pretty. And it was a similar combination that Mr Ollivander handed her for her first try. Her hand didn't get within ten centimetres of it before she jerked it back. And so, they began, wand after wand, disaster after disaster. And an hour later, with boxes laying on all of the different counters, Sofi's new wand lit up the inside of the shop. Toni reached into her clutch and pulled out her card.

"I'm sorry miss," Mr Ollivander told her apologetically, "But I only accept galleons."

Toni frowned at the old codger, "Don't worry, Toni, I've got this," Harry said as he stepped forward as he was sticking his hand in his trouser pocket.

"Thank you, Harry," Mr Ollivander said as he picked up the coins from the countertop. "I will see you next time."

"Thank you!" Sofi called out as she held her new Applewood and Unicorn hair wand in her hand as they got ready to go out the door.

Cici leaned down and told her, "You need to put your wand in your pocket. Nobody carries their wand like that, it will draw unwanted attention to you."

Sofi looked down at her dress, then she looked up at Cici with a confused look, "It's not going to fit."

Cici's wand appeared in her hand, and she touched Sofi's dress casting a transfiguration charm on the pocket there. "Try it now," Cici told her.

Sofi took her wand and slipped it into the magically enlarged pocket, with a smile she looked back up at the older witch, "It fits! Thank you!"

With a tap of his wand on his head, Harry cast a glamour on himself to make him look more like his father-in-law, "Is everybody ready?" he asked.

"Where are we going, dad?" Vic asked as she took ahold of Ced's hand.

"Over to Madam Malkin's," was all Harry said just before he opened the door to the shop setting off the tiny bell again.

Looking left and looking right, Harry took off at an angle to the clothing shop. The street was crowded with shoppers. All of the Hogwarts students were out looking for something to do, there was a good percentage of parents out today also. It was the first Saturday after school after all, and it was after lunch. In keeping with his appearance, Harry walked slow and easy, Hermione had a hold of his arm like a good daughter helping her elderly father cross the street. It may have felt like forever, but eventually, they made it to the clothing store.

"Ah, Lady Gryffindor, I was hoping that I might find you. It's good to see you helping the elderly. Here, this is for you." And the woman with bad breath, in her middle twenties handed her an envelope from a law firm.

Looking at the envelope that was in her hand, "And what might this be about?" Hermione asked nonchalantly.

"I intend to challenge your adoption of my cousin Victoria Vane."

Ced tightened his grip on Vic's hand to keep her from moving. _"It's obvious that she doesn't even know who you are or what you look like. Otherwise, she would be talking to you."_

" _Let's just play it cool Little One."_

"And your name is?" Hermione asked casually.

"Emma, Emma Vane."

"And on what grounds would you have to challenge the adoption of Vicky?"

"On the grounds of blood relationship. I should have been made her legal guardian."

"But when her mother was killed in that terrible accident, the Ministry declared her an orphan because she had no living relatives."

"No, not in this country. I moved overseas with my parents before my second year in school. I only found out about the adoption when I came back here on business."

"Well, I will have our lawyers contact your lawyers, and we will get it settled that way."

"Well, if we could, I would like to keep the courts out of it as much as possible."

"Hum, why now?"

"Why now, what?"

"Why are you wanting to, to, what is it that you are wanting to do with Vicky again?"

"I'm wanting to adopt her, of course!" Emma said in the most innocent of voices.

"Why do you want to adopt her, though?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"Oh, we used to be the best of friends! She was always spending time at my house before we moved of course."

" _Until I went to Hogwarts, I never went anywhere!"_ Vic's anger was reaching the boiling point.

"So, you would recognise her anywhere?" Cici asked the woman.

"Oh, most definitely!"

"Here, mum. Give her this portkey and have her come by the house tomorrow morning. That way, we'll have time to break the news to Vicky, and she can get ready," Ced told his mum as he handed her a price tag off of one of the pieces of clothing he was standing next to.

Emma took the portkey and promised to be at their house about ten in the morning. "Have a pleasant day," she said as she went out the doors of the store.

"There's no way that I'm going to let her take Vic!" Ced told them forcefully.

"She has no clue as to who Vicky Vane really is!" Vic said to them. "I was standing in front of her the whole time!"

"Well, she knows occlumency, I didn't pick up a thing from her," Amber told them.

"Me neither," Harry told them quietly. "Let's get to a private room so I can get out of here and all of you can start looking at dresses."

.

That night for dinner, they were joined by the Heads of the other three Ancient and Noble houses. Harry introduced them to Toni and her daughter. Then he also introduced Sofi as Neville's soul-mate. This brought gasps from around the table. Why three soul-bonded couples? Toni sat there and watched and listened. She wasn't intimidated by the others, she didn't know who they were. She could tell that they all came from money, but now, so did she, and she had reclaimed a family title that had come close to being lost forever. When she wasn't with her daughter in Naples, she was busy going through her new family vault at the bank. She had followed Ced's advice and the advice of the goblin and had all of her vaults consolidated into one large vault in Naples instead of Rome, Naples was her 'home.' When someone would address her, she would engage in the idle chit-chat, but for the most part, she sat there quietly, 'Even a fool is thought wise if they keep their mouth shut.'

They retired to the sitting room after dinner. Neville and Sofi went up to his room to follow the instructions in the letter, and they would see them again in the morning. The rest of them began to strategise how they were going to handle Miss Emma Vane.

.

At 10:30 Sunday morning Charles announced the arrival of Miss Vane and led her to the sitting room. She had planned on being late to show these people who was in charged and giving the orders. But when she had picked herself up off of the ground and gotten a good look at this place, she realised that it reeked of power and money. Lots of power and lots of money. She was about three steps from the massive front doors that stretched upwards like she had never seen a door do in her life when they opened for her without her knocking on them. There in the entryway stood one of the most regal looking house elves she had ever seen in her life, dressed in a uniform that had to of cost more than what she was wearing today, and she was wearing her most expensive outfit.

"May I help you?" the ancient elf asked her.

"I-I'm here to speak with Lo-Lord and Lady Gryf-Gryffindor?" Emma stammered out. Get a grip girl otherwise, this isn't going to happen!

The elf eyed her coldly, she noticed. I'm not going to be intimidated by some house elf! She told herself. I'm in charge! I'm the one calling the shots!

"Please, follow me." The ancient elf told her coldly. Charles already didn't like this witch, she was trying to take one of his favourites.

The old elf just turned and led the way. He didn't even bother to close those two massive front doors. She looked up from the elf and hanging between the two grand staircases hung the tapestry with the Potter family crest. She had never seen a tapestry so large in her life, it had to be seven metres wide and a little longer than that. The giant grandfather clock that stood in the centre of the two staircases announced the time. Was it really that loud? Or was it just her nerves amplifying the sound? She looked off to her side, at the formal living room, and she realised that her parent's whole house would fit in just that one room. She looked up, and up, and up to the third floor and could see the massive chandeliers hanging there. And wherever she saw a house elf, the elf was staring at her. She had almost walked into the elf, she hadn't seen him stop because of her staring.

"Lord Gryffindor, Miss Vane has arrived," with a bow, Charles said in his most obnoxious voice.

Emma turned to look into the room that she was standing outside of, and her nerve almost gave out, her legs had become weak once she saw who was in the room waiting for her. She knew who they were, even though she had never even met one of them. Closest to her was probably the most handsome couple she had ever seen on the cover of a magazine. And she had been wrong, it wasn't retouched, they really were that good looking, Daphne and Cedric Greengrass, next to them was Lord Greengrass and a very, very rare appearance of his wife, Felicia. Seated next to them was Lord and Lady Bones. Next to them was the Minister of Magic and her Husband Lord Black, Head of the Wizengamot. Her nerves really were trying to give out, if this failed then she was going away forever. She hadn't realised that her cousin that she had never seen had been adopted into this kind of wealth and power. And next to them was Lady Gryffindor, the broach that she was wearing was worth more than her parent's house! Lord Gryffindor was standing waiting for her to finish walking into the execution room. Next to him was the incredibly beautiful girl with the long wavy black hair from yesterday. And then the gorgeous guy that had called Lady Gryffindor mum, so that would make him their son. The other beautiful girl that must be their daughter and an empty seat set apart from all of the rest. The chair for the condemned she realised. As her eyes fell on the empty chair, she could see the doors closing to the execution chamber. She began to realise just how insignificant she really was. These people could make her disappear, and no one would ever question her disappearance, they would never challenge the four families that owned the majority of Magical Britain.

"Please, have a seat." Lord Gryffindor gestured to the empty chair.

Emma tried to pull her courage together, and she straightened her back and took the offered seat. "Thank you," she said and hoped that her nervousness didn't come through.

"What makes you think that you would be successful in challenging the adoption of our daughter Vicky?" Harry started the interrogation.

"Because, I'm her blood relative!" she told him as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world.

"When did you first learn about Vicky's adoption?" Harry asked her.

"About six months ago."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"And what do you know about her adoption?"

"Just that you adopted her after her mother was killed in the accident."

"And what makes you think that you can support a young girl in a fragile mental state? The medical costs alone could easily exceed your income as a clerk where you work." Harry was letting her know that he knew more about her than she knew about herself.

"Before my mother passed, she had told me that Vicky's mum had saved up a large number of galleons. I would use that to support her and get her any medical treatments that she would need."

"And what was your mother's relationship to Romilda? Blood wise." Harry clarified.

"My mother's mother, my Grandmother, was Romilda's mother's cousin."

"So, you're contesting the adoption on 'blood relation' four times removed?" Harry scoffed at her.

Emma gave a very weak, "Yes." She watched as the others in the room shifted position to get a better look at her.

"When was the last time that you even saw Vicky?" Harry asked her like a practised attorney.

"Just before my parents moved us."

"And where did your parents move you too?" Harry asked curiously.

"They moved us to Cape Town, South Africa."

Harry summoned a globe to himself, then he held it out to Emma to take. "Please, show me where Cape Town, South Africa is," he told her coolly.

Emma took the strange looking object and looked at it, "I-I'm sorry," her head hung, "I don't know where it is."

Harry took the globe and returned it to its rightful place.

"All I know is that I love her and I want to take care of her!" Emma even managed to get a tear on that performance, she was proud of herself on that at least.

"Would you even know Vicky if I brought her into this room?" Harry asked.

"Yes! We used to be best friends before we moved!"

"So, how much older are you than Vicky?" Harry asked coyly.

"She was younger than me by a few years. I don't really know how much older I am than she is."

"Dobby!" Harry called out.

Pop! Came the sound of the elf entering the room, with a bow so low that his nose almost touched the floor, "Yes, my Lord?"

"Would you bring Victoria here?" Harry said to the nervous elf.

Still looking at the floor, "Yes, my Lord!" and with another loud pop, he was gone.

Silence filled the room while they waited. A crushing, oppressing silence. The silence was smothering Emma, she felt like she couldn't breathe, she had never been in such silence before. She could hear her own heart beating, "What kind of medical costs does Vicky need?" Emma Vane was crushed under the silence.

"Well, she's a very special girl," Harry was saying when another pop announced the arrival of Dobby and Victoria.

Standing before Emma was a platinum blonde girl of about fourteen.

"Vicky!" Emma lunged out of the chair to hug the girl in front of her.

Kitten looked at her. Nobody in the room knew what Kitten was going to do when the woman touched her. Was she going to let her grab her? They had talked about this last night when she had agreed to play the part. But nobody had said anything about this stranger touching her. She would have remembered that part. With everything in her, Kitten resisted the urge to knock this crazy woman back into the chair that she had just left. But she stood there, and let the woman hug her. Was it her dad that had talked her into this or her Uncle Os. She was pretty sure that it was her Uncle Os. If she could, she would have turned her head to glare at him, but this crazy witch's head was on that side of her head so she really couldn't turn to give him the glare that he so desperately needed to receive from her right now. So, she just stood there, her arms pinned to her side, and waited for this witch to let go of her.

"Vicky! I've missed you so much!" Emma exclaimed as she hugged the blonde girl.

"Well, considering I'm not my sister, you have no idea who she even is." Kitten's words were cold.

Emma straightened quickly and looked down at her. If this wasn't Vicky, then where was she? Who was this girl that she had just been hugging?

"I'm Daphne. Vic is over there." She pointed to the shapely, light-skinned girl with light brown curly hair. "And your occlumency is weak," Kitten told her flatly. "Can I go now? Mask is about to floo call me about something that they just found."

"Go ahead, dear. We'll see you for dinner tonight." Harry told her.

As Kitten turned she was finally able to glare at Os as she left the room.

Emma stood there, dumbfounded. But how could that shapely woman sitting there be 'Little Vicky,' could her mother still be manipulating her from the grave? Her mother had always twisted everything to her advantage. Her father was always off at work, and they had moved a couple of times since she had left England all those years ago. But she had read about Vicky being adopted by the Potters, and her mother had told her that Vicky would have all of her mother's money. And Romilda had bragged to Emma's mum about how much money she really did have. Did it buy all of this? Did the Potters adopt her so they could buy this place? Her mum had never said a good word about any of the Ancient and Noble families. She had said that they stole all of their money from other families. So, Emma had decided that the Potters had adopted Vicky so they could get their greedy hands on the galleons that Vicky's mum had left her.

Vic stood up and walked over to the confused woman. She helped guide her back to her chair and got her to sit down and then as Vic squatted down, a stool appeared under her to sit on.

"Look at me, Emma," Vic told her.

Emma raised her eyes to look Vic in the eye, and then Vic overpowered her feeble occlumency shields. Once inside of Emma's mind, Vic worked to calm her down and talk to her. She kept a running monologue of what was happening inside of Emma's mind. As they discussed things, it became very clear that Emma was trying to do a good thing by contesting the adoption. She had been told that Vic had been adopted against her will so the Potters could get the money that her mother had saved up to give to Vic. She had been taught that none of the Ancient and Noble families had ever worked for a single knut, they had stolen all of their money from other hard-working folks. She was here to rescue Vic from the clutches of the Potters and their fake title.

"Who are you? You're very gentle at this. Much gentler than my mum ever was," Emma asked her.

"I'm Vicky. Vicky Potter. Vicky Vane ceased to exist a couple of years ago, once I was adopted. I am very happy here, and I am grateful that you were concerned for my safety, but now, you are either going to have to swear an Oath of Loyalty to this family, or I am going to need to modify your memories to erase any knowledge of my existence. It will be your choice, I'm not going to force you one way or the other."

"What happens if I choose the oath?"

"If that is what you want, then you will never be able to tell anybody about what has happened here today, and you leave as a friend. If you do tell someone, then you will lose your magic for life," Vic told her gently.

"But my mum said that something like this would happen!" and Emma became defensive and started to fight Vic to force her out of her mind.

"Your mum lied to you! You showed me how many times your mum manipulated you to get you to do something that you knew wasn't right! This is just her doing it to you again! And the thing is, you know it! Another friend of mine, her mum did the same thing to her too! It ruined her life for several years! And it almost cost her the love of her life! She's getting married in a few weeks. She lost all of those years because of her mother's manipulations. Don't let that happen to you! You will need help to lock all of those lies away, and there are a lot of lies that you have shown me!" Vic pleaded with her.

"But I can't trust you! You're under their control! You're one of them now!" she spat the last out with venom.

"But, I haven't lied to you," Vic told her. "If I have to Obliviate your memory, because of all of the lies and deceit that your mother had taught you, you won't have much of a life left," Vic warned her. "Your life has been based on a lie."

"But you're one of them!" Emma protested again.

"And who are 'them?'" Vic asked her.

"A user, one who just takes and takes and never gives back!"

"Right now, from what I can see." Vic reached over and took her hands in hers gently. "I'm the only friend that you have in this world!"

"But no!"

"But yes! Have I done anything to harm you?"

"No."

"Have I done anything to make you want to do something against your own free will?"

"No. but you want me to swear an oath!"

"Yes, that's for my protection and yours."

"What do you need protection from? You have everything!" then her thoughts turned harsh again. "Because they stole it all from everyone else!"

"No, they haven't stolen anything! On the contrary, Harry has worked long hard hours making sure that all of his businesses are running right so that he can provide jobs to people that need them! And then he turns around and donates millions of galleons a year to worthy causes!"

"And your mum?"

"My mum? My dead mum? She was the most selfish person that I have ever known in my life! Instead of buying me new underwear? She would make me wear her old underwear! For me to get something to eat, I had to wait until she and her customer, she called them boyfriends, but I had to wait until they were passed out in her bed before I could go looking for what they hadn't eaten on the table. No, she was the most self-centred, selfish person that I have ever known."

"But she left you a lot of money! My mum told me so!"

"My mum did leave me a lot of money, …"

"See! I told you so!"

"But, she didn't do it by choice, she didn't even have a will in place to give it to me. If Harry and Hermione, my mum and dad, hadn't adopted me, all of the money that my dead mum left me would have gone to the Ministry of Magic. Not me. Now my new mum, Hermione, she is one of the most loving and giving people that you will ever know. She works with battered and abused women and children. She even goes as far as to give the women and children, once they're in a safe environment, free plastic surgery to restore the damage that was done to them!" Vic wanted to challenge Emma by asking what her mother had ever done for someone else, but she knew that would only make her more defensive than she already was.

"Your mum used to make you wear her dirty knickers?"

"Yes, and I didn't know any better, because she never taught me."

"But she still left you a lot of money." Emma's thoughts were a lot calmer now.

"Only by accident."

"What happened to her?"

"They don't know. They found her necklace in one of the trucks used as a car bomb. But I don't believe that she would have done something like that, she was too selfish to give up her life like that."

"My mother really messed me up, didn't she?"

"But we're willing to help you. We have a friend that is very good at what she does. She has even helped me."

"Okay, I'll take the Oath of Loyalty. It's a hard choice, if I go the other way, then I get to become a new person, but even that would be based on a lie."

"Yes, it would. When you're finished with the oath, I'll ask her to come over so you can meet her."

"Thank you for being a good person."

"Thank you for caring about me," Vic told her sincerely.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	73. Year Seven Chapter 73

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 73

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Monday morning, Harry and Hermione were anxiously waiting for Neville and Sofia, just as they had for Ced and Cici, and then Ced, Cici, and Vic. Vic's transformation was by far the greatest. She had spent the most amount of time in the house in the bottle, ten years, with her new mates. Harry was beginning to worry, as the grandfather clock chimed out the half hour. As the clock finished, all of them could hear the bubbly talking walking towards the stairs on the second floor. The floo flared to life and Fred holding Julia's hand came through followed by Rose. The talking had reached the grand staircase as the floo roared to life again, letting Angel come through and then again, as George and Amber stepped out of it holding hands. As Harry looked up, he could see Angelica walking towards the staircase from the opposite direction, Charlie might sleep in, but there was no way that she was going back to the body she had before she met Charlie. She liked her new body, and she was going to take care of it! Closing on her was Toni. The two mothers were following the young couple down the stairs. Toni was looking for any sign that Neville had mistreated her daughter in anyway.

As the newlyweds hit the ground floor, Harry could see that they had both matured some, not nearly as much as Vic had. Neville was a little taller, his shoulders were a bit broader, his chest broader, and his jawline was firming up.

Sofia had also gotten taller, her womanly curves had started to fill out, her face was had lost some of the baby fat, and the white streak was still in her hair. Her smile had gotten more confident, and she carried herself with an air of authority.

As Harry finished assessing the two youngest members of their group, Toni was standing next to her daughter trying to turn her so she could get a look at her.

As Toni was checking over her daughter for signs of bruises or any other imperfection, the other six of this group were sizing up what's new. Who was this girl? Why was she clutching Neville's hand? Why was Toni giving her a thorough inspection? Why was Neville clutching her hand? Were they communicating telepathically?

Yes, they were! Rose and Angel came to the same conclusion at the same time. Both girls let out a squeal that startled the others in the room. Then, "You're bonded!" they squealed together.

That statement got every head in the area to snap around and look at them.

Neville and Sofi stared at them almost in fear. Then Neville calmed down once he realised that it only made sense that they would figure it out so quickly. They did hang out with his brother and his wives after all.

"What!" The other two couples said in shock. Then they looked at the young couple, and they could see it too.

"When did this happen?" Angel asked exuberantly.

Everybody was now looking intently at Neville and his new wife.

"Hi, I'm Rose!" she said as she stuck her hand out to the newest member of their group.

"I'm Sofi!" Sofia decided to be happy about this situation. "I'm pleased to meet you!"

"I'm Angel," she said, and she shook Sofi's hand too.

"I'm Julia, and this is Fred," Julia told her as she walked over to the new witch.

"I'm George, and this is Amber," George told her as they stepped over to greet her.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you!" Sofi told them excitedly. At least now, she had some friends.

"Is everybody ready to get started?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"Yeah! Let's go, mum!" Neville said with a smile. He agreed with his wife, at least now she had some friends.

Hermione spun around and started to lead the group outside for their morning run. Once out the door, Hermione picked up the pace to get their muscles warming up. Then she selected the path that they were going to run on and took off. Out of all of them, Toni was the most out of shape. She hadn't been strict in her workout regime while she was at home in Italy, opting to spend time with her daughter on the couch instead.

As the group was walking back into the mansion, Toni was the one that was breathing the hardest. She looked over at Sofi, who she knew didn't run for any reason, and she was pink with vitality. Ced held the door for everyone as they headed for the training room. Ced and his wives knew that Toni was going to be the one that would need the most help. Sofi had been being tutored by Toll in the house.

While Cici worked with Toni in the training room in a two on one training scenario, the other's hit the weight room for some strength and flexibility training. During the time in the weight room, Sofia kept stealing glances at Ced in is muscle shirt.

" _Is that what you're going to look like when you get older?"_ Sofi asked Neville, nodding towards Ced.

" _I don't know. My brother is pretty big!"_

" _Yes, he is!"_

" _Edmund wants us both to keep taking the potion for a full year of real time. You will probably get as tall as Cici or Vic,"_ Neville thought to her.

" _Those two are so beautiful, that it is scary!"_

" _They are? I've never really paid attention to them in that way."_

" _Well, don't start now!"_ she teased him with a small laugh and a smile on her face.

She knew that he only had eyes for her, and she had watched as his own body had started to transform. They had just spent two years in the house getting to know each other. And with all of their instructors, they were learning a lot. There was so much that she hadn't been taught at home. Plus being a brand-new witch, she didn't even really know how to hold her wand correctly! Edmund had been so excited to meet her, and he had been teaching her so much about her history, history that she didn't know, or even know about!

When Cici had finished with Toni, the others moved into the training room. Nobody outside of the family knew, that just yesterday, Sofia didn't have any magical powers.

"I need five or six volunteers," Harry said to them.

"I'll go!" Julia said excitedly. Fred stepped out onto the training room floor with her.

"I'm game," Angel told him.

"We'll go too," Neville told his dad.

"Okay," Harry told them, interested to see what he son and his new daughter-in-law could do.

Harry turned to start addressing the room when Hermione stepped out onto the floor with the others. She gave him a look.

"Room, this will be for six people, five opponents each in both hand-to-hand, and wizarding, expert level," Harry told the room.

Fred, Julia, and Angel all turned to look at Neville and what was her name again? The room fuzzed out to disorient them before creating a school.

The six of them were standing in the entryway of the school, the glass display case standing next to them was filled with trophies from years gone by. Fred and Julia took the lead as they started walking down the short hallway. They came to a 'T' in the corridor. To their left were classrooms and the administrative offices, to their right, was the school cafeteria. Fred looked over his shoulder at the others, but mostly at Hermione. Then he grabbed the door handle and squeezed the thumb button to open the door. As he pulled the door open, he could see a meeting taking place inside of the cafeteria to his left. He held the door so the others could enter the room as quietly as possible. He turned his back to the enemy to close the door as quietly as he could. He released the push bar on the door slowly, to be as quiet as possible. He turned, and the meeting was still going on just as it had been before he closed the door. They waited for just a moment before the person in charge of the meeting turned his back on them and then they moved quickly to a better hiding spot. Julia cast a disillusionment charm on herself and a silencing charm on her trainers. Watching what Julia had done, Sofia was quick to follow her lead. Sofia didn't have the skills yet, or the magical power to make herself nearly invisible like Julia had, but at least she wasn't as visible as she had just been! The rest of the group followed suit with the disillusionment charm on themselves. As they spread out across the back of the cafeteria, the door they had just come through burst open disrupting the meeting, all of the heads were turned and looking at the door. The simulated opponent turned and pointed at the group of disillusioned witches and wizards, they could see through the charm! With their backs against the wall, they had no room to move. Sometimes, the best defence is a good offence! Angel led the charge to attack the simulation that was closest to them. With a loud screech, Angel launched herself onto the simulation, knocking it to the ground with her hurtling weight. As she rolled off of the simulation, she grabbed its head and twisted violently, letting it slip through her fingers when she heard the crack of its neck breaking. That was all it took for the other simulations to be jolted into action.

Sofia was at a significant disadvantage due to her small stature, she was even smaller than Julia, but she noticed that what Julia lacked in size, she made up for with brains and ferocity. As she was busy engaging three simulations at once. Sofia quickly brought her attention back to the task at hand. It wouldn't do to get eliminated from this training scenario in the first ten minutes! She grabbed the simulation's robes and used them to help her climb up and over the top, and as she dropped down behind the simulation, she twisted to use its own robes to choke it, she pressed her knee into the simulations back and pulled with all of her might. The simulation started to fall back towards her, and she needed to get it to land on its face, or she would lose her advantage, and it would be able to draw a breath of air. She guided and forced the simulation to roll to her right, holding on and with her knee centred just under its shoulder blades. They hit the ground, and the simulation stopped moving. She got up and engaged the next simulation with renewed ferocity. She managed to steal a glance at her mother-in-law just as she was punching a simulation in the throat, then she jabbed her open hand fingers first under his ribcage, then she lifted up harshly, the tips of her fingers curved upwards, the simulations eyes went wide as it was no longer able to breathe.

Thirty minutes after it had started, six hot and sweaty combatants began the process of healing each other. Ced, Cici, Vic, Rose, and Harry were out on the floor taking care of family and friends. The vials of Vitamix were starting to fly through the air. Toni was amazed at the skills that her daughter had developed overnight.

" _Remember, you can't tell her about the house in the bottle, what it really is,"_ Neville thought to her quickly as Toni was walking up to Sofia.

" _I know, I just don't like lying to her!"_

" _Don't think of it as lying, you're just not volunteering the information."_

" _I know, Vic told me while we were running. 'Being bonded lets us learn magic at a faster pace.'"_

Then Neville heard her telling her mum. "Yes, mama, since I became bonded with Nev, I have been able to learn magic faster!"

"I'm jealous! You just got your powers yesterday!" Toni exclaimed.

The others in the room turned to look at her. Did she just say that Sofia had only gotten her powers yesterday? She wasn't born a witch?

Angel and Rose saw the shocked looks on the other's faces. They didn't know how Toni and Sofia had gotten their powers!

"Really? She only read the diary yesterday?" Angel said loud enough to take the attention off of Sofia and her mother.

"What diary?" George asked as he looked at Angel and then at Sofia.

With everybody's attention on them again. Toni started to tell them what had been happening to her and her family.

"So, she sold off her magic? For some creep to pay attention to her?" Amber asked in awe.

"Yes, she said in her letters and her journal that her magic had become a curse to her. So, her children would never know that curse, she bound the magic in them and their offspring in the hopes that someday in the future, one of her ancestors would find her journal and read the ritual to reverse the binding spell when the magic would no longer be a curse," Toni tried to explain all of this to them.

"So, you always thought that you were a muggle, and then you find out that you're a witch?" Julia asked.

"Yes," Toni told her. "And then as I'm working with Rose, and Angel, and Ced, and Cici, and Vic, Cathaoir tells me that my ancestor had bound the magic inside of me hundreds of years ago! So, we went on a quest to claim my ancestor's vaults, and in the vaults, we found the journal and her wand. I read the journal a couple of weeks ago, maybe a month now, and I got my magic back! So, I went to talk to my mama and Sofi here. My mama said that she was really too old to go changing her ways, but seeing what she was missing, Sofi decided to wait until after school. Knowing what we knew from what happened to me, we came in here for her to read the diary. There was some kind of explosion and the next thing that I know, Neville is kissing my daughter and now their married!"

"I knew I was right!" Rose exclaimed with a fist pump and a face of satisfaction.

The others laughed at her antics.

"So, when's the wedding going to be?" Angel asked joyfully.

"We were going to wait until after Ginny's wedding in a couple of weeks," Hermione told her.

"Can I help plan it?" George asked excitedly.

Toni and Sofi looked at him as if he were the strangest thing they had ever seen. A guy wanting to plan a wedding?

"They do know that Uasal and Car-baun are going to be a part of this, right?" he looked at the others in the room.

"Who is this Uasal and Car-baun?" Toni asked. She keeps hearing of them, but she didn't know who they were.

"Here, follow me," Angelica said as she turned to walk out the door of the training room. "They should have eaten breakfast by now."

Neville got a huge grin on his face as he took Sofi's hand to follow Angelica.

George and the other's hung back to talk with Ced, Vic, and Cici.

With only the nine of them in the room, George asked, "She really only got her magic yesterday? And she bonded right after that?"

"Not even five minutes had passed from the time that she got her magic and she and Neville kissed!" Vic told him.

"I'd say that it was less than two minutes," Ced was telling them. "The magical shockwave went out from the diary knocking all of us down. Neville rushed over to her, they locked eyes with each other and then they kissed and we got to see the cocooning of the bond magic sealing them together!"

"So, they're really a soul-bonded couple?" Amber asked. "I thought that that was a really rare thing!"

"So, did we!" Cici told her. "We didn't expect anything like this! Neville and Sofi had never even met before! Toni had to get permission to bring her through the floo! She'd never been here before yesterday!"

"And now she's a part of your family! Who else knows?" Fred asked sarcastically.

"Other than the people in this room today, only Charlie," Ced told his mate.

"What about the house elves?" Fred asked sardonically.

"And how are you going to keep a secret from a house elf?" Ced asked him harshly.

Fred's head pulled back at Ced's harsh question. It really was a wakeup call to get rid of the jealousy. He hadn't been left out of anything. And it had been a stupid question!

"Let's go get our showers so we can be ready for breakfast," Cici told them, changing the subject.

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Wednesday morning came around, Ced and Cici used the floo to get to The Daily Prophet for their meeting with Colin's son Josh. They stepped out of the floo and into the lobby of the newspaper. They were getting ready to walk past the receptionist when she stopped them and asked if she could help them.

"We're here to see Colin," Ced told her again.

"Just a minute and I will see if he is available." The old witch behind the desk told them. Then she spun around in her chair and left.

A moment later, Colin returned with the receptionist and invited them back. Colin took the long way to his office so they would go past Josh's office.

"Hey Josh, could you join us for a meeting in my office?" Colin asked his son.

Josh looked at Ced and Cici, then he turned around in his chair and walked around his desk to follow his dad to the office.

"Josh, I'm sure that you know Ced and his girlfriend Cici?" Colin asked hopefully.

"Yeah, who doesn't know the Great Cedric Potter and his girlfriend?" Josh said bitterly.

Ced arched an eyebrow at this.

"Josh, we've talked about this!" Colin scolded his son slightly.

"I just mean that everybody in school knows who they are, dad!" Josh said through clenched teeth. He really wasn't fond of these two and his sister. They always got preferential treatment!

"Well, he's the one that's going to be running the business side of the paper," Colin told him.

Josh's eyes rolled at the news that Ced was going to be his boss. "But you said that I would be running things!" his voice was a whine, the whine of a spoiled child.

"And you will be! You will be the editor of the paper, it's just that Lord Gryffindor wants his son to run the business side of things. You're the one that's going to go out and get the stories!" Colin was trying to sell this to his kid, again. This was not how this was supposed to go!

"Josh, what do you know about me?" Ced asked him directly.

"Well, I know that you've gotten special treatment for the last three years! And that you're the professor's pet! And you and your friends can do no wrong! You don't even come to classes anymore! And now ole Professor McGonagall has made you and your girlfriend, full on professors! With your own 'special' quarters! I even heard that you got a corner apartment!"

"And, what have you done for the school? You graduated this year, correct?" Ced asked him.

"Yeah, and?" his tone was angry and questioning at the same time.

"And you rode the train home this last time, why's that?"

"That tester had it in for me from the moment I started taking the classes to get my apparition license!" the whine was back in his voice again.

"So, that means that you didn't get your apparition license?" Ced asked, his tone was questioning, but not accusing.

"Yeah, so what's it to you?" Josh's tone was daring them to make a big deal out of his failure.

Ced looked at Colin for a moment.

Cici looked at Colin for a second before she focused back on Josh, "What part did you have trouble with?" she asked kindly.

"I just don't get why I have to know where I'm going before I get there? Who cares!" his eyes rolled again at the stupidity of apparating.

"Well, think of it this way," Cici started talking to him. "If you have no idea of where you are going, how are you going to get there? For example, you know where your home is from here, correct?"

Josh gave her a wide-eyed stare. He had always just side-a-longed with his dad or used the floo. He had never really paid attention to anything other than what was directly in front of his face.

"I will take that as a 'no' then," Cici told him.

"And I suppose that you can apparate? Of course, you can! The girlfriend of the Great Cedric Potter!" his tone was sardonic again, angry.

"Are you jealous of the fact that I put in the work and the time to learn how to do something early?" she cocked her head at him in question. "Nothing is going to be handed to you, nothing of any value anyway," she told him sadly.

"What do you know of work?" he said to her snidely.

"What do I know of work? More than you will ever know," she told him cruelly. "Colin, did you ever hear a story about a case where a serial killer was killing runaway girls?"

Colin looked at her, "Yeah, they said that they finally caught the guy after he beat the undercover agent nearly to death. She was in St. Mungo's for weeks! I read that story. So, what!" Josh sneered at her.

"That was Cici that he nearly beat to death," Ced told him coldly. It took her mum, my mum, and two others working on her for hours before she was out of danger. And then it took weeks of therapy for her to recover. And after that, it took someone to help heal her mind from all of the nightmares that came about because of what the murder had done. But it was because of her, that there are several girls alive today that would have been killed. Did the article tell you that he had killed so many girls that he couldn't remember where he had buried them all?"

"No, that wasn't part of the article," Colin told Ced. "I wrote that article."

"Well, now you know who that article was about," Cici told Colin. "Colin, at this time I don't think that Josh is the right person to be the editor of a new newspaper."

"I'm in agreement with Cici, Colin. At this time, I cannot in good faith go back to my father and ask him to put up the necessary galleons to get this paper going. Perhaps a couple of years from now, or when a new Chief Editor is found, we could try this again." Ced told him.

"WHAT! You're just going to pull the plug because I can't apparate!" Josh shouted at them.

"Tell me, Josh, how many O.W.L.s did you pass?" Ced asked him calmly.

"Four."

"And what were your scores on those four?"

"I got one Exceeds, and the others were Acceptable," he told them, puffing his chest out at them, daring them to do better.

"That's good, and how many of the N.E.W.T.s did you pass?" Ced asked calmly.

"One, with Acceptable," again his chest puffed out.

Ced looked at Colin with a see what we're facing here, kind of look on his face.

Ced stood up and held his hand out for Cici to join him. Then again, he looked at Colin with a sad look on his face.

Colin understood the look, it said that this wasn't going to happen with his son in charge, or even on the payroll. Not yet anyway.

"Have a pleasant day, Colin," Ced told him as he let himself and Cici out of the office. He closed the door behind him as they left.

Colin looked at his son, with shame in his eyes. He had tried, but he didn't know that his son had only passed one of the N.E.W.T.s. His son had embarrassed him in front of his boss' son, whining like a toddler. He went as far as to blame his failures on other people, refusing to even take responsibility for his own actions! Learning to apparate took work! It took practice! How could he ask Toni to become a part of his life, with his lazy son sleeping all day and goofing off all night? He had only made it here today because he had tipped the bed over to make him wake up! And his two friends that he was going to have work with him? Where were they?

"Josh, I want you to go home and pack your stuff. You are no longer welcome in my house." Colin said the hardest words he had ever spoken in his life! He loved his son! He only wanted the very best for his son! But he couldn't in good conscience have him go to work for Harry and Ced. He needed to grow up, and now! Did he even know how to do his own laundry?

"What!? You're throwing me out? Because of what that rich snob said? I bet he hasn't worked a day in his life! And as for his girlfriend, do you really believe that was really her?" he yelled at his dad.

"Yes, I do. And yes, I want you out by the time that I get home or I'll have the Aurors come and remove you from my house." Colin told him sadly.

"What's this about? Is it about that new woman that your screwing?" he shot at his dad.

Colin's wand was in his hand and the _expulso_ hit Josh square in the chest, knocking him out of the chair he was sitting in with his legs crossed and his nose up in the air.

Josh got up on to his feet in a daze, he turned his angry eyes on his father, "She's probably just a fucking slut like Cedric's girlfriend!" he shouted at his dad. "Sleeping her way into your money!" he shouted as he slammed the door to his father's office.

WHORE! Colin heard his son yell from out in the hallway.

A moment later, there was a soft knock on his office door before it was opened and Toni walked into the office.

"What was that about?" she asked him with a beautiful smile on her lips.

"Nothing, I just threw him out of the house," Colin told her as he looked down at his desk.

"Oh? And why is that?" she asked him tenderly.

"He embarrassed me in front of Harry's son and his girlfriend. Then he called you some unpleasant names. I told him to be out of the house before I got home tonight."

"Did you want to go and get some lunch?" Toni asked him, "We could talk some more over a glass of vino." She tempted him.

Yeah, lunch with her would be a lot more pleasant than sitting around here for the next hour or so, Colin thought. He needed to clear his mind. This tough love stuff was a lot harder than he thought it would be, he didn't want his son to suffer, but being proud of only passing one N.E.W.T.? And that with an Acceptable?

.

George had started working with Hermione and Toni on the wedding plans. Hermione had surgeries scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week, and then she had surgeries scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday of next week, so she was more than willing to accept his offer of help. Toni, on the other hand, was still not convinced of his abilities. But he was there helping when Hermione couldn't be. He also knew where all of this blasted stuff was in the county! He also suggested a new dress for Sofia for the reception. They could get it in Hogsmeade instead of Madam Malkin's. And with Amber's help, things seemed to go a little smoother too. George made a list of everything the two parents wanted, and everything that the bride and the groom wanted also, he got things flowing for the wedding ceremony. He spoke with Charles to give the elves a heads up about the party and what it was that the couple and their parents wanted. He went with them for the second fitting of the wedding gown. And after they left there, they went up to Glad Rags to have the fitting for the reception dress.

"So that's Hogwarts?" Sofia asked as they were walking up the street to the clothing shop. She was holding his hand and letting him guide her as she was taking in all of the different sights. The castle towered over the magical village.

"Yeah," Neville said. "We're going to need to go there so you can meet Professor McGonagall and get sorted into your new house."

"You mean that we're not going to be staying at home?" she asked him curiously. She had never been to a school that you lived at.

"No, we live at the school."

"Oh, so it's a boarding school?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. But what about us?"

" _We will have our own room. It will probably be Ced's old room,"_ he thought to her. They had come upon another group of people and needed to be quiet about this kind of thing.

" _Ced had his own room?"_

" _Yeah, because of him being bonded with Cici and Vic?"_

" _So, everybody else shares a room?"_

" _Yeah. NO! Oh, sorry, I, the boys and the girls are separated from each other and then all of the first years have their own room. So, like I shared a room with Jake, Anthony, Gus, and Tommy, and Jimmy."_

" _Okay, and where do they go to take a bath?"_

" _Well to the loo, the bathroom."_

" _So, they share a bathroom?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _So, you take a shower with a bunch of other people watching you?"_

" _We won't! Ced's old room has its own private bath."_

" _That's good, because I've never taken a bath with someone else other than you. I don't think that I would like it if some other girl watched me take a shower."_

" _Well, each shower has a door to it. So, it's not like someone can stand there and watch you take a shower."_

" _So, they don't have bathtubs then. I liked the tub that was in the house."_

" _I liked the tub that was in the house too!"_

" _Oh, silly!"_ she turned to him so she could give him a kiss. He could be so sweet sometimes!

The bell chimed as the group walked through the door. The salesgirl looked up and saw who had just stepped back into her shop. She hurried around the counter.

"Lady Gryffindor!" she said and gave a small curtsey.

"Good morning!" Hermione greeted her.

"Please, follow me to the fitting room!" she was polite enough to address all of the others in the group too.

.

Ginny was a bundle of nerves. This was the closest she had ever come to standing at the altar. True, she had been living with Zander now for over a year. Willow and Raven got along better than anyone could have hoped for. They were more like sisters than they could even imagine. Angelina and Susan had been such big helps with all of the wedding stuff, especially Susan. Ginny didn't know what she would have done without the wedding planner. Thank Merlin for that woman! She had fought Zander on that, saying that she could have done it herself and saved the galleons. But now, this close? She was glad that they had spent the money!

Margret came knocking on her old bedroom door. "Are you finished changing?" she asked through the closed door.

"Yes!" came the tentative reply.

Margret reached down and tried to turn the doorknob and found that it was locked.

Hermione heard the knob make a little noise, then she flicked her wrist at it to unlock the door. Margret opened the door, and a smartly dressed middle-aged woman stepped into the room that used to be Ginny's.

"Do you want a calming draught dear?" the middle-aged woman asked Ginny when she saw the worry etched on her face.

"No," Ginny told her cautiously. "I'll be fine. I just can't believe that it's finally happening to me! What if he's not who I think he is? What if he's been wearing a mask all of this time? What if it's all a lie? A way to use me? Oh, wait, he could use her like that anytime! Did she just think that? Oh, thank Godric for her learning some occlumency! What would Hermione think?

Bill, Charlie, and Arthur were in Bill's old room with Zander. And Zander was feeling a little intimidated with all of this protective brother stuff happening right now. Did they think that he was ever going to hurt her? Heavens forbids! She was his everything! He was just hoping that she wouldn't leave him standing at the altar! He had never loved anyone this hard before, not even Raven's mom. Ginny had pulled him out of that sea of depression he had been drowning in!

Angelica had a big mean dragon

Its scales were black as coal

Everywhere that Angelica went the dragon was sure to go.

And Uasal was in a foul mood. Angelica was spending most of the day comforting her. Uasal's swollen belly was reaching the point of bursting, and she wasn't really happy about going back to the Dragon Reserve to lay her eggs. After that point, Angelica knew that she would become overly protective of her unborn offspring. Car-baun was doing his best to stay away from his mother. He knew that she was becoming more protective because of her delicate condition. He knew, but he really didn't understand. He knew that it was because he was a male dragon, and not because it was him personally. But that didn't mean that he had to like it. He had been off wandering around the Burrow, Ced had been keeping him company as he walked around. For the second time, they came across the swimming pond in the back of the property.

" _Why is this here again?"_ Car-baun asked Ced.

"It is what people call a swimming hole," Ced told the distracted dragon.

" _What do you do in it?"_

"You swim, play, splash each other with the water, stuff like that."

" _Why?"_

"For fun. Did you want to try?" Hey, anything to distract the guy from what's happening in his life right now.

" _What do you do?"_

"Well, here." And Ced waved his hand over his body and changed into his Bermuda shorts swim trunks. "You get in the water!" and he ran and jumped off of the end of the small dock the Weasley's had sticking out into the large pond for just that reason. When Ced jumped off the end of the dock, he curled up into a ball and made a big splash. When he resurfaced, he turned to find Car-baun just staring at him. "Come on you big silly lizard!" Ced teased him.

Car-baun's head pulled back at Ced's remark.

"Are you a chicken?" Ced teased the dragon again.

Nobody had ever called him a chicken before, he wasn't afraid of anything! Chickens were good snacks! Car-baun got closer to the water. Water was for drinking, not for playing in! He got closer still. And he was looking at it.

Ced had gotten closer to the edge of the pond, closer to Car-baun, and he waited. When Car-baun was close enough, Ced splashed the timid dragon with both hands pushing the water. Car-baun jumped back! His back arched and his wings spread slightly, in a defensive posture, he looked at Ced with his teeth bared, a low growl emanating from his throat.

" _What did you do that for!"_

"I'm just messing with you, mate!" Ced told him with a wicked smile and a light laugh.

" _I don't know if I like this game."_ Car-baun's thoughts were unsure.

"What game are you playing?" Cici asked brightly.

"Can we join you?" Vic asked, distracting the dragon.

"It's fine by me!" Ced told them. "Is it okay with you, Car-baun?" Ced asked the young dragon. He was already as big as his mother, and he still had a few years to go before he was fully grown.

" _He splashed me!"_ Car-baun told the two girls.

Cici had already transfigured her dress into a one-piece swimsuit. "He splashed you?!" she asked the dragon, mirth filling her voice.

"Is the big bad dragon scared of a little water?" Vic spoke to him imitating a baby's voice.

"Arh!" Car-baun roared at her. _"Why are you being mean to me?"_

"We're not being mean to you, Car-baun. We're teasing you. When I splash you, you're supposed to splash me back!" Ced told the dragon before he got too angry.

" _I'm supposed to splash you back?"_ Car-baun asked confused.

"Yes! Like this!" Cici told him as she did a cannonball right next to Ced.

Just as Cici came up and Ced was shaking his head, Vic did another cannonball in front of both of them. When she surfaced, her two mates attacked her with splashes of water.

"Want to join us?" Ced asked as he wiped the pond water off of his face and slicked his hair back.

All three of them were wearing huge smiles. Vic gave a small splash towards Car-baun.

" _I don't think so,"_ Car-baun said as he turned around and started to walk away.

Then he took to the air and circled back to the pond. When he was about five or so metres in the air, he curled up into a ball and fell towards the centre of the pond. A thousand kilos of dragon hit the surface of the water soaking the already wet trio in the pond with him now.

When Car-baun's head came out of the water, and he turned to face them, they started cheering for him loudly and enthusiastically.

When Susy heard Car-baun's roar from behind the house, she started walking around the tall, meandering, home to see what was happening to make her familiar roar so. She got there just in time to see Car-baun fall out of the sky and splash three people playing in the pond. What was her dragon doing in the pond? When she saw him surface, the three-people started to cheer loudly for the dragon and what he had just done! As she got closer, she could see that it was Cici and Vic so the third one must be Ced.

"Hey!" she yelled out. "We've got a wedding to go to in a couple of hours! Mum's going to be mad at you if you're late!"

"Do you want to join us?" Vic asked her exuberantly.

Susy just looked at them like she would get into trouble! But this could be more fun than sitting around trying not to get her dress dirty!

"But I don't have a swimsuit!"

Cici teleportused out of the pond and was standing next to her, the water was still dripping off of her as she transfigured Susy's dress into a one-piece swimsuit. "Put your shoes over there she pointed to where all of the other shoes were laying.

Susy ran over as quickly as she could in her new 'kitten' heels. She slipped them off and ran back to the end of the dock.

" _Do you wanted to try walking on my wing?"_ Car-baun said to her as he laid the tip of his wing on the end of the dock.

With a smile that would have lit up the world, Susy carefully stepped on to Car-baun's wing tip. She really didn't want to hurt her friend. When she was fully on his wing, Car-baun raised it up slightly, then he spread his other wing so she could walk all of the ways across, wingtip to wingtip.

" _Do you want to try jumping off of it?"_ Car-baun asked his familiar as he turned his head to follow her progress.

"Can I?" she asked so excitedly that she could hardly contain herself. Harry had made sure that all of his kids knew how to swim since he had grown up not having been taught.

With Susy half way down his other wing, Car-baun raised his wing up about a metre off the surface of the water. The trio stood there, cuddled together, as they watched the dragon and the little girl playing together in the swimming hole. More later than sooner, the little girl straddled the dragon's neck, and he carried her out of the pond, dripping water everywhere as he went. Thankfully, he was careful not to soak the two-leggeds' footwear. Car-baun laid down so Susy could slip off of him easier, she ran around front and gave him the biggest hug that she could, then she kissed him right on his snout.

"I love you, Car-baun! You're the greatest dragon ever!" and she hugged him again. Giggling, she ran over to Ced and her sisters-in-law. Between Cici and Vic, they got her dried off, her hair redone, and her swimsuit transfigured back into her dress, then it was just up to Susy to put her shoes on.

Then it was the trio's turn to get changed back into their formal clothes for the wedding. With the three of them helping each other, it went quick enough that they didn't miss a thing, in fact, they were still fifteen minutes early! As the three of them took their seats, the could see that Uasal was on one side of the platform, and Car-baun, looking much more relaxed, was on the other side of the platform. Zander was standing next to the Unspeakable that had performed Charlie and Angelica's wedding. Fred Jr and George Jr were the two best men. Willow and Raven were the maids of honour.

The orchestra switched to the wedding march, and the group of family and friends all stood up to get a better view of the blushing bride. Her father, after all of these years, and one false start, was finally getting to walk the apple of his eye, down the aisle. He even approved of Zander, even if he was an American. Ginny worked now because she wanted to, not because she had to. The two of them had made plans to buy a lovely home outside of Merlin's Manor. It was a beautiful two-story home, away from the city, on a large lot. Harry and Hermione's gift to them was to ask if any of the House Elves would be willing to work for them. A small young elf by the name of Tiffy was the one to respond to the request. Percy and Penny, and Percy Jr were already in the crowd of people, not wanting to walk past the two dangerous creatures next to the platform.

After the 'I does' and after the kiss, the group of people retired to the tent that had been set up for the wedding reception. The champaign had begun to flow freely.

"I still bet you that I could take her in a duel!" the loud voice said from across the tent.

At the word duel, a lot of heads looked up and turned to see who had made that claim.

"Oh, come on! She's just a little girl!" the too loud voice said again.

The group of nine looked amongst themselves to see if the voice was talking about one of them.

"What is she? A fourth year? Please!" the obnoxious voice boasted.

Ced looked around, all most every head in the place was turned to face where the voice was coming from.

In the quiet of the tent, the orchestra had stopped playing, "Bill, you really don't want to do this!" they could hear Charlie's voice telling his older brother.

"Don't tell me what I want to do!"

"I'm not telling you what you want to do! I'm telling you what you don't want to do! And you really don't want to challenge her to a duel!"

"Yeah, I do! She embarrassed me last time!"

"And if you do this? You're going to embarrass yourself this time!"

"No, I won't! I'm a curse breaker for Gringotts for Godric's sake!"

"Yeah, and how many years did you go to school to do that?"

"Well, seven at Hogwarts, and another two with the goblins."

"Right, and she's been doing it since she was a third-year!"

"She's only a third year? It's not even going to be a fair fight!" Bill took another drink from his glass, tilting his head back to get the last drop of the sweet liquid.

"You're right, it's not going to be a fair fight! She's going to whup your arse and go back and finish her cake!"

"Daphne says that if you want to duel against her, that you need to take it outside of the tent. And she's willing to bet you one-hundred-thousand galleons that she will beat you," Willow said when she walked over to her Uncle Bill.

"One-hundred-thousand galleons?" he blanched at that number, then the alcohol kicked back in. "I'll do it!" he declared triumphantly.

Willow turned to look at her friend with sad eyes. She knew that her uncle was going to lose. And she could see that Fleur wasn't very pleased about this.

Harry walked over to Bill. "I want you to remember what I'm about to tell you," he said softly to Bill, his head in between Fleur's and Bill's. "When she stuns you, the only person that can rennervate you, is Kitten. And if you make her mad at you, she may not rennervate you for over a week. Do you understand me?"

Some of the colour drained out of Bill's face, and then he nodded slowly. Then once again the alcohol kicked back in with liquid courage. "I can still beat her!" he declared with a slap of the table top. Then he looked up into Harry's eyes with a smile on his face.

"Well, since you feel that way. Can I get in on some of this action?" Harry asked him, a wicked smile on his face.

"Sure!" Bill said a little too loudly. "How much did you want to bet?"

"I like the sound of one-hundred-thousand galleons!" Harry told him.

"It's a bet!"

"Hey! Uncle Bill! George and I want to know if we can get in on this bet too!" Fred Jr yelled across the tent.

"Sure! how much did you want to wager that I can beat her?"

"The same as Harry!" the two of them yelled back at him.

"Okay!"

Hermione sat down next to Kitten, "Is he under the Imperious curse?" she asked her daughter.

"No, not that I can tell. I think it's just the champaign."

Ced got up and walked over to where Bill was still seated, he knelt down between Fleur and Bill, "So, the others are wanting to get in on this free money too."

"Okay, I'll take their bet! She's just a little girl! How can I lose?"

"Well, we just want to make sure that if, and when you lose, that you have the galleons to cover our bets."

"What are we talking here?"

"Well, with everybody betting against you, the bet is currently a million galleons. We just want to make sure that you're not going to skip out on the bet." Ced told him calculatedly.

"A million galleons? How do you figure that? I'm going to win!"

" _There's got to be something in his drink!"_ Cici thought to her mate.

"Do you mind?" Ced asked as he reached between Fleur and Bill to get a hold of Bill's glass of champaign. Nope, it was safe. This was all Bill.

Arthur and Emmaline were watching what was happening closely. Emmaline didn't for a moment think that Daphne would lose this fight. And Charlie would be almost right; if she hadn't already finished eating her cake.

Ginny had never seen Kitten duel. But from what Willow and Raven had told her about the girl, there was no way that she could lose this fight. They, the two girls, had never even heard Kitten utter a spell! It just happened for her, like it was magic or something!

Arthur was pretty sure, from what Emmaline had told him in the past about Daphne, that his oldest son was going to learn a lesson the hard way. He just hoped that he had the galleons to cover the bet without having to go to his father-in-law.

George Sr and Fred Sr were staying out of this fight. They had learned their lesson the last time they had bet on a duel. They just hoped that Bill wouldn't get hurt too bad when he lost the duel. It had taken George the full year of putting in overtime to repay the galleons that he had lost, but he had gotten it done by Christmas like Angelina had told him.

Daphne got up out of her chair. "Well, Bill. I'm ready now, are you ready?" she asked him from one table over.

"I'm ready! Let me go out there and conjure us up a regulation duelling platform!"

"I already did it," she told him with sad eyes.

Bill looked at the little girl. "When did you do that? I've been watching you the whole time!"

"I did it when I finished eating my cake. So, are you ready?"

"Yeah, but it's kind of dark out there."

"I've already set up some lighting. I didn't want you to be afraid of the dark. I didn't want you to think that the Pukwudgies might get you." She teased the man older than her dad.

"Pukwudgies, uh, yeah, right!" he kind of stuttered through the thought.

"I've never duelled before. How does this work?" she asked the greying man.

"Well uh, let's go out to the duelling platform. You really set up a duelling platform from inside of here?"

"Yes, and put the lights up too."

"How do you know how to do all of this stuff?" he asked her.

"I don't know, I just do."

Around the corner of the house, Daphne had indeed set up a regulation duelling platform. She had even added a significant amount of lighting so the others could see too. There were stairs on one side so the two contestants could walk to the deck of the platform.

"Uhm, who do you want to be the referee?" Bill asked the young girl.

"Well, I could ask Cathaoir, but if you cheat, he will rip your guts out. So, I guess my dad."

"Uh, okay." The thought of Cathaoir ripping his guts out kind of unnerved him.

Harry got up on the platform, "Bill, why don't you take that end and Kitten take this end." He pointed to where he wanted each of them to go. "Bill, do you want a second? And if so, who?"

"Uh, yeah, Charlie," he said a little unsure of himself.

Charlie kissed Angelica and went to stand next to his big brother. Bill really was getting too old for the ponytail.

"Kitten, who would you like to be your second?" Harry asked her.

"I don't want one," she replied calmly.

Bill looked at the little girl, but you're supposed to have a second, aren't you?

"Lady and gentleman, wands at the ready!" Harry said loudly and authoritatively.

"Do I have to use a wand?" Kitten asked cheerfully.

Harry stopped and looked at her for a moment, then he turned to look at Bill, "Do you mind if she doesn't use a wand, Bill?"

"Uh, well, she's supposed to use a wand!" he gritted out. He was getting a little irritated by this little girl.

"Kitten, he would like you to use a wand," Harry told his daughter.

Kitten stuck her tongue out at Bill. Then she held her hand out and waited for a second for Synthia to appear to her. The others watched as she stood there with her hand out waiting for her wand. Why didn't she carry her wand like everybody else? A second after she stuck her hand out, Synthia appeared in her hand.

"Okay, wands at the ready!" Harry said again.

Kitten copied what Bill did and she pointed her wand at the evening sky.

"On the count of three, you may begin casting your spells! One! Two! Three!" Harry said, and then he jumped off of the duelling platform.

Bill was quick, but with her hands down and out from her hips, Kitten just turned her palms towards her opponent, and a magical shockwave hit him and knocked him off of the duelling platform. Kitten's shockwave absorbed Bill's hex on it's way to knocking him off of the platform.

"May I have another piece of cake?" she asked her mum from the deck of the duelling platform.

"Do you want to rennervate him first though?" Hermione asked as she looked at the far end of the duelling platform.

Kitten looked in the same direction as her mum. The platform disappeared when Charlie got off of it to check on his big brother. The mother and daughter, together with the rest of the spectators, walked over to look down at a restful Bill.

"I can, but he will wake up in the morning without a hangover if we leave him be." Kitten looked up at her mum, then over at Fleur. He was her problem.

Fleur looked at the little girl, "He will wake up in the morning without a hangover?" she confirmed with her.

"Yes. I just hit him with a sleeping spell," she told her. "Can he meet me at Gringotts in the morning at nine? I would like to get my own vault," Kitten told her.

"I will tell him to be there," Fleur told her.

"May I have that other piece of cake now?" Kitten looked up at Hermione. It really was good cake.

"Sure honey, let's go and see what's left."

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	74. Year Seven Chapter 74

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 74

.

.

The group of nine had grown by two, it was now a group of eleven. Sofia had been sorted into Hufflepuff, and Professor Sprout had taken the Oath of Loyalty to the Potter family. At night, Neville and Sofi would spend time talking with Vic, Ced, and Cici about what they had gone through at school.

"The two of you are going to need to grow a thick skin because of all of the rumours that are going to start circulating about you and your new sleeping arrangements," Ced told his little brother.

"As far as for you, Sofi. Every girl in the school is going to be talking about you," Cici started to tell her.

"I remember the first time that I walked into the Great Hall on Ced's arm," Vic started to tell her. "Ced and Cici warned me, but, it was still traumatising. Having all of those people looking at me, saying things that weren't true about me."

"And then there were those two idiots that tried to poison me!" Cici started to tell her.

"That's how I came to know Ced," Vic told the young couple.

"If it wasn't for the spell that mum and dad taught us. I would be dead," Cici told Sofi.

"What happened?" Sofi asked her.

"They poured a full vial of Draught of Living Death into my juice!" Cici was telling the two of them. "Thankfully, between the legilimency that we had learned, practising Constant Vigilance, and the spell to detect a poisoned drink, I was able to tell Ced that they had poisoned my juice."

"That was the opening that the terrorists had created for me to try and get Ced under my spell!" Vic told the two new soul-mates.

"And the two of us have been under her spell ever since!" Ced teased Vic. "Well, there was that time that I thought the two of them were going to kill each other in the house!"

"Hey! We worked things out!" Cici chided him mirthfully.

"What's this constant vigilance?" Sofi asked.

"Constant Vigilance is something that we were taught by my parents," Ced was telling her. "It means always be aware of everything that is going on around you. Here, here's an example; it was a school dance, and everything was starting off so wonderfully. I was dancing with Cici when the nine of us were attacked by some dark Slytherins. Because I was wearing a full set of clothes, Cici was wearing a beautiful sundress, I was protected from the cutting curse, but it cut Cici all of the ways across her back."

"The same thing happened to me," Vic told her. "They cut me, Cici and I were able to get our mental shields up, and Ced was able to stun all of the dark Slytherins, so none of them got away, and all of them were punished. Ced came back and started to heal both of us. Out of the nine of us, Ced was the only one to charm his clothes that night."

Neville looked at them thoughtfully, "It's getting late, and we need to get to bed," he told them.

"Goodnight!" Sofia told them. Then she turned back to her sisters-in-law, "Hey, do either of you have any old bras that I could have? I'm getting tired of transfiguring my bras to fit." She said with a smile.

Cici and Vic looked at each other, fear crossed their faces for a second, "Maybe," Cici started off hesitantly.

"We may have already given all of our earlier bras away," Vic said to her.

"Do you need them tonight?" Cici asked her.

"No, it's just that I haven't had a chance to go shopping for any clothes since Neville and I bonded. And my body is changing faster than I would have ever believed!"

"We know the feeling!" Vic told her brightly, with a big smile on her face.

"Hey! One last thing! No secrets, we sleep with our mental link opened fully. This helps stop things before they get started, and there are going to be a lot of things and a lot of people that will try to drive you two apart," Ced told them solemnly.

"He's right," Vic told the newlyweds as she moved over to her chest of drawers.

"We've lived through a lot of things that have tried to drive the three of us apart," Cici told them. "We share our dreams, we share everything to stop the jealousy from getting a toehold in our marriages."

.

.

With everyone sitting around the table for breakfast, Harry knew that Neville and Sofia's wedding was going to be happening this coming Saturday. He needed to go to Gringotts with Daphne to help her open her own account. This really should have been taken care of when she first started working for the ministry, he thought to himself. "How many of you are wanting to go to University when you graduate from Hogwarts?" there, he asked the question.

Out of the group of nine, nine hands went into the air.

"Okay, so all of you. Now, one thing that you're going to need to do is to learn to use a computer," Harry said to all of them.

Sofia looked at all of them, "You can't use a computer?" she asked. She had been using a computer since before she went to school!

Amber looked at her, "Well, I used to be able to use a computer. But I haven't touched one in, hum, three years?" she looked at George.

"Same for me!" said Cici.

Vic looked at her, "Magic and electricity don't mix very well."

"It doesn't?" Sofia asked in shock.

"When did you get your powers?" Julia asked her curiously.

"Two weeks ago. I just thought that all of you just liked using candles for lighting," she told her innocently. "And didn't watch television!"

"I've been in contact with a witch at Bromley College in southeastern London. The school is used to working with magicals, and they have a separate building that is connected to the floo network. She says that it's not uncommon for some of the kids that graduate from Hogwarts to come there to learn some computer skills before they go onto University, or out into the workforce," Harry got the conversation back on track.

"Okay, so when would we start?" Ced asked his dad.

"Classes will start next Monday."

"What time?" Ced asked again.

"That's part of the problem. You have to register for classes before you take them. We can go and meet with the lady after I help Daphne get her own vault."

"That's today, isn't it!" Ced commented.

"Are all of you going to go claim your winnings from Bill? Or are you going to let him slide on this?" Harry asked them.

"That's a tough choice!" George said. "That's a lot of gold to just let go of!"

"It really wasn't a fair duel," Fred said.

"Did Kitten even blink?" Amber asked.

"No, but Bill did," Kitten told them with a chuckle and a smile.

"I don't know," Vic started to tell them. "Let's do the same thing that I did with your dad." She was looking at George. "I collected all of my winnings, and then I turned around and gave what George owed me back to Angelina."

"You gave back the money that my dad owed you? You gave it to my mum?" George asked in amazement. "I thought that you kept it all!"

"Yeah, your parents work hard for the galleons that they get! So, I wanted to be nice."

"All of the others that collected from your dad gave the money back too," Harry told the young wizard.

"My mum made him work all of that overtime for nothing?" George was getting kind of angry because it seemed unfair to him that the money had been paid back and his dad didn't know about it.

"What are you getting angry for?" Angel asked him. "Did you see dad betting on that duel the other night?"

"No," he started to say.

Angel interrupted him, "Mum was trying to teach him a lesson." She said soothingly.

"Yeah,"

"He shouldn't have been betting galleons that he didn't have to lose! And now, our parents have twice as much in savings as they had before," she told him calmingly.

"Yeah, you're right. I guess it was all for the good." He turned and kissed his beautiful wife.

"What are you two going to do for living quarters next year?" Hermione asked the other set of newlyweds.

"Well, we haven't told anybody that we're married yet," Amber told her.

"So, we were thinking that we'll just stay in the dorms like normal," George told her.

"Okay?" Hermione said to them questioningly.

"Now with Neville and Sofi being bonded, they're going to need the married quarters more than we are," George told her.

He really is a nice guy! Hermione thought to herself.

" _Yes, he is,"_ Harry thought to her.

.

After Kitten had flooed to work, the other's flooed to one of the oldest buildings on the Bromley campus. As they stepped out of the floo and into the lobby, the witch behind the receptionist desk jumped to her feet.

"Lord Gryffindor! Lady Gryffindor!" she curtsied quickly, her eyes wide. "My name is Becky; how may I help you this morning?" she said speaking quickly.

"Good morning, we are here to speak with Mrs Beckman?" Harry told the young witch dressed in muggle clothing calmly.

"Please, let me get her for you!" she told them excitedly. She had just met Thee Lord Gryffindor and his wife! Her friends were going to be so excited for her! She turned and hurried off down the hallway to her boss' office. She was going to be so popular!

A few minutes later, long enough that they had time to start looking at the stuff on the bulletin boards, an ageing witch with grey streaks through her hair, some wrinkles on her face, and a smile in her eyes followed her assistant out to the lobby. And, yes indeed, Lord and Lady Gryffindor were both in her lobby!

"Lord Gryffindor! Lady Gryffindor!" she curtsied quickly. She took in all of the kids behind the two adults. Damn! They've been busy! "How may I help you this morning?" she asked them, refocusing her eyes on the tall, good-looking man in front of her.

"My son and all of his friends, Harry waved his arm to include all of the others, "Were interested in going to school. They would like to learn to use a computer. I was told by others that this was the best school for them to come to," Harry told her. She really should learn some occlumency skills.

" _She's just stating the obvious!"_ Mione told him, working hard not to smile.

"Okay, we can help them with that. Do they understand that magic and electricity don't mix?" she was addressing Harry but looking at all of the kids.

"Yes, they understand that part. But they don't know how to type, or use a computer." Harry was telling her the underlying problem.

"Okay, well, the first thing would be to fill out an application and pay the fee online, to go to school here. And then they would need to choose the courses that they want to take. And those are all online. So, the registration process is all online too," she was explaining to them.

"So, how do we do this, if everything is online, and none of us know how to use a computer, or even own a computer?" Cici asked her pointedly.

"Oh! So, none of you has access to a computer?"

There was a resounding 'No!' from the group of nine.

"Well, here, let me have all of you fill out an application. And while Becky is entering all of that information into the computer downstairs. I'll give you a brief tour of the campus!" she went over to a wire rack and pulled out a handful of applications, she grabbed a fistful of ballpoint pens and began to hand them out to all of the kids.

The group of nine each took their application, the pen, and found a place to start filling it out. Then they turned around and handed the filled-out form back to Mrs Beckman. She, in turn, gave the small stack to Becky to enter into the computer downstairs while they went out for their campus tour.

When Becky had left the room, Harry turned to Mrs Beckman, "Before we proceed, there is something else that I need you to do for us." And he walked her through the oath of loyalty.

With that secured, she led them down the stairs and out on to the campus grounds. As they walked around, she went over the history of the school, and how the magical world and the school came to work together. The founder believed that Squibs had something to offer the magical world too. She told them that they averaged thirteen-thousand students on campus, so it was just a little larger than Hogwarts, she said to them with a chuckle!

"I bet with as good looking as the nine of you are, that you attract a lot of unwanted attention! Well, here, with thirteen-thousand other students, you will be able to keep some anonymity. Unless you want the attention?" she turned and asked the kids.

"No, quite frankly, we're all tired of all of the different rumours that get spread about us," Vic told her solemnly.

"Of having to watch your back all of the time," Fred told her.

She nodded her head in understanding. She had been the bright witch in her class. It was like having a target painted on her back for the class clowns to harass her. She remembered those days, but thankfully, there were more good days than bad.

She guided them back to their starting point. Pointing out all of the different buildings, she even showed them where their classes would most likely be held and walked them through the building so they could see inside of the different classrooms.

"So, is Becky going to help us get registered for our classes?" Angel asked her.

"Yes, she and I can help you get registered. Do all of you want to be in the same classes?" Mrs Beckman asked as she looked at all of them.

The group of nine looked at each other.

"Yeah, I think so," Ced told her.

"Can I take another class too?" Rose asked.

The rest of them looked at her questioningly.

"I want to take a class on painting! And that's not something that's taught at Hogwarts!" Rose told them as they stopped outside, under a large tree.

"I would like to take a class on sculpting," Julia said softly, almost embarrassed.

"Is there a class that I could take on writing?" Angel asked her.

"Yes, to all of those!" then she looked at Angel. "But you might want to wait for that class because there could be a lot of typing that needs to be done unless you don't mind doing it all by hand."

"Well, I do everything by hand now," Angel told her with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

"That's true! Huh dear!" she smiled up at the young witch, with the fantastic tan.

Angel smiled back at her.

Back inside of the building, Becky told the kids that she had gotten their information entered into the computer and all she needed now was payment of the fees for all of them. The guys all started reaching for their wallets, Rose and Angel began to pull out their debit cards, as they lined up to pay.

"Okay! Now that that is taken care of, you can get registered for your classes! Do you know what classes you want to take?" Becky asked them chipperly.

They all told her that they wanted to take an introduction to computers type of class, Rose said that she wanted to take a class on painting. Julia wanted to take a class on sculpting, and Angel told her that she wanted to take a class on how to write a story.

Becky worked with each of them individually to help them get the classes that they wanted. She showed them how to select their different classes to make the most efficient use of their time and give them the most amount of free time!

Harry's watch started to vibrate on his wrist. He looked down and then he turned his back on the group. "Yes?" he answered the view screen softly.

Hermione's watch started to vibrate on her wrist, her brows furrowed in confusion. The emotions that she was getting off of Harry and her watch vibrating just after his did not bode well. "Yes?" she said quietly as she put a little distance between herself and the others in the room.

Tonks' image came into view, "Hermione! They took my baby!" Tonks wailed into the view screen. "They took Tabby! They took my baby!"

"Harry, I was just informed that someone has taken Louise, the fourteen-year-old daughter of the King of England!" Aunt Am informed him.

Upon his hearing of an attack against the Crown of England, this activated a long forgotten blood oath that was almost a thousand years old. Harry didn't know what this feeling was that he was feeling, he didn't even know that it was affecting Cedric. All he knew was that he needed to respond to this call for help.

Hermione looked at Tonks, "We'll be there shortly. We can floo from here."

"I'll meet you at Auror Headquarters!" Tonks told her through the sobs.

Hermione flipped the watch closed, and she turned to look at Harry.

"I need to go to the Ministry of Magic, there's been an attack on the Crown," Harry told Mione softly.

Ced, Fred, and George's backs straightened upon that news. They didn't know why, but they knew that they had to go with Harry.

"That was Tonks, we need to go to the Auror HQ too," she told him.

All of the girls turned to see what was happening with their men. They closed the distance on the two adults. Cici cast a privacy charm on the group when she saw Hermione's face.

"There's been an attack on the Crown," Harry told them once the privacy charm was in place. I don't know why, but I have an overwhelming need to be there to help."

"I feel it too, dad!"

"So, do I, Uncle Harry!" George told him.

"Me too," Fred said.

"But I don't," Neville told them with some confusion on his face.

"That could be, because of your age. You're not seventeen yet," Harry told his youngest son.

"I told Tonks that we would be there soon," Hermione told them.

"I'm with you, mum," Vic told her.

"So am I," Cici said to her.

All of the other girls stood by Hermione.

"Are we done here?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I am. Classes start Monday at nine for me," Ced told him.

And for the computer class, it was the same for all of the rest.

Vic cancelled the privacy charm.

"We need to use your floo," Harry told the greying witch that had shown them around the campus.

"It's upstairs in the lobby," she told him pleasantly.

With purpose in their steps and determination on their faces, the group left to go use the floo.

.

On the top floor of the Ministry of Magic, the four men and the young soul-bonded couple stepped out of the floo and into the lobby of the Minister of Magic's office. Harry turned and led the five of them down the aisle between all of the desks of the various assistants.

When the group finally found Aunt Am, she greeted them, "Harry, Ced," she looked at the rest, kind of confused, but this wasn't the time to raise a fuss. "Fred, George, Neville, and?" she looked at the young girl.

"Am, this is Sofia, Neville's soul-mate," Harry told her quietly.

Am looked between Harry and the young girl. Soul-mate? Again? "So, why did Ced and the other's come with you?" she asked Harry.

"I just felt this urge, this need, to come," Ced told her.

"Me too, I can't explain it, but I just had to be here, to help," Fred told her.

"It was the same with me, Aunt Am," George told her. "I just had to come. Just as soon as I heard that the Crown had been attacked, I had to respond, it's like I'm compelled to," he said almost reverently.

.

The seven women stepped out of the floos in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic. Hermione turned and began to lead them to the bank of elevators behind the guard sitting at the desk. When the guard recognised the woman in the lead, he jumped quickly to his feet.

"Lady Gryffindor!" he said in greeting his eyes wide in shock.

"Good morning," Hermione said without breaking stride.

Hermione got to the elevator and pressed the button. The bell dinged, and the doors opened. Hermione stepped inside and turned, making room for the rest. The younger women filed past her. The doors closed.

"Auror Division," Hermione told the elevator.

With a jerk, the elevator started moving. It stopped at different parts of the ministry to let others on to ride. But with seeing that the elevator car was full, they opted to catch the next car. After a ride worthy of any floo, the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened with a ding of the bell.

It was pandemonium. For the Aurors, one of their own had been attacked. Hermione strode through the chaos, anger, and negative emotions that filled the room. She walked right up to the door with Tonks' name on it. She knocked three times and then opened the door. The office was full of people, all of them were trying to make their voice heard over all of the other voices in the room. Hermione didn't even know if Tonks was in here.

"Excuse me!" Hermione said loudly.

Nothing changed.

"Excuse me!" she said a little louder.

Nothing changed.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" she screamed at the Auror closest to her.

The guy looked at her, "That was rude!" he said to her.

"I asked you nicely, twice. And you didn't listen to me. Now, get out of this room!" Hermione went from being overly pleasant to incredibly forceful in her tone.

"On whose authority?" he asked, his back stiffening.

"Mine!" Tonks yelled at him. "All of you! Get out of my office! NOW!" she screamed at them.

Hermione stepped aside, but all of the other girls had to back out of the office so the others could leave.

When the office was emptied, the girls all filed in. Hermione walked around the desk to where Tonks was now standing.

"They took my baby, Hermione! They took my baby!" and Hermione took Tonks into a hug.

To comfort her, to hold her, to give her strength. A shoulder to cry on. Hermione let her cry it out, and when she was ready, Tonks pushed herself away. She wiped her nose with a tissue. The colours of her hair slowed down and settled on a deep blue of depression.

Tonks took her seat again. Hermione took one of the chairs across the desk from her, Cici took the other. The rest of the girls all conjured chairs for themselves so they could hear what was going on.

"What do you know so far?" Hermione asked her longtime friend.

"Remus went home for lunch, and Tabby didn't answer when he called for her. He went up to her room and found this note on her pillow."

.

 _If you ever want to see your daughter again, you will do as we say._

 _United Anarchist Army_

.

"She's only thirteen, Hermione! She's going to be a third-year!" and Tonks' hair started fluctuating between bright red and deep blue.

"And what do the Crime Scene people have to say about this? Any magical signatures?" Hermione asked.

"They can't get a magical signature because we live in Hufflepuff Haven! They're too many other magicals that live around us to get a good clean trace!"

"What have they found out about the note?"

"The parchment could have come from any of a dozen different stationary stores and the ink is even more common than that!" Tonks sounded lost, dejected, hopeless.

"Okay, what do we know about the United Anarchist Army?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"Nothing! They wear red robes! We can't even get one of them to talk to us!"

"Why? What about Ron Weasley?" Hermione asked her.

"That idiot!? He was so drunk that he didn't even know that he had joined them! He said that his son told him that it was a club!"

"And his son?" Vic asked.

"Now, there's a piece of work for you!" Tonks spat out. "He said that he thought he was joining a gang because his parents weren't paying enough attention to him at home!"

"Flint?" Cici asked.

"We already caught the guy that was handling him. But we can't get any answers out of him about who his boss is."

"What do you have, that they want?" Hermione asked softly, thoughtfully.

"Nothing! I'm an Auror for Godric's sake! I don't even get paid that much!"

"The wizarding body armour," Rose said in hushed tones.

"The what?" Tonks asked in confusion.

"The wizarding body armour," Rose said louder, so the others could hear.

"What's that?" Tonks asked her again.

"Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius gave all of us Class V wizarding body armour. It's what we wear when we go into a combat zone to help keep us safe," Cici told her.

"I knew that they gave you some body armour. But Class V? What do you kids do that you need Class V body armour? I didn't even know that they had a Class V body armour!" Tonks looked at them with a new sense of awe.

"If the UAA gets their hands on it, they will be virtually unstoppable!" Angel told her.

"Did you know that the Princess, Louise was kidnapped today also?" Vic asked her.

"No, why?" Tonks looked at her suspiciously.

"It just seems strange that your daughter and their daughter were taken at virtually the same time. My dad, Ced, George, and Fred all feel compelled to go and help them. Uncle Arthur is there now with Charlie and Bill," Cici told the group.

"Harry just told me that Sirius and Os are there with them now, too," Hermione informed the group.

"A division of forces?" Amber asked hesitantly.

"What? Why do you say that?" Tonks asked her.

"Well, look! Where are all of the guys?" Amber asked her.

"They've divided us up!" Hermione said in shock.

"Do they know that Ced, Cici, and I are bonded? Do they know that you and dad are bonded?" Vic asked worriedly.

"They might know that Harry and I are a bonded couple," and Hermione stopped talking while she watched Angel cast some of the strongest privacy charms that she had ever seen or used herself. "But very few know that you're a bonded threesome. And all of those are bound by the pact. So, they can't tell."

"So, is this a ploy to get you and dad out into the open?" Cici asked.

"Well, while we're here, and this isn't the way that I wanted to let you know. Neville has bonded with a girl named Sofia. It happened a couple of weeks ago, and the wedding is going to be this weekend," Hermione blurted it out to Tonks.

"Neville has bonded? Like in a soul-bond?" Tonks asked in shock. "What do we need a third soul-bonded couple for?"

With a chuckle, Vic started, "You're asking what we need a third soul-bonded couple for? Your daughter has been kidnapped by terrorists, the Princess has been taken by, we don't know who. And the only soul-bonded couple in Magical Britain may be in trouble again! And they have already divided our forces by some means that we don't even know about!"

"We need to find out why all of our men feel compelled to go to the aid of the Royal family," Julia told them.

The group of women turned around and looked at her.

.

The group of men were joined shortly by Sirius who came in from another entrance and then by Arthur, Bill, and Charlie who walked through the door at the end of the aisle. The floo flared to life again, and Lord Greengrass stepped through to join Arthur and his sons. As the group of men sat around the Minister's conference table, Harry and Ced narrowed down the telepathic link to their wives, they began to discuss what had happened and how it had come about. In the middle of the discussion, George Jr turned and waved his hand, casting several strong privacy charms on the office. Then he turned and rejoined the discussion. The Minister had watched him as he cast the various spells.

"… the Princess was on her way to watch a Polo match when her motorcade was separated by an accident that disabled the two vehicles following her limousine. This left the two escort vehicles in the front of the motorcade. As they were crossing an intersection, another vehicle ran into the second escort vehicle, letting the driver of the limousine turn and take the Princess," Am told the group.

"So, this was a very well thought out and coordinated attack that focuses on the Princess' driver. Any bets that it was a new driver?"

"They say 'no.' It's the same driver that she's had since she started school when she was five," Am told them.

"Imperious curse, or Polyjuice potion," Os said from his corner of the table, sounding as if he was channelling Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.

The others looked at him, wondering how much credence they should give his thought. But, at this point, they couldn't afford to rule out anything.

Am checked her watch, "Okay, it's time to go and meet with the King and Queen, and the Prime Minister," she told them as she stood up pushing her chair back with her legs.

The others fell in line with her as she exited her office and headed for the floo in the office lobby.

"Buckingham Palace," she said as she stepped into the flare of green flames.

Ced was the last to exit the floo into the ornately decorated room. A guard in a subtle uniform with the Coat of Arms on the breast pocket, stood there, waiting for all of them to finish exiting the floo.

"That's all of us," the Minister told the guard.

"Follow me," he instructed them politely, but firmly.

He turned and opened the door, he waited until all of them were in the hallway before he closed the unmarked door again.

"This way," he said as he took off at a brisk clip.

He led them through a maze of hallways and stairways until they came to a set of double doors. All along the corridors there stood tables with some sort of gift to the crown from foreign countries. The walls were covered with a wide variety of artwork. In different spots, tapestries hung where there were no paintings. Spaced evenly, suits of armour stood there silently, most of them were too ornately decorated to have ever been used in battle or for jousting. The guard stopped and looked to make sure there weren't any stragglers, then he opened the doors, swinging them wide so the group could enter easily enough. Once the group was inside the room, the guard closed the doors behind them and remained outside.

"Your Majesty," Am said with a slight bow.

The others took their cue from her and mimicked her actions.

Looking out over the number of people standing before him, the king said, "I was wondering how much faith I should have put into the old tale of a blood oath between the Ancient Families and the Crown."

"Blood oath?" Os asked out loud.

"Yes, it goes back over a thousand years, to William the 1st," he told the group of men, woman, and one girl. "I never really put much faith in it. I always assumed that it was just part of a bedtime story."

The king rose from his throne and held his hand out to his wife. Then he led her over to a table so they could all sit and start discussing what had happened. The Prime Minister of England joined them at the table.

"I'm David, and this is my wife Sara," he introduced himself and his wife to them.

"I'm Amelia Black, and this is my husband Sirius," Am led off with the introductions.

After all of the introductions were done, "So, who all knows what has happened?" Harry asked him.

"Nobody. Absolutely, nobody," he told the group of magical beings.

Harry was putting a plan together in his head as fast as he could think. Then he looked over at Sofia, then back to the Royals. "Do you have a picture of the Princess?" he asked the parents.

The king looked at him questioningly for a moment. Then he pressed an unseen button, and a servant entered the room from a hidden door silently. "Please bring me a recent picture of the Princess," he told the servant politely.

The servant turned and left the room just as quietly as she had entered the room.

Harry looked at the king questioningly again, "When you said no one …"

"Including you," he indicated all of them. "There are less than twenty people that know that she has been abducted. None of the house staff knows," he told Harry.

"Okay, I just needed to check, for my plan to work," Harry told him.

"What kind of demands have been made?" Sirius asked him.

"None."

"Do you at least have a place for us to start?" Am asked the couple, desperation starting to tinge her voice.

"We have dashcam footage of both the driver and what was happening in front of the car," he told them.

"Is there a GPS tracker on the car?" Harry asked him.

"Yes, but it was disabled sometime before the trip this morning," King David Norman told them, his tone turning morbid.

There was a soft knock at the door, and the female servant reentered the room carrying a recent colour photo of the Princess.

"Thank you, you may go," he dismissed the servant.

When the door closed again, Harry held his hand out for the picture. The king and queen looked at it for a moment longer, like they could will their daughter to come home to them. When the moment was over, he handed the picture to Harry. Harry turned and handed the picture to Sofia.

"Do you think that you could do a glamour to pass as her?" he asked her.

Neville and Sofi looked at the Princess in the photo. The photo looked like it was taken during spring break. She was wearing a lavender spring dress, with a wide-brimmed hat, and two-inch heels. Sofi studied the picture, then she ejected her wand, and while still concentrating on the image, she cast the glamour on herself. When she had finished, Princess Louise was sitting next to Neville in the lavender dress. The king and the queen both let out a small gasp. For all intents and purposes, their daughter was now sitting across the table from them.

Until she spoke, "I take it that I did a good job?" Sofi's slightly Italian accented English voice said.

"You did a great job, love!" Neville praised her.

"Here's my thinking on this," Harry began to outline his plan to keep peace in England.

"Okay, to help keep her out of the public eye, we will move to Holyrood Palace in Scotland," the king told the group.

"And that's fine," Harry told them, "The only thing is, those two can't be separated for more than a couple of hours at a time. Everywhere that she goes, he has to go too. Including sharing a bed at night."

The queen's face took on a sour look of disgust at letting a young girl and a young boy share the same bed.

"What I am about to tell you, cannot ever leave this room," Harry started telling them in a stern no-nonsense tone of voice. "These two are what is known as a soul-bonded couple. It is something that is very rare in the magical world."

"That is just something that the novel writers have made up to sell more books!" the queen told him in disbelief. This was just some kind of rouse to let these two kids play house.

"Well, whether you believe me or not, for these two to be apart for more than a couple of hours will cause them mental, emotional, and physical pain. To the point that they will do whatever it is that they have to do, to be together and touching each other again. That means, if they have to destroy a building to be together, then they will destroy a building so they can be together."

"So, if they have to be together like you say, then how do you plan to pull off this charade of yours?" she asked Harry in a threatening tone. "We live in a fishbowl. There is the Paparazzi that follows us day and night. They even try to get pictures through the Palace windows with their cameras! We have a hundred servants that love to gossip! Ten of which are assigned to her!" Queen Sara looked at Sofi/Louise, "Could you please stop looking like that? It's hard enough knowing that she's in danger out there somewhere and there is nothing that I can do to help!"

Sofi cancelled the charm on herself at the queen's request. "Ma'am," Sofi said. "Are there any public appearances that last for more than two or three hours?"

"No."

"Then as long as I don't need to speak. We can make this work. Whenever I don't need to be out in public, I can stay in the room assigned to my husband and me," she told her.

"That is so strange, to hear someone your age say that, this day in age," the queen told her caringly.

"You should have seen my mama! She thought that his parents had rigged all of this up to steal me away from her!" Sofi told her with a smile and a little laugh. "We will find the Princess and bring her home to you." She said more seriously.

"The more information that you can give us, the faster we can find her," the Minister of Magic told the king. "You can get in touch with us through the Prime Minister who has a direct link to my office.

"Okay, the next time that we meet, it will be at Holyrood Palace. It has the same type of fireplace as here," he told them. Then he stood up, signalling an end to this conversation.

All of the others stood up, per protocol. Harry turned to Neville, he was taking his watch off of his wrist, and he was blocking the view with his back turned to the others.

"Here, I need you to take my watch," he said as he handed it to Neville. "If you flip the face of the watch up, it will reveal a communications screen. All you have to do is tell the screen who you want to talk to. If either of you gets hurt and you're going to die, then if you lift this part here, it will reveal two small vials of Phoenix tears." He told them solemnly. "Your brother and all of his friends have a watch like this one, so does your mum, and all of the others that were here today. There are also communications mirrors at home and one in their room at Hogwarts. If you need us, call us. And I want you to call us every night to keep us informed of what is happening here. Do you want me to have one of the elves bring you the house in the bottle, along with your clothes?" he said very softly.

"I'll call Flipsy later and have her bring me my things. And I think that we will keep training like we have been," Neville answered his dad.

"Get some basic first aid, I've got the feeling that we're going to need it before this is all over," his dad told him.

.

Both groups of people had missed lunch, so it was a large and hungry group that descended on the Potter mansion for lunch and to get caught up with everything else that was going on.

"Where's Neville and Sofi?" Hermione asked perplexed,

"Right now, they're at Buckingham Palace. They should be moving to Holyrood Palace either tonight or tomorrow," Harry told her. "So, what was happening at the Ministry that was so urgent?"

Once they were all seated, and before the meal was served, Hermione caught all of the men up on what had happened to Tonks and Remus. Harry looked over to see a distraught Tonks poking at her food. Remus came walking up to the larger dining room, escorted by an elf.

"I've gone and spoken to several of the other werewolves, and none of them knows anything," he told the group. "There are still some that cling to the old ways, that I haven't been able to get a hold of." He said as he moved around the table to sit next to his wife.

"Mooney! I wish that you had told me! I had no idea!" Sirius said to his oldest friend.

"Padfoot, there was nothing that you could do! And then when the news hit about the Princess being abducted, …"

"Who told you that the Princess had been abducted?" Amelia asked sharply.

"I saw it on a muggle telly!" Remus told her.

This news caused an explosion of conversation in the large dining room. Hardly any noticed that their plates had filled with food. Under the circumstances, Charles gave up on enforcing proper table etiquette. Everyone, including the Lord and Lady of the House, were speaking with food in their mouths, once they had noticed the food in front of them.

"We need to find the leak," Sirius announced.

Gareth entered the room carrying an envelope addressed to Harry proper.

"Thank you, Gareth," Harry told the elf as he took the letter. That little nagging voice in the back of his head urged him to open it now. He looked at who had sent it, and upon seeing Colin's name and the letterhead of The Daily Prophet, he slipped his finger under the flap and opened the letter.

.

 _Harry,_

 _This came just after lunch, and upon hearing what has happened with the Royal Family, it just seems too coincidental._

 _Colin_

.

Folded inside of the envelope was another piece of parchment.

.

 _We have taken Deputy Director Nymphadora Tonks' daughter, and unless The Daily Prophet publishes a list of her corrupt dealings and she steps down as Deputy Director and admits to her guilt as a corrupt government official in tomorrow's headlines, we will begin removing pieces of the girl's body._

 _United Anarchist Army_

.

Tonks looked up and saw Harry's face, "What is it, Harry?"

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	75. Year Seven Chapter 75

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 75

.

.

The blowback from the article in the Prophet had all of magical Britain in an uproar. The group of friends had fabricated things for Tonks to confess to having done. She knew that it was a rouse, but it still hurt admitting to things that she had never done. This, in turn, led to the people calling for the resignation of the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Kingsley Shacklebolt, and then for the resignation of Minister Bones-Black. In all of the turmoil, Sofia and Neville's wedding would have just been a formality. So, they chose to have the ceremony the following year. They already had the marriage certificate from the creator, Edmund.

While Sofia and Neville were home for an afternoon, Hermione and Harry pulled them aside to speak with them about staying in the palace.

"We're doing fine," Sofi was telling them. "Neville has a harder time than I do. It's hard for him not to use magic, and sometimes he forgets." Sofi told them as she smiled over at her blushing husband.

"The queen is right, they do live in a fishbowl. The paparazzi are always there, all of the time!" Neville said to his parents, almost in a whine. The paparazzi were annoying!

"Well, we have something that will make it easier for Sofi whenever she has to do an appearance," Hermione told them.

"What's that?" Sofi asked intrigued.

"It is something that was used a couple of years ago for something that Ced and his wives did. It started off as a toy and we were able to make it longer lasting," she pulled a bracelet out of the pocket of her robes. "Here," she slid it across the coffee table that separated them.

"What is it?" Neville asked his mum as he picked it up and looked it over.

Toni reached over and held her hand out, she wanted to look at it, to see what it was, also.

"It's called a glamour bracelet. When it's activated, it will make you look like and sound like the person that it is charmed to imitate."

Sofia's brow furrowed as she looked at the bracelet in her mama's hands.

"What we need, is a hair from the princess, then I can cast all of the right spells, and it will be powered by your magic. As long as you wear it, it will make you look like and sound like the princess," Hermione told her.

"Okay, they still have her hair brushes and other things sitting on her dressing table. I should be able to get you a hair in a couple of days," Sofi told her.

"What's happening with Tonks and Uncle Remus?" Neville asked concerned for his dad's friend.

"Nothing, we gave them what they wanted, and they have done nothing," Harry told his son a little more jaded than he had intended to let slip.

The group talked a little more before Toni got up to leave. Sofi got off of Neville's lap to give her mama a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Colin and I are going to go to Italy for a couple of weeks or so to see what properties that I can claim. I know that some of them have been turned into museums and things like that. But, there's a list of other properties that I need to look into also," she told the group of friends.

With well wishes all around, they watched Toni step into the floo.

The young soul-bonded couple followed suit a few minutes after Toni had left.

"I'll get you that hair!" Sofi told Hermione as they hugged their goodbye.

"Love you, dad, love you, mum!" Neville said as he hugged the two of them, then he turned and grabbed Sofi's hand and she tossed a pinch of powder into the floo.

Several minutes later Neville came back through the floo in a panic. "Dobby!" he said louder than he needed to in his panic.

Pop! The excitable elf appeared in front of him with a bow, "How may I help you, Master Neville?"

"Where's my mum and dad?" he asked the elf hurriedly.

"They are in their room," Dobby told the young teenager.

Neville took off at a run for his parent's room, he was taking the steps two at a time, and then he used the knob on the top of the bannister to swing himself around and sprint for his parent's door. He knocked rapidly, and the door swung open.

"Come in!" his mum said loud enough to be heard from the back of her room.

"Mum, dad! The king wants you right away! They got a note!" Neville told them as fast as he could speak.

"Okay, go get your brother and tell him to let Fred and George Jr know," he told him. Then he turned and looked at Mione, "You had best check with Tonks and see if there have been any new developments on her side of this problem."

"Let me call Am first while you call Os and let him know. Am can call Sirius, and all of you can meet them at the palace," Hermione told him, thinking one step ahead.

After everybody contacted everybody, all of them started flooing to Holyrood Palace to meet with the king. And once they had all arrived, including George Sr and Fred Sr. Simmions, the guard, led them to another room with a telly and plenty of seating. All of them stood around waiting for his majesty to arrive.

When the king and queen walked through the door, he looked around, "Please be seated." He checked, and everyone had taken a seat. "I see that we have two new people." He commented dryly. "This arrived in the morning post." He told them getting right down to business.

The telly turned on, and then a video of a young woman with a small boy appeared on the screen:

.

"This is Grace and her son Winston," the female reporter's voice started. "Those are not their real names for their own protection." She informed her audience. "Grace says that she and King David had an affair when she was only fifteen years old that resulted in the birth of her son Winston, now ten years old."

.

The video ended seconds after that.

"Here's the note that came with the video," the king read the note to them.

.

 _You have until noon tomorrow to remove all military forces from the middle east, or we will start sending pieces of the real princess home._

 _United Anarchist Army_

.

"Is that even a realistic demand?" Ced asked. "Is it even possible to remove that many men in that short of time?"

"No, it's not realistic, and no, it's not possible. We got this note and DVD," he looked at his watch, "Forty-two minutes ago."

"Have they found the princess's car yet?" Sirius asked him.

"No, they were able to track the car using stoplight cameras until it went into a neighbourhood where the cameras have been vandalised. Our investigators tried going door to door to the various shops, but none of the shop owners has any security cameras in that area," King David informed them sullenly.

"Why weren't we informed of this development?" Harry asked the king heatedly. "Our people have skills that could let us find the terrorists if they're magicals!"

"Our investigators feel that having outsiders would only increase the risks to the princess." The king said showing no emotion.

"We are here under a Blood Oath taken by our ancestors a thousand years ago! In our world, these things are taken very seriously! We don't have a choice in this! Our choice was made for us by our forefathers!" Harry told him hotly. "We also take our safety and security very seriously. The other day I asked you who else knew that the princess was missing, and you said absolutely nobody. After we left here, and just as we sat down for lunch, less than thirty minutes later, a friend of ours walks in and tells us that the information is all over the news!" Harry accused the king of lying to them.

The king looked away from him, unable to look Harry in the eye, "Somebody must have leaked the information to the press."

"Who?" Harry pressed sternly.

"We don't know." He was looking down at his hands.

"Did you question everyone?"

"They all denied it." The king was fidgeting.

"So, my son and his young wife are in danger, here in your own home!" Harry said to the King coldly.

"They've taken my daughter! They told me that if I didn't give them your son that they would kill her!" the king blurted out.

The queen looked at her husband in dismay, like she was looking at a complete stranger. She had been willing to believe that he had not had this affair, but now she wasn't sure anymore. Accusations like this came in once or twice a month.

"Neville!" Harry turned to face his youngest son.

Neville got up and hurried over to his dad, still holding Sofi's hand.

Harry pulled Neville's head down so he could whisper in his ear. Then he patted him on the shoulder once and said softly, "Go!"

Neville and Sofi took off at a brisk pace for the door in the back of the room.

"Where are they going!? Stop them!" the king yelled to the hidden guards in the room.

The lights in the room flickered as the young soul-bonded couple defended themselves with wordless and wandless magic. Out in the hallway, the two of them broke out into a run for the room that had the floo in it.

Back in the media room, all of the magicals there had risen to their feet watching the young couple make a break to be free. Harry, Os, Am, and Sirius all rounded on the king, free from the Blood Oath because of the king's own treachery. Slowly it dawned on all of them that they were no longer compelled to be there.

"Well, your majesty, I would like to go ahead and thank you at this time for freeing us from that oath. Your treachery must have been what set us free." Oswald told him cooly.

"Please! Don't go!" the queen said as she jumped to her feet. "Please help me get my daughter back! I'll give you all of the information that we have!" sounding desperate, she implored them to stay and help her.

"Shut up woman!" the king roared as he turned on her. "I forbid it!"

"Why? So, our daughter can be killed? Your investigators haven't turned up anything!" she yelled back at him, her voice high pitched and on the edge of tears.

"They can't do anything!" he waved his hand at all of the magicals. "They're just a bunch of hypocrites!" he yelled in her face. "They're just a bunch of savages that live in caves and eat wild animals and sacrifice small children in fake rituals!"

Harry stopped and turned to face the king, a question had just come into his head. "Who told you about the Blood Oath?"

Upon hearing Harry's question, the others stopped and turned to look at the king also.

"She, she, she said that she would kill my daughter and me if I ever told anyone!" his voice shakey as he shivered in fear.

"Why don't you come over here and sit down your majesty?" Ced asked him to take a seat that he had just turned perpendicular to all of the others in the room. "You don't look well."

David looked at him with fear, and he hesitated to move. All of the guards were plainly visible to all of the others, but the two kids had managed to escape the room.

"Please, have a seat," Ced said soothingly. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you." Ced kept his tone calming.

Then Harry felt it. He looked around to see if any of the others had felt what he thought he had felt. Slowly, he started to look around the room.

"Please, your majesty," Ced's tone was still soothing, but a little more imploring. "So, we can have a nice quiet conversation." He needed him to sit down and submit to what he wanted to do. He didn't want to force the situation and make the tension between the magicals and the muggles any worse than it already was.

Slowly the king was moving to the chair that the young wizard was offering him. One slow step at a time, timidly he would take a step, like he was fighting something.

Harry felt the emotion again, and this time he turned his head casually to face the threat in the room. He needed this person. They needed this person. He needed a distraction in the room. Harry looked around, he had an idea, but he needed it to be safe.

Ced caught his dad looking at one of the guards in the room, and then he watched for a brief second as his dad looked around. But he was also focused on getting the king to sit down in front of him so he could get inside of the man's head! Ced refocused on his immediate task at hand.

Harry set fire to the queen's dress, he needed something to distract the guard to give him the time he needed to move across the room to him. And as soon as the guard's head turned to see why the queen was screaming, Ced was on him with a stunner. Harry refocused on the terrified queen and summoned the fire back to himself. All that had been damaged was some burned cloth.

The others in the room, magical and muggle alike, had been taken entirely by surprise. The muggle guards stood there with their weapons drawn.

"Put those away!" the queen snapped at them harshly.

The guards stood there, hesitantly, looking at all of the different people in the room. Was it safe to put their weapons away? All that seemed to register to them was that one of their own was down, and the young man was standing over him. But none of them could remember him moving from standing in front of the king to where he was now. The royal couple seemed unharmed, they didn't see any weapons on any of the guests in the room, in fact, they didn't see any threat at all! But the kid that was standing in front of the king, and now he's standing over Danny, who's on the ground, but how did he get there, and what happened to Danny?

"What happened to Danny?" one of the older guards asked, looking at Harry.

Ced answered, "Danny as you call him, is a terrorist."

"How can Danny be a terrorist? He's been one of us for over a year!"

"Do you have all of the paperwork for Danny?" Os asked the guard, distracting him, putting a thought into his head.

"Uh, we can get it. But he passed a polygraph!" the older guard said to the oldest one in the room.

"And Danny is a magical, like one of us. We need to take him with us so we can interrogate him," Sirius told the muggle guards.

"No, we don't want to take him down to Auror HQ," Ced was telling them. "Your Highness, is there a good old fashion dungeon in this palace?"

"Yes, I think so. We've never had a cause to use something like that," she told Ced, confused. What does this kid have in mind? To put the guard on the Rack and torture him to death?

"Yes, there's a dungeon, if you want I can take you there," the older guard told him.

"Good, would it be possible for a couple of the others to go through Danny's stuff. To see what we can find?"

"Yes, sure. We're going to need to go to his house and see what we can find there. We need to find out when he became a traitor and maybe we can find something useful." The older guard explained to him.

"It would be best if you took along a couple of our people, just in case you meet more of our kind. Just in case," Ced told him. He didn't want to make them feel inferior, but they, the magicals, needed to foster a sense of teamwork. "George, why don't you and Uncle Sirius go with them to Danny's house while Fred and Aunt Am go with the other guys to look through is stuff here?"

"Giving orders, now are you?" Sirius teased Ced with a cocked eyebrow and a smile.

"Just making suggestions!" Ced told him with a blush.

"And they're good suggestions too!" the Minister of Magic told her pseudo grandnephew.

The head guard started to split up his men into teams of two to begin chasing down these new leads. Am and Fred headed off with the two guards to go through Danny's sleeping quarters at Holyrood Palace, while Sirius and George left with the two guys to go to Danny's home in Edenborough.

"Dad, would you mind if I asked Vic to come and help with the king? We need to find out what they may have done to his memories. She's a lot more delicate than I am. This guy here," he pointed at Danny, "I don't really care how big of a mess that I make inside of his head."

"Sure, go ahead," Harry told him.

A moment later, Cici appeared next to Ced.

"Hey, babe!" she greeted him with a kiss.

"Hey, Mi Amor!" he returned her kiss.

Cici saw Harry's questioning look, "I'm her new bodyguard!" she said as she pointed at the queen. "Vic's talking to Caroline at the company for a few more minutes. She suggested that I come here because she said that the queen could be in danger." Cici looked at the queen, "Your Highness." She gave a small curtsy. Cici looked around at all of the others in the room. "Well, since no one here remembers their manors," she turned to address the queen again. "I'm Cecilia, his wife." And she pointed to Ced who's head snapped up at hearing that. "But everybody calls me 'Cici.'" She sounded all bubbly.

"Well, I'm Sara, and I'm his wife." She said with a smile and pointed to the king who was still standing in the same spot like he was unaware of what was going on around him. "So, what makes you qualified to be my bodyguard? Other than the fact that you have a killer sense of fashion and can wear four-inch heels?"

"Oh, thank you! Do you really like my outfit or are you just being nice?!"

"I really like it! And I love your heels! I can't wear heels that high, I have weak ankles."

"Oh, that's so sad! A set of high heels would go so well with that dress!"

"Thank you!" the queen said chipperly.

"Well, the other thing that makes me qualified to be your bodyguard is, all of those guys are scared of me! Well, except maybe Harry and Ced."

"Hey now!" Bill started to bluster.

"My little sister beat you in a fair fight!" Cici shot back at him, teasingly. "And as far as Ced goes, I'll take him home and spank him tonight!" she blew an over exaggerated kiss at Ced who started to blush.

"You can spank me anytime!" Ced teased her back.

"Who's spanking who?" Vic asked suddenly. "Hey, babe!" she turned and gave him a kiss.

"Hey, Mon Amour!" he kissed her back. "Your wife is just trying to mess with my head."

Dressed in a €10,000 pantsuit and wearing four-inch heels, Vic walked over to where her wife was standing next to the queen. "Oh! I love your dress!" she told the queen. Vic gave the queen a small curtsy.

"Your pantsuit looks fabulous! I remember when I used to be allowed to wear pantsuits. But that was before I married the king. What kind of company were you taking a tour of?" the queen assumed incorrectly.

"I own the largest broom manufacturing company in the world, and I was talking with my COO about a strategy for keeping lower quality brooms from flooding our market."

"Your Highness, this is Victoria, our wife. Vic, this is Queen Sara," Cici made the introductions.

"Please, call me Vic." She said as she held out her hand to the queen.

"So, how is it that the three of you are married when that's against the law?" the queen asked the two young women with excellent fashion sense, as she shook Vic's offered hand of friendship.

"It's a complicated story, and it happened by accident. But it has been blessed by the creator of the Magical World," Vic started to tell her, maybe getting a little defensive.

"We've talked off and on about going over to the middle east, where it is legal for men to have more than one wife. But I consider Vic to be as much my wife as Ced does."

"And I consider Cici to be my wife as much as Ced does too."

"And what? You're such a 'bad boy' that it takes two women to keep you in line?" the queen teased Ced, who blushed profusely at her comment.

"No, your highness, I'm just the luckiest guy in the whole world to have the two most beautiful women as my wives. And we all wish that there was a way that we could go more public with our marriage, have it recognised if not blessed at least," Ced told her as the smile faded off of his face.

"I tell you what, you get my daughter back, and you'll have the Crown's blessing on your marriage," the queen struck a deal with the threesome.

At that news, Cici and Vic squealed with delight, and they shared a hug and a brief kiss. Then they turned and attacked the queen with a huge hug in their happiness. When they realised what they were doing, they let go of her suddenly.

"Sorry," Cici said as she smoothed out nonexistent wrinkles on her dress.

"Sorry," Vic blushed at what she had done.

"It's okay," she told them. "I want you three to be as happy as what I will be when I get Louise back."

"We need to head for the dungeons before this guy starts to wake up!" Ced encouraged the group of people. "And I need you to go looking around in the king's mind. We need to know who has been in there beside you," Ced told Vic.

"Okay," Vic looked at the man that should be the king, "And what am I looking for?" she asked her husband.

"He kept saying that 'she' would kill him and his daughter if he ever told anyone about her," Ced told her, giving her a place to start.

The older guard started to lead the large group of people through the palace to the unused portion where the entrance to the dungeon was.

"Are all of those guys really scared of Cici?" Sara leaned over and asked Vic, and then she motioned with her head at the group of men.

"Yes. But the one that really scares all of them is my little sister!"

"Really? Why's that?"

"Well, have you ever seen that cartoon movie about the two sisters and one of them can make it snow inside of the palace?"

"Yes, who hasn't seen that movie?"

"Well, I think that she's watched that movie one too many times! Anyway …" and Vic tried to explain the enigma that was Daphne to the queen.

"Really!?"

And Vic and Cici just nodded to her.

.

It was about the middle of July, Cici and Vic were both working as bodyguards for the queen. She had taken a liking to both of the young women. The two girls would use the same glamour's whenever they were out in public with the queen. In the mornings, they would take their computer classes, then they would floo home to change, and then they would floo to the palace to spend time with Sara. The queen had all of her public appearances arranged for late morning or in the afternoon, early evening, to accommodate the girl's schedule.

"Your Highness?" Cici asked her.

"Yes?" she answered from the backseat of the royal limousine.

"Our other girlfriends were wondering if they could meet you," Vic told her.

You know? Sara thought to herself, talking with these two is really kind of like watching a tennis match. Do they always talk like this? "That would be wonderful! Would tomorrow about 3:00 work for them?"

"Yes, that would be great!" Cici told her exuberantly.

.

The queen had taught her two new bodyguards early on to either wear clothing that covered their cleavage or to carry a clutch to hide their cleavage when they would get out of the limo. The paparazzi was always after cleavage shots to sell to the tabloids. "And you two girls have plenty of cleavage to sell!" she teased them.

.

"Would you like to meet them someplace away from the paparazzi?" Vic asked her, picking up on the queen's feelings.

"And where can I go to get away from the paparazzi?" she shot back at her sardonically.

"Come to our house!" Cici said to her chipperly.

"Oh, Charles would love to meet you!" Vic told her.

"Yeah, he would!" Cici said encouragingly.

"Uasal is going to be so mad that she missed the queen!" Vic said wide-eyed.

"So's my mom!" Cici said a little melancholy.

With a laugh, the queen told them, "I haven't even said 'yes' yet!"

"Well?" the two girls said in unison.

"Yes!"

The driver of the limo looked in his rearview mirror to see what all of the commotions were about. He smiled to himself, it was good to see her highness smiling again, if only for a short while. He liked these two young bodyguards, they were right for his queen.

That night, before dinner, the two young witches told Charles that the queen was coming to visit them at the Potter Mansion, tomorrow at 3:00. Charles's response was to triple the house elf staff to clean the mansion before her arrival the next afternoon.

Then the two girls floo called their cousins to tell them the good news, and they also let Daphne tell her three friends.

As the desert was being served, Hermione looked over at her two daughters-in-law, "And when were you going to ask me if it was okay for the Queen of England to come and visit?" she did it with a straight face, not a hint of a smile, her tone was neutral.

The two young women stared at her wide-eyed.

"Uhm." They both went.

"Your father has to allow her through the security system of the floo," their mum was playing this for all it was worth. It wasn't often that she could tease the two girls like this. Then she took another bite of the tart that was sitting on her plate.

The two girls had yet to even taste their desert.

"Well?" mum asked the two girls, and then she took another bite.

The two young witches composed themselves.

"May the Queen of England come over for a visit tomorrow afternoon?" Cici asked her.

"It will be about 3:00," Vic told her, formally.

"No." Came the curt response.

The two witches looked at each other quickly.

" _Has Hermione ever told us 'no?'"_ Vic asked Cici.

" _Not that I can remember!"_

" _What are we going to do?"_

" _What are we going to tell Sara?"_

Then Cici saw her mum's face crack for just a split second.

"She's messing with us!" Cici told Vic.

Vic turned in her seat to get a better look at her mum. Then she saw her face crack into a smile.

"You scared us, mum!" Vic exclaimed at her.

"Next time, start with me and not Charles!" she smiled at them. "So, why here and not at the palace?"

"Everybody is so sick of the paparazzi!" Cici told her.

"It's bad mum!" Neville told her, agreeing with his two sisters-in-law.

"When I would go out with the queen, it was nonstop camera clicking! Princess, over here! Princess, look this way! If it weren't for the security detail that surrounded us, I would hate to think what would have happened to us!" Sofia told the group.

.

"Sara, Vic and I are going to be on both sides of you!" Cici was trying to calm the queen down.

"It's just that my whole life, I've been taught to step away from the flames, not step into them!"

"It's okay, when they're green, they won't burn you, it's the getting spit out on the other side that can hurt you!" Vic told her, with a chuckle.

"Are you ready?" Cici asked her.

"No, but let's do this. Otherwise, we're going to be late!"

Vic tossed a large pinch of floo powder into the floo, the flames flared up bright green, Cici told the floo where they were headed, and then the three women stepped into the floo together. Then they were ejected into the Potter Mansion.

Once Sara regained her sense of balance, she was able to look around at all of the people waiting to meet her. There had to be close to three-hundred tiny little creatures, Harry, Hermione, and maybe a dozen teenagers all standing there.

"Your Highness," Harry gave a curt bow. "Welcome to our home." And he turned and gestured with his outstretched arm at all of the different peoples.

Then Harry started with the introductions, "Your Highness, this is our Head House Elf, Charles."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," the queen said politely.

With a deep bow, "It is an honour to meet you!" Charles told her.

Then the same went with Gareth.

Then the queen looked up and around at all of the house elves, she said, "It is a pleasure to meet all of you!" she went from clasping her hands in front of her to spreading her arms wide to include everyone.

All of the elves bowed to her and then they disappeared with a pop. This left just the witches and wizards inside of the house, Car-baun outside of the house, and Cathaoir upstairs somewhere.

Harry leaned over to Daphne, "Where's Cathaoir?" he asked her in a whisper.

"Upstairs!" she told him in a whisper.

"What's he doing upstairs?"

"He and Charles got into an argument!"

"What did they get into a fight about?"

"Charles got mad at him. He said that Cathaoir was shedding all over the place!"

"Charles said that to Cathaoir?"

"Yes!"

"So, what did Cathaoir do?"

"He said that he was going to walk all over the house and mess everything up!"

"Well, at least he didn't try and eat him!"

"Oh, they yelled about that too! Cathaoir told him that house elves don't taste good!"

"And what did Charles do?"

"He locked Cathaoir in the room!"

"So why didn't Cathaoir just cancel the spell?"

"I don't know! Maybe because it's House Elf magic?"

Harry looked up from the conversation that he was having with Kitten, "Excuse me for a minute, your highness." He said softly, just before he turned and walked towards the main study. When he entered the study, he called out, "Charles!"

Pop! "Yes, my Lord?" he responded with a deep bow.

Harry would have sworn to you that the ancient elf had a guilty look on his face. "Where is Cathaoir?"

"He is upstairs in Mistress Susan's room, my Lord."

"Is he locked in Susy's room?" Harry asked delicately.

Charles snapped his fingers, "Not anymore, my Lord."

A roar was heard throughout the mansion, and when Cathaoir reached the point where the hallway opened up enough for him to spread his wings and take flight, Cathaoir leapt into the air and sailed across the expanse of space.

" _I'll find you, you overgrown rodent!"_ boomed loudly in everyone's head.

Charles stood his ground confidently, defiantly, in the main study of the house.

Out in the main living area of the house, the queen let out a high-pitched gasp. Cathaoir's head turned to look in the direction of the noise. He flared his wings and landed softly.

" _Your Highness!"_ he said with a quick bow of his head. Then he turned and started walking towards the main study. The doors to the study closed behind him as he entered.

"That was Cathaoir, he is the last of the Golden Gryphons," Hermione explained to Sara. "Well, there is only one other person that we need to introduce you to!"

The group of people, led by Hermione and the queen at her side walked slowly as they talked about the many different things on their minds. With the paparazzi nowhere near them, the queen was beginning to relax and enjoy her visit. All of the portraits told all of the other portraits, who was walking down their hallway, so all of the paintings were filling quickly with visitors from other paintings throughout the house. Soon enough, they exited into the back garden and Hermione led the group of people to one of the two large mounds of grass in the yard.

"Let me go get him!" Vic told the group as she hurried forward.

The queen looked at Hermione for answers.

"He doesn't like surprises," Hermione told her as they kept walking.

As they got closer, Vic put her hand up to stop them from coming closer. "He wants to meet her outside," she told her mum.

A moment later, an all-black dragon walked around the edge of the mound of grass. He was covered in spikes of different lengths. In all of his terrifying looks, "You're beautiful!" the queen said in awe of the creature before her.

Car-baun bowed his head and said sheepishly, _"Thank you, your Highness."_ Hermione translated for Sara. _"It is a pleasure to meet you."_ Then he raised his head back up to see better.

"He's my familiar!" a high-pitched little voice ran towards the dragon, her dress billowing out behind her, her hair falling out of the bun on top of her head.

Car-baun lowered himself to the ground, and the little girl, much to the amazement of the queen threw herself on the dragon grabbing him around the neck and hugged it tightly.

"His name is Car-baun! And he just looks mean! But he's the greatest in the whole wide world! And I," she threw herself back onto the dragon's neck again, "Love him so much!" she said as she squeezed tightly again.

.

It was after five when a distraught Tonks came through the floo. Gareth escorted her to the sitting room while he went to inform Hermione that Tonks had arrived. Once Gareth had informed the Lady of the House, the queen gave her a questioning look.

"Her daughter was taken the same day as your daughter, by the same people," Hermione told Sara.

"Could you introduce me to her, please?" Sara asked compassionately.

Hermione judged her for a moment, this was more compassion than she had expected, "Sure, follow me please." And she led her through the house back to the sitting room.

Tonks saw Hermione, "They won't share resources! How are we going to find Tabby and the princess if they won't share resources!?" Tonks was in distress, and her voice was just short of a yell.

"Who won't share resources?" Sara said as she stepped out from behind Hermione.

Tonks glared at the newcomer in the room. Silently.

"Tonks, this is Queen Sara, your highness, this is Tonks," Hermione made the introductions.

Tonks' eyes flashed back and forth between the two women, and then settled on the queen, "Your Highness," she said with a small curtsy.

"Now, who won't share resources with you?" Sara asked again.

Tonks explained what she needed and what she thought she knew, but she wasn't getting any help from their Muggle counterparts, in locating her daughter or the princess.

"I will tell them to start cooperating with you immediately," Sara told the distraught mother.

With this news, Tonks could feel herself beginning to relax a little. "So, how did you end up coming here?" she wound up asking the queen, the confusion written all over her face.

"It seems that I have two very wonderful bodyguards that wanted me to meet their friends, and I agreed. But I didn't want it to be at the palace with all of the paparazzi trying to take pictures." The queen told her.

Tonks thought about this for a couple of minutes, "Vic and Cici are your bodyguards?" she asked in amazement.

"Yes! Do you know them?" Sara excitedly asked the woman whose hair had slowed in its colour changing.

"Yes," she said slowly. "We've worked together." She said cautiously. "If you have those two as your bodyguards, what are you afraid of?" Why did the queen need those two as her personal bodyguards?

"Apparently, they've caught a spy in the palace guards, and Cici just told me that she was my new bodyguard, she assigned herself as my personal bodyguard, and her wife, that sounds so strange. Anyway, Vic joined her! With those two around, I'm not afraid of anything! They gave me a little demonstration a few moments before you arrived, wow! They're amazing!" the queen told her in awe of what she had seen. "And they did it in heels!"

Tonks looked at the queen, they had caught a spy? Did Vic perform legilimency on him? When were they going to tell her? How are these two cases related? What else do they know that they're not telling her?

"Those two are amazing! When did they catch the spy?" Tonks asked her, her interrogator side, slipping through just a little.

"A couple of weeks ago! No one told you?" Hermione interrupted and asked Tonks.

"No!"

"Let me get Ced in here so he can tell you what they learned from the spy," Hermione told one of her oldest friends.

"So, Ced did the legilimency?" Tonks asked, just to be sure.

"Yes. Leo!" Hermione called out.

With the softest of pops, the tiny elf appeared in the presence of the Lady of the House and her highness. "Yes, my Lady?"

"Please tell Ced that I need to speak to him, it is urgent," Hermione told her son's elf.

"Yes, my Lady!" and he was gone with another faint pop.

A few minutes later, a smiling Ced came walking into the room. "Leo said that you needed to see me? He said that it was urgent?"

"Yes, no one has given Tonks the information that you gained from the terrorist at the palace!" his mum told him.

"They didn't?" Ced looked confused as he looked at the others in the room.

"No!" Tonks told him distraught again. Her hair was changing colours at a furious pace.

"Well," Ced began as he led her over to a couch so they could sit down for everything that he was going to tell her.

After a few minutes, Hermione and Sara left the room to go back out to the girls.

"Would you like something more comfortable to wear?" Cici asked the queen.

"Really? Yes! I get so tired of always being on display!" Sara told the girls.

"Well, let's go upstairs to our room and see what we have that you might like!" Cici told her excitedly.

With this news, the six girls plus the queen headed up the stairs to the trio's room. Hermione returned to the sitting room to help with Tonks, and what she needed to know, and what they had learned from the terrorist and the king himself.

.

As the seven women entered the trio's room, Sara was impressed with the size and spaciousness of the room. Angel was quick to conjure chairs for everyone to have a comfortable seat. She remembered the last time that the six of them had played dress-up.

"So, what kind of clothes do you want to wear?" Vic asked the queen.

"What kind of clothes did you used to like to wear before other people started telling you what to wear?" Julia asked her.

"Well, I've always enjoyed wearing, …" and the queen started to tell them about herself before she became the queen.

"Wow! Really?" Rose said astonished at what she had just learned about her. "I've got some clothes at home that I think that you would absolutely love! And they will all fit you too!"

"You do?!" Sara asked her in surprise.

"Yes! I'll just go and get them!" Rose was saying.

"But how long will that take you?" the queen asked her.

"Not long, less than fifteen minutes," Rose responded seriously.

"That's all?" Sara asked in disbelief. "Where do you live?"

Rose looked around, trying to get her bearings, "I think it's that way," she said kind of unsure about where her home was in relation to where Cici and Vic lived. "About a hundred and fifty kilometres."

Julia looked at Rose, and Rose looked at Julia, "Yeah, I think you're right," Julia told her with a shrug.

"Do you want to go with me or do you want to stay here?" Rose asked her future sister-in-law.

"I think that I'll stay here. If Fred sees me, then he will want me to stay with him and right now, I'm having fun with the queen," Julia replied.

"Who's Fred?" Sara asked her, wanting to learn more about these people.

"Fred's my master," Julia told her, going for the shock factor.

"Yeah, right! You're the one in control!" Amber said a little too loud.

"True! But technically, he is still my owner," Julia told her.

"He owns you? Like he owns you like a slave type of ownership?" Sara asked appalled at what she thought she was hearing.

"Yes, he won me in a fight. And he wanted to give me my freedom the first Christmas that we were together. But Vic's dad talked him out of it because my real parents, who sold me off to pay for my dad's gambling debts, could come and claim me again, and then sell me just like before," Julia explained to the queen.

"But he doesn't beat you or anything like that, does he? He doesn't make you do anything that you don't want to do, right?" Sara asked concerned for the girl's safety. She had a daughter that wasn't much younger than these girls!

"Fred beat Julia? Please! The guy worships the ground that she walks on!" Angel teased Julia. "Besides that, if he ever hurt her, well he would have the five of us to deal with!"

The other girls got rowdy in their agreement with Angel's statement. But it was true! One for all, and all for one!

Rose made it back as the other girls were still rowdy.

"What did I miss?!" she asked excitedly.

"Julia, right?" and Julia nodded, "Was just telling me that, … your brother, right?" and Sara looked around, but Rose nodded to her. "Your brother is her master?"

"Oh, please! The girl snaps her fingers, and he comes running at her beck and call!" Rose told the queen in exaggerated disbelief.

Sara looked at Julia, "Really?" she asked sceptically.

Julia smiled and nodded at her, "Yeah, but its only on paper that he owns me. I own his heart! And you know what? I love him too." Julia said getting all sappy on them.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it!" her highness told her with a smile.

"Here, I brought you some clothes to try on," Rose said holding up a small bag.

Sara kind of frowned at the tiny bag of clothes that Rose had brought back with her.

With a flick of her wrist, Rose conjured three large tables, and then with another flick of her hand, all of the clothes in the bag started flying to different spots on the three tables.

Sara's jaw just dropped at what she was seeing.

Cici caught sight of the expression on the queen's face. "You should see us pack!"

Sara closed her gaping mouth, "Really?"

"Oh, yeah! Once we got Cici and Vic to teach us that spell!" Amber started talking.

"It made our lives so much easier!" Angel finished Amber's thought, dragging out the 'so.'

"We watch the other kids at school, rushing around and trying to pack their school trunks on the last day," Amber was telling her.

"And the ones that start packing early, they have to pull stuff out of their trunks because they need it two days before school's out," Julia told her highness.

"And with that spell, a flick of our wrist and in less than a minute our trunk is packed!" Angel finished telling the queen.

"So, your Highness. Here are the clothes that I brought for you to look at and try on," Rose turned around to address the queen.

Sara got up and walked over to look at the clothes that Rose had brought her. These were some cute clothes! "Why are you getting rid of these? They look like they have hardly been worn!"

"Well, I was saving them, but then I realised that I had outgrown them and I would probably never wear them again," Rose explained to her.

"Really?" Julia said pushing herself out of the seat. "What sizes are they?" she asked as she walked over to the tables filled with clothes.

Amber followed Julia's lead and started walking to the tables. She liked some of the clothes that Rose used to wear.

Sara stopped and pulled out a top that caught her eye. "What do you girls think of this?" she said as she held it up against herself and turned so the others could get a good look at what she had selected.

Ced and Hermione had finished talking with Tonks and Tonks had flooed home for the rest of the day. So, Ced led his mum up to his room where all of the girls had gotten into the clothing exchange. As he walked into his room, he found Fred and George sitting in a corner, trying to stay out of the way as the ladies were all looking at the different clothes. Fred waved his hand to conjure a comfortable chair like the ones that he and his cousin were sitting in talking and watching.

"What's going on?" Ced asked the two guys.

"Well, it started out with Cici and Vic offering to let the queen change into something more comfortable," George began telling him.

"Yeah, I knew that," Ced told him.

"So, my sister went home to get some of her clothes for the queen to look at," Fred told him.

"Okay."

"Well, Amber and Julia liked what Rose had brought, and they realised that they might have some clothes that would fit her too," George told him.

"So, yeah. Julia comes home and tells me that I need to come over here so I can help her select some new clothes," Fred explained to Ced.

"Yeah, Amber comes and says the same thing to me too!" George grumbled.

Sara stopped what she was doing. She turned to face Cici and Vic, "Would it be okay with you, if I asked the other girls if they wanted to be one of my bodyguards?"

"It's okay with me!" Vic shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't have a problem with it," Cici said with a shrug also.

"What!?" Julia squealed.

"Yes! I wanted to ask the rest of you young ladies if you would consider being a part of my personal bodyguard detail," Sara told the excitable girls.

"Really? YES!" one of the girls squealed in excitement.

"I would love to!" another of them squealed exuberantly.

"I'm going to have the best-dressed bodyguards on the planet!" Sara told them excitedly.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	76. Year Seven Chapter 76

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 76

.

.

August turned out to be the month of misery. The temperatures were higher than average, letting the humidity be higher than usual, causing tempers to be shorter than usual too.

The month had started normal enough, the nine of them were in their computer class when two constables entered into the classroom looking for Cedric Potter.

With confusion on his face as to why two police officers would be looking for him, Ced raised his hand and said, "That's me."

"Come with us," the older of the two officers told him. "We need to ask you a couple of questions."

Ced got up from his computer, he opened his mental link fully and followed the two officers out into the hallway, the younger of the two officers closed the classroom door behind them with a gentle click.

"Put your hands behind your back," the older officer told him.

Then the younger officer pushed him against the wall, and they held him there while they put the handcuffs on him.

"You're under arrest for the sexual assault of Monica Griffin," the older officer told him.

"Who?" Ced asked them. "I've never heard of her!"

With one officer on each arm, they escorted him out of the building and to their patrol car sitting in the parking lot.

" _Monica Griffin?"_ Cici thought in confusion.

" _Who's that?"_ Vic thought, confused too.

Down at the local police station, the two officers arrested Ced and booked him for the rape of a young college girl.

Less than an hour after the two officers had taken Ced out of the classroom, Harry, Hermione, Cici, Vic, and Daniel McKenzie were walking into the police station where they were holding Ced.

"I'm here to see my client," Daniel told the officer behind the reception desk.

"Name?" the officer asked bluntly.

"Cedric Potter," Daniel told her pleasantly.

"I'm sorry, we don't have anyone here by that name," she told him in a monotone. "Are you sure that you have the right station?"

"He was brought in less than an hour ago," Daniel told her.

'I'm sorry sir, there's no one in the computer by that name. If you would like, you can sit over there and wait," officer monotone told him as she pointed across the lobby.

"Thank you."

The five of them took a seat in the waiting area. The hard-plastic seats were far from comfortable. Cici and Vic held hands, and they began to talk with Ced telepathically. As they sat there talking about couple's stuff.

" _They've just brought Fred in,"_ Ced told the two of them.

"Dad?" Vic said.

"Yes?"

"The just brought Fred in," Cici told him.

"Okay, we'll take care of it."

"Dad?" Vic said.

"Yes?"

"They just brought George in too," Cici told him.

Harry sighed, "Okay, we'll take care of him too," Harry told the two young women.

Several minutes later, two uniformed officers walked up to the group of people sitting in the uncomfortable chairs in the lobby.

"Are you Cecilia Ramos?" the older female officer asked.

"Yes," Cici said expecting to be able to go and see her husband.

"Will you come with us please?" she asked her.

" _Don't do it!"_ Ced screamed through their link.

"What is this concerning?" Vic asked the officers.

The two officers stopped and looked at Vic. "And you are?"

"Her friend," Vic told them.

"Well, unless you're her guardian, we can't discuss this with you," the first officer told her as she started to reach for Cici's arm.

Cici pulled her arm away from the officer's grasp, "My mother is out of the country for right now. Why do you want to arrest me?"

"We just want to ask you some questions," the first officer told her.

"Concerning what?" Daniel asked the officers.

"And you are?" officer number two asked him.

"Her legal representative," Daniel told the two female officers.

"Well, sir. Your client has been accused of selling drugs on the college campus. We have seized her stash of drugs from where she had them hidden," officer number one told the solicitor.

"Excuse me, are you Victoria Potter?" two more female officers approached the five-people sitting on the plastic chairs.

"Yes," Vic said cautiously.

"Good, would you come with us please?" officer three asked her.

"No! What am I being accused of?" Vic asked the officer, harshly.

"Are these your parents?" officer number four asked her.

"Yes, now what am I being accused of?" Vic asked a little more tensely.

" _We need to warn the others!"_ Cici thought to her mates.

" _It's too late. They're all here,"_ Ced told her.

"If you will follow us, we can discuss this someplace more private," officer number four told them.

"Go ahead, Harry. I'll take care of Cecilia," Daniel told his friend.

"We will need to get legal representation for six more," Cici told Daniel quietly. "They've arrested all of our friends too."

"Okay, let me make a few phone calls and get some other solicitors down here as quickly as I can," he whispered back to her. "Excuse me for just a moment, I need to make a phone call," he told the officer that was about to take them in the back of the station.

The officer looked at him with some mild annoyance.

"I just need to make a call to my office and check in," he told her with an award-winning smile.

About sixty seconds into the phone call, officer number two started to tap her foot on the rubber tile floor.

A couple of moments later, "Lord Gryffindor, I've got some help on the way!" Daniel used Harry's formal title.

The four officers took notice of the title the low life solicitor had used for the well-dress man standing with his daughter.

"I believe we were following you?" Daniel told the not so cocky officer.

The two officers turned and led Daniel and Cici down a plain drab hallway to some card locked doors, through the doors and to an interrogation room. Harry, Hermione, and Vic with their two officers were following close behind them. They entered the interrogation room one down from the room they had put Harry, Hermione, and Vic into.

" _Fred says that they're accusing him of raping a muggle girl too,"_ Ced told his wives.

" _I wonder who's behind this?"_ Vic asked.

" _I don't know. George is on the other side of me, and he said that he's being charged with raping a muggle girl also,"_ Ced told them.

" _So, whoever it is, they managed to get all three guys locked up on a charge that's hard to disprove,"_ Cici told them. _"Someone just came into my room."_

" _Mine too,"_ Vic told them.

.

"Miss Ramos," the detective said as he took a seat across from Cici and Daniel. "Where were you on the afternoon of July seventeenth?"

" _Our wedding anniversary?"_ all three of the threesome said at the same time.

"Don't answer that!" Daniel said as he placed a hand on Cici's arm to distract her. "Why so specific?" he asked the detective.

"We have a photo of Miss Ramos selling drugs on the college campus to an undercover officer," he pulled a photo of a young woman bent over a car door, he turned it around and slid it across the table to the pair of them. A smirk on his face.

"I was providing bodyguard service," Cici said, waiting on the who for question that should follow it up.

"And for whom were you providing bodyguard service for?" came the natural response from the detective.

And now time for the bombshell to wreck this whole fake accusation, "Her Majesty, Queen Sara," Cici said calmly.

The detective who had been taking a big sip of his coffee spewed coffee all over everything, including Cici.

Cici looked down at her coffee covered self, then she looked up with disgust at the detective that had just ruined her clothes. She stood up slowly, as the coffee dripped down between her breasts, her dress was now stained with coffee, with cream and sugar. Her makeup was ruined also. "Well, detective," she paused as she looked across at him, her hands out to her sides as if waiting for something to dry herself off with, "This was a £850 dress."

.

In Vic's interrogation room, a similar scene was playing out. Vic's face went red, "You're accusing me of solicitation! On campus?!"

"We have a photo of you soliciting an undercover officer," the detective pulled a photo of a young woman bent over a car door, he slid the picture across the table to the attractive young girl and her parents.

"That could be anyone!" Hermione exclaimed.

"We have signed depositions from two other witnesses that can place your daughter there at that time," the detective told them, hoping to rattle their cages a little.

"Well, I have a witness that can tell you that I was nowhere near there at the time that you're saying!" Vic shot back at him.

"Oh, and who might that be?" thinking that she was going to say her boyfriend or some other girlfriend.

"Her Majesty, Queen Sara. I'm one of her bodyguards," Vic told the detective as he was taking a big drink of his coffee. She let him spew it all over her. She had set him up after all. Then slowly she got up, coffee, black, all over her face, chest, and dress. "Well, this was a £875 dress. I can assume that your department will be replacing this for me?" she asked him, her arms out from her sides, her hands hanging down, coffee dripping off of her fingertips. Coffee dripping off of her eyebrows. Coffee dripping off of the tip of her nose. Coffee running down between her breasts.

"Well, detective. Are you just going to let her stand there like that? Or, are you going to go and get her something so she can start getting cleaned up?" Hermione asked him, the irritation in her voice becoming more evident with each word that she spoke.

When the stunned detective didn't move to go get some paper towels for Vic, Hermione stood up and held her hand out for Vic to take. The two women started around the table when the detective sprung into action and went to grab Hermione by the arm to keep her from leaving.

"If you touch me," Hermione paused long and hard as she looked down at his hand just centimetres away from her arm, "You'll be out of a job before the end of the day," she told him with a 'butter wouldn't melt in my mouth,' tone of voice.

The detective stopped reaching for her, "You can't go out there. I can't let you leave," he said to her.

Hermione looked him dead in the eyes, "You can't stop me." She pushed past him, and the door was locked.

The detective smirked to himself, right up until the door opened for Hermione and she left the room with Vic in tow.

Vic guided her to the room that had Cici in it. Hermione turned the knob and opened the door, "Come on, let's go and get you cleaned up," she said to her other daughter.

Cici took Vic's hand, and Hermione could feel the relief coming off of the two girls. "The women's restroom?" Hermione asked the first female that she saw.

The woman turned and pointed in the direction of the loo.

Daniel used this opportunity to try and find his other clients.

Hermione led the two younger women into the restroom so they could start cleaning the coffee off of themselves. They couldn't scourgify themselves or their dresses, they had to settle for using plenty of paper towels and water. They still had a part to play, they needed to find out who had done this to them. After thirty minutes in the loo, the three women opened the door, with Hermione in the lead, Cici and Vic flanked her on either side as they moved through the corridors of the police station.

Daniel stood there with an army of solicitors behind him, ready to go to work. "Hermione, I was just telling Harry a couple of things. The photo that they are using against Cici is the same photo that they are using against Vicky."

Cici and Vic compared mental images of the two photos, and they were the same!

"The other thing that's very strange, is that none of the others is in the computer system. I'm waiting for one of the detectives to take me in back to the holding area so I can go looking for Cedric and his friends, cell by cell," Daniel explained to the upset mum.

.

"Your late!" greeted the six girls as they stepped out of the floo and into the palace.

There were six variations of "Sorry, your Highness!"

"What happened?" Sara asked her bodyguard detail.

"We were all arrested under false pretences!" the six of them exclaimed together.

"WHAT!?"

"Yes! They're still holding the guys! Even though they can't find the arresting officers!" Vic told her.

"They arrested Ced for sexually assaulting some girl that we've never heard of!" Cici told her.

"Yeah! They came into the classroom after they took Ced and then they took Fred!" Julia told her.

"They got George just after they got Fred and Ced. If it weren't for Cici and Vic, we wouldn't know what's going on! It doesn't help that we don't have phones in the magical world!" Amber told her.

"If it wasn't for the cell phones that Robins gave us, but that doesn't help us if we need to call our parents! And they took our communication watches from us!" Angel told her.

"So, how did you girls avoid getting arrested?" Sara asked them in amazement.

"Well, after they accused me of selling drugs. I told them that I had an alibi for when they said that they had a picture of me selling drugs to some undercover officers!" Cici started to tell the queen. "So, this jerk in a cheap suit spews his coffee all over me when I tell him that I was working as your bodyguard! And then he wouldn't get me any paper towels to dry myself off with! Mum had to come and get me, and Vic's covered in coffee too!"

"They were using the same picture for all of us!" Angel told them.

"Really? The same picture!?" Amber asked her in shock.

"That's what the solicitor told me! He also said that the picture has a date code on it from five years ago!" Angel said wide-eyed.

"Five years ago?" Vic asked in dismay.

"Were those even officers that arrested us?" Amber asked the others.

"They were dressed like officers, I guess. I don't know what muggle police officers wear!" Angel told them.

"Daniel told dad that none of us was ever entered into the computer system. That if dad and mum hadn't come when they did, we could have been left there for days!" Cici told them.

"Well, what about the guys?" Sara asked the group of girls.

"They'll be home tonight, one way or another. They're just trying to see what they can pick up from the other officers that pass by their cells." Vic told her.

"This afternoon is slow. I have just one appearance in about a half hour," Sara told them with a glance at her watch. "Tomorrow, we'll need Sofi's help. Louise is supposed to accompany me to an opening ceremony of a children's hospital."

"Okay, we'll tell her to be ready for that. I think that mum has a special bracelet for her to wear that will help her a lot. It's something that we used on another mission," Cici told her.

"Oh! Those worked great!" Rose said excitedly. "A lot better than Polyjuice potion!"

"Polyjuice potion?" Sara asked the girls.

"Oh, that is some nasty tasting stuff!" Amber told her.

"It's hard to brew too!" Rose said. "It takes a month to brew it right. Most people just go and buy a batch of it."

"And it's not very long lasting!" Amber told her, "Only about an hour or so, if you're lucky."

"How's his majesty been doing?" Vic asked.

"He's still having a really hard time with what they did to him. Controlling him like that," Sara told her.

"If he wants, I might be able to help him with some of that. Most of us here have experienced what he's going through in some form or another," Vic told her highness.

"I'll talk to him tonight and see what he wants to do. But for now, we need to go out and be seen. People are going to start wondering if they don't see me enough times a day," Sara told her bodyguards.

.

It was shift change at the police station, the new guard was walking passed Fred's, Ced's, and George's cells when the three guys sat up and took notice. The new guard seemed uncomfortable in the pressed uniform. The collar seemed a little too tight. The shined shoes, a little too snug on his feet. The weight of the baton on his belt seemed unfamiliar.

"Hey! Guard!" Ced called out to the guard.

The guard turned and sneered at him, the three of them could see the stubble on his face.

"What!?" he said in heavily accented English.

" _We've got one!"_ Ced thought to Cici and Vic. _"Where should we take him?"_

The guard stepped closer to Ced's cell. Ced stepped closer to the cell door. Ced motioned with his finger for Fred to teleportus behind the guard.

"What do you want?" the guard asked him again.

"I want to go to the public floo network in Diagon Alley," Ced told the guard.

Fred touched him on the back of the head, and when the guard slumped, Fred was gone silently.

It never occurred to any of the three of them that the police should have taken their communication watches, their shoelaces, and their belts, so they didn't even think about having left them behind. They were never taken in the first place!

The four guys appeared at the public floo network alcove in Diagon Alley. _"Where should we take him?"_ Ced asked his wives again.

" _Bring him here to the palace, Sara says that we can put him in the dungeon,"_ Vic told her soul-bonded.

"We're going to the palace, Holyrood Palace," Ced told his two mates.

George tossed some floo powder into the floo and Fred drug the guard into the floo with him. George looked around, and then he was gone too. Ced checked to see if anyone saw anything, or if someone was staring at them. After the quick look around, he was stepping into the floo.

"Hey! What are you doing? You can't do that!" greeted Ced as he stepped out of the floo in the palace.

The three young men looked at the palace guard warily. He had his hand on his sidearm and looked ready to pull it. The situation was turning into a standoff quickly. George took one step sideways to put some space between him and his cousin who was stuck holding the unconscious police officer. When the palace guard looked at George, Ced took one step sideways away from Fred. They were still too close, but they were a little farther apart.

"What's going on here!?" the queen said loudly as she walked into the room.

The palace guard started for just a second, but he remained tense and ready to draw his weapon. "I was just asking the same question your highness!" his accented English was good, but not good enough.

"He's wondering how Ced and the other's caught the guy assigned to watch them at the police station in London, got here," Vic told the queen.

"Your palace guard is a terrorist too," Cici told her.

The palace guard was trying to look everywhere at once. He knew that he had at least three in front of him, and he should only have three women behind him. The pistol carried fifteen rounds of ammunition, and none of them should be armed.

Julia slipped up behind the new threat and touched him on the back of the head. Angel snatched his hand away from the weapon on his belt. And the two of them let the guard hit the floor in front of the queen.

"We need to call Tonks so she can be here when we start the interrogation," Cici told the others.

"Okay, you wait here for her, and we'll get these other two down to the dungeon," Vic told her wife.

"Can we levitate them? This bloke's getting bloody heavy!" Fred asked the women.

"Well, I'm not carrying him!" Julia told her master.

"I'm not carrying him either!" Amber told her husband.

"Don't look at me!" Rose said. "I'm wearing stiletto's!"

"Why are you looking at me?" Angel asked her cousin.

"Well, you're not going to drag him through the palace! You'll scuff the floors!" the queen told him.

"You can levitate him or throw him over your shoulder, your choice mate," Ced told his old-time friend.

"Come on! Let's go before someone says something!" Sara told the group of nine.

Fred levitated the guy and floated him in a horizontal position as they started for the door. George levitated the newly found terrorist in the same position. The queen took the lead, and the girls formed a protective detail around her and the two unconscious bodies.

Just before Ced left the room to follow the others, he turned and pulled Cici up against his hard body. His hand found her bum and pulled it in against his hips. Cici let her arm go off to the side while she used her free hand to reach up and cup the back of Ced's head, pulling his lips down to meet hers.

In the hallway, Vic could feel Ced's lips against her wife's. She could feel the tingling sensation flowing outwards from where her wife's hips were pressed against her husband's hips. She could feel … she quickly narrowed the mental link to her two spouses before she got lost in what was happening back in the floo room.

Ced ran quickly to catch up with the others before they headed down an unused corridor. He fell into step behind the rest as the queen stopped and waited for one of her bodyguards to open the door for her and the rest. Ced was quick to grab the door so Julia could follow the queen.

.

"Romania!" Tonks exclaimed when she heard Amber's voice in its monotone state. "Both girls are in Romania? Remus isn't going to be happy about that!"

"Why's that?" Cici asked her.

"Romania has some of the toughest Werewolf laws! If Remus got caught travelling to Romania, they would behead him!" she told Cici.

After the two women had pulled all of the information they could get out of the two men's heads, they locked the dozens of different faces away inside of their own heads for use later.

"We need to get the faces out of Vic's and Amber's heads so they can get run through the facial recognition programs," Cici told Tonks.

"With the queen's help, we were able to buy a new machine that works like a pensive and a muggle photo development machine," Tonks told Cici. "Once we get the pictures made, we can take them to our contact in the muggle police, and she will run them through their computers and put names to faces for us." She turned to the queen, "Thank you for your help," Tonks told her sincerely.

"Thank you for yours!" Sara told the Metamorphmagus witch.

"Do you want to walk them, or stun them?" Ced asked Tonks.

"Where can we apparate out of here from?" Tonks asked him.

"We can apparate out of the floo room, but we can't apparate into the floo room. Vic put up a one-way ward on the room." Cici told her.

"Okay, can everybody in here apparate?" Tonks asked as she looked around the group of nine. "Are you going to be okay by yourself your highness?" Tonks asked the queen.

"Yes, it's getting late. Why don't we head back to the floo room so these people can be taken to the correct authorities? It's almost dinner time, and I should be fine for the rest of the night, after that," Sara told her.

"Fred, George! Do you two have a grip on those two?" Ced asked his friends.

"Yeah, mate! This one's not going anywhere!" George told him.

"Neither's this one!" Fred said as he made the terrorists wince in pain.

"Alright! Let's get back to the floo room!" Tonks said authoritatively.

Ced rushed to the door of the dungeon and opened it, as the queen led the group back to the floo room. From the floo room, the group apparated to the common apparition point for the Auror Department.

"Get those two terrorists to the muggles for me!" Tonks told the two new rookies working the evening shift. Then she turned and led the group of nine to the new machine.

The group passed through the room of cubicles on their way to another room.

"Gardner, it's time to put that new machine of yours to work!" Tonks told the young wizard sitting behind a desk. Then she turned and told the rest of them. "Gardner here, is our new tech wizard."

Gardner looked up, and he became speechless. Standing before him was the most beautiful woman in the whole world.

"Gardner!" Tonks said again a little louder, becoming slightly annoyed.

"What?" he asked her, as he tried to tear his eyes off of the goddess, dressed in a red dress, standing before him.

"Your new toy?" Tonks asked him. Looking at where he was looking. A smile was creeping across her lips.

"Yeah?" he said to her.

"We need to get some prints made of the people in two of these women's heads," Tonks spelt it out for him.

"Oh! Sorry!" Gardner said as he got out of his chair. He was tall and thin, pale from being inside with his technology too much. "Follow me." He told the group of people standing in front of his desk. Where had all of these other people come from?

The group of nine followed Tonks and Gardner into the room behind the desk that was behind the counter that was behind the nonexistent door.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" the tech guy asked the group of people.

"I think that I should, I'm not used to this and I don't want to mess it up!" Amber said as she stepped forward.

Vic could see that she was nervous. This was the first time that she had done any real mind probing of an enemy. "Go ahead," Vic encouraged her.

Gardner explained what Amber needed to do, and what she should expect. Amber stepped forward and sat in the indicated chair. She rested her chin on the chin rest and then she waited while the cover closed around her head, plunging her into darkness. She leaned her head forward against the rest that was there for her forehead. She could hear everything that was going on around her.

"Tonks, if you want to come around here, you can see what memory she's focusing on," Gardner indicated the screen on the other side of the part that Amber was looking into. "Okay, what's your name?" Gardner asked the young woman sitting in the chair.

"Amber."

"Okay Amber, I need you to think of the, …" Gardner stopped and looked at Tonks. Why are we here again? He thought to himself.

"Think of the first terrorist," Tonks instructed Amber.

Amber brought up the first terrorist, the one that she had mined the faces of the other terrorists from.

"Okay, do you want me to print that?" Gardner asked Tonks.

"Yes, we're going to print all of them," she told the tech firmly. The determination was in her voice, she was finally getting leads on where her daughter was.

Sixty photos later, Amber was pulling her head out of the covering. The covering felt her head move backwards and released her.

"Wow! That was weird!" Amber exclaimed softly. She had been able to see each of the terrorists' faces as she brought them up.

"Did it hurt?" Gardner asked her, out of politeness.

"No, it was just unusual," Amber told him as she snuggled up against George for some much-needed comfort.

"A lot of people say that it's like using a pensive," he told her as he got set up for the next person. He checked the paper tray and added a handful of photo paper to it.

"Yeah, I've never used a pensive so I couldn't tell you," she told him.

"Okay," he said to Amber. "Who's the next victim?" Gardner asked with a smirk.

"Me, I'm next," Vic said as she pulled away from Ced. Ced bent down to give her a kiss.

"Do you really want me thinking about that with my head in that thing?" she teased him.

Ced blushed for a moment.

Vic stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him quickly on the lips before she turned and stepped over to the chair. She did what she had seen Amber do, and she had heard all of the instructions that Gardner had given to Amber also. Then as her forehead touched the rest, the cover closed over her head.

"Okay, think of the first, …" Gardner started to say.

Vic brought up the first of three females. All of them about eighteen years old. "This is Monica Griffon," she said so the tech could label the photo.

"Okay?" the tech said, and then he typed the name onto the bottom of the photo before he hit print.

When Vic heard the machine start whirring, she brought up another young woman. "This is Sasha Regenstein," she told the observers.

"Hey! That's the name of the girl that I was accused of attacking!" George said loudly.

"Okay, next," Gardner said after he hit print.

"This is Cassy Davis," she told the group of people listening.

"That's who they said that I attacked," Fred told them.

As the three couples were memorising the faces of the women that had accused them of sexual assaults, Vic started going through the faces of the different terrorists. She was able to bring up the ones that had arrested her husband, and all of the one that had arrested all of the rest of her friends too. She even pulled up the outside of the building that they lived in.

"Can you see an address or a building number?" Tonks asked her hopefully.

"I'm looking," Vic told her as she tried to adjust the vision to something more usable, quicker.

Tonks could watch what Vic was focusing on, how she was trying to expand upon the picture she had taken from the terrorist's mind. The speed that she was adjusting the picture in her head was almost sickening to her and Gardner. Tonks watched as Vic tried to zoom in on the front of the building for a name, an address, or something that would help them pick it out from the hundreds if not thousands of empty warehouses in London.

"Pull back, try and get a bigger picture of the surrounding buildings. Godric I hope that it's not in Romania!" the last she said softly.

"Me too," Vic said softly.

Vic ran the memory of the building through the machine like it was a video. She was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle, and she was looking where the terrorist was looking, when he looked from one side of the street to the other, when he looked in the mirror on the outside of the car that he was riding in. What could be seen in the mirror of the car? Vic focused on the image in the mirror.

"Print that for me, please," she told the tech.

"Okay," he told her as he hit the print button on the screen.

"What did you see?" Tonks asked hopefully.

"I think that we could make out the name of a business," Vic said as she started moving forward again in the memory. Then the memory glitched. Vic's head came out of the cover almost faster than the cover could respond to her head movement.

"What?" Amber asked her.

"The memory glitched," Vic said, confusion was written on her face.

"The memory glitched?" Tonks asked her, concerned.

"Yes," then Vic looked up at Amber. "It means that the memory has been modified."

"Modified? Who would modify the memory of a Muggle? Why would they modify the memory of a Muggle?" Amber asked Vic.

"Who, would be a witch or a wizard. Why? Why would be that they don't want us to find them," Vic told her.

"Or," Tonks started. "They want us to look in the wrong place."

"But why would they do that? Other than for the obvious reasons," Amber asked, she had been picking up on some of the Auror procedures since she had been living with George and his mum for the last couple of years.

"One thing is, is that it would waste our valuable time. The other thing is, this guy was expendable. But right now, we need to find the who," Tonks told them getting contemplative.

"I can take the picture of the mirror and blow it up so it will be easier to read the name of the business in the mirror," Gardner told them.

"You can do that?" Tonks asked sounding like someone had just thrown her a life preserver.

"Yeah, j…u…s…t," Gardner's voice drifted off as he started to manipulate the picture on the screen. Without thinking about it, he started to move in front of the screen. He was pushing Tonks out of the way with just his presence easing over a little at a time as he tried to become more comfortable in front of the touchscreen. Then he was using both hands, and he enlarged the glass of the mirror, and you could read the name of the business. If you could read backwards. He enlarged it as much as he could before it became distorted. Then he touched a corner of the screen, then he touched a drop-down menu, then he touched print. The machine whirred to life and started to print the picture.

"Where did you learn to do all of this?" Angel asked him from just behind him.

Her voice was so close to his ear, he could feel the warmth of her breath on his ear. "Uh," was all he got out. He could smell her perfume. It was so subtle.

"I'm not wearing perfume," she whispered in his ear.

He turned around slowly to face her. "I uh," he said. Her eyes are so beautiful!

"Thank you," Angel said to him, softly. "Where did you learn to do all of this?" she gestured with her hand at the machine.

"Um, uh, I went to uni," he managed to get out before he clammed up again. Girls this pretty never spoke to him!

"Then that is their loss and my gain!" Angel told him sultry. He was taller than she was, so even in her heels, she needed to look up a little into his eyes.

"Uh, um, I'm John," he said as he stuck his hand out to shake hers.

Angel looked down at his hand, he really had no clue about women. And that might not be a bad thing! Angel took his hand and shook it. "I'm Angel," she smiled up at him.

Her teeth are so perfect! And her lips are so full and red, John thought. This was farther than he had ever gotten with a girl before! What do I do next?

"Did you want to ask me out to dinner?" Angel asked him, giving him a suggestion on what to do next. It wasn't like she had a lot of experience with this either! Her three best friends were already married and had not done the dating thing!

"Okay, would you like to go to dinner with me?" John asked her.

"Okay, where did you want to go?" she asked him.

"Uh,"

"I like pizza," she offered.

"Me too!" he said a little too exuberantly. Shite, I sound like an idiot!

"You sound just fine," Angel told him, wanting to reassure him. "When would you like to go to dinner?" she asked him. Trying to keep the conversation going.

"Uh, tonight?" He asked desperately.

"That will be fine," she told him. "I just need to let my parents know.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "Who are your parents?" he asked in a more reasonable tone.

"My dad is George Weasley," she said. Then she searched his face for any sign of recognition. "And my mum is Angelina Weasley," she told him. Still no sign of recognition. "How long have you worked here?" she asked him, curious that he hadn't heard of her mum.

"Just a couple of weeks. I didn't have to go through the Auror training. They needed a person that could run this machine, and I have a degree in computer science. So, Director Tonks hired me. This is actually the first time that we've used the Pensive Printer on real subjects," John told her.

"It seems like a really fascinating piece of equipment," Angel told him.

"Yeah, it is! It's amazing how they were able to blend some Muggle technology with magic and make it work!" he told her excitedly. It was so amazing that a girl would be interested in something like this!

"So, when did you graduate from Hogwarts?" she asked him. She was trying to get an estimate on his age.

"Oh, I graduated from Hogwarts seven years ago. From there I went to Warwick. I kind of wanted to be a writer," he blushed at that revelation. "I discovered that I liked computers, and well here I am!" he threw his hands out to the side in a 'Ta-Da!' type of gesture. "What about you? When did you graduate from Hogwarts and become an Auror?"

Angel blushed, through her tan that was fading, she realised she hadn't been to the beach in months. "I'm still in school. I'll be a seventh-year this year. But since I've already taken all of my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, I'll probably be a Professor's assistant again this year too."

"You've already taken all of your N.E.W.T.s?" he asked in amazement.

"Yeah," she said sheepishly. She didn't want to scare him off. He was the first guy that wasn't talking about video games!

"That's incredible! You don't look like a typical Hogwarts girl!"

"Oh? What's a typical Hogwarts girl look like?" she teased him.

John started backpedalling as fast as he could. This is why you have never gone out with a girl! He chided himself. "Uh! Um!"

"It's okay! I was just teasing you!" she told him as she placed her hand on his arm.

Heat rushed through John at the touch of the goddess standing in front of him. He could feel his face flushing, and his ears starting to burn from her touch.

"I know that my friends and I don't look our age," Angel told him.

"What is it that you do?" John asked.

"Well, that can get kind of sensitive. But for now, we're helping the queen with some things," Angel told him trying to be as vague as possible.

He looked at her, he knew that he couldn't push on things. "Those pictures! Those are all terrorists? They really did take the princess? And Tonks' daughter too? You helped capture those terrorists? But you're too young! You haven't even graduated from school yet! That's so dangerous! What do your parents think?"

Ced walked up behind John and placed his hand on John's shoulder. "And now, you can't tell anybody anything about what you've just figured out!" Ced told him with a prize-winning smile.

"And if you hurt my sister, I'll kick your arse!" George told him as he stepped up next to Ced.

"And she's my cousin," Fred told him in a threatening tone, taking his position on Ced's other side.

Rose walked up and took one of Angel's sides. "You three need to back off! All they have been doing is talking!"

"He's going to take her out for pizza!" George told her.

"Yeah, and where did you take Amber for her first date?" Rose threw in his face.

"Well, uh …" George started before he was cut off.

"Uh, yeah, that's right! You took her to the Great Hall!" Rose got in his face.

"HEY!" Tonks yelled. "We need to get these over to the Muggle police. All of you need to go home!" she commanded them.

"OH, my Godric!" a familiar voice screeched. "Are you alright? Have been shot again?"

Every head under the age of eighteen turned to look at Angel's mum, and one over the age of twenty.

"Mum! NO! I haven't been shot again!" Angel told her.

Angelina grabbed her daughter by the shoulders and started to turn her this way and that. Inspecting her daughter for any extra holes or cuts. Fred, George, and Ced tried to fade away into the woodwork.

"And where do the three of you think that you're going?" Angelina's head turned around to look at them.

Does she have eyes in the back of her head? Ced wondered to himself.

John stood there silent, unmoving, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

"Mum, I'd like you to meet John. John's going to take me out for pizza tonight," Angel told her mum.

Angelina turned and looked John up and down. This skinny, pale, beanpole was going to take her daughter out for pizza? And on what planet did Angel think that this was going to happen?

"John, this is my mum, Angelina. Mum, this is John," Angel introduced the two of them, she was happy, but her mum was putting a wet towel on her happiness.

"And where are you taking my only daughter to get this pizza?" Angelina began the inquisition, her hands finding their way to her hips.

John looked at Angelina with fear in his eyes. He had been here only a short time, but he had heard rumours about Angelina Weasley. Her and Director Tonks working together, oh wow!

"Uh, I was thinking that I could take her to Angelo's, it's not far from here," he said, at least his voice didn't crack!

"And what time were you going to have her home?" Angelina asked, this tall skinny kid. When was the last time this kid had seen the sun?

"Uh, midnight?" he asked sheepishly.

"MIDNIGHT?" she screeched at him. She looked at her watch. "It's going to take you six hours to get a slice of pizza?" Angelina asked him, her eyes getting wide-er.

"Mum!" Angel exclaimed at her mum. "I'm seventeen!"

Angelina's head rounded on her daughter. Angel's back straightened. George and Amber had both seen this before. This did not bode well for anybody!

"10:30 and not a minute later!" Angelina compromised with her daughter before they had a total family blowup here at work.

"10:30 will be fine. Thank you, mum!" Angel moved forward to give her mum a hug. "I love you!" she said softly into her mum's ear. "But why did you have to tell him that I've been shot?"

"Ooo, sorry!" Angelina whispered back to her daughter.

The two women separated, smiles on their faces.

"Are you ready to go?" Angel asked John.

"Hey!" Tonks exclaimed. "Uh, I'm his boss?!"

"Well, you had better ask if its okay for you to leave!" Angel told John.

"Would it be okay if I left now, ma'am?" John asked Tonks.

"Get me a couple of envelopes to put all of these photos in, and then you can go," she told her new tech guy.

"Thank you, ma'am." He reached over and pulled open a drawer, then he pulled out two large envelopes for her to put the different sets of photos in.

"Thank you. You can go now, and don't let me read about your murder in the Prophet in the morning! Get her home on time!" Tonks told him with a friendly smile on her face.

Angel held out her hand to her date. Her date! So far, he was so much better than that kid from America! At least this guy had a job! And he's gone to University!

After the two kids were out of the door and out of hearing range. Angelina rounded on Tonks. "Who is this kid? And why is he looking at my daughter like that? And why are you smiling!?" Angelina asked her partner and her boss.

Tonks burst out into laughter at her friend's behaviour. "Your little girl is growing up!"

Angelina frowned at that news. "Okay, but who is he?" she asked again.

"He's our new tech guy!" Tonks told her.

"What's a tech guy?" Angelina asked.

Tonks went into an explanation of what it was that Gardner did for the department.

"Really? It can do that?" Angelina asked with new found respect for the guy taking her daughter out. "What are the rest of you doing here?" she asked in a lot friendlier tone of voice.

"Well, we just caught two more terrorists. And Amber and Vic were the first two to use this machine that gave Aunt Tonks all those photos of other terrorists," Cici told Angelina.

"And what are those three photos of women?" she asked. She hadn't made Detective four years out of the academy for nothing.

"The muggle police arrested Ced, Fred, and myself for sexually assaulting those three girls today," George told his mum fearfully.

"WHAT?! And when were you planning on telling me this!" Angelina's eyes were wide again.

"That's where we snatched the two terrorists from, mum!" George was trying to explain what had happened today. "We took them to the palace dungeon. Amber and Vic performed legilimency on them and got over a hundred different faces, we also got a location of their base of operation, and we got the faces of the three girls that said those things about us! They were terrorist plants! We want to go and find them, …"

"Absolutely not!" Angelina said loudly.

"But, mum!"

"I said, no! and I mean it!" Angelina told him forcefully. "None of you!" she looked at all of the others there.

"We need to know what is inside of their heads too, Aunt Angelina," Ced told her soothingly.

Angelina sighed heavily. She knew that he was right, but she didn't like the idea of the boys going around some girls that had accused them of rape. Nothing good could come of it.

"The girls and I will go. You guys stay home and, and, I don't know, blow something up! But just don't go near those girls!" she told them almost pleadingly.

"Did she just say that we could blow something up?" Fred asked George.

"Yeah, but I don't think that we should push our luck!" George told him a little above a whisper.

"Maybe we could go hang out with Uncle Remus!" Ced told the two of them hopefully.

"That would be fun! Do you think Uncle Sirius would let us do that?" Fred asked.

"I don't know? But I can ask him!" Ced told them chipperly.

"I'll ask my dad!"

"I'll ask mine too!"

.

.

.

 **A/N:**

 **Revised 10.07.2018**


	77. Year Seven Chapter 77

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 77

.

.

Lucinda sat in her favourite chair. She had liked this chair ever since she was a little girl, it had a high back to it, it had a faded flower design on the arms, the back and the seat were both a faded blue in colour, and the cushion fit her just fine. She had inherited her favourite chair from her aunt. Her black, curly, out of control hair offset her pale complexion and black eyes. Her overly red lips and whiter than white teeth were bared in a snarl. She leaned forward, closing the distance to look at this person that was telling her of another failure. She would show him compassion this time.

" _Crucio!"_ she said softly, as she pointed her wand at the wizard squirming on the wooden floor in front of her favourite chair. She wasn't furious at him; hence she showed him mercy and didn't put her full force into the curse. She held it there and held it there and held it there. She had to time this right, or he would defecate himself, and she hated the smell of human waste more than she hated failure. And then she stopped, a small wet spot on the front of his pants.

"Leave me!" she said to the underling. She didn't know his name, she didn't care to know his name. "Next!" she called out when the underling opened the doors to leave her chambers.

The next underling ran in and stopped in front of her.

"Well?" she asked in a sultry voice. She had learned from an early age that the male of the species responded better if she spoke to them in this way.

"We have arrested two of his children and all of their friends! They are in a muggle jail as we speak!" the underling gave the joyful news.

"Good." She said to him. "Leave me!" she ordered starkly.

The underling turned and ran from the chambers.

"Next!" she said as the doors opened.

The underling that was next in line ran into the chambers and waited.

"Well?" she said in an annoyed tone.

"Our recruits are ready to infiltrate Hogwarts," the underling said while looking at a spot, four centimetres in front of his toes.

"And how many will we have this time?" she asked him, harshly.

"Six."

"Good, leave me!"

The underling turned and ran from the room, the evil coming off of this woman made his skin crawl. Just as he turned the door knobs. "Crucio!" she shouted at his back. The underling slid out of the room on his face.

Lucinda waited until she got bored of cursing the underling that had those thoughts. "Next!" she shouted angrily.

When the underling finished walking the distance to stop in front of her.

"And what of our efforts to attack the bonded couple?" she asked one of her oldest followers.

"They weld great influence, but with the arrest of their oldest for raping a muggle girl, this will help erode that influence. And with the arrest, of the girl that they adopted, for prostitution, that will bring another attack against their integrity," the follower told her while looking her in the eye.

"Good! Now, do it again, and again, and again! Until all of the other Ancient and Noble families distance themselves from them. We need to turn the sheep against their shepherd!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"You may leave!" she told the follower in a commanding tone of voice.

The follower turned and walked out of the room. Out in the hallway he turned and walked to another room that he could have some privacy in. He cast his patronus, a weasel, "Have them all arrested again tomorrow!" and then he sent the patronus message to his underling. After he sent the message, he left the house. He walked to the apparition point for the old manor house, about one hundred metres from the front gate. A small twist, a little crack, and he was gone, to walk down the walkway to his home.

.

.

"The cursed one, blocks the way of the greater good for all citizens of Magical Britain! He and his wife, that he used a very powerful love potion on, continue to manipulate those that are too weak of the mind to think for themselves! They are too afraid to join those of us that are willing to stand up for what we believe! Those of us that are free to think for ourselves! The cursed one promotes fear to block equal opportunities for all citizens of Magical Britain! He holds us down, denying an equal opportunity to those of us that deserve it! Those of us that are willing to sacrifice for the greater good, we stand against the cursed one and his delusional spouse! We stand for all of the citizens of Magical Britain! He takes away the freedoms of those that align themselves with him through manipulations! He takes away their freedom of choice! He enslaves those that he comes in contact with! He forces those that come into contact with him to give up their freedoms! He tramples on the rights of the poor! He enslaves the poor to do his bidding! I oppose Harry Potter! We oppose Harry Potter! I stand against Harry Potter and his control of Magical Britain! We stand against Harry Potter and his control of Magical Britain! DEATH TO HARRY POTTER!" she screamed as she worked to rally her underlings and followers.

"The crowd of close to one hundred people started to chant, "Death to Harry! Death to Harry!"

Lucinda smiled to herself as she stood up there encouraging the chanting. As the chanting began to lose some of its fevered pitch, she yelled, "HARRY POTTER MUST DIE!"

At that pronouncement, the crowd erupted into cheering.

Not a bad ending to an unproductive month, she thought to herself as she left the raised platform.

The next morning, her head follower walked into the room with her sitting in her favourite chair.

"You summoned me?" he asked her respectfully.

"Yes, is everything at Hogwarts ready?"

"Yes, Mistress. All of it is ready." He informed her.

"Good." She purred. "Don't fail me like that imbecile Reaves did."

"No, Mistress. It is all laid out for the boy to follow. His father is aware of the punishment for failure, and he ensures me that his son will not fail," the follower worked to reassure his Mistress and shift the blame as far away from himself as he could.

"I am going to go visit the girls in the dungeon. You may leave," she told her underling in a dismissive voice.

"Yes, Mistress." Was all he said as he turned to walk out of the room.

When the doors closed behind him. She stood up and stretched languorously, much like a cat would stretch after a long nap in the rays of the sun. She turned, and with one hand still on the chair, she walked to the back of the room. She slipped behind the curtains that hid the back wall of the room and opened a door to the stairs that led down into the stark dungeons. The old narrow stairwell was made out of stone and was poorly lit by torches. She could feel the coolness of the humid air caressing her ankles as she stepped down the rough stairs. With each step that she descended, the coolness moved up her legs and her body. When she rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs, her four paws padded along on the hard, stone floor. The long black hair of her feline form gave her more bulk than her true petite self. She had always visited her guests in this form so they would never be able to tell anyone of her true identity. A couple of times the children had tried to call her over so they could pet her, the fools! None of her followers knew of her Animagus form, and her guests did not know of her human form. Layers of protection.

The two girls were curled up in the corners of their cells, their blankets wrapped tightly around them. The princess was not fairing as well as the other child. Maybe she should have them fed once a day instead of once every other day. A thought, something to think on for a day or so. Their closed eyes seemed to be sunken into their heads, their cheeks were getting hollow. She couldn't see much more than that, the thin, tattered blankets hid the rest of their bodies.

She started to pad across the floor of the dungeon, to the stairs on the other side. When she was their age, she had already found her first follower in that egomaniac Riddle. The power really was too much for him to handle, and then when he stopped listening to her, well, she had told him not to go and kill that young couple. But no, he always thought that he was smarter than she was. Well, time proved him wrong, now didn't it?

As she reached the landing for her bedchamber, she was back to her human form. She slipped through the curtains that covered the wall. She could see her new manservant sitting next to the fire, another gift from her followers. She hoped that he was more durable than the last couple that they had given her. The muggle men were so much more pliable than any of the wizards that they had given her in the past. But alas, what's a girl to do?

.

The head follower summoned a couple of his underlings into his office. He wanted to make sure that everything was set. The train was due to leave the station at 11:00, an hour and a half from now as he checked his watch. A little trouble on the train was always expected, and as long as no one was hurt too bad, always seemed to be overlooked by the staff of professors at the school. Hawkins had best not fail him, and the grandkids of the old school Death Eaters had best perform up to standards.

At 10:45 the head follower stepped through the portal at platform 9¾. He looked around and found several of his underlings passing out leaflets telling the sheep that their masters were working them too hard and paying them too little. Another flyer told them that the four Ancient families didn't care about them and they were just getting richer while they were getting poorer. The third leaflet told them that the Minister of Magic was just a puppet for Harry Potter. She did everything that he told her to do. And the last leaflet told them how Harry Potter had aligned himself with the side of darkness before Lord Voldemort had sacrificed himself trying to save Magical Britain from Harry Potter and a puppet Ministry.

The whistle of the train blew giving the stragglers the five-minute warning. The head follower, watched as students rushed to say goodbye to their parents and parents struggled to let their children go for the first time. He watched as the cursed one was saying goodbye to a small girl with brown curly hair, down just past her shoulders. She was struggling with her trunk some before she pulled her wand out of the pocket of her robes. She pointed her wand at the trunk, and the follower couldn't hear what she said, but the trunk began to float. Ah, wingardium leviosa. Just a first-year spell, nothing to worry about. As the last of the students struggled with goodbyes, the train conductor blew the whistle again, the final warning. Now the parents were pushing their children towards the train. Fathers were helping with the trunks, and mothers were wiping their noses as they sniffled. Strange he thought, he couldn't remember his mother wiping her nose, or holding on to him not wanting to let him go. He recalled struggling with his trunk, where was his father in all of this? As his underlings left the platform, he hung back and watched the pathetic weakness that Harry 'the cursed one' Potter displayed with his youngest child. The hugs and the kisses. He watched as the girl's mother, controlled by a love potion, was there a love potion more potent than Amortentia? Whatever it was that he was using on her, kept her in control. Then the two of them left the platform, arm in arm, some of the other Heads of the Ancient and Noble families wished them well. Then as the train left the station, the last of the families exited the platform to begin their lives, free of school-aged children. The cursed couple that cost Magical Britain its freedom from tyranny walked through the barricade and were gone.

The follower, appeared in Diagon Alley to check on his underlings, making sure that they were doing exactly as they were told. Pass out the leaflets and answer any questions that were asked. If they were asked about the Death Eaters, that was a radical fringe element that was not supported by Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort's message had been distorted by the Ministry of Magic and the four Ancient Houses. Lord Voldemort fought for the little guy, he fought for the underdog, and he fought for the widows and the orphans. He fought for the powerless to stand up for themselves. He had been blocked at every turn as he tried to help those that were unable to help themselves. First, he tried to be a professor at Hogwarts, and he was refused the opportunity to help shape young minds. He had tried going to James and Lilly Potter to talk with them about getting their support to make a run for Minister of Magic, but they had attacked him viciously, and all he had done was to defend himself. The stuff that was reported in the paper was propaganda from the Ministry that is controlled by the four Ancient and Noble houses. Just look now! You have Minister Bones-Black, and the head of the Wizengamot is Lord Black! The Deputy Director of the DMLE and the Head of the Aurors is Lord Black's cousin! With that kind of control, how could the little guy ever get a fair chance at making something out of life? Even now, one of the four Ancient families owned the newspaper! They're only going to let you see what they want you to see! The Cursed One controls what you eat, what you drink, where you sleep, and what you think! Join us, and we will help free your mind from the control of the Cursed One!

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The next morning, after about the fifth set of screams to come out of the room, the Head Follower waked into the room when the doors opened.

"Well?" she asked.

"It went better than expected. We passed out thousands of leaflets and answered hundreds of questions, and we have a couple of dozen new underlings," he told his Mistress.

"Excellent! I want to start the assault on the school in the morning! I want every student in the school to start receiving a copy of Free Thinker!"

"Yes, Mistress!" the Head Follower told her.

"Take that piece of trash with you on your way out," she commanded him after he had turned and saw the body lying in the shadows.

"Yes, Mistress!" he said to her as he levitated the body and pulled it along behind himself.

Once he was outside of the doors, and the doors had closed behind him, he looked over at another underling, "Here, dispose of this!" he commanded the underling.

"Uh, okay?" the underling told him.

Then the Head Follower looked around for a particular face, he remembered something special about this face. There it was! "You! Come here!" he pointed his finger at the new underling.

"Me?" he pointed to himself and squeaked out an answer.

"Yes! You!" he said in an authoritative voice. "What's your name?"

"Josh Creevey," the mouse squeaked.

"Good! Isn't your father the Chief Editor of the Daily Prophet?"

"Yes." He squeaked again.

"Good, you must know something about publishing a newspaper having grown up in that home," the Head Follower said in a commanding tone.

"Yes," Josh said a little more scared.

"Excellent!" the follower told him enthusiastically. "And how many friends do you have that would like to work at a newspaper?"

"None!" Josh squeaked out, wide-eyed.

"Josh! You're such terrible liar!" the follower paused for a moment to let that sink in. "Now, to teach you not to lie to me ever again, CRUCIO!" the follower tortured him, and he kept it up for a few more moments, just to let the experience sink in and help bring about submission.

When the follower stopped cursing him, Josh lay there on the floor crying. He was crying from the pain. He was crying because of his situation. And he was crying because he was scared. Life had always been so easy for him. His parents had always given him everything that he had ever wanted, all he had to do was to ask! And after his mum had died, he dad had tried to compensate by buying him even more. Why was this guy doing this to me? What did he want with me? Why me?

The follower was pleased with himself, he hadn't overdone it, so there wasn't a mess to be cleaned up. Also, the Mistress would be happy, there was no stench to worry about.

"Get up and come with me. You have some articles to write!" the follower told the whining boy lying on the ground before him.

Josh shook his head in defiance, and fear, more fear than defiance. The follower pulled his wand out again and pointed it at him.

"Get up!" the follower commanded him sternly.

Josh shook his head no with wide eyes.

"Do you want me to curse you again?" the follower asked with a smile.

Josh shook his head no vigorously.

"Then get up!" the follower told him for the third time. "I won't tell you again."

Somehow, Josh knew that this was the truth, and he pushed himself to his feet shakenly. He legs were unsteady as he stood up.

"Now, follow me," the Head Follower told him again.

.

It was the end of September when Lucinda called her Head Follower in to speak to her.

"Well? How is the newspaper going?" she asked him, a little irritated that she had had to call him in to speak with her.

"It's going well, according to our sources inside of the school. All of the children were very excited to receive a free copy of our paper. Many of whom had never received something like this before, and they now look forward to receiving their copy every morning. It is more widely read than the Daily Prophet. Our source in the school says that public opinion of the Cursed One's children is dropping to an all-time low." He was pleased to give her this report.

"Excellent!" she purred at him. "I will be leaving and taking the two prisoners with me. I am counting on you to take care of things in my absence. Is there a problem with this?" she looked at him, waiting for some kind of excuse.

"And if there is a problem, Mistress?" he asked her. "How will I get a hold of you?"

"Don't let there be any problems, and you won't have to get a hold of me!" she scolded him.

"Yes, Mistress!" This was such a great honour! To take care of things while she was gone. With his ideas, recruitment was up to ten new recruits a week! The approval rating of the Cursed One was at an all-time low. Soon they would have enough people to carry out her plans!

Who was she to answer to her subordinates? She had no need to tell them her plans. They only needed to worry about the 'Greater Good.' When the doors closed behind him, Lucinda turned and walked behind the curtains in the room, then she went down the stairs to the dungeons below. The two young girls had never seen her before, and they would be quickly manipulated into doing what she wanted, going wherever it was that she wanted to go, as long as it wasn't here.

In the dungeon her heels clicked on the rough, cold, stone floor, she walked slowly over to the princess's cell and opened the door. The princess looked up to see who this new intruder was, and asses the threat to herself.

"Get up and come with me," she told the young girl.

Louise, seeing no apparent threat, complied almost mechanically. She had been in here, she had been in here, she had been in here, how long? There was no day and night, only dimness. She had given up long ago trying to talk to the other young girl, it was like the girl couldn't hear her. Was she deaf? Standing there in front of the old woman with the long black hair, she waited. She watched as the woman looked her up and down, then the woman turned and walked towards the open cell door, and then across the open space to the cell of the other girl.

Lucinda opened the cell door of the second young girl. She knew this one to be a witch, so she exercised some caution, but what could a third-year student without a wand do? And in this case, her exercised caution was unwarranted. The girl/witch didn't try to do anything smart or stupid. She just looked up at Lucinda with blank eyes.

Both of the girls stunk. "When was the last time that either of you had a bath?" Lucinda asked, trying hard not to retch.

Silence greeted Lucinda's ears. Lucinda looked at both of the girls, at the vacant eyes sunken into their heads. She began to weigh her options, she started to contemplate her future plans.

"Follow me," she told both of the girls.

She was reasonably sure that neither of the girls had been sexually abused. If she found out that either of them had been sexually abused, she would kill the underling responsible. She needed both of the girls undamaged. The princess was truly worth her weight in gold, especially the only child of a ruling monarch. The other girl was there for control, control over those that had started to hunt her.

When Lucinda had reached her bedchambers, she walked over to the writing desk and opened the top drawer, she pulled out a letter opener and turned to the two girls.

"Put your hand on this," she directed the two of them.

With mechanical motions, the two girls complied and placed a hand on the slender letter opener. Then an unfamiliar tug behind the princess's navel pulled her in. Tabby had felt the pull before, in her former life, the life before here.

The three of them fell from the sky towards an old grey castle, the dark forest around it looked black. Tabby could see the turrets at the corners of the ancient masterpiece. She looked around as they fell from the sky, the other girl, she must have been deaf, because she never responded to any of Tabby's attempts to talk with her. Tabby watched as the girl screamed as she fell, her arms and her legs beating at the air futilely. Tabby landed almost as gracefully as the old woman that had brought them to this strange place. The other girl, well, she bounced when she hit the ground, and then she rolled over, groaning as she did so.

"Welcome to Castle Poenari," the witch told them.

Tabby stored this information away. All of that stuff that her mum had been telling her, her whole life, she was starting to find it useful now that she was in danger. 'Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut,' her mum had told her over the years, and now she was understanding why. The more information she could gain, the more power she had.

Louise rolled over, she was still alive she noticed, and rolling around in the dirt, for some strange reason, didn't make her any dirtier than she already was. She pushed herself to her feet, and then she found her balance, she looked around and focused on the castle in front of her. This was a true castle, not some fortified manor, not a palace like she had been growing up in. No, this was a true castle, she would bet her eye teeth that the walls were metres thick, not centimetres.

Lucinda looked at the two girls, they were both standing now. Well, at least one of them had used a portkey before, and the other, well, she was just a well-bred muggle. Lucinda started walking for the castle, and she stepped it out, to get there quicker. Thirty minutes later, the two girls were huffing and puffing with the effort to climb all of the stairs to get to the top. At one point, Lucinda turned and left the trail of stairs and left all of the other muggles behind them.

Tabby watched as their captor/ saviour? Left the trail of stairs and the other people kept walking past them like they could no longer see them. She looked at the other girl, and even though she was sweating like Tabby was, she was still shivering in the cold. The dungeon had been cold, but not cold like this. Their captor/jailer offered them no warm clothes, she didn't offer to put a warming charm on them, she just walked tirelessly up those stairs. For the other girl, she was in dress shoes, she was in a summer dress with spaghetti straps. It had been yellow and pretty when they had first been placed in the dungeon, but now, it was more grey than yellow, sleeping on the stone floor, curled up in a ball, with only a thin blanket, trying to stay warm, will do that to your clothes. The white patent leather shoes were scuffed where her feet had slid back and forth across the rough stone. The girl's nylons were ripped in several places, but it was an article of clothing that might give warmth. Tabby looked up, and all she saw were stairs, she looked back, and all she saw were stairs. Her world had been reduced to stairs. And then the old woman stopped, and her feet came into Tabby's vision, so Tabby stopped, and then the other girl came to a stop next to Tabby.

Looking up, Tabby could see the old woman getting ready to lift the large bronze door knocker and announce their arrival. But, just as she reached for it, a filthy house elf in tattered clothing opened the door.

"May I help you?" the filthy creature asked.

"I am here to see Rasvan," the old witch told the disgusting male elf.

"Follow me," the elf told the lot of them. Then he led them to a large sitting room.

Once they were all in the room, the elf looked at the witch, "I will go and inform the Master that you are here," then he turned and left the room.

Several minutes later, a much younger man than what Tabby had been expecting entered the room, he was announced by his voice, "I thought I had told you never to come here again!" he yelled at the old witch.

"Oh, but darling!" a much younger woman's voice cooed at the man.

"Oh, keep it to yourself!" he told her angrily.

"But darling! You hurt me when you talk to me that way!" she purred at him.

"Hurt you!?" he said in shock.

"Oh, darling, don't behave this way!" she faux pleaded with him.

"Behave this way? And what? Did you expect me to run to greet you?" he asked her in amazement.

"Well," she cooed at him again. "It has been a while."

"Been a while?! The last time that you were here was close to twenty years ago! When you were hiding from those that would see you pushed to the next adventure!"

"Really?" she said in faux surprise. "Has it been that long? It feels like just yesterday!" she said brightly.

"What is it that you want?" he asked her, annoyed at her behaviour.

"I just need a place to stay for a few days!" she told him cheerfully. "And then we will be moving on!"

"And those two?" his nose crinkled when he looked at the two girls. "They're dirtier than an elf!"

"Yes, and they smell worse too," she agreed with him, a disgusted look on her face.

"Fine, I'll have Lucio show you to a room. But what do you want to do with those two?" he asked her.

Lucinda turned and looked at her two prisoners, even in Azkaban they let the prisoners take a shower. "Would it be possible to let them get cleaned up? They really do smell horrid now that you mention it!" she told him in faux annoyance and boredom.

"Fine," he said hoping that he wouldn't regret this choice to help an old acquaintance. "Markita!" He said loudly to the air.

A crack announced the arrival of another filthy house elf.

"Yes, Master?" she said with a bow.

"Take these two up to a room so they can get cleaned up!" he commanded the filthy female elf. "And give them some clean clothes!"

"Yes, Master!" then the elf turned to face the two female prisoners, one of her eyes was missing. "Follow me!" she told the pair of them, then she turned and started to walk out of the room.

Markita led the two girls through the castle to a bedroom with an attached bathroom and a shower. She knew that her master was not a good person, hence her only having one eye. But he would never give her clothes. Was it wrong of her to dream of one day going to the free house elf village?

"Both of you! Go in there and take your showers! I will get you some suitable clothing!" she ordered the two young humans.

The two girls did as they were told and they walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind themselves. Then the two of them looked at the other, they had never had to take their clothes off in front of another person!

"Um, you go first, and I'll wait," Louise told Tabby. "Oh, wait, you can't hear me." She said.

"I can hear you! I thought that it was you who couldn't hear me!" Tabby told her excitedly.

Tabby walked over and turned the shower on, she wanted to give it time for the hot water to get to the shower. She could hardly wait to take a long hot shower. She would probably have to wash her head three times to get her hair to come clean.

"Do you have to take so long?" Louise asked her new-found friend.

"The shampoo finally stopped coming out grey!" Tabby told her enthusiastically through the shower curtain. "Here, I'll leave the water on for you! I'm getting out now! Don't look!" Tabby told the princess. "What's your name by the way?"

"I'm Louise, what's your name?"

"I'm Tabby. It's good to meet you finally!" Tabby said to Louise as they changed places.

"Oh, this water feels so good!" Louise said sumptuously.

"Doesn't it though?" Tabby agreed with her, revelling in being clean.

Tabby pulled on one of the big fluffy bathrobes while she sat there and waited for her new friend to finish showering. Then together they could walk back into the bedroom and see what kind of clothes the house elf had brought them.

.

A week later found the three females using a portkey again. This time they were landing in the middle of a desert. Tabby helped Louise with her landing, and the two girls avoided talking whenever the old woman was around them.

Lucinda landed, and she began to look around her. She got her bearings and then she picked a direction and started walking.

Tabby noticed that they were walking away from the small village that they had landed across the valley from. Tabby couldn't see what they were walking towards, but she could see the muggle repelling charms starting to work on Louise. Tabby reached over and took Louise by the hand and kept pulling her on. Then, once they were inside of the muggle repelling charms, the two of them could see the spectacular castle that looked out over the valley.

As the three of them approached the gate, the gate was opened for them. Inside of the castle walls were several dozen men dressed in red robes.

"Welcome Madam, to Chauve-Souris Noire," the guard told her with a bow.

"Where is the 'ole bat?'" she asked the guard.

"Please, follow me." He told her, and then after he closed the gate, he led the three of them to the castle proper.

The two girls stayed quiet for the whole walk. They would talk again once they were alone in their room for the night. But for this walk, they kept their eyes open, and their mouths closed. Tabby had told Louise that she was a real witch the night before they left again. But when Louise wanted to know why she couldn't just make them disappear, Tabby had to tell her that she needed her wand to make that happen. But as the two girls walked across the courtyard, they could see both muggle and wizards training. From somewhere behind the castle, they could hear some kind of guns being fired, and inside of the castle, they could see people in red robes practising with swords. Tabby was guessing that she saw way over one hundred people training for a fight.

As they were crossing one of the large rooms in the castle, "Could you have one of your underlings take these two to a room and lock them in there?" Lucinda asked the guard.

"Yes, Madam. The dungeon has been converted to a training facility. Would a bedroom be acceptable to you?" he asked the old witch.

"Yes, that will be fine. Just as long as they're locked in so they can't run away." She told the much younger guard.

As the underling led the two girls to a bedroom, the older guard led Lucinda to the Master of the House.

"Lestrange! How totally unpleasant to see you again!" the much older man in the room said to her once the guard had left.

"Gaunt! I see that you haven't changed one bit!" she greeted the dark-skinned man.

"Murdered anybody lately?" he asked her sarcastically.

"Not in the last week, no!" she faked the boredom.

"And what have you brought me this time?" he asked the petite woman standing before him.

"I have brought you, two young girls!"

"Oh, really?" he said with a sarcastic tone. "I don't see anyone with you!"

"I had one of your underlings take them to a room," she started to tell him.

"How bloody civil of you!"

"Yes. I didn't want you to get distracted. After all, I know how easily you can get distracted."

"Hum, so, tell me about these two young girls."

"Well, the first one is the ruling family's daughter, …"

"OH! You brought me a princess!" he squealed in a high-pitched voice. "Do go on!"

And Lucinda Lestrange told the older wizard more about the two young girls.

"And what do you want in exchange from me?" he asked her warily. After all, everything that Lestrange said was a lie until proven otherwise.

"Oh, nothing much," and her voice trailed off.

"You can't still be going on about the cursed one being a soul-bonded couple now, can you?" he asked her. "There hasn't been a soul-bonded couple since my grandnephew died!"

"He was an idiot!" she started to rant. "He was nothing but an egotistical idiot! Okay, yes, he was powerful, but he wouldn't listen to anything I tried to tell him before he killed that young couple! And that idiot niece of mine, followed him to the grave!"

"Yes," he drug the word out. "He did have visions of grandeur. Such a shame about your niece, I rather fancied her."

"I tried to tell her at the end, but she had been cursed so many times that she started to enjoy it. I think that she thought it was foreplay in the last few months. One of the survivors told me that she became jealous of the traitor's mother."

"Really? I hadn't heard that" he told her curiously. "So, tell me, what have you been up to since we last spoke?"

Lestrange went into detail about all of the different things that she had been doing to destabilise the magical government in Great Britain. All of the things that she had been doing to weaken the cursed one's control of the magical population. How she had been trying to drive a wedge between the Potters and the other three Ancient and Noble families. She also told the ole bat about what it was that she was doing to destabilise Hogwarts.

"That wretched old school?" he asked her. "Has it changed any since I went to school there?"

"It has gotten worse!" her voice reaching new octaves since they had started talking. "Now they have students teaching classes! The cursed one's children and their friends are teaching classes there! As we speak!"

"Ghastly!" he humoured her. "This really was all for the greater good then!"

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	78. Year Seven Chapter 78

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 78

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Every, single, day, until their college classes ended, the group of nine were arrested on some annoying charge. In the end, their class instructors told the officers they could wait until their examinations were finished before hauling the kids off again. The arrests didn't stop until their classes had ended and they could stay home, out of the reach of the Muggle police.

"I'll put your grades up on the internet so you can check them from home," their computer instructor told them as the nine of them were being led off in handcuffs for the last time.

They kept catching more and more underlings, but, finding out who was controlling them was making tempers short. Plus, it was clogging the justice system. The only real lead that they had so far was Romania, and that could be a big place if you were looking for two small girls. They needed something more to go on, and almost as if it were a gift from Merlin himself.

"Lucinda Lestrange," Julia said out loud as she was performing legilimency on the counterfeit officer that had arrested her.

"Who's that?" Sara asked.

"I'm not sure, we'll need to ask my parents or Tonks when she gets here," Ced told her.

All of them were ready to take the terrorists down to Auror Headquarters and get the images out of their heads and on to paper. The plus side of this was that Angel would get to see her new boyfriend. And she had been going last so she could spend more time with him after the others had all gone home.

The group of nine had given up waiting for Tonks, and they had all taken the floo directly to the Auror holding cells.

"What do the lot of you want?" one of the guards on the side of the floo asked them when all of them were there to get rid of their suspects.

"We're here to give this batch of terrorists to you," Ced told the guard.

"On whose authority?" the guard asked trying to squirm out of his responsibility.

"I believe that would be Deputy Director Lupin's authority," Ced told the young guard.

"Well, I don't see her here with you!" the guard shot back at him. He really didn't want to do all of the paperwork to lock nine more terrorists up again today.

"Is there a problem here?" Tonks asked as she stepped out of the floo.

"Uh, no ma'am! We were just taking the prisoners from these kids," the guard told her quickly.

"Good!" she told the guard and then she turned to face the group of nine. "I swung by the palace, but Sara said that the lot of you had left already. She mentioned a name to me, Lucinda Lestrange?"

"Yes! It was in his head!" Julia pointed to the officer that had arrested her at school that morning.

"Did you get any images or addresses from him? Anything other than just the name?" Tonks asked her almost desperately.

"I got one new face," Julia told her almost apologetically.

"You got a new face?" Amber asked her.

"Yeah, so did I!" Vic agreed with them.

All of them had gotten one new face, and Fred had gotten a new building. The group had been working their way through all of the terrorists, to the point that for the last few days, they hadn't had any new faces to work with. Each of them sat in the chair for the printer and John dutifully printed out the nine different views of the new face and the new building that Fred had managed to extract from the terrorist that had arrested him.

"Sirius says that Lucinda Lestrange is a cousin that everyone had thought had died in the last wizarding war. She was a big backer of Voldemort, and she disappeared about the same time that he died the first time," Tonks told them as she joined them back in the Tech room.

"Died the first time, isn't that when he killed my dad's parents?" Ced asked her.

"Yeah," she said to him.

"And she's just resurfacing now?" Ced commented to no one and to Tonks.

"Yeah," Tonks told him.

"Do we know where she lives?" George asked her.

"We know where she used to live. And Sirius is checking to see if there are any other properties that she could have been using for all of these years," Tonks told the group.

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It was the second week of school when Ced had gotten the call from Tonks about the new guy in the photos. Plus, there was the house in the memory and five other houses that Lucinda could be staying in. Tonks had put together a big mission to take down all of the houses in one night. It was big missions like this that made Tonks nervous. Too many people, too many mouths, too many ears, and too little information. All of the houses were guaranteed to be warded, but to what extent, none of them knew. The ward breakers would be the first ones to go in, they needed to make the holes in the wards for the teams to get in. But this is the part where their lack of information could come back to haunt them. Time was not on their side, and how many levels of protection were on each house was a significant hole in her plan of attack.

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The team of Aurors stood by waiting in their battle armour. The two ward breakers were moving forward slowly, checking for the first line of defences of the small house that they had been assigned. They were moving forward in a crouch, and then they were sucked under.

None of their team of Aurors had even seen them disappear. They had all been too busy listening to the exploits of one of the single guys at the pub last night. When the sergeant in charge of this team turned back around he could no longer see his ward breakers. They and all of their stuff were gone. He and his team of Aurors began to move in the direction that the ward breakers had been moving in. Subconsciously, the group spread out as they went looking for their friends and colleagues. Slowly they moved forward, none of them had cast a spell of detection, they just looked to their left and right as they kept walking forwards. Then the Auror on the sergeant's far-right tripped the first of the wards, warning the people inside of the small house that there were intruders on the property.

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Angel and Amber moved forward, quickly but cautiously, when they came across the first set of wards. Angel slipped her pack off of her back and pulled out two good sized semiprecious stones. She handed one of them to Amber, and the two witches got next to the line of defence. Angel counted down from three, and they slipped the stones into place creating a hole in the enemy's line of defence. With the two women dressed in their body armour, the team of Aurors gave them about a ten-metre lead as they followed them. The lead Auror held up his hand signalling for the others to stop when he saw the two women drop to their knees again. Then as they stood up, he motioned for his team to begin to move forward again. He had never moved this fast on any mission similar to this. He just hoped that these two young girls knew what they were doing. They were through the second line of defence, and they could see the house in front of them. He and his team were getting ready to charge to the house that was less than fifty metres in front of them, just as they were about to push past the two girls, death turned to stare him in his face.

"Do you want Tonks's daughter to die because of your impatience?" Death said to the Auror.

"How many wards are on this house? I've never seen a house with two levels of wards on it!" he said to her harshly, but quietly.

Death was about to reply when her sister caught her attention, Amber had found another set of wards, ten metres from the house. Again, the two witches placed the stones to create the opening so they could get that much closer. And duly humbled the Auror led his men through the opening. The two girls check for wards right up to the side of the house, then they waved the Aurors forward.

Once they were all huddled on the side of the house, next to a large boulder. "We need them alive for questioning!" the sergeant was telling his team. "You and you two," he pointed at Amber, Angel, and one of the Aurors, "Go around the back in case any of them try to make a run for it. The rest of you, follow me!"

The three that were assigned to the back of the house waited for a moment before they got up to move around the boulder that was blocking their way. When they were on the far side of the boulder, the house exploded. If it weren't for the boulder, the three of them would have been hit with the full force of the blast.

.

Ced, Cici, and Vic were with Tonks on the big house. Rose and George were working with another team of Aurors, and Fred and Julia were working with another team at another location. But for the big house, things were going smoothly, very smoothly. The two girls had made holes in three layers of wards, and they were moving up slowly to the front wall of the ancient house. Tonks was wearing her Auror Battle Armour so she would be easily identified by her own people as a friendly.

With the whole team of wizards lined up against the wall, Vic could hear the enemy on the other side of the gate talking.

"Keep your eyes open! Two of the other houses have been attacked already this morning!" the deeper voice told someone on the other side of the wall.

"Well, we knew that we couldn't stay hidden forever! Not at the rate, those kids were detecting those fake officers!" a female's voice told the deeper voice. "Whose lame ass plan was that anyway?"

"That's not for you to worry about. What I need you to do now is to keep your eyes open for anything suspicious!" the deep voice said a little more forcefully.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it!" the female said nonchalantly.

Vic could hear the heavier footsteps leaving the area. She resisted the urge to use a wandless silent Imperio curse to get the female to hex the guy that was leaving.

" _Dark One, teleportus to the far side of the gate,"_ Vic thought to her wife.

One minute a vision of death was squatted down next to an Auror, that wasn't really happy with having children on this mission, and then the next minute, there was a hole where it used to be.

" _Can you see anything?"_ Vic asked her.

" _No, I've got a guard on this side of the gate too,"_ Cici thought back.

" _Can you see anything between the gaps in the boards? Or do you think that you would be seen?"_ Ced asked her.

Vic watched as Cici leaned over some to look through the gap between the boards of the gate. Off in the distance, she could see a cluster of unkempt bushes, closer to the house and on Vic's side of the gate.

" _Can you teleportus there?"_ Vic asked hopefully.

" _Yeah,"_ she thought to them and then she was gone.

" _It's safe, come on babe,"_ she told Ced.

Ced shifted to his wife.

" _Come on, Little One,"_ Cici thought to her wife.

Now there were two more holes in their lineup of personnel. The other Aurors weren't liking the thought that the kids had abandoned them there to fend for themselves.

A couple of moments later, the gate opened, and Ced stuck his covered head around the edge of the opening carefully. He didn't get hexed by any friendlies, so he waved the others through to carry on with the mission. He pointed to where Vic and Cici were hidden in the overgrown bushes.

When Tonks got next to Ced, "Angel just called. She said that the house they were assigned to, blew up. She, Amber, and one other Auror are okay. But she's called Hermione and Angelica to come help save the other Aurors."

Ced nodded gravely at the news. Then he turned around, they still had their part of the mission to finish, he closed the gate and teleportused to the bushes.

" _I can feel the evil coming off of this place!"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _How can a building feel evil?"_ Vic thought to him as she nodded her head in agreement.

Cici was nodding her head, _"A lot of bad things have happened here for this place to feel this evil."_

" _Yeah, it's like the building has absorbed all of the dark magic over all of the years."_ Ced thought.

" _I wonder if that's why all of the Lestrange's have gone bad?"_ Vic thought.

" _Do you want to burn it to the ground?"_ Cici asked.

" _It's a thought!"_ Ced told her.

" _Do you think that we can control Fiendfyre?"_ Vic asked.

" _Maybe between the three of us we could,"_ Cici suggested to her.

"What are the three of you talking about?" Tonks slid up next to them.

"Burning this place to the ground," Cici told her.

"Can't you feel the evil coming off of the building?" Vic asked her.

"We were wondering if; because so much dark magic has been practised here, that the building itself has absorbed all of that dark magic, if that is what has made all of the Lestrange's go bad," Ced told her.

"Don't worry about that now, Alpha team is getting ready to go through the front door," Tonks told them.

"What if it's booby-trapped like the other house?" Ced asked her, worried that the place might just blow-up like the other house.

"Well, how do you suggest that we get in?" Tonks asked the trio.

It would be so easy to just break out one of the panes of glass and then teleportus to someplace in the room, Ced was thinking. But it could wreck the element of surprise.

"As long as the curtains aren't pulled, it's our best choice!" Cici told him quietly.

"What is?" Tonks asked.

"We'll just use a weak diffindo to cut the curtain if it is pulled," Vic told her wife.

"We're going to break out a window pane and then cut a hole in the curtain if it's pulled and hope for the best," Ced told the Auror.

Vic moved over next to the wall and slid down the wall closer to the front door of the house.

Tonks used her Auror radio to tell the breaching team to standby, the front door might be rigged to blow if they tried anything.

Vic stood up and ejected her wand, then she used an intense warming charm to melt the glass pane around the edges. Before the pane of glass could fall out, she levitated it to the ground away from where they were so it wouldn't make any noise if it got broken. The slight breeze caused the curtain to flutter for the first time in hundreds of years. She used a diffindo to cut a hole in the curtain, then she could see four men standing on the far side of the room. The house was exceptionally warm, this would account for the infrared tech in their body armour not working as well as it had in the past.

" _We've got four men on the far side of the room,"_ she told her mates.

" _You two go. I'll bring Tonks with me,"_ Ced told his wives.

Vic was gone silently, then Cici moved up to the window, and she was gone just as quietly.

Then Ced looked at Tonks, "Hold on tight!" he told her as he grabbed her into a tight hug. Then the two of them were inside of the room, and he was releasing the Auror.

Tonks was looking surprised that Ced had grabbed her with little to no notice. But then she was inside of the room and watched as the last two bodies hit the floor. She looked around some more and realised that they were in a library. Cici and Vic had taken up position on either side of the double doors to the dusty old room. Each one of them had a hand on a doorknob, Ced was taking up position waiting for them to pull open the doors. Ced nodded at the two witches, and they pulled the doors open quickly and quietly. There were two more men standing next to each other, Ced stunned one of them, and Tonks stunned the other. Cici and Vic moved forward so they could increase their field of vision up and down the hallway. The library opened up on to a common room that was larger than expected. The four of them exited the library slowly and cautiously, Cici signalled for Tonks to go and check on the front door to the house. Vic went with her, and the two of them tested for wards on the door. It was clean of wards, so Tonks radioed her team outside, and then she opened the door slowly, still not trusting it.

Now comes the hard part, Vic thought. Sweeping the house room by room.

"Okay," Tonks told her people. "Work in pairs and sweep the house!" She said softly.

"I'll go with you," Ced told her.

Cici and Vic headed for the third floor. Another team followed them up to the third floor. Then two more teams headed for the second floor. Ced, Tonks, and another group of Aurors started to sweep the ground floor. Tonks motioned for the other team to start on the other side of the room from them and watch out for the killing curse.

Ced and Tonks chose opposite sides of the first door they came to. Tonks gave a silent countdown with her fingers, then Ced threw the door open and just managed to avoid getting hit with a sickly yellow curse. As he was pulling back, and just after the curse flew out of the doorway. Tonks flipped around the edge of the door jamb and fired off a twin pack of spells. The second hex caught the lone occupant of the room. Ced looked around, and he could see the heavy curtains behind the lone chair in the room still moving. It was either an open window, or someone was trying to make an escape behind the curtains. The curtains flew open, and an ugly purple curse was flying towards Ced, he cast a protego alavaris to block the curse and reflect it back at his attacker. The old chair that was between them took the brunt of the reflected curse, with the back of the chair bursting into splinters. Some kind of vapour was released when the back of the chair exploded, it almost looked like dust or dirt, like when you would slap a seat cushion that was dirty. But the vapour seemed to release even more evil into a house that was already saturated with evil. The attacker slipped back behind the curtains, it was turning into a game of hide-n-seek or a beginner's form of shadow duelling. Tonks moved off towards one side of the room while Ced went in the other direction. When the Auror slipped behind the curtain, Ced waited for just a second longer, to see if their enemy would move back out into the room, but no, he did not. Ced slipped behind the curtain and came across a door.

.

Tonks had to wait a moment for her eyes to adjust to the new level of darkness. She knew that this put her at a disadvantage, so she did her best to hide in the folds of the curtain like a child. When she was able to make out the basic shapes of objects, she began to move slowly. About two metres in, she came across a door. Moving to the same side of the door as the doorknob, she flattened out against the wall and tried the knob. It was unlocked. With her free hand, she turned the knob slowly, and thankfully it turned silently. She pushed the door open, waiting for some kind of knee-jerk reaction from the terrorist in the room, but nothing happened. She peaked her head around the corner quickly, to clear part of the room, and no curse came flying at her. She did it again to clear the other part of the room and still no curse. The room appeared to be some sort of smaller sitting room. She pushed the door open as far as it would go, but it didn't swing all of the ways. She needed to be careful in case the bad guy was hiding behind the door. The Deputy Director switch hands with her wand, and then she jerked the door to look behind it, it had been stopped by a bookcase. Changing hands again with her wand, she began to clear the room. The other door in the room was on a side wall, and it opened into the small sitting room. This time, she chose the side of the door that had the hinges on it. She gave herself a quick three count and yanked the door open. With her heart racing, she flattened herself against the wall, but it was anti-climactic. She cleared the room before she stepped into it. It was a bedroom, and as she looked around, she could tell that it was a bedroom for a woman. This room had three more doors across from where she stood. Tonks just looked without touching. What could be cursed in this room was everything. As she ran her practised eye over the room, she could see that there were no signs of a man living in this room at all, everything was feminine, no masculinity, at all. Between her Auror battle armour and the thick carpet on the floor, Tonks moved silently to the first of the three doors. This door was narrower than the previous door, so Tonks suspected that it was a closet door. With all of the caution that she had exercised on all of the earlier doors, she proved herself correct. It was a large walk-in closet with a chest of drawers close to the door. The rest of the closet was filled to capacity with women's clothing, and all of it was dark colours. Not a single bright coloured piece of clothing in the lot. The Auror could feel the gloominess in the closet, the depression trying to press in on her thoughts. With one last look around, Tonks left the closet and moved to the next door. And her best guess proved to be correct again, it was just the loo, with all feminine products and a single toothbrush. But then, something off caught her eye. She turned back around and looked again, just to make sure that she hadn't imagined it.

.

Ced activated his night vision in the balaclava and kept moving forward in the green light of the night vision. In about two steps he came across a door. Switching to infrared he could see that it was clear behind the door with just heat signatures from the wall sconces, but no signs of a person. Changing back to night vision with a thought, he opened the door and was pleasantly surprised that it opened quietly. Keeping his night vision on, he began to descend the dimly lit steps. All of this looked familiar, and he thought quickly, it was similar to the dungeon beneath the palace. He wondered what kind of torture devises he would find down here. Is this where they kept the princess and Tabby? As he neared the bottom steps, he slowed his descent. He reached behind him and pulled out the dragon scale shield that Remus and Sirius had given all of them a couple of days ago. As good as the body armour was, the shield was virtually invisible. The scales on it had been layered so that the curses would be deflected away from the shield bearer. It had also been tested and proven effective against the killing curse. But any shield that had been hit with the killing curse would need to be replaced at the end of a mission. As good as the shields were, the hatred that it took to cast a killing curse, and the curse itself would eventually compromise the integrity of the shield. So, with his shield on his free arm, Ced finished his descent into the dungeon below the house of evil. At the step closest to the opening in the wall, Ced bent down and started to clear the room.

.

The Head Follower had been given warning that these raids were coming. It was always good to have sources inside of the DMLE. But right now, he was hiding behind a wall and some old-fashioned wooden barrels where he could watch the steps. He had seen plenty of dead people before. A follower couldn't be around the Mistress more than a couple of days without seeing at least one dead person. She was hard on the men that they would give her for her pleasures in her bedchamber. Most of them didn't last more than three or four days before they would need to dispose of the body. But today he had seen Death coming for him. Without even trying, Death had blocked the second strongest curse that he knew. He wasn't worried about the Auror, he knew from their previous sources that the Auror Battle Armour wouldn't hold up to a powerful diffindo or a strong reducto, they depended on their speed and skills to cast a protego to help their armour. But Death, his curse hadn't even slowed him down! And now, he was coming down the stairs to collect him! When he had gone to visit his brother in one of the wizarding prisons, before his brother had been giving the death sentence, his brother had told him how he had kept hitting Death with various curses that he cast in a panic and they had no effect! How could something that was already dead, be killed? The Head Follower waited until Death had cleared the opening in the wall between him and the stairs. He wanted a good clean shot at killing what was already dead. Slowly, Death moved, toying with him and his emotions, playing with him like he was a child being tortured. Tortured, he had plenty of experience doing that! But the Mistress said that he couldn't touch the two girls this time. She wanted them unharmed, they were a gift for Chauve-Souris Noire. At the time, he was more scared of her than he was of death. But now that Death was here, coming for him? He changed his mind, he was more scared of dying than he was of his Mistress. All he had seen before were dead people, dead bodies, not Death himself.

Ced had taken his time clearing the stairs, getting hit in the ankles really sucked. He moved away from the opening in the wall along the stairs, and he kept checking. In all of the training scenarios, the bad guy was always hiding someplace that they could get a shot off when he would clear the bottom step. He had learned from repeated failure to keep his ankles away from the openings in the walls. So, now, he was hugging the wall on the far side of the stairs, and his shield was down low. Down two and check. Down two and check. When he could, he started placing the shield between himself and the opening, protecting himself from a cheap shot. He got to the bottom step, and he stood up to his full height, he had the shield in front of him. He knew from experience that the shield was barely visible. And from his constant checking, he had a good idea where the person would be hiding. But then, he could feel someone closing in behind him faster than he was accustomed to. He turned his head to get a look.

.

The Head Follower was getting anxious, Death was toying with his emotions, taking his time to come down the stairs like that. But, when he got all of the ways down the stairs and stretched out to his full height, the follower realised just how big the vision of shimmering death really was. Just as he was about to come out of hiding and give it his best shot, he saw something behind Death, and Death turned to look at it. It was that female Auror, the Assistant Director of the DMLE. While Death was distracted, the follower decided that this was his best chance.

"AVADA KEDAVA!" he yelled, putting all of the hate he could muster into the curse.

The ghastly green curse traversed the distance between the follower and Ced. Ced's reflexes were fast, lightning quick, but his only warning was when Tonks' eyes started to enlarge. Ced heard the curse, and he turned to face the danger, thankfully his shield was already facing in the correct direction. He was bracing for the pounding blow that was about to hit the shield when he saw Tonks trying to come out from behind him. He stuck his wand arm out to block her.

.

Tonks had finished clearing the loo and the second walk-in closet when she realised that Ced had not joined her in the room yet. She went out the door that should lead back to the hallway behind the curtain. She turned and walked a few steps to another door that had been left open. The flight of stone stairs led down and had a slight curve in them. The cold stairs were dimly lit and worn smooth from the years of use. Tonks began her descent of the stairs when she spotted Ced in his body armour crouching down and looking every couple of steps. Before she could close the distance, Ced stepped off the bottom step and stood up to his full height. He must have sensed her presence because he turned to look at her for a moment. And it was that moment that cost Ced his life. All Tonks knew, was that if Ced died then, Cici was dead, and Vic would die too. All because she had distracted Ced from doing his job. She would be the one responsible for the death of the first soul-bonded threesome in the history of the world. When she saw the terrorist jumping out of hiding, his wand was pointed at Ced, and he was yelling. Ced was fast, but she didn't think that he was quick enough to avoid getting hit with the curse. Tonks tried to go around Ced and let her Auror Battle Armour and a protego protect them. And that kid did the silliest thing, he put his arm out to protect her! And then Ced was falling backwards, knocking her to the ground. How was she going to tell Cici and Vic that she had cost them the life of their soul-mate? How long would they live without him? Could they continue to live as a soul-bonded couple? Just the two of them? Then Ced's eighty-five kilos landed on top of her, driving her into the floor of the dungeon.

.

The killing curse took a lot out of him, but Death was down, and so was that female Auror. The follower knew that he really didn't have time to gloat over his small victory, he really needed to get out of there as quickly as he could, but he felt that he could take this one moment and enjoy his victory over Death. It was then that he saw Death's brothers appear and look down at one of their own. Then the two of them focused on him. And blackness.

"Damn, Tonks! What were you thinking?" the vision of shimmer death asked as he rolled off of his aunt.

"I saw him getting ready to attack you, and I didn't know if you had enough time to roll out of the way!" she told him relieved that he was alive and angry at his tone of voice.

Ced used the shield to help push himself to a standing position. "The shields that Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius gave us," he was shaking the shield at her, "Are effective against the killing curse! I'm just glad that I was able to deflect it away from the two of us!" he told her angrily. He was angry because the situation had scared him, he had almost lost his favourite aunt over a foolish choice.

Vic and Cici walked back over to where the two of them were.

"Give her a hand, Ced!" one of the girls told him.

Ced reached down with his free hand, and Tonks grabbed his hand.

"Ow!" Tonks yelped.

Cici and Vic were right on her. Both of them had their wands out and started running some scans over her. Ced was a lot of weight to have land on a much smaller female.

"I've got a couple of bruised ribs over here," Vic said.

"Me too," Cici told her. "Just make sure that they're not cracked."

"No, I don't see any cracks. But, I can see the swelling starting," Vic told her wife. "What's this battle armour supposed to be good for?" Vic cancelled the diagnostic spell she had been running.

"What do you mean?" Tonks asked the person addressing her. With the balaclavas on, she couldn't tell the difference between the two girls.

"Well, with our body armour," Cici started to tell the older witch. "We can't run the diagnostic spells, the body armour reflects or absorbs the spells. But, for you, your body armour just let us run the spells like it doesn't do anything for you. Does it even work?"

"Yeah."

"How do you know? Have you ever been hexed?" Vic asked her.

"Well, no. I'm quick enough to deflect the curse or cast a shield spell," Tonks told them.

"I don't think it works," Cici said turning towards Vic.

"Me neither!" Vic agreed.

"I think they need to talk to Padfoot,"

"Yeah, I think that somebody ripped them off."

"Or it's just really old."

"Could be."

"Is the house finished being swept?" Ced asked. He was still irritated about being scared like that.

"Did you finish sweeping the dungeons?" Cici asked him.

"No."

"Then the house isn't finished being swept then is it?" Vic chided him.

"Well?" Cici asked him.

"Well, what?" Ced asked.

"She's hurt!" Cici told him as she pulled an anti-inflammatory from her utility belt.

"Hmph!" Ced grunted before he turned and left the three females standing there.

Ced walked through the cold dungeons. He checked all of the different cells. He was glad that he didn't see any of the ancient torture devises. But he did find evidence that the two girls had been there. In the one cell, he summoned the hairs that he found into a vial. But there wasn't a bed, a pillow, just a thin blanket in the cell. He looked up and across the hallway at another cell. It was almost like he could feel the person that had been in that cell, and he knew that the other girl had been in the cell across the hall and down one. He looked again, and he walked to where he was staring, and in the corner, he found more hairs. He summoned these hairs into a new vial and sealed it. But on these hairs, he could feel the magic. He looked around the bare cell, and it was just as empty as the other cell. He slipped the vial into his utility belt, and then he walked out into the hall that separated the cells. He turned and started to walk past the terrorist that was still unconscious and bound with chains. Hidden on the far wall was another set of stairs. Ced followed the stairs up, and as he did so, he slipped his shield back on to his arm.

Cici and Vic could both feel the depression and fear growing inside of Ced. But with their mental links narrowed as much as they had them. They didn't know when it had started, or even where Ced was! The two witches sandwiched Tonks between them and Vic shifted the three of them to Ced's side. The trio had never been someplace so evil in their lives. And it had been almost two decades since Tonks had been someplace this evil.

"Go ahead and get him out of here!" Tonks commanded the two girls.

Vic and Cici walked over to where Ced lay on the rough, cold, stone floor. He was behind some kind of or what appeared to be an altar, and the stench of dried blood filled their nostrils. The dingy, dirt covered windows fought to keep the cleansing rays of the sun from entering the small building that they were in. The girls noticed that the altar was closer to the end that Ced lay than the other part of the building. The evil in the building was beginning to wear on their own mental strength. With the two of them supporting Ced's weight between them. They left his shield lying on the floor of the building as they headed for the door at the far end. The building was about seven by fifteen metres in size. There were no seats in the building. The two doors, one hidden behind the curtains that they had just come through. The other door at the far end of the building. The evil and fear in the building weighed heavy on the two girls, heavier than the weight of their husband. Ced, for his part, was at least trying to walk some. The edges of the table at the one end of the building were stained and filled with the colour of dried blood. Tonks was busy filling a vial with the crusty substance. At each end of the table was a notch, and on the floor was a place that a container had stood to catch what had dripped off of the table. The three of them could see on the floor as they crossed it, splashes where the spilt liquid had hit the floor. They could almost see in their minds the people that had taken part in such an evil ritual. As they neared the door, Cici ejected her wand and tried to open the door. The trio stopped, and she tried a different combination of spells, but the door still didn't open. Ced unwrapped his arm from around her shoulders and grasped the doorknob. With a silent _reducto,_ the doorknob vaporised in his hand, and the door still didn't open. Vic shrugged his other arm off of her shoulders, she didn't like being trapped in this place. Knowing what his wife was about to do, Ced summoned his shield to himself.

Just as Vic was about to blast the door open, "Stop! You don't want to do that!" Tonks yelled at them from the far end of the building.

The three of them turned to look at her. That was precisely what they wanted to do to get out of this evil place.

"It's warded so that if you force your way through the door, there are traps. When we came in the way that we did, we avoided the traps," Tonks told them. "If you want to work on the wards, that would be fine by me, or you can leave the way that we came in."

"We'll get Ced out of here and then come back and work on the wards for you," Vic told Tonks.

The farther away from the, the, temple? Is that what that place was? A temple where they performed human sacrifices?

.

.

" _What about Fiendfyre?" Ced asked._

" _Fiendfyre was never intended to be dark magic," the portrait told the three of them as they sat in a large comfortable couch, their legs interlaced together._

" _Really?" Vic asked. "I had always heard that Fiendfyre was some of the darkest magic that was out there."_

" _Yes," the portrait chuckled. "That's just because it is so hard to control!"_

" _Really?" Cici asked. "Why?"_

" _Well, you know that Fiendfyre consumes everything until there is nothing left to consume, right?"_

" _Yes." The three of them said._

" _How's this for a thought," Edmund started to ask them. "What if Fiendfyre was invented to purge a place of evil?"_

" _And because the ones that were practising evil couldn't control it, they started to spread rumours that it was some of the darkest magic to make those on the side of light fearful?" Cici asked_

" _So, the ones that are naturally timid, the ones in the middle, between good and evil, they fell for the lie!" Ced answered._

" _So, if Cici were to cast Fiendfyre, she should be able to control it?" Vic asked._

" _If any of you cast Fiendfyre, you should be able to control it!" Edmund corrected her thinking._

 _Vic stayed quiet, thinking about what Edmund had just taught them._

" _So," Vic started again. "Fiendfyre was created by the side of light to purge a place of evil?"_

" _Yes," Edmund drug the word out._

" _So, will it burn up all of the evil? Including the magic that is left behind?" Vic asked, wanting to clarify._

" _Yes, that is correct. It will consume the evil that has soaked into a nonflammable surface, like an altar that has been used for human sacrifices."_

.

.

"I'm going to go back and burn that place to the ground!" Cici told Vic.

"I'm coming with you!" Vic told her.

"I'll stay here and watch the gate," Ced told them.

"Yeah, that place really affected you!" Cici told him.

"I wonder why?" Ced asked.

"It's because you have such a good heart, babe," Vic told him.

"Stay here, we'll be back in a few moments," Cici told him just before she lifted her balaclava to give him a kiss.

When her wife was done, Vic kissed her husband too. "We'll be back in a few," she told him after the kiss.

"Love you!" Ced told them just before he pulled his balaclava back down.

And in a few, the wives were back, and not in the best of moods.

"What's wrong?" Ced asked them.

"Tonks says that we can't use Fiendfyre on the 'temple' until after the crime scene people collect all of the evidence. Apparently, all of the dried blood in the place is evidence," Vic told him with a huff.

"Oh, speaking of evidence," Ced started to tell them, "I need to give these to Tonks," he said as he pulled the two vials out of his utility belt.

The two women looked at the vials with hair in them.

"I can feel the magic coming off of one of the hairs," he said to them.

"Maybe the other belongs to the princess!" Cici said to him eagerly.

"Well, come on, let's go find Tonks and give them to her," Ced told them, sounding more upbeat. More like his usual self.

The three visions of shimmering death walked off holding hands and looking for Tonks. At least something had come out of this raid.

.

Ced looked at his watch, "Classes will be starting in thirty minutes," he told his wives.

"We had better hurry if we're going to get a shower," Cici told him.

With one wife in each arm, Ced gave a little twist, and they were standing in front of the front gates of Hogwarts. He pulled both of them in tight against his body, and then they were standing on top of the hill that was in the road. Ced looked around, their new quarters were on the back of the school, closer to the lake. So, with another thought, they were now standing on the hill off to the side and behind the school. Then Ced looked up, he could see the corner window of their apartment at school, and then the threesome was standing in their own living room. As they walked across their living room. The trio started to strip off their body armour. The two women shook out their hair, and then they all tossed their balaclavas towards their bedroom, and with the same motion, they sent them to their bed. Vic unzipped Cici, Ced unzipped Vic, and as they entered their bedroom, Cici turned around and unzipped Ced. They each sat down on some part of the bed and pulled off their boots, their utility belts, and then their armour. The three of them slipped out of the long underwear, and then they slipped off their regular underwear. Everything but their body armour made it into the laundry hamper inside of their bathroom.

"We need some us time," Vic said as she stepped into the stream of hot water, already running her hands over her head to soak her hair.

"I agree, we need time to ourselves," Cici said as she stepped into the oversized shower. She had already summoned Vic's shampoo to herself and was getting ready to wash her wife's hair.

"Where are you taking us, babe?" Vic asked.

"Well, we can't go too far. We have classes tomorrow," Ced told her.

"Well, I know this nice little house on a beach," Cici teased him.

"Where no one can bother us?" he asked her with a smile.

"I see you know the spot!" Vic teased him as she summoned Ced's soap to herself.

"Yup, the weather is always perfect there, just like the company!" Ced told his wives.

The three of them had finished showering, and they had fifteen minutes to get dress and down to their classes. Once they got down to the floor that Vic's and Ced's classes were on, the threesome shared a three-way kiss, and then they went three different directions.

.

Two days later, Tonks sent word that the hair samples had turned out to be Tabby and Princess Louise. It was their first solid lead. Through the interrogation of the wizard that had shot the killing curse at Ced, she learned that Lucinda had left two weeks earlier. But the Follower didn't know where she had gone. Tonks did learn the names of the informants inside of the Ministry of Magic and the names of the two informants inside of the Aurors. She also let them know that it was okay to use Fiendfyre on the building with the altar in it.

That night after classes, Cici, Vic, and the other girls all used the floo in Professor McGonagall's office to go and tell Sara the good news about her daughter. Neville and Sofi were still staying near the queen and king, playing their parts as needed.

And then, when Friday night rolled around, the group of nine disappeared from the school grounds.

"Are you sure this will work?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, Aunt Tonks said that all of the wards had been dismantled," Cici told him.

"Is everybody ready?" Ced asked.

"Yeah, let's do this," George said lacking some enthusiasm.

"Are you sure you can control it?" Rose asked.

"We're about to find out!" Cici told her as she held out her portkey to her mates.

Fred held his out to Julia, George held his out to Amber, and Angel held hers out to Rose. Then they were all pulled in and then they were freefalling. The nine of them landed in the clearing between the two buildings. All of them could feel the evil that was lurking here, waiting, wanting to devour.

"Are you going to be okay, babe?" Vic asked when they touched down.

"Yeah, I'm more prepared for it this time, and it won't last as long," he told her as he accepted a hug from her.

Together the nine of them walked over to the smaller building. They walked around to the only door the building had that led to the outside world. Ced scanned the steps for wards, and then he scanned the door for wards. Both of them were clean. The door was sitting partly open. The doorknob was still missing from where he had used a reducto on it the other day. The evil was all around them as they entered the dark building. The wall sconces lit when they detected a being with magical abilities entering the room.

"This place gives me the creeps!" Amber told the rest of them.

"Yeah, it does!" Julia told her. "And I lived with the Coldstones!" she finished off just above a whisper.

"So, what is it that you wanted to show us?" Fred asked. He didn't like it here any more than the rest of them!

"What I want to show you, is Fiendfyre," Cici told her friends.

"That's some really dark magic!" Amber said, with her head turning to look at her.

"That's what the side of darkness wants you to believe! But, what if, just for a moment, that everything you ever learned about Fiendfyre was a lie?" Cici asked them.

All of her friends had questioning looks on their faces now.

"What if Fiendfyre was created to purge the evil from someplace. Like this?" Vic asked them, as she gestured to the building around them.

All of their friends were now looking at Vic with the same questioning look.

"What if the side of darkness tried to control something that was created to purge the evil from our world? And they couldn't control it? So, they started to spread a lie, and over the years, that lie was accepted as truth?" Ced asked them.

"Tell a lie long enough that it becomes the truth?" Julia asked, her mind opening to the possibility that what she had learned about Fiendfyre was a lie.

"So, who's going to do this?" George asked curiously.

"Cici is, since her elemental magic is fire," Ced told his long-time mate.

"So, what's it going to consume in here?" Fred asked.

"Blood," Cici told him. "Blood from both human sacrifices and animal sacrifices. That's what all of the brown spots are on the floor, blood."

"Eww! And, this is where you found Tabby and the princess?" Amber asked, grossed out by what she had just learned.

"No, that was down in the dungeon, through a hidden door behind that curtain over there," Ced pointed to the curtain.

"Can we do this already? This place is making me sick," Angel told them.

"Why don't all of you stand behind me, and I want Ced on one side and Vic on the other in case I need your magic to get control over this," Cici told everyone.

The others all fanned out behind her, waiting in eager anticipation of what was going to happen. Then Cici's wand jumped into her hand, and she was casting Fiendfyre. The fire began to consume the dried blood on the floor, and as it consumed the blood, the fire began to grow larger. The fire seemed to know where to go to get more and more to consume. The flame grew steadily until it was as tall as Cici. Vic and Ced could feel Cici pulling on their magic unconsciously as she started trying to control the uncontrollable. Where the fire moved across the stone floor, it didn't leave a black trail behind it. Instead, the floor looked clean and pristine, pure and new where the flame travelled. As the fire got closer to the altar, the fear in the room grew, the anger and hatred seemed to be coming out of the very pores of the stone. Then the flames touched the altar itself, and the altar seemed to scream in fear and pain as the fire started to purge the evil that dwelled in the very stone itself. As if the fire itself were alive, it wrapped itself around the base of the altar and began working its way up to the top of the altar. And as the group of nine stood there watching in amazement, the Fiendfyre flared up as the evil that inhabited the altar itself tried to escape, cracking the top of the sacrificial altar, only to be consumed by the purging fire. An hour later, all that was left was the stone. Cici had kept a running commentary on what she was doing and what was happening. Overall, she told them that as long as she kept the fire going to where there was evil to be cleansed, the fire didn't fight her too much. But even the roof had been consumed by the fire. If it was flammable, or it had evil inside of it, the fire wanted to consume it. The Fiendfyre wanted to do what it was created to do, to rid the world of evil.

.

"And where have the nine of you been?" Greeted them angrily when they got back to school that night.

"We had a field trip to teach the others about Fiendfyre," Ced told the old Scottish witch.

Seeing the worried look on Professor McGonagall's face, "Is everything okay, Professor?" Cici asked.

"No, there's been an incident with Sofi and Neville," she told her.

"What happened?" Vic asked before her husband could.

"A group of students attacked Sofi when she was by herself," Minerva started telling what had happened.

"How many, students?" Angel asked.

"There were four students that attacked her as she was in the loo," the Professor told them.

"They attacked her while she was in the bathroom?" Rose repeated in disbelief.

"Yes, while she was in the stall," the Headmistress told her sadly.

"And Neville?" Ced asked.

"He shifted to her, …" and Minerva's voice trailed off.

Ced could only assume the worst. He grabbed Aunt Minerva in a tight hug and was gone, teleportusing to the Hospital Wing.

"Mr Potter!" the Headmistress exclaimed. After she shook herself out, "So that is how you have been getting around so quickly inside of the school. You'll have to teach me the spell!"

A moment later and the other eight were standing in the Hospital Wing next to them. Ced hadn't even had time to look around for his brother and sister-in-law. But at the sound of the Headmistress's voice, Madam Pomfrey turned and walked around a set of curtains. She had a grave look on her face. As soon as everyone saw her, they all started rushing in her direction.

"Hold on a moment!" Madam Pomfrey slowed all of them down. "For right now, it is going to be family only!"

Ced, Vic, and Cici continued on at a more sedate pace. They walked around the curtain to find Sofi sitting up in bed with Neville holding her hand. With a wave of her hand, Vic cast all of the privacy charms so they could talk openly.

"How are you? What happened?" Cici blurted out.

"I was sitting on the toilet when these four girls blasted the door in on me!" Sofi said bluntly. "Well, I must have screamed, and Nevy here shifted to me!"

"But it wasn't before each of them hit her with a cutting curse!" Neville hissed.

At that news, Vic was moving to the far side of the bed. Cici had her wand in her hand already.

"Where did they cut you?" Vic asked her sister-in-law.

"Ced, be a sweetie and turn around," Cici asked him.

Ced closed his eyes, it was only natural, he didn't need to see his brother's wife without any clothes on. Neville had never seen Cici or Vic without clothes. Ced finished turning around.

"Arh! Look what they did to her!" Cici hissed out angrily.

"Roll over sweetie, let me see your back," Vic told her gently.

"It went all of the ways through?" Cici exclaimed.

"That took more power than a regular student would have," Vic agreed with her wife.

"Do you remember which student did this one to you?" Cici asked Sofi, touching the scar where it entered and exited her body.

"No, I think that it could have been a pale girl that was kind of fat," Sofi told her.

"Okay, you're going to need to take off your hospital gown so I can heal your scars," Cici told her.

"Take my gown off?!" Sofi started to protest.

"It's not like you have something that Vic and I don't have or haven't seen before!" Cici chided her.

Sofi looked at Cici, she was judging just how much she trusted her sister-in-law. She knew that Cici had some skills as a doctor, but what could she do that the school doctor couldn't?

"It's okay to be nervous," Vic told Sofi. "But trust her, she's very good at what she does. It would take mum to do anything better than Cici."

Now Sofi got a questioning look on her face. She knew that Hermione was good at what she did. But Cici was that good?

As if Cici could read her mind, Cici nodded at her, then Sofi removed her hospital gown so the two women could look her over thoroughly.

"Okay, I'm going to start with this one here," Cici touched Sofi where the curse had gone entirely through her shoulder.

Sofi felt a warm tingling sensation as Cici started repairing the damage done by the curse. She could see part of the diagnostic display that Vic was holding up for Cici to look at. She could watch as the different parts were mended together more completely than they had been before. And then she could feel Cici working on her skin, she guessed that she was treating her so she wouldn't scar. Cici moved around to the front of Sofi, she needed to rebuild the breast of the young woman. One of the cutting curses had severely damaged her left breast, cutting off half of her areola and just missed her nipple. Again, Vic held up a diagnostic display as Cici worked to repair the damages done.

"Why do you think that they did this?" Ced asked the air. He wanted a reason for this attack. Random acts of violence frustrated him, he wanted a why, why did these people do what they did? Were the attackers jealous? Were they mad at Neville and Sofi? He didn't want to write this off as an act of random violence, he wanted to know why they had done what they had done.

Before someone could answer the question, mum and dad entered the Hospital Wing. When Ced saw his dad, he stepped out of the privacy charms and went to his parents.

" _Mum and dad are here,"_ Ced thought to his wives.

" _Good! Because I've never had to do reconstructive surgery like this before. Never anything this bad,"_ Cici thought to him.

Harry and Hermione were talking with Minerva and Poppy, they both looked over at him as he approached, a questioning look on their faces.

"She's okay and in good spirits, but Cici is going to need your help, mum," Ced told his mum.

When Harry started to head over with his wife, Ced had to stop him, "Dad, it's just the girls for now. Sofi isn't dressed for any male visitors right now."

The rest of the group of nine came over to hear what Ced had to say about what had happened to Sofi.

"So, what happened to her?" Harry asked his oldest child.

"Four other students attacked her while she was in the stall in the restroom," Ced told him as calmly as he could.

"So, they attacked her while she was using the restroom?" Harry asked in shock.

"That's what she told us. They blasted the door in and then the four of them all attacked her with cutting spells while she was using the toilet," Ced told his dad.

"And the Matron?" Harry asked.

"She did what she could, but from what I picked up from Cici and Vic is that at least one of the cutting curses when all of the ways through her body, another cut across her left breast and that's where Cici needs mum's help." The others had gathered closer to hear better what Ced was telling his dad at this point. "She needs mum's help to reconstruct Sofi's breast. I think that Vic has already healed the other two cuts and at least the three out of the four shouldn't scar. We'll wait and see what mum can do for her."

Harry let out a long, sad sigh. "Bloody cowards!" he hissed not so under his breath. "Do we know who did this?"

"Not yet," the Headmistress told him. "But it shouldn't take too long before the rumours start to fly around the school."

"Well, we had best hope that nobody tries anything like this with Susy. The last thing that we need is Car-baun getting protective of her," Harry told the Headmistress.

"No, we don't need an angry Hungarian Horntail walking the halls. That is for sure!" Minerva shuddered at the thought of trying to confront the young girl's familiar.

Harry looked around at all of his son's friends.

"It's okay, Uncle Harry. We'll find out who did this," Rose told him.

"Yeah, we will!" George told him.

The others nodded their agreement to finding who had attacked her in such a cowardly way.

Ced looked up at the new noise in the room. It was a couple of other third-years walking in. He wasn't sure of their names, but they walked over to the group of them.

"Hey, somebody said that Neville and Sofi were in here?" the boy with the curly brown hair and freckles asked them.

"Yes, but they can't have any visitors right now. What's your name?" Ced asked the kid as friendly as he could.

"Ronny," the boy replied to him.

"And what's your name?" Ced asked the other boy.

"Mike," the lanky boy with sandy blonde hair said.

"Well, Ronny, Mike, do you know who would want to hurt Sofi?" Ced asked them, as friendly as he could.

"No, why?" Mike asked.

"Well, somebody tried to hurt Sofi, and we're just trying to figure out who and why," Ced told them.

"The Snakes and the 'Claws have been acting really weird this year," Ronny told him.

"Really? How so?" Ced asked. Was it possible that he and his mates had missed something?

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	79. Year Seven Chapter 79

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 79

.

.

"Our sources in Romania have figured out where Lucinda took the girls," Tonks was telling them through the communications mirror on the night before the Halloween dance.

"Really? Where?" Vic asked excitedly.

"A squib saw Lucinda and two girls walking up to Castle Poenari," Tonks told them excitedly. They had finally gotten another break in their search for the two girls.

"When do you want to leave?" Cici asked her.

"When do I want to leave? Or when can we go?" Tonks asked her. "Because those are two very different questions with two very different answers!" Tonks emphasised the 'very' in her last sentence.

"Politics?" Ced asked.

"Yes. But can the nine of you be ready to go on a moment's notice?" Tonks asked, all most pleading for their help.

"We'll tell the others," Ced told her reassuringly.

"Good!" Tonks told them with a sigh of relief. She wanted the group of nine because she could no longer trust her Aurors, again. And if it came to it, she would tell Remus to get her some body armour, and a shield like he and Padfoot had given the kids.

.

Halloween morning, after the eleven of them had finished their run. They were all gathering in the Chamber of Secrets, Ced had the group gather around so he could tell them about the conversation the trio had had with Tonks last night.

"When does she want to go?" Julia asked eagerly.

"If it were up to her, we would have left last night!" Cici told the group.

"I agree! What are we waiting for?" Fred commented intensely.

"Politics," Ced told him.

"Bloody politicians!" Fred blurted out angrily.

"Do we even know where we're going?" Angel asked.

"She said that a squib saw Lucinda with two girls walking up the stairs to Castle Poenari," Vic told her.

"What I would give for some internet access, right here, and right now!" Angel exclaimed.

"It could be helpful," Ced commented.

"Helpful? We could probably make a portkey with all of the information we could get." Angel saw the confused looks on their faces. "John has a computer back at his place, it has what the muggles call a 3-D monitor. With Google Earth, we might be able to get a 3-D view of this place. Or at least Wikipedia it!

"When did you go back to his flat?" George asked his sister in an overly protective tone.

Angel rounded on George, "Says the brother who went off and got married!" her tone was light, but her eyes were challenging him to do something stupid.

"Yeah, well, you better not go and get knocked up! Dad will have a fit! And you'll lose your favourite sibling status then!" George tossed back at her.

"Hey! Can we get back to helping Tonks?" Ced yelled to get their attention.

"So, what is it that you want us to do?" Julia asked.

"I would say, just make sure that your packs are ready to go. We could be storming a Castle in the next couple of days!" Ced told them a little too enthusiastically.

Cici looked at her watch, they had thirty minutes before they needed to quit and go get their showers. "Okay! We have thirty minutes left! Do we just want to do a free for all?"

"A free for all?" Sofi asked. She wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.

"Last girl standing wins!" Rose told her.

"You mean last guy standing wins," George corrected her.

"In your dreams!" Angel teased him.

The group began to migrate out into the training area. Wands appeared in hands, and simple jinxes started to be tossed around, taunting the others to step up the severity of their spells.

"I'll watch the clock!" Sofia yelled at the group, "This is going to be a little more aggressive than what I want right now!"

The nine others turned on Ced believing him to be the strongest of the bunch. All of the soul-bonded couples had closed off their mind links to keep their mates from knowing what was going to happen next. Ced held his own for a long time. When someone else turned on Fred, then they turned on Cici. Ced caught Angel unawares, and George tried to get Vic with a cheap shot, but his deflected curse hit Amber, and she went down. Julia took a shot at George, having not entirely forgiven him for cutting her across her face back in America. The whole duelling match turned into mayhem with no clear victor at the end of the thirty minutes. The significant others of the downed people went over and revived their partners, most of them did it with a kiss. With everyone up and moving around, the Vitamixes started sailing through the air.

"Somebody needs to brew some more Vitamix!" Vic yelled out over all of the talking.

"I'll do it!" Sofi yelled back.

"Thank you!" Vic yelled back to her. "We'll see all of you at breakfast!" Vic yelled at all of their friends before she joined Ced and Cici touching the portkey.

"Have either of you noticed that Sofi is always wearing something red?" Cici asked her mates as she began peeling off her sports bra.

"What do you mean?" Vic asked her as she began removing her trainers.

"Well, take her nail polish for example," Cici replied to her, bent over at the waist, legs straight, removing her trainers.

"Yeah, what about it?" Vic asked her again as she began removing her knickers.

"Well, maybe I'm just making too much out of this, but it's like the girl always has something red on," Cici told her as she started walking towards the shower.

Vic could hear the shower turn on. "Does it bother you that she wears red?" Vic asked as she entered the restroom.

"No. I just find it interesting," Cici told her as Vic stepped into the shower to join her.

"What do you think, Ced?" Vic asked their husband.

"She wears red a lot," Ced told them. Staying neutral.

"Really?" Vic asked, wondering if she wasn't being as observant as she should be.

"Well, if you look carefully, you'll see that she will be wearing red nail polish on her toenails, on her fingernails, and red lipstick," Ced told them as he joined his wives in the shower.

"And you would know all of this, why?" Cici asked him, as both she and Vic turned to look at him.

"Well, it has been said that if you want to lure a man's eye, that a woman should wear red," Ced told them.

Cici stood there with her hands on her hips looking at Ced.

"What!?" Ced asked her. "I've asked you before to wear red lipstick and …"

"I told you," Cici began, "We've both told you, that we don't like that shade of red!"

Ced moved over so he could give Cici a hug, "And I've told you that it's okay if you don't want to do that. It doesn't bother me. Your comfort is more important to me, and I love you just the way you are!" Ced told her as he rested his cheek on top of her head.

" _Okay,"_ Cici said. "I shouldn't be so sensitive to this, but I just noticed that she is always wearing red."

Ced stepped back from her, and he summoned Cici's body wash to himself. With a hand full of soap, he began caressing her body slowly and lovingly. Starting at one of her beautiful feet and working his way up her long, toned leg. Using a weak diffindo, as he went, he removed any stubble that may have grown overnight. He brushed her delicate spot as he washed her thigh. Then he started all over again on her other leg. Cici already had her legs spread so Ced's large hands could slide between her thighs. As he finished with her second thigh, Ced ran his soapy hand gently and seductively over her mons pubis, removing any stubble that may have grown, leaving his wife clean shaven. He stood up and pulled Cici in tight against his muscular, naked body, cupping the cheeks of her bum in his hands as he kissed her passionately. The low moan that emitted from her told him that she was getting close. Up over the small of her back Ced's hands washed her clean, pressing her body into his, the whole time. The water had formed a small pond where her breasts met his chest. Ced didn't break the kiss until after he had washed the back of Cici's neck. Then he pulled away and turned Cici around so he could pull her back into him again, so he could caress her front from behind her, holding her tight against him still. Cici turned her head and offered her lips up to meet his. Ced tilted his head down and kissed her offered lips as his hands massaged her ample breasts. Cici's body responded rapidly to Ced's ministrations, her mind was responding to the visual stimulation that she was receiving from her wife waiting her turn. And as Ced's large hand slipped between her thighs again, Cici crested her peak and Ced supported his wife's weight easily with his muscular arm wrapped around her torso. Ced continued to help Cici maintain her peak until she began to come down, and then he helped her down gently from her crest until she was able to stand on her own again.

As Cici kissed Ced in thank you, Vic moved forward so her husband could begin to bath her. With his hands rinsed clean, Ced summoned Vic's body wash to himself, and he filled the palm of his hand with soap. He knelt down in front of her, he sucked a nipple into his mouth and lifted her foot to begin to bath her. As his large hands moved up her leg, Vic spread her legs to give room for Ced's hands to slide between her thighs. Ced brushed his soapy hand across Vic's tender spot delicately, Vic responded to this light brushing of her nub with a shudder that raced through her whole body. Then Ced started over with her other leg, sucking her other nipple into his warm mouth. When he stood up, he pulled Vic in, against his hard body, and kissed her ardently. As he kissed her, he washed her back from the bottom of her bum to where her neck met her hairline. Without breaking their kiss, Vic raised her arms so Ced could wash them both while still facing each other, lips pressed together. When he had finished washing her arms, she let him turn her around so he could wash her front. Cici braced herself in the corner of the shower for the multiple climaxes that were to come as Ced finished washing their wife.

.

Sofi and Neville joined them for breakfast that morning, and it gave Ced a chance to ask, "Sofi, I've noticed that you wear the colour red a lot. Why is that?"

"Oh! It's Nev's favourite colour!" she told Ced and then giving Neville a quick kiss on the lips.

"When did red become your favourite colour?" Ced asked his brother as he turned to look at him better.

"The first time that I saw Sofi," Neville replied as he got a silly grin on his face, looking at Sofi.

Sofi blushed gratuitously as Neville looked at her.

Fred just shook his head.

"Hey! I think that it's cute!" Julia told Fred as she hit him lightly on the shoulder.

Fred turned and looked at Julia with a 'You've got to be kidding me look.'

"How are things with you and John?" Vic asked Angel.

"Oh, she's made a portkey and hasn't been staying here at night!" Rose answered Vic's question.

Angel's eyebrows shot to her hairline, and her mouth gaped open in shock at what her cousin had just done. "You weren't supposed to tell anyone about that!" Angel hissed at Rose. "At least Amber can keep a secret!" and she snapped her head away from her cousin, so she didn't have to look at her again.

All of the others stared at Angel in some level of shock at what they had just heard.

"Are you on the potion?" Cici asked one of her oldest friends quietly. If she wasn't on the potion, Cici was going to start getting it for her!

"Yes, I went and talked to Madam Pomfrey a few weeks ago." She told her. "It's just that these long-distance relationships, where you only get to see each other every couple of months don't last!" Angel told them.

"Does he know about us?" Ced asked her.

"No, I haven't told him anything about your special situation," Angel replied. "I'm going to have to bring him over so he can take the oath. I don't think that his position with the Aurors will affect that," she told him contemplatively.

"Well, either my dad or I can help you with that. Last weekend would have been good for that," Ced said to her.

"Yeah, but he had to work. I guess that one of these nights I'll have to take him over to Uncle Harry."

"Have you told him what you've been doing on the side?" Vic asked her.

"No, I want to wait until he gives the oath before I do that," Angel told her, truthfully.

"Okay, don't put it off too much longer because it will only get harder than it already has," Cici told her.

"I know, I just wanted to be sure. You know, I think that he's the one," Angel said to them.

"Well, do you really think that he is?" Cici asked her.

"Yeah," she smiled a happy content smile. "Yeah, I do." Even the tone of her voice had a smile to it. Her face had softened, become more serene, her eyes got a sparkle to them. Yeah, maybe he was the one for her, if the butterflies in her stomach were any indication.

.

After dinner, and while the threesome was getting ready for the Halloween dance that night, the communications mirror in Ced's study started making noise, wanting attention. Ced pulled a t-shirt back on and walked to the mirror.

"Yes," he said before he could clearly see who was on the other end of the connection.

"Ced, can you and the others meet me at the Three Broomsticks in thirty minutes?" Tonks asked him.

"Sure, let me contact them, and we'll see you there in thirty minutes. Should we bring our backpacks with us?" he asked her. He noticed that her hair was more of an angry red than the happier bubblegum pink that he was used to.

"If that's where you keep your body armour, then yes," she told him in a no-nonsense voice.

"All right, I'll let the others know. Bye," he told her just before he touched the mirror to end the call.

Then he touched the mirror again and said Fred's name. After letting Fred know, he contacted George. Then he contacted Angel before she could slip out for the night. He figured that Fred would tell Julia, George would tell his wife, and Amber would tell Rose. Then he went to tell his wives.

Cici and Vic stripped off their party dresses and slipped on the long underwear that they wore underneath their body armour. Then, they pulled on some simple wizarding robes that would be easy enough to slip off of when they got to wherever it was that they were heading that night. They pulled on some trainers because if they were heading to Romania, Angel had told them that there were a lot of stairs that they would have to climb.

Once they were all changed, they had their winter travelling cloaks on, Ced pulled Vic and Cici in tight against him, they shared a three-way kiss, and they were standing at the front gates of the school. As the trio adjusted their hold on each other to be more conducive to walking, Fred and Julia showed up, then Rose and Angel, then George and Amber.

"Fancy meeting all of you here!" Angel teased her mates, as they all started walking down the hill and into town.

"Yeah, imagine that!" her brother teased her in a less than friendly tone of voice.

As they were walking down the hill into Hogsmeade, Cici pulled away from Ced's grip for a moment, and this caught the attention of the others that were following them, and all of the chatterings stopped because they couldn't really think of another time that she had ever done that. Then she ran her hands over her travelling cloak. Vic pulled away, and both she and Ced ran their hands over their travelling cloaks also. Watching that, the others quickly charmed their travelling cloaks into shields too. The threesome had spread out over an arm's reach from each other as they continued to walk down the hill from the school. Everybody's head was on a swivel as they started to become hyper-aware of their surroundings. Then Ced disappeared from in front of them, and there was spell fire from the left side of the road. Cici and Vic both disappeared and the remaining six heard the spellfire from the right side of the road. Three of them went to the left, and the other three went to the right as they got out of the clearing that the road represented. Fred, Julia, and Rose crouched down and started moving to where they had heard the spellfire. One of them would move forward then another, and then the third one. They would wave each other forward when it was clear. About the second rotation, Julia saw something on her right. She held up her hand to stop whoever was going to move next and pointed to her right.

Rose stopped and looked, bugger, it would be nice to have her body armour on right now! At least she could use the night vision to see what or who was out there! Then she heard a twig snap about six metres off to her right. She crouched even more, and she turned to look, her eyes were adjusting to the darkness. Screw this! She slipped off her pack and flattened her back against the tree she was hiding behind. Then she felt around inside of her bag and pulled out the balaclava, she was going to wreck her hair anyway tonight, it might as well be now. With the balaclava on, Rose looked around the tree and could see four figures crouched down watching the road that they were just on. Silently she cast the privacy charms, and she took the two minutes to change into her body armour. When she slipped the pack back over her shoulders, it disappeared. She stood up and stepped out of the privacy charms. _Teleportus_ , she thought, and it put her behind the four crouching figures. Then as fast as she could think, she was casting _stupefy/expelliarmus_! She collected the four wands, and then she bound the robed figures in chains. They could freeze to death as far as she was concerned. With her opponents bound with chains, Rose began looking around for her friends. Night vision, infrared, now she could see the heat signatures scattered around on both sides of the road. She was forced to assume that all of the ones lying on the ground were the bad guys, at least that is what she wanted to believe. She turned and started walking to the heat signature that was closest to her.

.

"Thirty-eight terrorists! How did they know?" Rose asked angrily after she had removed her balaclava.

"Well, we still need to make it to the Three Broomsticks!" Ced told the lot of them. "We need to make sure that Tonks is okay!"

As they got closer to town, Ced pointed to some dark shadows behind a building. "Why don't you take off your body armour over there," he pointed as he told Rose.

"I'll help you," Cici told her. Then Vic and Cici followed Rose into the shadows.

The others turned their backs to them to give Rose some privacy.

A few minutes later, the nine of them were headed down the main street for the Three Broomsticks. George opened the door for the rest of them and then Ced looked around. He found Tonks by the colour of her hair sitting in the corner of the pub, in the largest booth.

"Evening Tonks," Ced said to her softly.

Tonks jerked her head up. She had been lost in thought. "Evening Ced," she told him quietly.

"How are you?" he asked her as Cici and Vic slipped into the booth and started to work their way around.

"I've been better," she confided in him.

"Yeah, so have we," he told her softly.

"What happened?" she asked as she looked up at him again.

"We got ambushed on our way here," he told her solemnly.

"What!?" she said a little too loudly. She looked around frantically. "Is everyone okay?" she asked as she started looking for cuts and holes in everyone.

"Yeah, we're doing fine. But you have thirty-eight terrorists lying on the side of the road going up to Hogwarts," Ced told her.

"Give me a minute, and then we will be out of here," she told them before she sent her patronus to deliver the message to pick up the terrorists. "Okay," she got quiet again, "I have three portkeys to take us to the turnoff for Castle Poenari. I also brought stones to make holes in the castle's defensive wards."

"Good," Cici said to her, "We can hopefully slip in undetected and rescue the girls."

"Follow me," Tonks told them as she stood up from the large booth. She dropped a galleon on the table to pay for her tea and cover Madam Rosmerta's time.

Then Tonks led the group out the back of the pub. She cleared the alley by looking up and down the alley when she stepped out of the door. When everyone gathered around her, she reached into the pocket of her robes and pulled out three different portkeys, in this case, they were gum wrappers. She handed one to Vic, one to George and one to Julia. Tonks turned and touched the portkey that Julia was holding. The group of four was sucked into the portkey network.

When the ten of them landed on the long stairway that led up to the castle ruins that was the tourist sight, Fred turned and was getting ready to start up the stairs that led to the castle proper.

"Hold up!" Tonks told him. "The first ward is at the first step, it will announce any visitors to the people in the castle."

"Do you want us to put our body armour on now? Or wait until we get closer?" Ced asked the Head Auror.

Angel looked at the two of them, "Do we want to climb a thousand stairs in our body armour?" she asked.

"A thousand stairs?" Ced looked at her.

"Where did you hear that?" Tonks asked her.

"I Googled it the other night when I was at John's house," she told her.

"Who else was there when you did that?" Tonks asked her.

"Nobody, why?" Angel asked

"Because the only people that I told was Ced and Remus," Tonks' tone turned icy.

"And that was just yesterday," Ced said coming to the defence of one of his friends.

"Do you think, … NO! It can't be! John can't be one of them!" Angel's eyes became wet with tears.

"He may not be," Tonks told her gently. More gently than she felt. "But the muggles could have been spying on his computer," she told her.

"John has no occlumency skills at all! I can hear his thoughts all of the time! That's how I knew that he liked me!" Angel's heart was breaking, being ripped in two for the first time in her life.

"Vic and Julia have the first opening in the wards," Ced changed the subject.

He walked back over to where Angel and Tonks had been talking. He stepped in front of Angel and pulled her into a hug.

While he held her tightly, she said, "He can't be UAA! I can hear all of his thoughts! That means, … That means that I was the one to tell the terrorists that we were coming!"

"Not necessarily," Ced told her, his head lying on top of hers. "It's still more likely that the Aurors have another spy in their ranks than you being the source of information."

"No! it's me!" Angel said as she started to break down into sobs.

Vic and Cici grabbed hold of Tonks and started to pull her up the stairs.

"What about, …?" Tonks began to say.

"They'll catch up," Cici told her as she pulled on Tonks' arm.

Tonks gave one last look behind her at the two young adults wrapped in each other's arms. Then she hardened her thoughts and started to refocus on the mission at hand.

Ten minutes later, Ced and a puffy-eyed Angel appeared next to Vic.

"Next set's yours' babe!" Cici said from the front of the group.

"You heard the woman!" Amber said. "The next set is yours' babe!" only Amber was addressing her husband.

George kind of groaned at the news. He hadn't had a lot of practice disabling and circumventing wards. About the only experience, he had had was when they were rescuing Raven a couple of years ago.

Seeing the look on George's face, Ced clapped him on the back and held his hand there. "It's just like everything else that we've done. The information is all in here." and Ced tapped his temple with his finger.

"Yeah, I know. It's just that I don't want to muck this up!" George told him worriedly.

"No worries, mate!" Fred told him. "We're all here to help!"

George turned to look at his cousin who was smiling at him, and he could see the humour in his eyes. This helped George's mood to lighten up, and he returned a smile, not as big or goofy as the one that Fred was wearing, but it was a smile, none the less.

"Okay, I say that once we're all through, we put on our body armour!" Cici told them. She looked at Tonks to make sure that she wasn't overstepping her bounds.

Tonks looked at her, "I agree. We're getting close now, so I think that we should suit up.

"Okay! Let's go!" Amber said to the group.

The group started to file through the opening in the wards, then Cici went, and Amber brought up the rear. Once they were through the barrier, they started pulling out their armour, taking off their robes and slipping into their armour. All of them began to help the others with zipping up their body armour and closing the flap. Cici helped Tonks put her new armour on while Vic and Ced were helping each other.

"This is only the second time that I've worn this!" Tonks told Cici. "The first time was when Remus brought the body armour home the other night!"

"Is this a sanctioned mission?" Cici asked Tonks softly while she zipped her up.

"No. The Magical Society of Romania wouldn't give us permission unless they were in charge of the mission," Tonks told her.

Both Vic and Ced stopped and looked at Tonks and Cici when they heard what Tonks had just said.

"So, basically, if we get caught," Cici started.

"Yeah, nobody but Moony knows that we're here," Tonks told her.

"Well, it's not like we haven't done this kind of work before!" Cici said brightly.

Tonks looked at her questioningly.

"Tell me, what kind of work do you think that we were doing where we needed this kind of body armour?" Cici asked her.

.

At about a hundred metres away from the castle walls, the group stopped. How were they going to assault this place? They were still below the castle!

"Look! There. In the big tower! There's an open window!" Julia told the rest.

"Okay, put your balaclavas on!" Ced told them. "We'll see you inside of the castle! Tonks, hold on tight to me!"

Tonks watched as the others disappeared without a sound. Then she grabbed hold of Ced and then she was standing inside of the castle tower. Wonderful, more steps. Well, at least they lead down! All of the others had pulled their shields off of their backs as Cici led the pack down the stairs, well, at least she thought it was Cici. It could have been Vic, or Rose, or maybe Angel. Who cares! One of them was leading them down the stairs, and she had her shield out and ready to protect her. As they started down the circular staircase. The leader disappeared, then the second and the third and the one after that too! When Tonks got to the spot, she could see all of them farther down the stairs.

"Hold on!" Death told her softly.

Tonks wrapped her arms around Ced again and then they were down with the others.

The two of them looked over the edge and Tonks grabbed Ced again, and they were on the floor of the tower.

Tonks watched as the group of young adults set up to breach the door at the bottom of the tower. The walls were too thick to use their infrared technology to see through, but they could see through the wooden door. Using hand signals, they placed two people on each side of the door and two to go through when the door opened. Tonks also picked up on there were six people in the room with four of them being on a roving patrol. She watched the countdown, and then the kids breached the door. She could hear the spellfire happening in the room as she and Ced moved forward to the open door.

The two people that were sitting and facing each other had a wand touching the back of their head. Death walked around to the front of the sitting people.

"I am looking for Lucinda Lestrange," Death said to the older man sitting there in front of the fire.

"She's not here!" the older man said.

Death looked at the younger female sitting across from him. "She had two young girls with her. Do you know where she went?"

"No," the older man said with some conviction.

"And what is your name?" Death asked eloquently.

"Rasvan," he said sternly.

"I have come to collect what is mine tonight!" Death shouted at him. And then just as if nothing had ever happened, "And that can be you, or you can tell me where they went."

"Chauve-Souris Noire!" he shouted at Death.

"Hmm, that again," Death said. "Well, I am not going back empty handed! I am taking this one with me!" And then Death yanked the girl out of the seat and was gone.

Rasvan bolted from his seat in shock, and when he looked around, Death and all of his companions were gone, as if they had never been there. All that was left were his guards unconscious and chained.

Outside of the castle, the groups reformed and touched their portkeys. As they were falling out of the sky over Hogsmeade, the group that was lowest managed to change the direction of their fall and landed at the base of the road that led up to Hogwarts. The other groups seeing what they had done made adjustments to their trajectory and land beside them. A quick touch to the back of the unknown girl's head, and she was unconscious just after landing. Ced laid her down on the cold dirt road.

"Why did you bring her back!?" Tonks asked Vic harshly. "That's kidnapping! Now we're all going to get into trouble!"

"Actually, she's been Rasvan's sex slave for the last five years. And she has really good hearing! She knows where Lestrange took your daughter and the Princess!" Vic told her with a smile on her face.

Tonks looked between the unconscious girl and Vic with dismay. Where was she going to keep the girl? She couldn't very well keep her at Auror HQ!

As if Vic could read her thought, "We can keep her at the palace. All we have to do is ask Sara if it's okay. And once she learns that this girl knows where her daughter is, she's going to say okay," Vic told her very self-assuredly.

"You want to get the Queen of England involved in what we did tonight?!" hissed Tonks in disbelief.

"Well, she needs to be watched twenty-four/seven!" Vic told her.

"Why don't we ask your mum and dad!" Tonks hissed at Vic again. "And I'll have easier access to her!"

"You want to ask Harry and Hermione to harbour a kidnap victim?" Vic asked her in shock.

"Well, just a minute ago, you wanted me to go and ask the Queen of England!" Tonks told her heatedly.

Vic looked at Ced. "We can go and ask mum and dad," Ced told her a little sheepishly. Tonks did have a point.

"Well, pick her up and let's go!" Vic told him as she took off her shield and shrank it down to fit in her backpack, then she threw her balaclava in after it. Then she looked at the others, "Do all of you want to come with us or go and get a couple of hours of sleep?"

Julia looked at her watch, "Well, it's almost time for us to get up for our morning routine. Do you think that we can skip the run this morning?" she asked with a smirk on her face.

"We did just climb a thousand stairs!" Angel said.

"Hey! I only counted nine-hundred and ninety-nine!" Rose teased her cousin.

"Let's go see Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione!" Fred said.

Ced bent down and scooped up the girl bridal style, when he stood up, "Okay, let's go," he said to the rest just before he apparated home.

.

From the apparition point of the Potter Mansion, the group walked towards the front doors. And as always, as they approached the doors, the doors opened for them. When Charles saw Ced carrying the girl, he frowned at Ced, but he still gave the formal greeting.

Once they were all in the foyer of the house, Charles was just about to say something when he stopped, and the Grand Father Clock at the base of the stairs started chiming out the 5:00a.m. chimes.

When it had finished, Charles looked at Ced again. "If you would like to place her in the sitting room. I expect that all of you would like to go upstairs and get changed? Your mother and father will be downstairs shortly. I will watch her while you go upstairs and get changed, Master Cedric."

"Thank you, Charles," Ced said to the Head House Elf.

At 5:30 everyone was coming downstairs, and it kind of took Harry and Hermione by surprise, because none of them was dressed for their morning workout, plus the simple fact that all of them were there and not at school, where they belonged.

With greetings all around.

Ced looked at his parents, his parents were looking at Tonks. "Uhm, Tonks needs a favour," Ced told them bluntly.

Tonks glared at Ced for just a moment, her hair changed from pink to red and back to pink again, yes, she did need a favour, but he could have said it better than that!

"We have somebody that knows where Tabby is!" Tonks told them. "But, we need someplace to keep her. Someplace that nobody knows about. Someplace that the UAA can't get to her again."

Harry knew that he didn't want to ask where they had gotten this person, he was sure that he didn't want to know who this person was! Or how they had managed to get this person!

"Where is she now?" he asked. Did he really just do that?

"She's in the sitting room, Charles is watching her," Ced told his dad.

"Well, at least her manners will improve!" Fred cracked from the back of the group. "Ow! What was that for!"

"You shouldn't make fun of those that are less fortunate than yourself!" Charles' voice could be heard.

A snicker ran through the rest of the kids that were standing there.

"See, I told you this would be fun!" a lone female's voice whispered. "OW!"

"You shouldn't take pleasure in other people's misfortune!" Charles said to her.

Another snicker ran through the group.

"It serves you right!" Fred hissed at someone in the back of the group.

"Well, take us to her," Hermione told her oldest son.

Ced turned and started to cut across the formal living room of the mansion. The doors to the sitting room were standing open, and there was no sign of movement in the room. Their prisoner was still unconscious on one of the couches.

"Keep her unconscious for me. I have an idea," Harry told them just before he turned to leave the room. He let go of Hermione's hand and left quickly, the others parted to let him out.

Hermione looked at the girl lying on her couch. She was dressed in a long red flowing dress. She had short dark hair with large natural curls in it. Hermione would have guessed her age at about her late teens early twenties. Her skin was pale white although Hermione could make out an olive coloured skin tone. But she would guess that this girl hadn't seen the light of day in years. Hermione's head cocked to one side slightly, she had just picked up on a thought coming from the girl, and then she was inside of the girl's mind.

The young girl, she couldn't be more than ten or eleven at the time, was running through a field of flowers, it was morning, and it wasn't too hot. Her hands were out to her sides brushing the tall flowers with her fingers as she ran across the field. She was wearing a summer dress and sandals, the sun was shining down upon her, and she liked the way the flowers tickled her fingers as they were hitting all of the different flowers. There were flowers that were yellow and flowers that were blue and flowers that were orange. The sun was shining on her, and she didn't have a care in the world other than running and touching more flowers. She heard someone calling her name, "Cassiane!" they called her name. "Cassiane!" the voice called her name again.

"Papa!" the girl sat up on the couch, yelling for her father.

"No, your father is not here," the thin blonde-haired woman told her gently. "But if you can help me find my friends then I can help you find your father."

"No! He said that he would kill my family if I didn't do what he wanted!" the panic was there to see for anyone that cared to look.

Luna began the long journey of gaining this girl's trust and showing her that the monster that she had been living with was using her own love, like a club, against her.

"But the problem for us is, time is running out for our friends that have been taken, just like you were taken. It won't be long before the person that took two young girls will run again. I know that you heard things, I know that you know where they were taken and how long ago they left the castle that you were kept in. Please, tell me the name of your father so we can start looking for him," the thin blonde witch encouraged her patient.

"Alesandro," she said softly. "They called him Alesandro."

"Do you remember the name of the city that you were growing up in before they took you?" Luna asked her.

"Yes, they taught it to us in school," she told her with a tiny bit more trust in this skinny woman.

"Now, with your permission, I want to slip back inside of your mind. Is that okay with you?" Luna asked the young woman.

Hesitantly, the young woman nodded her head.

"Good," Luna said from inside of her mind. "Are there things that you would like to lock away so they can't hurt you anymore?"

"He used to do things like this to me! To make me do things that I didn't want to do!" she told her afraid that this woman might make her do things that she didn't want to do.

"Who used to hurt you?" Luna asked the girl caringly.

"He did!" she yelled inside of her mind and with her voice.

"Okay. Will you tell me your name?" Luna asked soothingly.

The girl hesitated. If she told her, her name, then she would know that much more about her. Did she really want this woman knowing that much more about her?

"You don't have to tell me your name if you don't want to," Luna told her. "I'm not here to hurt, I'm here to help."

The girl hesitated and thought. None of the others had ever said that to her before. They just wanted her to do what they wanted, and if she fought them, then they would hurt her until she did what they wanted. Eventually, it was just easier to do what they wanted, no matter how much it hurt, because it hurt less than them hitting her or using magic against her to cause her more pain. She was powerless against them, they would take what they wanted. But this woman, she was asking, not telling. She was giving her choices, she was giving her power. Power? Power for the powerless?

"My papa would call me Cassiane," Cassiane told her.

"Cassiane, it is nice to meet you," Luna said inside of her head. "My name is, Luna."

"Are you really here to help?" Cassiane asked hopefully.

"Hope is a very powerful thing," Luna told her. "Those that chose to oppress people are scared of hope. Because hope makes the oppressors weak. And yes, I am here to help you. But you need to help me too."

"But I can't help you!" Cassiane started to pull back. "He will kill my family!"

"Even as we've been speaking now," Luna told her. "My friends that have rescued you are looking for your father. The search for your family has begun." Luna told her with conviction in her mental tone.

Cassiane stopped her retreat and started moving forward again. "The evil woman and the two girls left three days ago for the place that Rasvan told the others about. There! You have what you want! You're just like the others!" Cassiane yelled at Luna.

"Thank you Cassiane," Luna told her. "Would you like to lock some of those bad memories away? Put them someplace that they can't hurt you anymore?" Luna asked the frightened girl.

"You're not just going to leave me like the others?" Cassiane asked hesitantly, curiously.

"No!" Luna told her incredulously. "I told you that I was here to help you! And I will help you as much as or as little as you want," Luna said to her reassuringly.

"You're really here to help me?" Cassiane asked. Not since before she had been taken could she remember someone wanting to help her, to help, just her.

"Yes," Luna told her. "All of us are here to help you."

"Who are you? Why do you do this?" Cassiane asked her, her curiosity piqued.

"We fight for the side of Light," Luna told her, wondering if that meant anything to her.

"You're with the side of Light?" Cassiane asked worriedly.

"Yes, why?" Luna asked her.

"Because! She wants to kill the soul-bonded couple!" Cassiane told her.

"She?" Luna asked, seeking clarification of who 'she' was.

"She, the one that has the two girls that you're looking for," Cassiane told her.

"Do you know her name?" asked Luna.

"He called her 'Lestrange,'" when he came to bed that night.

"What else did he say?" Luna asked.

"He said that he couldn't trust her as far as he could throw her. Which is strange, because I've seen him throw some people across the room easily enough. So, I guess to me, it just didn't make sense," she said with a shrug.

Luna chuckled at Cassiane's statement, "I understand what you mean!"

Cassiane smiled for the first time since they had met.

"Would you like me to help you lock away some bad memories?" Luna offered again.

"Yes."

"Okay, what I need for you to do, is to show me the memories that are the worst. Then I will help you put them someplace where they can't hurt you or scare you anymore," Luna was telling her. "And only you will have the key to open that door again."

Cassiane liked the sound of that. All of those things that she had been made to do for all of those years could be put away someplace safe. Cassiane brought up a random memory for Luna to deal with.

"Okay, we will put this memory behind this door here," and Luna helped a woman that was much too young, too young to have this many memories, of this nature.

As soon as that one memory was locked away, Cassiane felt lighter. There really was hope at the end of all this darkness.

.

When Tonks heard that the girls had been moved three days ago, she was already looking for Harry. This was the closest they had been in months! She started the long climb of stairs to go and find Harry. This old castle was magnificent! But she really hated the time it was taking to get to where it was that she wanted to go! It felt like each passing second was one more second that Lestrange could move to her next hiding place. Each second was a second too long! Things needed to happen now! Couldn't her legs go any faster? Godric! Where was Harry? Did he have to be at the point in the castle that was the farthest from where she was?

"Harry!" Tonks called out to him to keep him from slipping away and what she needed taking any more time than it already had.

Harry turned and looked at Tonks. She looked stressed to him, like a person in pressing need of a vacation. "Yes?"

"She took the girls and left three days ago! We know where she went, and how long ago she went there!"

"Good! And where did she go?" Harry asked her.

"Syria!" Tonks said triumphantly.

"Where in Syria did she take them?"

"Chauve-Souris Noire," Tonks said excitedly.

"The Black Bat," Harry commented flatly.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

We're going to need a lot more help than just nine people, no matter how good they are," Harry was thinking out loud.

"What are you talking about?" Tonks asked. "Who, how much extra help are we going to need?"

"Padfoot and I talked about this person years ago," Harry mused.

"And?" Tonks asked, needing to know.

"The Bat is a name given to this person because of their anamagus form. A black bat" Harry began to tell her.

"Yes, and?"

"And, he controls a large number of terrorists," Harry started to tell her.

"How many are we talking?" Tonks asked, concern growing on her face.

She was worried, worried that she might not get her daughter back. Worried that it might cost too much to get her daughter back. She would easily exchange her life for the life of her daughter. But, would she be willing to trade the lives of the first soul-bonded couple in almost a thousand years? The girl said that Lestrange wanted to kill Harry and Hermione, the soul-bonded couple.

"Maybe, two, three-hundred men. All of them armed and trained. Then, we don't know for sure, but maybe, at least, a hundred wizards. Like I said, we don't know. But I do know that we're going to need help and a lot of it."

"With those kinds of numbers," Tonks was contemplating, "We would need the full Auro force! But, I can't trust them!"

"No, but, we could ask the muggles for help. After all the other girl that was taken was the princess. I think that they would be willing to help us." Harry told her with a mischievous smile.

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes. Now I just need to get Cici and Vic. How's Luna doing with our guest?" Harry asked.

"She's doing great! The girl trusts her enough to give her, her name!" Tonks told him enthusiastically.

"Good, because we're going to need to leave so I can contact the girls."

"Can't you floo call them, or use your watch?" Tonks asked.

"No, the wards on the castle won't let that happen. The only way in or out of here is with the ring," Harry told her seriously.

.

The floo in the palace flared to life and out stepped six gorgeous women. They fell into two groups three across, in the first group, two of the women were holding hands as they walked through the palace, the clicking of their heels announcing their arrival. Any security personnel, these were not the guards that wore the big bear hats that stand out in public view, these were plainclothes security personnel, and most of them were quick to look the other way. The Queen's personal guard was uncontested, and those that dared lay a hand on one of them were dealt with both swiftly and severely.

When the group reached the more common areas of the castle, Cici stopped and asked one of the palace guards where the queen could be found.

"The Queen is busy!" the guard told her harshly.

"I didn't ask you if the Queen was busy! I asked you where she was!" Cici scolded the guard harshly.

"And I told you she was busy!" he said defiantly, a smile creeping across his face.

"That's twice," Cici told him. "This will be the third time that I have asked you where the Queen is," she dropped Vic's hand and stepped towards the guard.

"And what are you going to do, little girl?" the guard challenged her, daring her to try something.

Just as Cici was tensing for her move, "Cecilia!" the Queen's voice scolded her.

"Your Majesty!" Cici turned and gave a quick bow.

"What's going on here?" Sara asked her favourite.

"We have news, and I was trying to find you as quickly as possible! But this one," she turned and looked at the guard, "He refused to tell me where you were so I could tell you the news."

Sara turned to the guard, "Is this true?" she asked him icily.

"Your Majesty, I did not know who these girls were, so I did not what to compromise your security," the guard told her evenly.

"How long have you worked in the palace?" Sara asked him curiously.

His held his head high and straightened his back proudly, "Two weeks, your Majesty!"

Vic was inside of his head immediately at that announcement. The Queen was quick to pick up on Vic's intense stare, and she gave her a moment.

"Is there a place we can speak?" Vic asked the Queen, "Privately?"

"Yes, follow me," Sara told her detail. Then she turned and led them down the corridor to an unused room.

When Julia had closed the doors behind them.

"Oh, it is so good to see you again!" Sara pulled Cici into a tight hug. And then she went around and hugged all of the other girls, squeezing them tightly.

When she had finished hugging all of the girls, and some of them twice, "So what news do you have for me?" she asked cheerfully.

Cici started to tell her, "We rescued a young woman last night. As one of our friends spoke with her, she told our friend that she saw two girls and an older woman where she was being held as a sex slave. She says that they left there three days ago and that they were headed for another castle in Syria," Cici tried to give the Queen the shortened version of what had happened.

Before Sara could say anything, the doors to the room opened again, and Julia stepped back into the room, her wand was pressed against the back of a security guards head.

"I could feel him eavesdropping outside of the door!" she told the others that were looking at her.

Angel moved over to the doors, she checked the hallway for any other uninvited guests, then she closed the doors again.

Julia had walked the guard over to one of the chairs in the room, "Sit down!" she growled at him.

"Make me!" he snapped back at her.

At point blank range, Julia hit him in the head with a stinging jinx, and the man dropped into the chair. Amber was the first one inside of his head.

"He's a spy, but not for the UAA," Amber told the others in the room.

"Who does he work for?" Sara asked her. This was the last thing that she needed right now!

Amber started poking around more, "He works for the Iranian government. He was sent here to find out where the princess is."

Sara stepped in front of the spy, "My daughter is not a bargaining chip!" she yelled at the spy. "Turn him into a vegetable!"

"Be careful what you ask for, your Highness," Cici told her gently. "You just might get it."

Sara glared at Cici. No one had spoken to her like that in a very long time.

"We can erase his memory. We can make him forget who he ever was. And we can probably do enough brain damage that he would spend the rest of his life in a vegetative state, but he is just a pawn of his government. Just like we have been used by our government to carry out its wishes. Amber can erase his memory right up to the point that he is walking down the hallway. At that point, we can hand him over to Palace Security and they can try him and lock him away to be used in a prisoner exchange in the future," Cici suggested to the Queen.

Sara looked at her, "Do it!" she commanded Amber.

The group had to wait until security came and removed the spy from the room full of women before they could continue with what they needed from the queen to begin another rescue mission.

"So, you want me to authorise a mission with the SAS? Carte blanc?" she asked the young woman standing in front of her.

"Yes, we've worked with the guys in the SAS on a couple of different missions. We know where the castle is, but it just has too many people defending it, for only the nine of us to pull off a successful rescue mission. We need their help to make this happen," Cici told her.

"And you can guarantee me that our aeroplane will not fly over Syrian, or Lebanese airspace?" Sara asked her.

"Yes, we can fly out of the back of the cargo plane, and the plane will never enter the Lebanese or Syrian airspaces. It will be in international airspace the whole time. From Syria, we can fly to Israel," Cici suggested to the Queen.

"No, not Israel," and then Sara stopped and asked. "Fly? What are you going to fly? We can't have any of our aircraft flying over hostile nations! You promised me that if I helped that our plane would stay in international airspace!"

"No, we would be flying on brooms. These are specially made brooms that let us carry passengers with us," Cici clarified for her.

"Okay, well, we have an air base in Cyprus that you could fly back to, to get home."

"Okay, we can do that," Cici reassured her.

"Good. Now when do you need all of this? I assume that you need it sooner than later?" Sara asked her with a smirk on her face. She just might get her daughter back before Christmas!

"Tomorrow? Tonight? If we can get there so we're striking at three or four o'clock in the morning that would be best," Cici told her questioningly.

"Okay, so who do I need to call to make this happen?"

"Well, the person that my dad talks to is Sean McMillian. He works for MI-6," Cici told her. "And he's the one that we have done our work with."

Sara looked at her watch, it was still early enough that she just might get a hold of the spy. "Here, wait here while I go and try to ring him on a secure phone."

After Angel opened the door for Sara, all of the girls took a seat to sit and wait.

.

.

.

 **A/N:**


	80. Year Seven Chapter 80

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 80

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McMillian, Shaw, and Winkelman were all in the guest quarter's squad bay as they waited for the arrival of the nine teenagers. Harry and Hermione were the first two through to the closet. The others came in fifteen to twenty-second intervals. This gave time for the closet to be cleared for the next couple to apparate to the closet. When all of them had gathered in the squad bay, handshakes and greetings were exchanged all around. The group of people moved outside and got into the large, blacked out passenger vans, waiting for the trip to the air force base that the SAS was based out of. So, under cover of darkness, the group headed out.

.

"Hey, Shaw! How have you been doing?" Vic asked him from the backseat of the van.

"I've been doing well enough. And yourselves?" the soldier turned in his seat to address her.

"Cici, Ced, and I have been made full professors at school, as of last year!" she bragged to him. "And all of our friends were made professors this year!"

"That's great! I always knew that you kids were smart!" Shaw complemented them. "Your crates arrived just a few hours ago. What's going on? They haven't told us anything as of yet," he asked her.

"Let's wait until we're all together before we get too far into that," Harry told him from the front seat of the van.

Shaw turned to look at Harry, he didn't like going into a mission without knowing all of the details that he could learn, but, "Yes, sir!" he said as he turned to talk to the kids some more.

When they got to the gates of the air force base, the gate guard waved them on through. Then when it came time for the vans to go out onto the flight line, they were waved through again. It was a beehive of activity around the aeroplane that they would be using for the mission, and then the vans pulled into a darkened hangar.

"Please wait inside of the van until the hanger doors are closed," Shaw told the group of people.

After a few minutes, the alarm on the hanger doors stopped beeping, the curtains over the hanger door windows were pulled, and the lights in the hanger were turned on and warming up, now they could get out of the vans. As Winkelman and Shaw gathered their groups and led them around the vans, the rest of the SAS unit was assembling for their briefing.

"Please! Have a seat!" Sean yelled at the group of people gathered for this mission.

When the last of the chairs stop squeaking as it was moved ever so slightly. Sean began the briefing in earnest.

"This is a rescue mission! We have credible information that the princess is being held in Syria!"

"If we know where she is, then what do we need them for?" a very familiar voice asked from the back.

"Because, where she is being held, you can't see!" McMillian was having reservations about this guy already. He would make up his mind at the end of the briefing.

"So, why can't we just go in and grab her?" another voice asked.

"Because she is too heavily guarded," Sean answered the question bluntly.

"What are we talking about as far as numbers and equipment?"

"We're guessing that there are close to two-hundred or more non-magical terrorists and about one-hundred wizards that are guarding the princess and one other girl."

"And where are they guarding them? Is it a camp out in the desert?"

"No, they are being guarded in a siege warfare type of castle."

"That we can't see." The same negative voice from the rear of the group again.

"Okay, so I have a question. Are we taking prisoners?"

"No," McMillian again said bluntly.

"So, it is a run and gun, body count type of mission."

"Correct. Lord and Lady Gryffindor, Ced, Cici, and Vic will go into the castle in search of the Princess and the other young girl that was taken. Everybody else buys them the time that they need to get their job done. All of your Class IV body armour has been loaded onto the plane for you, along with extra ammunition."

"And what is our extraction point?"

"Cyprus. Any other questions? No? Good hunting gentlemen, wheels up at 23:30."

Sean stepped away from the podium and walked towards where Shaw and Winkelman were standing now.

"What's with the guy in the back?" McMillian asked the two sergeants.

"Emerson? He doesn't like the kids," Shaw told the man from MI-6.

"Can we get rid of him?"

"He's a good shot, and he'll do his job. But for some odd reason, he just doesn't like the kids," Winkelman told the spy.

"As long as he doesn't compromise the mission, it's your call," McMillian told the two soldiers.

"Yeah, he's got a real hard-on for Ced. We think that it is because Ced has two girls and he can't even get one," Shaw told Sean with a smile.

Winkelman looked at his watch, two hours until we take off. "Well, I've got things that I need to do if we're going to get this mission in the air. One day's notice is cutting it kind of close," he glared at Sean.

"You ought to be glad that you have that much time! The powers that be wanted all of this to happen last night!" Sean told him with a smile.

"Last night! What do they think that we are? Miracle workers?" Shaw exclaimed in shock.

"No, the Queen wants her daughter home," Sean told the two of them quietly.

"Well, if you stay here and keep distracting me!" Winkelman teased him.

"Okay! Okay! I'll leave you be!" Sean said with a laugh. He hoped they would be laughing when this was all over.

.

With a clunk, the landing gear was stowed, and the plane kept climbing to its cruising altitude. Four hours later and they would be at their disembarkation point.

When the loadmaster gave the signal that it was safe to remove their seatbelts and move around the cargo hold, Shaw got up and moved over to Cici and Vic. Ced was already asleep.

"Hey, can you do that thing again where you can put the guys to sleep?" he asked the two witches.

"Yes," Cici remembered that the military didn't like for people to say 'yeah,' "Who do you want us to put to sleep?"

"Go around and ask. All of the guys could use a couple of extra hours of sleep. It has been a long day for all of us!" Shaw told her. The truth be told, he could do with a couple of extra hours himself.

"Okay," the two girls said in unison. Then they unlatched the safety harness that was holding them in place. Vic lowered Ced's head gently until his chin was resting on his chest.

Cici went down one side of the plane while Vic went down the other, asking the guys and encouraging them to get a couple of extra hours of sleep.

When Vic got to Emerson, she was pleasant enough, and then he grabbed her breast hard. Vic jumped back as she let out a little scream.

Emerson laughed at her reaction, "What, you don't like it rough?" he chuckled.

Vic got mad and glared at him, but didn't answer him.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" he teased her.

Vic glared at him silently.

"Oo, if looks could kill!" and he waved his hands in the air, mocking her.

This gave Vic an idea, "They can," she said just loud enough for him to hear, and then she hit him with a wandless/wordless stupefy.

She left him hanging there in his safety harness.

"What was that all about?" her mum asked her when she walked past her to sit with her husband and wife.

"He wanted to know if looks could kill. So, I stunned him," Vic told her.

"That's Emerson?"

"Yes," Vic said, then she crossed the plane to sit next to Ced.

Vic reached over and pulled his head on to her shoulder. She could feel his contentment level rise with the physical contact between them. She looked over at her wife, and Cici was already leaning against their husband. Then she laid her head on top of his and closed her eyes. The three of them slipped into a state of shared consciousness.

" _What did Emerson do to you?"_ Ced asked her.

" _He grabbed my left tit! I think that he bruised it!"_ Vic told him.

" _If he bruised your tit, then I'm going to bruise something on him!"_ Ced told her angrily.

" _So, what did you do to him, Little One?"_

" _He asked me if looks could kill. I told him in my case, yes!"_

" _And?"_

" _And, I stunned him!"_

Ced laughed in his sleep. He loved his two wives. He couldn't imagine a life without the two of them.

.

The plane shook violently.

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From somewhere along the coast of Syria, a radar tracking station picked up the cargo plane. The young officer in charge of the tracking station looked over the shoulder of the young girl that was watching the green screen, it gave him two views, both of which he liked.

"See here, sir," the young woman said to him as she pointed to the blip on the edge of her screen.

The OIC watched as the radar antenna made another sweep.

"See, it's getting closer," she pointed out to the new guy.

He watched again as the arm swept across the screen.

"If it follows this course and speed, it will enter Syrian airspace in twenty minutes," the young technician told him.

"Okay," he said as he stood there watching the screen.

Another sweep of the antenna and the unidentified blip got that much closer. Whatever it was, it was large.

The OIC walked over to the secure telephone and picked up the handset. He dialled a number from off a laminated list of phone numbers.

"Air Defense Battery Twenty-one," the young voice on the other end of the line said.

The technician didn't even sound that old, maybe he was seventeen, maybe.

"Bring your radar online and prepare to fire on my order! Do you understand!?" the OIC asked the young man.

The young technician hung up the phone and yelled, "Bring the radar online and, cough, cough, cough, fire!"

A moment later, the radar tracking system for the Russian made Surface to Air Missile picked up the large aircraft.

"FIRING NOW!" shouted another young man sitting behind a computer screen. Click.

"NO! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO WAIT" shouted the first young man.

"You said to bring the radar online and fire! I heard you!"

The missile carrier shuddered as the six-hundred-kilo missile streaked into the sky on a plume of flame. The rocket adjusted its trajectory to follow the instructions from the computer guidance system as it raced to a top speed in excess of three times the speed of sound.

"Sir!" the young female technician called loudly. "We have a missile launch at 03:47, impact in less than two minutes! The aircraft has detected the launch and is taking evasive manoeuvres," her voice was calm and steady now.

"What did that son of a goat herder do?" he said softly to himself.

The technician watched her radar screen and could see the aircraft turn away from their country.

"At any time, did the aircraft violate our airspace?" the OIC asked hopefully. Maybe, just maybe there was a way out of this dung heap.

"No, sir. It was still several kilometres away when the missile launched."

He walked back across the room to stand behind her again and watch.

"The missile has hit the target, and the target is losing altitude," she said emotionlessly.

For the next several minutes the two of them watched as the wounded aircraft lost altitude and then it disappeared off the radar screen.

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When the plane shook violently, there was an explosion from outside. This woke most everybody on the plane.

Cici shook Ced while Vic told him loudly, "Ced! Wake up! Something is wrong!"

Ced's eyes flew open at those words. He looked back and forth between his wives and then he started to take in what was happening in the hold of the cargo plane. Winkelman was making his way to the three of them.

"The loadmaster says that we've just been hit with a missile. The captain says that we can't maintain altitude and that we won't make it to Cyprus!" Winkelman was yelling to be heard above all of the noises.

"Tell everybody to get ready! we'll take the brooms from here!" Ced told him as he began to unfasten his safety harness.

Winkelman turned and worked his way back to his guys. When he got to the loadmaster, "Tell the pilot and the crew that if they want to leave with us, they need to get back here! They need to buy us as much time as they can!"

Shaw fought his way to his old friend.

"Ced says that we're going to take the brooms from here! tell everybody to get ready and to grab their gear!"

Then the two of them turned to see the kids pulling on their wizarding body armour. All of them were working as a team to help the others get changed as quickly as possible.

When the loadmaster tried to walk past Ced, Ced reached out and grabbed the man by the arm. "Tell the crew that when we get down to two-hundred metres, we need to leave! Tell them to not put out a distress call! We want them to think that we have all died! We don't want anybody looking for us! This is our element of surprise that we needed! If they want to go with us, they need to be back here by then!" then Ced released his arm.

The loadmaster at first looked offended that Ced had grabbed his arm, but then he listened to what the kid had to say. Then he nodded his acknowledgement.

Once the nine of them were changed into their body armour, Ced checked on his parents. The two of them were just finishing up closing the flap in the back of their armour.

"I told the crew that we were going to leave when the plane got down to two-hundred metres!" Ced yelled at them to be heard. "You need to activate the aerodynamic shield when the tip of the broom just clears the edge of the loading ramp! From there, hold on tightly until you're out of the turbulence of the plane!"

Harry and Hermione nodded at their son.

Fred and George were opening crates and handing out brooms as fast as they could go. Julia and Amber were taking the empty containers and stacking them on one side of a van so they would be out of the way. The two, three-seat brooms made their way to Harry and Hermione, the others would collect a four-seat broom and move to the back of the plane.

"What did she do to him?" Shaw was pointing at Emerson as he yelled to one of the kids in body armour. When they were dressed like this, he really couldn't tell them apart to well.

"He grabbed one of her tits! So, I'm guessing that she stunned him!" Rose told him.

"Can you wake him up?" Shaw asked worriedly. But the look on his face was one of anger.

Rose pointed at Emerson and cast a silent rennervate. Emerson's eyes opened slowly, then he sat up quickly, but the safety harness held him in place. He looked around like a caged animal.

"Get your gear on! We're leaving!" Shaw yelled at the soldier, then he turned to go take care of a more pressing need.

Rose bent down to help Emerson get out of his safety harness.

When Shaw had his back turned, Emerson said to the person in the body armour, "So, you liked it so much that you came back for more!" and then he grabbed Rose's tit like he had grabbed Vic's.

Rose let out a gasp and then, with her fist starting at the floor, she put her back and her leg muscles into the punch. Rose had never hit anyone or anything while she was wearing her body armour, she didn't know what effect, if any, that it would have, but all she knew was that she was going to hit Emerson with everything that she had for doing what he had just done.

Shaw turned around just in time to watch Rose hit Emerson with an uppercut that snapped his head back against the side of the doomed aeroplane. Bloody Emerson! What'd he do now!? He started working his way back to where Emerson was still sitting with his head rolling around. Winkelman got there at the same time as he did.

"What's going on here?" Winkelman asked gruffly. He didn't have time for this shite. This plane was on borrowed time!

Rose pulled her balaclava off, "Your man just grabbed my breast, like he did to Vic!"

"Is he dead?" Winkelman asked.

"Not yet! But if you give me another minute!" she snarled back to him.

"Can you wake him up?" Shaw asked her.

"I don't know, I've never hit someone that hard before! You might need smelling salts," she told the two soldiers.

"Medic!" Winkelman yelled over the noise of the plane.

"Go ahead and finish getting ready. I don't think that we have much more time before we're forced to go!" Shaw told Rose.

Rose pulled her balaclava back on and went to find her broom. She saw Julia taking care of her broom while she had been dealing with Emerson.

"Thanks," she said to Julia.

"Is everything okay?" she asked as she looked over to where the field medic was waving some smelling salts under Emerson's nose.

"Yeah, but I think that I broke his jaw!" Rose told her friend.

"Good for you!" Julia told her.

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In the cockpit of the cargo plane, a warning light and a buzzer started to demand the attention of the flight crew.

"We have radar lock!" shouted the co-pilot. "We have missile launch!"

"Deploy countermeasures!" shouted the pilot as he turned the aircraft hard away from the shoreline they were headed for.

The co-pilot watched the radar screen of the aircraft like a hawk. Then he pressed the two buttons. Hopefully, he didn't press the buttons too soon. He knew that he hadn't pressed them too late, he was still alive to tell him that much.

"Countermeasures away!" he yelled back to the pilot.

The pilot didn't respond, he was too focused on doing fighter pilot shite in a cargo plane. The last thing he needed to do now, was to rip the wings off of the massive aircraft. He kept scanning the sky behind the aircraft looking for the trail of fire that would signal the end for them. He saw the flares ejected out behind the plane. Then he saw the chafe sparkle in the moonlight, trying to distract the missile from its one and only goal in this life, to kill them.

"It's on my side!" screamed the co-pilot.

Instinctively the pilot turned his head needing to see the threat approaching his plane. He banked the plane hard to the left. "Deploy countermeasures!" he screamed again.

The co-pilot hit the buttons to deploy the only defences the plane had. But travelling at more than three times the speed of sound, the missile didn't care, it flew through the countermeasures because it didn't have time to react. Right now, its sole purpose in life was to kill the lumbering aircraft. When the plane turned to the left the missile was travelling too fast to change directions quick enough for a good clean kill. It tried, its maker knew that it would try, but it missed the body of the plane and hit the starboard engine. The detonation sequence began when it hit the sheet metal that surrounded the engine, making it more aerodynamic and protecting the more delicate parts from the buffeting of the wind in flight. But from the time it hit its target, until the missile would actually explode, and then for that explosion to expand outwards took time. Not very much time, but it still took time, and time, times speed, equalled distance. And that is what the lumbering aircraft needed. Distance, between it and the missile intent on killing it. The massive engine took the hit, and the impact began the process of ripping it away from its mountings on the wing of the aircraft. The ensuing explosion finished the process of ripping the life-giving power of the engine away from the aircraft it had just been attached to. The fragments of the exploding missile and the parts of the engine and its nacelle that absorbed the impact and subsequent explosion ripped through the wing of the aeroplane damaging vital parts and pieces. A long trail of jet fuel began flowing out from the wounded bird's wing. Fate had been smiling on them that night, there was enough time from the explosion and the leaking of the massive amounts of fuel that the fuel didn't catch on fire, but the wounded plane began its descent to the black waters of the sea below them.

.

Once the plane had levelled out, the loadmaster undid his safety harness and started moving forwards through the cargo hold to the cockpit of the aircraft. He could feel the plane beginning a descent. He was stopped by one of the kids and listened to what he had to say. He at least had a plan to make the best of a bad situation. And then he kept going forward to check on the pilot and the co-pilot.

"Hey!" he shouted at the two pilots to get their attention. "Don't call in a Mayday!" he told them before one of them could key the mic for help.

Both pilots stopped what they were doing to look at their loadmaster. They had been a crew together for over five years.

"They don't want you to call for help. They want the Syrians to think that the plane was lost with all hands!" the man told them.

The two pilots thought about that for a moment. "Then what do they want us to do?" the co-pilot asked.

"The kids are going to fly all of us out of here," he told the two of them.

"And how are they going to do that? On brooms?" The pilot asked sarcastically.

"Just come to the back as soon as it's safe to depressurise the plane!" he told the two officers.

The loadmaster looked over the electronic displays on the dash of the plane, over the last five years he had flown the plane maybe a hundred times. He was familiar with what the instruments were telling the pilots. In another three-thousand metres, and it would be safe to open the loading ramp.

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In the cargo hold of the plane, it was a flurry of activity as people tried to do in minutes what would normally take an hour or so. For the magicals, everything was in their packs. For the non-magicals, it was all stored in crates that were all over the cargo hold of the plane. With the brooms out, the soldiers started loading them down with weapons and ammunition. Once the soldiers had put as much gear on the four-seat brooms as they could, the teens would move to the back of the plane to make room for the others. Weapons and ammunition had priority over everything else. The body armour had been passed out and put on as quickly as the soldiers could. Fully loaded, they formed up into rows of three to wait for the loadmaster and the crew.

The loadmaster stepped over to the closest of the magical kids, "The Captain says that they are coming back here now! Don't leave them!"

"Tell the guy at the front centre!" shimmering death told him.

The loadmaster moved to tell the teen in the body armour that was in the first group of three to go out the back of the plane when they could.

"The captain is on his way back here now!" he yelled at the person.

Ced just nodded at the loadmaster. Then he pointed to the green light that was telling the loadmaster that it was safe to open the loading ramp. The loadmaster moved over to the control panel and started to look up the side of the plane. He was watching for the two pilots to get back here. Then he saw them trying to balance themselves as they walked down the side of the plane. He walked back over to the one in the centre.

"The pilots are almost here! Hold on just one more minute!" he yelled at Ced.

Ced just nodded his head at the man. Then he turned to see if he could see the two pilots. He saw his dad pulling one of the pilots towards his broom and the other pilot moving to his mum's broom. Then Ced looked back at the loadmaster.

"Open the door and then get on one of the two brooms in the back!" Death told the loadmaster.

The loadmaster pressed the button for the loading ramp to start opening. Nothing in his life had ever taken so much time as it took for the loading ramp to reach the position for paratroopers to jump from the plane. Once it was there, he rushed to the back of the group to get on one of the brooms. The person on the broom closest to him gestured for him to get on with him and the pilot.

"Hold on tight!" he told the two of them and then he waved his hand in a gesture that told his son to go.

Ced saw his dad wave for him to go and off they went. The first three, then on a count of three the next group was out the back of the dying aeroplane.

As Harry left the plane, he activated the aerodynamic shield just like his son had told him. Once he was through the turbulence, he looked to his left, "What is that coming out of the aeroplane?" he asked the pilot.

"Fuel!" he shouted back.

Harry adjusted his course to take him closer to the fuel, then he summoned a ball of fire in the palm of his hand, and he threw it into the trail of fuel. The pilot and the loadmaster both turned to watch as the fire raced up to the wing of the plane and then the plane was just a ball of fire in the night time sky as it fell into its watery grave. Harry urged his large broom forwards, faster, to catch up to the others.

Ced took off at an easy pace until he was sure that all of the others were with him. He watched as his father blew up the plane. And he, along with the others watched as the plane died its fiery death, plunging into its watery grave. When his father had rejoined them, Ced took off for the largest group of lights on the coast. His best guess was that would be Beirut which was one of his landmarks for finding the castle that lay beyond in the expanse of the desert. Pushing the big brooms as fast as they would go, Ced adjusted his altitude to about three-hundred metres above the ground. When they went feet dry, Ced ejected his wand and cast a disillusionment charm over the broom and his passengers. For the next hour, the eleven brooms raced through the night sky. Ced checked his watch, and they were right on time, if not a little early. He led the group in the correct direction, at the correct speed, and for the correct amount of time.

When he landed, he walked off by himself, and then he ejected his wand, he lay the wand in his open hand and said, "Point-me," the wand spun around for just a moment and then it pointed in the correct direction for what he was looking for.

Sensing Ced's confusion, Cici and Vic both landed their brooms and walked over to him.

"What's wrong?" Cici asked him.

"Well, according to my calculations, we travelled the correct amount of distance in the correct direction, we should be there! But when I used point-me, it says that the castle is in that direction, but I don't know how far!" Ced told them exasperatedly.

Vic looked at the wand still lying in Ced's hand, then she ejected her wand and cast a ward detection spell in the same direction. Less than two metres in front of them, the first wall of defences lit up in a dirty orange colour.

"Well, I guess that we're here!" Ced told them in a better mood.

Cici waved the others down and had the soldiers gather away from the wards. She turned to face the gathered soldiers, she removed her balaclava so she could speak to them more clearly.

"This is the first set of defences!" she started to explain. "We don't know how many other sets of wards there are!" She sounded like a sergeant addressing a formation of troops. "Our best guess is that the castle is a thousand metres in that direction!" and she pointed behind her. "If someone had walked through the wards, it would have set off the alarms in the castle! Right now, we have two people that are making a hole in the wards so that we can pass through undetected! If you are walking through, and you decide to stick your arm out to see what it feels like, you will set off the alarms!"

Fred and Julia worked together to use the stones that Tonks had sent to breach the first set of wards. Vic confirmed their work using the same ward detection spell she had just a few minutes ago. The only reason that she did this was to show the soldiers that, yes indeed there was a hole in the castles' defences, and it was big enough for them to walk through side-by-side.

For the next thirty minutes and six more sets of wards, the group moved forward cautiously. Once they had cleared the last set of wards, the muggles could see the true nature of their daunting task.

"We need bloody artillery!" one of the soldiers said out loud as they looked at the siege warfare style of the castle.

"I think those were called trebuchets," someone answered him.

"A bloody catapult's not getting through those walls!" someone else said softly.

"Alright, gentlemen! Get your weapons out and lock and load! Take as much ammunition as you can carry!" Winkelman started to tell the troops. He picked up three more assault rifles and handed them to the pilots and the loadmaster. "You three stay here and guard the brooms!"

When the three of them gave him a questioning look, "These are our only way home!" he gestured at the eleven brooms that were now lying on the ground.

Harry moved over next to Ced, "What's your plan for getting inside of this place?" he asked.

"We use teleportus. Most of the time, it is line of sight, if you can see there, then you can teleport there. But if you have already been someplace, and it's not too far, like inside of the house or Hogwarts, then you can use teleportus then too."

"Your mum and I never learned it!" Harry told his son.

"That's okay. I know that you were dealing with other problems when you were younger, but it's one of Merlin's spells that he used. We just learned to use it too." Ced explained to his dad.

The rest of the group of nine, plus Shaw and Winkelman gathered around Ced to find out what his plan of attack was. Ced explained his idea.

"Once the first shot is fired; your element of surprise is gone!" Shaw told him somberly.

"Then have the guys use their knives for as long as possible. We're not going to last long in an attrition type of battle. If we can find the barracks, then we can seal their troops inside of them," Ced told him.

Shaw and Winkelman left to spread the word.

"Vic, Cici, take mum and dad and get going. I'll shift to one of you two when we get all of the troops on top of the wall," Ced told his wives and his parents by proxy.

Vic grabbed Hermione, "Hold on tight!" and as soon as Hermione wrapped her arms around Vic, they were gone silently.

Cici told Harry the same thing, and then the two of them were gone.

Wordlessly, Cici and Vic agreed on a plan of attack for the castle. One went to one tower, and the other went to the opposite tower to begin the room by room search of the castle.

Back outside of the castle walls, the teenagers were taking the soldiers in pairs to the top of the wall and spacing them out as best as they could. Then the seven of them pulled out their swords and started working their way across the courtyard of the castle.

George and Amber were the first to come across one of the barracks for the muggle troops. They threw two vials of the sleeping potion inside of the large open bay barracks, and then they sealed the building magically. They moved to an identical building next to it and did the same thing. On this side of the castle, there were six barracks. Rose and Angel found six more on the other side of the castle and did the same things. The four of them found six more barracks out behind the castle. But out of the all of the barracks, three of them were empty. The SAS was fighting seventy-five terrorists.

Ced closed his watch after the four of them had reported in. Four o'clock in the morning had been good to them so far.

.

" _I'm doing the same thing with mum! Run down the hall and touch them on the back of the head. We're not really worried about any electronics!"_ Vic thought to her husband.

" _Same with dad and I, we're moving as fast as we can physically go!"_ Cici told her mates.

Once they had swept the perimeter of the castle, the seven of them moved inside of the building. Ced opened his watch, "Fred!" he said softly to the screen that appeared.

A moment later, "Yeah!?" Fred answered him softly.

"You and Julia, find the dungeons and check for the girls there," Ced told his old friend.

"Okay, we're on our way!" Fred told him. Then he closed the watch and told his slave girl what they needed to do.

The pair of them searched around in the back of the castle for the entrance to the dungeons. Amazingly enough, it was in a similar location as Bone's tower!

A few minutes later, Ced's watch vibrated for attention. "What's up?" he asked the screen.

"Uh, yeah. We just found all of the wizards! The entrance to the dungeons is in the back of the castle, like at home!" Fred told him very quietly.

"Okay, I'll tell the others, and we'll join you there!" then Ced disconnected the call, and he called Angel and Rose first, then he called Amber and George.

The five of them headed to the general area of where the dungeons should be. When Ced got there, the other six already had their shields out and on their free arm. Cautiously Ced slipped past his friends to get a good look at the dungeons. That was a lot of wizards! There were three or four wizards on guard duty, well they should have been on night watch if their eyes weren't half closed.

Ced motioned for the others to come back to the top of the stairs. "I have an idea." The others looked at him, "Let's use the sleeping potion on them! We can levitate …"

"I'm out of the sleeping potion!" Rose told him.

"So are we, mate!" Fred told as he pointed between himself and the queen of his heart.

"Me too!" Angel told him.

"Okay, who besides me has any of the sleeping potion left?" Ced asked them.

"We do!" George told him excitedly. He liked Ced's plan so far.

"Okay, like I was saying, the three of us will each levitate three vials of potion into the dungeons," he stopped and looked at Rose and Fred, "Do you think that there is a back way out of these dungeons?"

"I know that our dungeons have a back way in and out of them," Rose told him.

"Where do you think that is here?" Ced asked her.

"Ours is in one of the back corners, out of sight. It's kind of hidden," she told him.

" Do you think the dungeons here are the same?" he asked again.

"I agree with her," Fred said. "I think that this place is going to have a back way out too."

"Which corner do you think that it is going to be in?" he asked the two of them.

"Its hard to say, we only found ours because we were playing hide and seek one day when we were kids," Fred told him.

Ced frowned when he heard that news. " Okay, change of plans. We'll have four of us levitate three vials of sleeping potion, each, into the dungeons.

The others agreed with him silently, and then they moved back down the stairs so they could have a clear view of the back wall of the dungeons. Rose and Fred moved the farthest down the stairs with George and Amber getting into position one stair above them.

"Okay! Go!" Ced hissed.

And then twelve vials of potion were floating through the air. Fred and Rose knew that they didn't have any time to waste. George's vials centred on the main room in the dungeon, while Amber's vials floated just a couple of metres away from the group.

"Ready when you are!" Amber said to her cousins.

"I'm ready!" Fred whispered.

"I'm ready too!" Rose told them a second later.

"On three! Amber go last!" Ced told her.

Amber nodded.

"One, two, three!" Ced counted quickly.

It was so quiet in the dungeons, the sound of the breaking vials might as well have been the sound of the bells ringing in Big Ben at noon. The gas was spreading quickly as the wizards began to stir in their slumber. The night watch was quicker to respond to the attack, and only the one was able to let out a shout before he was overcome by the gas. Ced used his wind element to circulate the gas quicker, a soft breeze was all it took to spread the gas out and put the rest of them to sleep.

"Fred, Julia! Find the back door to this place and seal it!" Ced told the soon to be wed couple. "Angel, Rose, sweep the ground floor. George, Amber, search the floor above us and see if you can find the girls!"

The group headed back up the stairs to seal the wizards in the dungeons.

At the top of the stairs, Ced said "Shite! They found Lestrange!" then he reached behind him and slipped his shield off of his back, he cast a powerful disillusionment charm on himself, and then he was gone.

.

On the fourth floor of the castle, Lucinda was holding off Cici, Vic, Harry, and Hermione. They had caught her exiting one of the rooms on that floor. And the evil woman was holding her own against the four of them. The four bonded, were very grateful for their shields because Lucinda had no qualms about throwing the killing curse, and the more frustrated she became, the more power she put into the curse. The other thing was, she was fast enough to keep Vic and Cici from getting a barrage of hexes going. A strange thing was, Lestrange wasn't throwing multiple curses at a time, was this because she never learned to, or because she felt that she didn't need to? Whatever the reason, she wasn't tiring out very quickly, that part was for sure! What she did have, was a smug smile on her face, a confidence that the two of them did not know where it came from. One thing that they didn't want to do was to push her too hard, and she just chose to leave instead of staying and fighting, they needed her to stay and fight. This really was a high stakes game. How much more abuse could the shields take before one of them failed?

" _Ced!"_ Cici said through their mental link.

" _?"_ Ced responded.

" _We've found Lestrange,"_ Cici told him. _"We need a powerful diversion!"_

" _Okay, what do you want me to do?"_ Ced asked her.

" _Shift behind me! And then you need to get behind Lestrange as fast as you can! We don't want her to figure out an escape!"_ Vic told him.

" _Oh, and it seems that the only curse this witch knows, is the killing curse!"_ Cici told him.

" _Okay, here I come!"_ When Ced shifted, he shifted behind Vic, and just as quickly, he teleportused behind Lestrange.

He was hoping that she hadn't noticed him for the brief instant that he was behind Vic. And when his mum and dad saw him behind Lucinda, they stepped up their curse casting, wanting to keep her distracted.

Then Ced hit her from behind with a five pack of spells as hard as he could, he wanted to distract her for just a second so she would drop her shield that she was able to keep up against the other four. _"Expulso/diffindo/reducto/stupefy/expelliarmus!_ " Ced cast at the evil witch silently.

Just an instant after Ced cast his five pack of spells, Vic and Cici cast a four pack of curses each, at the wicked woman, they hit her with _"Reducto/diffindo/expulso/stupefy!"_

Ced's _expulso_ caught Lucinda off-guard, and it knocked her off balance for just a split second, long enough for the girls' _reducto_ to shove her in the other direction. Then Ced's _diffindo_ finished overpowering her shield charm just before the two _diffindos_ from the girls hit her in the centre of her chest killing her heart. Before Lucinda even knew that she was dead, Ced's _reducto_ hit her, knocking her through the air, then the girls' _expulso_ hit her as she was being lifted off of the ground causing Lucinda to spin around in the air. Before Lucinda was dead, she saw the vision of shimmering death that had hit her from behind, then she was hit with three different stunners, and her body fell into a heap on the cold floor of the castle. Lucinda Lestrange's wand landed at Ced's feet.

Ced stepped back from the wand, he could feel the evil coming off of the vile thing, _"Fiendfyre,"_ he said softly.

The purging fire leapt from the tip of Ced's wand and began to consume the evil wand lying on the floor. As the fire burned the wand, the wand began to scream, and then as quickly as it had begun, all that was left was a trail of ash on the stone floor. With a wave of his hand, Ced blew the ash away.

"We need to finish checking this floor," Ced's dad told him.

"What door did she come out of?" Ced asked him.

His dad turned and pointed to the door just down the hallway from them, a little behind where Ced was standing. And so, the room by room search was begun again.

.

Downstairs, on the ground floor, things were heating up. Julia and Fred had gotten the two doors to the dungeons closed and sealed. While Fred and Julia were outside behind the castle. Rose and Angel had stumbled upon a dozen wizards in the dining area of the castle. The two visions of shimmering death were surprised, but they recovered before the terrorist wizards. Moving at a sprint, the two women started stunning wizards where they were sitting. One got four, and the other got five before the first curse flew past Rose's head. Rose threw herself into a tuck-and-roll. When she had finished she came up into a crouch, her wand was in her hand, and a three pack of spells was coming out of her wand's tip. The terrorist was fast, and he threw himself backwards to avoid the curses headed his way, but Angel was quicker and hit him on the back of the head with a stunner, he was unconscious before the chair hit the floor. Both Angel and Rose fired spells across the table to get the last of the terrorists.

"Do you think that we should get their wands?" Rose asked.

"It can't hurt to disarm them!" Angel told her.

The two witches started summoning the terrorists' wands to themselves. And as they walked out of the room, they stunned all of them again, and bound them with chains, just to be sure, a girl can never be too safe!

Up on the first floor, George and Amber had made a game out of clearing the rooms. They had turned it into a race to see who could clear their side of the hallway first. It had become a modified version of a run and gun technique. It was all fun and games until George came across the master bedroom and a curse just missed him as he threw himself sideways inside of the door. Amber had finished clearing her next room when she didn't see her husband clear his room, in fact, the next door was still closed. Amber looked back at the last door to be opened on Fred's side of the hallway, it was one side of a set of double doors. The master bedroom, shite! She ran back to the double doors, and she could hear intermittent spellfire. Amber slipped into the bedroom and found George on one side of the room and the dark-skinned man hiding on the other side of the bed.

"What do you want!?" the man yelled at the ceiling.

Amber answered before George could, "We have come to take what is ours tonight!" Thank Merlin for the voice altering features of the balaclava!

"What?" he said, confused.

"We have come to collect, tonight!" Amber said again.

"I'll kill you before I let that happen!" he shouted at them.

"You can't kill Death, mortal!" Amber shot back at him.

The dark-skinned man turned and fired two curses at them, destroying the chest of drawers that was next to George. George and Amber both returned fire, then the two of them split up. George moved back towards the doors, while Amber moved towards the head of the bed and snuggled up against a dresser. Now the man had two targets, not just the one he had before.

"Are you ready, mortal?" Amber yelled at him. "Because we're coming for you, now!"

She and her husband both stood up, with her shield in front of her, and a flick of her wand, Amber banished the bed that the man had been hiding behind. And he wasn't there, a small black bat started flying away as fast as it could flap its wings. George flicked his wand closing and sealing the bedroom doors. Now the little black bat was trapped in the room with them. Panicked, the bat was now looking for someplace to hide. George had played this game before; he and Amber had played it with Ced and the others when they would ride the train to school. This was just like the skeet shooting game, he watched and tried to anticipate what the bat was going to do.

Then, _"Stupefy!"_ he thought, hitting the small mammal with a weak stunner in the body. The bat dropped through the air and landed on the soft carpeting of the room.

Amber walked over to the small animal and conjured a good sized unbreakable jar. She levitated the unconscious bat into the jar and sealed it.

"We still need to finish sweeping this floor," Amber told her man.

George unlocked the doors and opened them. Amber set the jar down in the hallway so they would remember to pick it up when they left the place.

.

On the fourth floor, Ced came across a locked door on the last room in the corridor. Cici took up her position on one side of the door, and Vic took up her position on the other side. Ced tried a different variety of spells before he found a combination of spells that would unlock the door. He flung the door open forcefully and burst into the room with both wives flanking him on either side. The two occupants of the room both began screaming and holding each other tightly. Tears started to run down their faces as they huddled together on the bed. The screams settled down to just sobs as they stared at the three visions of death standing in the doorway.

"What are your names?" Death asked them.

With a stutter caused by fear, "Uh, I, I, I'm Tabitha," the young girl said.

"An, an, and, I'm Lou, Louise," the second one stammered out."

"And we have come for you!" Ced told the two terrified girls.

When the two girls heard this news, they both began to scream in terror that Death was there for them.

Cici and Vic both pulled off their balaclavas and walked slowly over to the two young girls. They didn't make any sudden moves, no threatening gestures.

The two girls watched as the two visions of death started to pull their heads off. The both of them buried their faces in each other's shoulder not wanting to look at the horror that had come to claim them this night.

As Ced's wives moved past him, both of them glared at him.

"Have a little compassion, Ced!" both of them thought to him harshly.

"What did I do?" he asked them confused.

Both of his wives sighed forcefully, "Men!"

And then they turned back to the two traumatised young girls.

The two girls peeked out from where they were hiding their faces, and what they saw were two incredibly beautiful young women looking at them.

"Hi! Are you ready to go home?" Cici asked them.

Both of the girls nodded vigorously, and then they launched themselves at the two lovely witches.

"Okay, Tabby, we need to get you a wand," Cici was saying to her.

"Professor Ramos?" Tabby asked, and then she looked at Vic. "Professor Potter?"

"Yes, it is us," Cici replied to her reassuringly.

"What are you doing here?" Tabby asked, confused as to why two of her school's professors would be wherever it was that they were.

"Your mum asked us to come and get you!" Vic told her. Then Vic looked at Louise "Your mum asked us to come and get you too!"

"Ced, would be a sweetie and please reset a wand for Tabby?" Cici asked.

"Sure, just out of curiosity, what kind of wand does she normally use?" Ced asked.

The two girls cowered again as Ced spoke, and both Vic and Cici noticed what the girls had done.

"It's a really scary outfit, isn't it?" Cici asked the two girls.

The two girls had huddled back together. And now, they nodded their heads again, staring at Ced.

"Babe, why don't you take your balaclava off?" Vic asked him.

"Okay," he replied to her. Then he removed his balaclava.

"Professor Potter?" Tabby said in amazement. Now she had three of her professors here!

"Yes," Ced said as he looked around uncomfortably. "Now, what kind of wand do you have?"

"It was Yew and Dragon Heart String," she told him.

The three of them pulled out the collection of wands and started to sort through them.

"Okay, here's one," Ced told the others. Then he stepped over to the dresser to begin resetting the wand for her.

While he was resetting the wand, two more visions of shimmering death entered the room.

When the girls huddled together again, Cici and Vic both looked at the door.

"Oh! Mum, dad, this is Princess Louise and Tabby!" Vic told them brightly.

"Hello," Harry growled out.

Hermione removed her balaclava, "Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you finally!" Hermione told the princess.

"Aunt Hermione? Uncle Harry?" Tabby asked confused. Everything that she thought she knew in this world was getting turned upside down!

Harry removed his balaclava and walked over to see what Ced was doing.

"I'm resetting this wand for Tabby. At least she won't be totally defenceless!" he told his dad as he put the finishing touches on the wand. Then he levitated the wand over to the young witch.

"Here, try this. It may not be perfect, but at least you should be able to use the wand," Ced told her as he levitated the wand to her hand. He wanted her to be the only person to touch her new wand.

Tabby reached out from the bed and grabbed the floating wand out of the air. And to everybody's amazement, the wand began to emit showers of sparks and light. For the first time since all of them had been in the room she was smiling. She was so happy, she finally had a wand again!

"Okay, the two of you need to get ready to get out of here!" Cici started telling the two girls. Then she turned to walk over to her mum.

When Cici turned her back, suddenly Tabby hexed her from behind.

"NO!" Vic cried as she watched the girl hex her wife from behind. Then she hit her with a stunner, probably harder than she needed to, but at this point, she really didn't care.

For Cici's part, she didn't even feel the hex hit her. For one, it was so weak, for the other, her body armour absorbed the hex with no troubles.

"What was that all about?" Ced exclaimed in shock. "Are you okay, Mi Amor?" he asked as he rushed over to her. "What's gotten into Tabby?" he asked of nobody.

"It might be because of something that older woman did to her," Louise told him.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked the young princess.

"Well, ever since we came to this place. She would take Tabby off to the side and make her drink some kind of liquid, and then she would make her stare into her eyes," Louise told her solemnly.

"Okay, thank you for telling us that. It explains a lot. Now we know how to heal her when we get back home," Hermione told Louise.

"We need to get ahold of the others and see how they're doing," Ced told everyone in the room. "We've been in one place too long. Do you want to carry her, or do you want me to?" Ced asked his dad.

"Go ahead and carry her, your mum and I will watch your flank," Harry told his son.

Ced picked Tabby up, he was tempted to carry her like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder, but he changed his mind when he caught the looks that his wives were giving him. No sense of humour!

Cici and Vic headed out of the bedroom door. They checked the hallway and turned to head for a set of stairs that should be at this end of the hall. The two women had their wands out ready for action.

Vic opened her watch and called Fred. "We have Tabby and the princess. We're headed down to the ground floor now," she told him.

"Okay, we'll see you in a minute," he told her.

Then Vic called George and Angel to tell them the same thing.

"Okay, we'll meet you down there in a minute also," he told her.

Then she called Rose to tell her the same thing.

"We'll meet you at the front doors, Rose told her.

"See you there in a moment, we're on the second floor right now," Vic said calmly.

They just needed to get across the courtyard and to the main gates of the castle. They also needed to know how Shaw and Winkelman were doing with the muggle terrorists. She knew what had happened to the majority of the wizarding terrorists, she had full access to her husband's memories to tell her that, but she didn't have access to the memories of her friends. Vic and her wife pulled their balaclavas back on.

Ced had given Louise the matching shield to his body armour when he pulled his balaclava back on also, it would do a couple of things for the young princess, it would give her a sense of protection, and it would provide protection if needed. For Tabby, he would just have to turn his back and protect her body with his. Thankfully, Cici and Vic were moving quickly through the castle, shortening their exposure time to the enemy.

In the main living area of the castle, the group with the two girls caught up to the rest of their group.

At the front doors of the castle, before they opened the doors to the chaos outside, Ced told them, "Cici and I will take the two girls to the brooms. The rest of you find out how Shaw and Winkelman are doing."

"What about Lestrange?" Rose asked.

"She's dead," Cici told her.

"Oh. Okay, good," Rose replied to her.

"Ready?" Ced asked his friends.

"Yeah, let's do this!" Amber told them.

Once the doors opened, Ced teleportused to the top of the wall surrounding the castle.

Cici turned to the princess, "Hold on!" and she engulfed her in a huge hug and then they were on top of the wall and then they were standing next to the brooms.

Once they were standing next to the brooms, "These soldiers will protect you!" the horrifying voice of Ced told the princess. Then he stunned Tabby yet again.

The two visions of shimmering death hugged each other, and they were gone faster than they had arrived.

" _Shaw says that some of his guys need medical attention!"_ Vic thought to her mates.

" _Where is he?"_ Cici asked her.

" _We're on the west side of the castle. Rose and Angel are on the north side. Fred and Julia took the east, and George and Amber took the south side of the castle. Everyone is looking for injured friendlies,"_ Vic told her.

" _Okay,"_ Cici told her just before she and Ced teleportused to the west side of the castle.

It was easy to tell the different sides of the castle the sun had risen above the horizon and was bathing the carnage in sunlight.

.

Rose and Angel had found about three or four soldiers that needed some kind of healing. Both of them had removed their balaclavas to be more friendly appearing to the injured soldiers.

Rose was bent over the soldier that she was healing, his body armour had absorbed several hits from a gun. "Okay, I need to take your body armour off so I can get a better look," she told him soothingly, wanting to keep him calm.

The soldier gritted his teeth and nodded jerkily to her.

So, Rose helped him remove his helmet, and then she began to help him remove the armour that was protecting his torso. And she felt something from him. She looked at him questioningly. And she watched his eyes go wide in front of her.

"You're a wizard!" she said softly.

With his teeth still gritted in pain, he nodded to her again.

Once she got his body armour opened up and laying on the ground next to him, she opened up his uniform shirt, and then she ejected her wand and banished his undershirt. After that, she began running different diagnostic spells to find out what all was wrong with him.

"Well, I guessed right," she told him with a warm smile. "You have four broken ribs on one side that have collapsed and have collapsed your lung on that side. Then you have two ribs on the other side that are just broken. You should be glad that you were wearing body armour!"

The injured soldier managed a weak smile, and he nodded to her again.

So, Rose began working from memory as she healed the two broken ribs. Then she recast the midlevel diagnostic spell and treated two more ribs on the other side. She checked her work and healed the last two broken ribs. She watched as the colour in his face returned to normal, and the pain eased out of his features.

"What's your name?" she asked as she was checking his vitals again.

"Sam," he told her quietly.

"Hi, Sam. I'm Rose," she said as she looked at the diagnostic display.

"I know. I've been watching you from the first time that we sparred against each other," he told her.

"Really?" she asked, as she looked him in the face.

"Yes," he said with a smile.

"Why are you a soldier?" she asked him, bewildered as to why a magical would become a muggle soldier.

"Both of my parents are Squibs," he began his story.

"Really?" she asked in amazement. She had never heard of two parents being Squibs.

"Yes, and the magic in me didn't show up until I was in my teens. Because I was a late bloomer, my parents didn't see the need to send me to the magical school. They said that the other kids would just pick on me and be mean to me. Plus, I wouldn't learn anything useful," Sam told her.

Rose thought about what he had said. And it was true, the other kids would have made fun of him for being a Squib.

"My dad became a soldier, and that's how he met my mum. She's a nurse," Sam was telling her.

"But what about you?" Rose asked perplexed.

"Well, like I said. I was a late bloomer, and I learned to hide my magic so the other kids wouldn't be afraid of me." He looked at what was being shown on the magical display.

"Well," she paused. "All I'm seeing is a bunch of bruising. The body armour kept the bullets from penetrating."

"That's good!" he said cheerfully.

"What's your last name?" Rose asked. She really liked this guy. He was so down to earth, not so full of himself, like that guy she had met at Ilvermorny.

"Hunter," he told her. "Can I get up now?" he asked her.

"Sure, let me get you a couple of anti-bruising potions and a mild pain reliever. You can see where your ribs have started bruising, here and here," she said to him as she pointed out where his ribs had been broken from the hail of bullets.

Sam rolled over, and he got to his feet. He felt the stabbing pain of the broken ribs, well, the just healed ribs now. He looked inside of his shirt, and he could see the skin over his ribs starting to take on a yellowish brown colour. She was right, tomorrow it would be black and blue. Thankfully he wasn't in a lot of pain. He began buttoning up his shirt, and when he looked over at Rose, he could see that she was taller than average. He liked her fiery red hair, it went well with her light tan and freckles. He took the two potions that she was holding out to him.

"Down them in one gulp!" she warned him.

Sam slammed the anti-bruising potions, and his face contorted at the horrid taste of the potion. Next was the pain reliever, and it was almost as bad as the first two. "How can you take this stuff?" Sam asked her, his face all scrunched up like a prune.

"I told you! Take them in one gulp! But I'm pretty much used to it with as many as I have taken!" Rose told him.

"Yes, you are pretty!" Sam told her out loud.

"Thank you," Rose said shyly as her face started to turn the same colour as her hair.

Sam finished buttoning his shirt closed, then he pulled his body armour closed and bent over to pick up his helmet. "Well, I think that I ought to get back into the fight," he told her.

"I think that most of the fighting is done by now. We found the two girls and they're safe." Rose told him as she looked around. "Shaw and Winkelman asked us to go around and help those that we could."

"Well, I guess that we should go around and find some more people that need your help," Sam said to her.

The two of them started walking around again. Angel had healed the others that needed help in the area that she and Rose had been checking on.

"Hey," Sam started. "Would you go out with me? You know, after all of this is over." He was waving his hand, indicating the battle that they were finishing up.

"Sure!" Rose said, calmly, hiding her excitement. "When?" she asked him as calm as she could be, which belied the emotions racing through at that moment.

"Maybe next Friday night? We could go and catch a movie or go out to eat or something like that!" he suggested to her.

"Okay, where would I meet you?" she asked him. "I can't get on the military base."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Well, where could I pick you up?" he asked her as they started walking around the castle.

"Well, you can't come to Hogwarts," she started to tell him. "Do you know where Kings Cross Station is?"

"Yes, that's in London, about two hours away from where I am," he told her.

"Okay, do you know the base where we did our training at the first time?" she asked him.

"Do you mean that little bitty base?" he asked her.

"Yes, I guess," she said with a smile.

Oh, wow! Her smile is so incredible! I don't want to let this chance pass! He thought to himself. Where else could he meet her?

"What about your parent's house?" Rose suggested. "What is close to them?"

"Well, there's this run-down pub called The Leaky Cauldron, but nobody goes there!" Sam told her dejectedly.

"You won't believe this, but I know the place!" she told him beaming at him. "OH!" Rose exclaimed. "What happened here?" she said as she was looking at the six buildings that had been levelled.

"Oh, well after all of you sealed the doors on the buildings, some genius inside of the building decided that they would blow the doors open! Well, I guess that they didn't think about all of the other explosives that they were storing in the barracks with them, so when the blast went off, and the door didn't open, all of the rest of the explosives inside of the building exploded too!" Sam told her. "The same thing happened back there and on the other side of the castle too."

"Huh, I guess that I was so focused on finding you guys to help, that I didn't notice," Rose told him, bewildered that she hadn't noticed anything so devastating. But then she had gotten focused on taking care of Sam.

"It could be. But I, for one, am glad that you found me!" Sam told her with his best smile. She's so amazing! He thought to himself. How does she know that dive bar?

"I'm glad that we found each other!" Rose told him.

The two of them walked around the front of the castle. It looked like all of the others were gathered there.

"Is there anybody behind you?" Shaw asked Hunter.

"No, sergeant," we're the last ones.

"Okay, so all that is left, are the wizards in the dungeon," Ced said as he walked up.

"You didn't take care of them when you had the chance?" Winkelman scolded Ced.

"We did the same thing with them that we did with all of the terrorists in the barracks out here," Ced told him. "We hit them with the sleeping potion, and then we sealed the doors. It's just that your terrorists blew themselves up and ours haven't!"

"Well, what do you want to do?" Winkelman asked him as he looked up at how high the sun had risen.

"Well, what I don't want to do is to leave them here to go free. That will just come back to bite us later in life!" Ced told him. "But the problem is, I don't know who the local magical authorities are in this country. Who could we turn them over to?" he asked.

"They are on Syrian soil," Winkelman said to him, understanding his dilemma.

"But I don't know who the local authorities are!" Ced told him. "The last time that we were here, you were supposed to be our ride out!"

"Yes, I remember how that turned out!" Winkelman told him.

"What I do know, is that I'm not going to go down there and kill them all," Ced told him morosely.

"To bad that you can't just call somebody!" Winkelman said to him in jest.

"I don't know if it will work, but I can try!" Ced told him just as he turned to walk away for some privacy.

Ced opened his watch and hoped, "Tonks," he told the screen.

A few moments later, Tonks's image came floating onto the screen.

"Ced?" Tonks asked. "Is everything okay? What's wrong? Did you find Tabby?" Tonks asked worriedly.

"Yes, everything is okay. No, there is nothing wrong. And, yes, we found Tabby. But what I need, is to know, who we can give over one hundred terrorist wizards to!" Ced asked her.

"Over a hundred?" Tonks was in shock. "Let me see if there is a functional Ministry of Magic in Syria. I'll call you back in a few."

"Thanks, bye," Ced told her.

Ced waved everybody over to himself. "Okay, I'm waiting on a call back from Tonks," he told them. "But I have an idea. Instead of us fighting a hundred terrorist wizards. Why don't we just seal them in? Make it so they can't leave the castle grounds until somebody comes and claims them?"

"Well, we need to set the house elves free," his mum told him. "There is no reason that they should have to stay here when we have their former master," she told her son.

"That sounds fine to me, mum," Ced told her.

Hermione started walking towards the front doors of the castle, Harry turned to follow.

"Shaw, Winkelman, let's get all of our people outside of the front gates!" Harry shouted at them."

The two soldiers nodded their heads in agreement.

"Vic, Julia, how long do you think that it would take to seal all of those wizards inside of the walls of the castle, so they can't ever get out? Only somebody from outside can bring the wards down?" Ced was being very specific, he didn't want to see all of these wizards joining the terrorist forces again. They had fought them once, and he didn't want to fight them again.

While Julia and Vic were discussing the combination of wards, Ced's watch started to vibrate for attention.

"Yes?" he said to the picture of Tonks.

"Okay, the wizarding government in Syria is a functional government, and they said that they would come and collect the terrorists. All they want you to do is to restrain them, and then set up a magical locator beacon so they can find the castle in a couple of hours," Tonks told him.

"Okay, we can do that., Vic and Julia are discussing setting up the wards now, so that they can only be brought down from the outside," Ced told her.

"Good, that should work for them. Can I talk to Tabby?" Tonks asked him.

"Not right now," Ced paused, how was he going to tell her? "We had to stun her." When he saw Tonks' eyes go wide, Ced told her, "Lestrange used some kind of mind control on her, and she tried hexing Cici from behind," he blurted out.

"She what!"

"She tried hexing Cici from behind when we gave her a wand to use for protection. We never even got a chance to ask her if she knew how to cast a shield spell! But up and to that point, she was doing well," Ced told her.

"Okay, just bring her home to me as soon as you can," Tonks sounded depressed now.

"We will, like I said, Vic and Julia are working on getting the wards set up to seal the terrorists in the castle."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later then," Tonks told him sadly, just before she ended the call.

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 **A/N:**


	81. Year Seven Chapter 81

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 81

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Hermione went through the large double entry doors of the castle and stopped in the middle of the foyer of the castle. She looked around and hoped that what she was about to do would work. She removed her balaclava so her voice and appearance wouldn't be distorted.

"Attention all house elves! I would like for all house elves to come to me now!" Hermione called out into the air and waited.

First, there was one pop, then another. Then two or three more. And then several more as the others watched as the other elves responded to her call. Timidly, nervously, the elves appeared in front of her. All of them were dressed in rags of some kind. All of the elves were filthy dirty. And all of the elves were scared.

Hermione's heart broke for the creatures bowing or standing before her.

"Your master is your master no more!" she said loud enough that all of them could hear her. "In a couple of hours, the Aurors will be here to arrest all of the wizards in the dungeons! All of you are now free! I know that none of you has ever experienced freedom, and some of you will not be able to handle being free, you need a family to be bonded to, and that is okay. We can help you find a family that will treat you with respect. For those of you that want to be free, to be free to make your own choices, we can help you with that also.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked the group of elves.

Some of the elves responded positively, and some of the elves reacted negatively, calling her names.

But one of the elves asked her, "How do we know that you are telling the truth? How do we know that you are not under a spell yourself?"

"For the first part of your question," and Hermione held out her hand and summoned the unbreakable jar that still had the bat in it. "Here is your master that is headed for trial on charges of terrorism, murder, kidnapping, raping, harbouring a fugitive, and other charges of the like. He will receive a trial, and if he is found guilty, he will be sent through the veil into the next adventure. But either way, he is never coming back here, and you no longer have a master that will beat you or cost you an eye. As for the second part of your question, do you know who I am?" she asked again.

"Yes, you are the soul-bonded parents, of two more soul-bonded couples," the oldest elf in the room answered the question.

When the others heard what she had to say all of them bowed to Hermione and Harry who had joined her.

"What you say is true!" Harry told them. "Can all of you make your way to the Potter Estate? There, you will find the Free House Elf Village! And there, you will find other house elves that will be willing to help you! In a few more minutes, this whole place will be sealed until the local authorities arrive to take the wizards in the dungeons into custody! Like Lady Gryffindor has said, we will help you with whatever choice that you make! But you only have just a couple of more minutes to leave here or be taken into custody by the local Aurors!" Then he turned and faced Mione, "We need to go."

Hand in hand the soul-bonded couple exited the castle, and they walked slowly towards the gates in the castle wall. Behind them, they could hear elves making their choices as the popping increased in tempo, and then became sporadic until it had stopped altogether. The elves had made their choices; good, bad, or indifferent, they had made their choices. They might not have been the choices that Hermione would have made for them, but the elves had made their choices.

After Harry and Hermione walked through the open gate in the castle wall, Ced closed the gate then Vic and Julia worked together to place all of the runes on the gate and the castle wall to seal the occupants inside until the authorities would let them out.

"How did it go?" Harry asked his oldest daughter.

"It went well. The others started at the back of the castle, and they all worked around to here. It went faster than I had expected, and after Ced closed the gate, Julia and I tied all of the runes together and sealed the place. They are now sealed in," Vic told him. "It's almost like an unbreakable jar has been placed over the castle and its walls."

"All of you have done a great job!" Harry praised them loud enough to be heard by all.

Once Vic and Julia had finished tying all of the runes and wards together Ced set about setting up the magical locator beacon.

"How high do you think I should cause the shower of magical sparks to go?" he looked up at the others.

Fred and George both shrugged, "I don't know, three-hundred?" Fred said.

"Five-hundred?" George thought.

"I think that you should make it go at least five-hundred metres in the air," Cici told him.

"That way the authorities can spot it easier," Hermione agreed with her.

"And don't forget to make it invisible to muggles!" Amber told him.

"What colours are you going to make the sparks?" Angel asked.

"Well, I was …"

"I think you should make the sparks red and green!" Rose told him.

Ced noticed that she was holding some guy's hand.

"As I was going to say …"

"I think that you should make the sparks green and red," Vic teased him.

Ced looked at his wife with a smile at her teasing him.

"Are you going to make the sparks spiral?" Julia asked him.

Ced turned to look at Julia.

"I think that he should make the sparks spiral!" Cici told her.

Ced turned and looked at Cici, who was smiling at him.

"Spiraling red and green sparks? I think that would be very pretty!" Harry had joined in on the teasing of his son.

Ced looked around at all of the people standing around him, he just hung his head and shook it. They had gotten him. He set back to work creating the locator beacon, and yes it would have spiralling red and green sparks that would shoot five hundred metres into the air. He would also put a muggle notice-me-not charm on it so it wouldn't attract the attention of any muggles within visual range of the beacon.

"Are you ready?" Ced asked loudly. He wanted to get the attention of the soldiers that were waiting around patiently.

"Yes, go ahead, babe," Cici told him. Vic slipped up next to him and took his free hand.

He looked down at her and smiled. Then he gave the proper incantation to activate the beacon. Everyone stepped back some, they didn't know how large the shower of sparks would be so they gave the beacon plenty of room. And when Ced was finished with the incantation, a column of sparks a metre across shot into the sky for almost five-hundred metres. After the beacon had settled in, the shower of sparks began to swirl giving the effect of spiralling sparks. And when the spiral had reached the tip of the shower of sparks, the beacon started emitting red and green sparks to please those that had wanted green and red sparks.

Cici had moved over next to Ced and her wife, she slipped her arm around Ced's waist, and he slipped his arm around her torso. Then he pulled her in tight against him and looked down at her. She smiled up at her husband, he was a good man.

"We need to go! We've been here too long!" he shouted to the group of onlookers.

"You heard the man!" Winkelman shouted also. "Get ready to go!"

Everyone moved to collect a broom and get them hovering so the troops could put their weapons away. Harry and Hermione gathered up Louise and Tabby.

Harry put Tabby in front of himself so that she was between his arms and couldn't fall off as easily.

Hermione got down on one knee to start explaining to Louise what they were about to do. "As you have figured out by now, we are not what you would consider to be normal people."

"No, Tabby told me that she was a witch," Louise told Hermione.

"That is correct."

"And I asked her why she couldn't just blink her eyes, or wiggle her nose, or just wave her hands and set us free, and she told me that she needed a wand to do that."

"Yes, well, she's not that powerful yet," Hermione told her.

"So, witches really do ride brooms then?" Louise said to her.

"Yes, and I'm going to need you to hold on tight, so you don't fall off."

"Okay, I can do that. So, how are we going to keep people from looking up and seeing us?" Louise asked a logical question.

"What we will do, is once we get closer to more populated areas, is use what is called a disillusionment charm. Which makes us more difficult to see," Hermione explained to her.

For different reasons, Hermione chose to have Louise sit in front of her on the broom, she wanted the girl to see everything that was going on, she wanted this ordeal to be over for the young girl.

While Hermione had been working with the princess, Harry had been tending to her broom so the soldiers could load their equipment again.

"Mione," Harry said to get her attention. "We're ready when you are."

"Okay, just a minute," she said to him. "I just want to make sure that Louise is going to be comfortable."

Shaw had moved over next to Ced, "You know, for a mission that was on the fast track to go FUBAR. You sure pulled this one off!"

"Fubar?" Ced asked.

"FUBAR," Shaw said to him. "Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition."

Ced looked at him with a 'What are you talking about,' kind of look on his face.

"When the plane got hit and was going down. You were the only one with a viable plan to salvage the mission. The rest of us were ready to jump out of the back with a parachute on, but you put together a plan to move the mission forwards!" Shaw praised him.

"Thanks," Ced told him. "But we're not out of the woods just yet. We still need to get to Cyprus so you and your guys can get home."

All of the magicals stared mounting their brooms. Then the soldiers climbed on. With the two extra girls, plus the two pilots and the loadmaster, they were one seat short. So, with Tabby up front, Harry took one of the pilots and the loadmaster with him. Ced looked around to make sure that everyone was ready and then he took to the air gently. He circled around, and when all of the brooms were in the air, he checked again and headed west toward the island of Cyprus.

Sam was snuggled up against Rose, he was sitting farther forward on the broom than he needed to, his hands were resting on her hips. Even with her balaclava on, he could still smell her intoxicating scent. He could just drink her in forever, and he was getting lost in her essence.

"What are you thinking about?" Rose asked him, picking up on his thoughts.

"How good you smell," he told her honestly.

"Thank you," she said to him as friendly as she could make her voice.

"So, I've never learned your last name," Sam told her, his mouth just centimetres away from her ear. This did two things, one is that it let him continue to drink in her scent, the other is that it kept him from having to yell to be heard.

"Bones, my last name is Bones," she told him and waited to see if there was any recognition of who she was or who her parents were.

"Bones? Like in The Bones family? One of the four Ancient and Noble families?" he asked shocked. Was he sitting her with his hands on wizarding royalty?

"Yes," she said. A big part of her wanted to become defensive, but another part told her to wait and see where this conversation was going.

"My parents told me about them. They talked about how decimated the four Ancient and Noble families had become after the wizarding wars," Sam told her, sadness in his tone.

"Yes, that's true," she answered cautiously.

"And yet, here you are again, putting your life on the line for somebody you probably don't even know!" there seemed to be some kind of awe in the tone of his voice, maybe it was at her nobility for doing what she was doing.

"Well, if we don't do it, then who will? Who would have come all of the ways over here for a couple of young girls? Especially if one of them wasn't the princess?" Rose asked him.

"Well, I heard that the only reason that we came on this mission was because of the princess!"

"My point exactly!" Rose said, turning her head slightly in the direction of his voice. "Who's going to fight for those that can't fight for themselves?"

"Is that why you did the mission in Congo?" he asked her.

"No, not at first. But then as we were transporting all of those girls and their babies. My heart kind of went out to them, and then that became a big part of why I was there."

"So, what do your parents do?" Sam asked her, wanting to keep the conversation going.

Rose sat up straighter, and Sam thought that he had overstepped his bounds. But then her wand appeared in her hand, and she cast a spell of some kind. When Sam looked down, he could see that they were flying over a more populated area now. It must have been some kind of stealth spell to make them invisible.

"What were you saying again?" Rose asked him.

"I was asking what it is that your parents do?"

"My mum, my mum's parents were killed in the first wizarding war, and she was raised by her aunt. But what my mum does, is she is a stay at home mum, and she take's care of the family's investments. My dad and his brother own a couple of joke shops," Rose told him. "What do your parents do?"

"Well, like I told you. My parents met when they were both in the military. My mum is still a nurse at a hospital, and my dad is in private security," he told her.

"So, your dad is in private security? Like a mercenary?" Rose asked him.

"No, he's more of a bodyguard than he is a mercenary. He doesn't travel outside of the country anymore."

"So, he was SAS like you?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you joined the SAS?" she asked him.

"Kind of. I guess that that protective nature is something that I got from him," Sam said contemplatively.

"Well, I think that that is a good thing, that you want to help others in that way," Rose said a little more happily. At least it seemed like he was a protector and not a taker.

"Well, the skills that I have been learning in the SAS transfer well into that kind of work. My dad says that for the most part, the people he works for are good people, but some of them can be real assholes."

"So, what kind of nurse is your mum?" Rose asked. Now she was the one wanting to keep this conversation going.

"Well, when she was in the military, she worked in the Trauma Ward at the base hospital. But when she got out, she switched over to the Labor and Delivery Ward. She said that she got tired of seeing all of the damage that people could do to each other when they got drunk and into fights. She likes helping to bring a life into this world when so many people are trying to take lives out of this world."

"That's nice," Rose told him earnestly. "So, what are your plans?"

"Well, up until I met you, I was going to stay in and do my twenty. But now, I don't know."

"Why don't you know?" she asked him sincerely.

"Well, I've never felt this way about a girl before," how vulnerable should I be, he wondered.

She could hear what he was thinking. "Well, I've never felt this way about a guy before, either," she opened up to him.

"Really?" he asked. "I would have figured that a beautiful woman, like yourself, would have a lot of guys chasing her!" he chuckled.

"No, in school they're all scared of us," she told him.

"Why?"

"Well, we're like wizarding royalty for one."

"And?"

"And now, we're just so much more advanced magically than the other kids are, that I think that it scares them, too."

"Okay …"

"Plus, any of the guys that might be interested in me are all my cousins, not too far removed. And just the idea of dating or marrying my cousin is just, ew!" and she gave a shudder at the disgusting thought.

"So, we could be cousins?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Yeah, but I'm not familiar with any of them named Hunter. What did your grandparents do?" she asked him curiously.

"Well, my grandpa moved to England from South Africa where his parents owned a plantation of some kind, and my grandma is from France. That's all I really know," he told her thinking about how little he really knew about his family tree.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Rose asked, wanting to learn more about this guy.

"I have a sister. Her name is Cathy," Sam said to her.

"Is she a Squib like your parents? Or did she learn to hide her magical abilities like you?" Rose asked him, wanting him to think about that part.

This did force Sam to think about his sister and his parents. Had he noticed anything unusual in his sister? She was in uni right now. She had done well getting accepted into Oxford on a scholarship.

"I can't answer that, because I don't know," he told her bluntly, realising how little he had paid attention.

"What is she doing now?" Rose asked.

"She's going to school, to be a nurse like my mum."

"Good for her!" Rose told him excitedly.

"What about you? What are you going to do after school?" Sam asked her.

"Well, all of us girls, except Cici, are going to go to school and then we're going to open a daycare and preschool for magical children. As the cost of things keeps going up, more and more mums have to work, and that is affecting the level of education of the students at Hogwarts. Plus, some of the child care centres are charging almost a half a month's wages for their services! We have one friend that was leaving her daughter at home alone because she couldn't afford to pay for childcare and make her rent and put food on the table!" Rose told him passionately.

"What about Cici, why isn't she going to help the rest of you?" he asked her curiously.

"She's going to go to uni to study to be a doctor like her mum," Rose told him.

"Her mum's a doctor?" Sam asked in amazement. He didn't know what he thought, but he never expected that! Not after watching the girl with a sword!

"What did you think she was?" Rose asked him.

"I don't know, but not that!" he said, a little embarrassed. "So, what are you going to do for this daycare that you want to start?"

"I think that I want to be an art teacher. Last summer we spent a lot of time in Italy, France, and Spain. And I just really liked all of those old paintings!" she told him thoughtfully.

"That sounds like it could be a lot of fun. But wouldn't a daycare be a lot of work?" he asked her.

"Well, there would be five of us, and we would hire some house elves that would want to work with us," Rose said to him.

Up ahead Ced had slowed like he was looking for something in all of this water.

"How big is Cyprus?" Rose asked Sam.

"It's not very big, why?" he asked her.

"Because, it looks like Ced is looking for a place to land where we won't be seen," she told him understanding what Ced was doing.

"Why's … oh, secrecy stuff," he replied to her.

"Yeah, the magical world is pretty serious about their secrecy," she told him with a smile in her voice.

"His best bet is to look for some kind of secluded cove or something like that," Sam responded.

Ced turned hard to the right, and he shot forward. About five minutes later he was landing on a large rock of an island that was well away from the main island and would give Shaw or Winkelman space to walk away from the group and radio in. There was some vegetation on the island, but there sure weren't any sandy beaches!

Winkelman dug around in the under-broom storage that he had been riding on and found a sat phone. He was going to need a secure line to get people to believe him and the story he was about to tell. When he walked some distance away from the group, he turned his back to the breeze that was blowing and dialled the number that he had memorised years ago for just such an occasion. After speaking to different people on the phone, he was told that they would be sending out rescue helicopters from RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus. Winkelman hung up and walked back to tell the others. When he turned around, he noticed that someone had put up canopies to protect everybody from the sun. As he got closer to the people, he saw that Hunter and Rose were sitting next to each other and holding hands as they were talking. He also noticed that all of the magicals had changed out of their body armour, he was glad about that, even after all of the different missions where he had been exposed to the armour, it still made him uncomfortable.

"Okay!" he said loud enough, to get everyone's attention. "They are going to be sending helicopters to transport us from here to RAF Akrotiri!" Winkelman told all of them.

"Okay, in that case, I think that we're just going to go ahead and make our own way back to England," Ced told him when he walked over next to Winkelman.

Winkelman's eyes narrowed as he looked at Ced.

"We have a way to travel large distances. It's called a 'portkey,' and it's pretty traumatic the first time that you travel that way. Some people actually get injured their first time. There aren't enough of us to help all of you, it usually takes two experienced people to help one inexperienced person," Ced started to explain to Winkelman.

"Okay," Winkelman said to him, annoyed that there had been away for all of them to have gotten to the base without landing on this rock.

Ced picked up on Winkelman's annoyance. "Would you like to try it, and see for yourself?" Ced asked him.

"Yes, sure," Winkelman told him curtly.

"Give me a minute to make a portkey and then we will take you," Ced told him.

Ced started to walk away, and he bent down and picked up a stick about a half a metre long. Then he ejected his wand and began creating the portkey. A few minutes later he had finished making the portkey, he walked over to the rest of his group and told them where to set the destination for their portkeys.

"Do you want to go with me, dad?" Ced asked as he grabbed his broom to take with him.

"Sure, son. Let me grab my broom, and we can put them inside of the barracks there," Harry told him.

Together they walked about halfway to Winkelman, and Winkelman closed the rest of the distance.

"Are you ready, Winkelman?" Ced asked.

"Sure," he said curtly to them.

"Okay, stand between my dad and myself and just lay a finger on the stick. When you do that you're going to feel a tugging sensation from behind your navel," Ced told him.

Winkelman laid his finger on the stick, and he could feel the tugging sensation just like Ced had told him he would. The next instant, he was freefalling without a parachute! He began screaming at the terrifying thought of falling from this altitude without a 'chute! He started going over ideas in his head of how he could do his best to survive the fall, he would let his legs take the brunt of the impact and then he could tuck and roll! If he timed it just right, he could roll and keep his arms tucked in tight against his body to lessen the number of broken bones that he would experience! He started trying to calculate the rate at which he was falling, how hard he would hit the ground, would he hit a grassy spot or a spot that was paved? Would he hit a building? If he hit a building, he was done for! He looked harder, he was figuring angles of trajectory, no he wouldn't hit a building! He didn't know anything! All he knew was that his mind was racing! And then Ced and his dad were trying to pick him up. He was alive!

After looking around, he saw that he was on the black ops base where they had originated the mission from. "That was bloody uncomfortable!" Winkelman told the two of them harshly.

"And that's why I didn't offer it as a solution as a way to get everybody here!" Ced told him with a smile.

"We're going to put all of your equipment inside of the barracks," Harry pointed to the barracks that the kids had stayed in when they had gone through training here.

"Okay, at least it's better than that bloody rock of an island we're stuck on!" Winkelman told them as he walked over to get the door for the two wizards. He was still angry.

Inside of the squad bay, the two wizards waved their wands at the storage compartment and all of the soldier's equipment began flying around the room and sorting itself out into neat piles.

Once they had finished, Ced looked at Winkelman. "Are you ready?" Ced asked him with a smirk.

"No, but let's do it. Don't smile at me! I'll wipe that smirk right off of your face!" Winkelman told Ced in an angry tone filled with mirth.

That only served to make Ced smile even more. "Alright! The same thing is going to happen again, only this time you'll have an idea of what to expect."

Winkelman laid his finger onto the portkey, and he was sucked in again, then he was falling over the island that they had landed on and this time when he landed he didn't fall into a complete lump on the ground, but he didn't scream all of the ways to the ground either.

When he got back up and dusted himself off, "You're right, it wouldn't be a suitable way to get all of those guys back home," he said as he indicated the other soldiers.

As Harry, Ced, and Winkelman were standing there talking, Rose and Sam walked up to them.

"Winkelman," Rose said, addressing the sergeant.

"Yes?" he asked, as he looked between the two newcomers.

"Would it be okay if Hunter went with us?" Rose asked him.

"Okay?" Winkelman said looking for more information.

"I would also like to talk to you about getting a weekend pass. I would like to introduce Rose to my parents," Hunter told his sergeant.

Winkelman stood there quietly looking at the young couple. "That will be fine. Just be back on base Monday morning in time for PT."

"Thank you, sergeant!" Hunter said with a grin.

"Thanks, Winkelman!" and Rose launched herself at him to give him a hug in her excitement.

The two of them left the group of men, holding hands.

"The lot of you should probably go, the helicopters will be here soon, and I can guarantee you that the pilots haven't signed a blood contract," Winkelman told the two men.

Ced stuck his hand out to shake Winkelman's, "Thanks, Walt. We'll see you later."

"Be safe, Ced," the sergeant said to him as they shook hands.

Harry shook the soldier's hand also then the two of them turned to gather up the rest of their group. Ced reminded his friends where to set the destination point for on the portkeys they were making. Then in pairs, they started making portkeys. As far as Sam went, he had Angel on one side of him and Rose on the other. Considering that he had never travelled magically before, he did okay. He only screamed halfway down and not all of the ways to the ground.

After they had unloaded their brooms. "What do you want to do with these, Uncle Harry?" George asked. Meaning the brooms.

"Let's take them to the Potter mansion, and I will take care of them on Monday morning. We may also need to do a debriefing with McMillian sometime next week," Harry told the rest of them.

So, in twos and threes, they went into the closet that had been set up for them to apparate. All of them waited at the apparition point of the Potter mansion for Harry and Hermione. Tabby was still unconscious, and Louise was soaking everything in, enjoying this adventure that had started just a few hours earlier. It was only about nine o'clock in the morning when they got to Harry and Hermione's house. Harry had everyone stack their brooms against the far wall in his study.

Hermione looked at Harry, "We've got a lot of people that we need to contact. Remus, Tonks, Kitten, Nev, Sofi, the queen, the king, who am I forgetting?"

"Do you mind if we go and get changed before we take Louise back to her parents?" Angel asked.

"No, I think that all of us could do with a shower and some clean clothes," Harry told her.

"And something to eat!" Fred added.

"And something to eat!" Harry teased him.

Sam was staying back and staying quiet. Watching and listening, learning.

"So, who's your friend, Rose?" Vic asked her.

"Everyone, this is Sam. Sam is actually a magical that never went to school. Both of his parents are Squibs, and his magic didn't show up until he was almost sixteen." Rose told them going into some detail.

"Really? That late?" Hermione asked him. "That is very unusual!"

"Do your parents know?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but by the time that my magic came in, I was close to sixteen, and my parents told me that it was too late to go to the wizarding school. So I learned to hide my magical abilities," he told Harry.

"Well, I am sure that Rose and the others would be more than willing to help you with whatever you need," Harry told Rose's new friend.

"So, meet back here in thirty minutes for a late breakfast and then get Louise home to her parents?" Ced asked the rest of them.

Amber looked at her watch, "How about ten o'clock instead. That way we're not rushing so much?"

The others and Ced agreed, all of them watched as Rose explained the floo to Sam and then she held his hand as they stepped into the floo together.

"If that wanker tries something with my sister, I'm going to …"

"You're going to do what!?" Angel said to him in a threatening tone of voice.

Fred looked around, and all of the girls were giving him threatening looks.

"If he hurts her!" Fred told them.

"If he hurts her, then that is something different!" Julia told her future husband.

Then the rest of them left through the floo in groups of twos and threes.

Hermione called out to Gareth.

Pop! The elf showed up louder than usual. "Yes, my Lady?" he asked with a low bow.

"Would you please show Princess Louise to a room so she can get a shower and get her a change of clothes?" Hermione asked the well-dressed elf.

"Yes, my Lady," he replied to her. Then he turned to face the princess, "If you will follow me please." And led her to one of the many unused bedrooms so she could shower and change into new clothes.

.

The floo flaring to life announced the arrival of the three young adults.

"Mum! We're home!" all three of them chorused together as soon as they stepped out.

Pop! The sound that the tiny creature made was so soft. "Master Fred, Mistress Rose, Mistress Julia," Flutter greeted them. Then she looked at the man that was with them.

"Flutter, this is Sam. Sam, this Flutter, she is our Second in Command House Elf," Rose made the introduction. "Where's mum?" she asked the elf again.

Refocusing on Rose, "She is in her private study. I will announce your arrival," the uniformed elf told her.

"Thank you, Flutter. We're going to start upstairs and will meet you at my mum's room."

"Yes, mistress. I will inform her," the elegant elf said to her, and then she was gone in her bow.

Susan met the four of them in the hallway outside of her bedroom. She knew that the three kids and their guest wanted and needed to get showered.

After the introduction was made, Rose asked, "Mum, would it be okay if Sam spent the weekend with us?"

Susan thought about this for a moment. This had never happened before. "That will be fine. He can have a room next to Fred," she told her natural born daughter.

She and Angelina had talked about Julia and Amber's situation over the last few years. And they often wondered how they came to be the girls' mums. For the girls' part, they had always been both respectful and grateful to their adoptive parents. Even to the point of enforcing the curfew that the women had imposed on them. Their own sons were more challenging to handle than the two new daughters. Angelina had mentioned to Rose that she thought that Amber secretly enjoyed having boundaries set, and parents that checked up on her. Rose told Angelina that she felt that Julia thrived on having parents that loved her and appreciated having her around.

"Thanks, mum! I need to go now so I can get ready for when we take Louise back to her parents in a bit! Sara is going to be so excited!" Rose told her mum enthusiastically.

"Sara? Queen Sara? You're on a first name basis with the queen? How did you do that?" Sam asked in disbelief.

"Julia and I are a part of her personal bodyguards!" Rose told him. "She even wears some of my clothes!"

"But, how did you become a part of her bodyguards?" Sam asked still not understanding.

"She asked us too!" Rose sighed forcefully and slowed down. "Okay, Cici and Vic were her bodyguards, and we asked if we could meet the queen, and the queen said yes, but not at the palace. She's really tired of the paparazzi! So, they took her to their house, and that is where Julia and I met her. And then after spending most of the afternoon together, she was complaining that she wanted to wear something more casual, and since she's a size, I was not too long ago, I came home and got some of my clothes for her to try on. She tried them on and liked them, so I gave those and some of the other clothes that she wanted to her! All six of us girls are a part of her bodyguard detail!"

"So, what is she afraid of that she needs the six of you to be her bodyguards?" Sam asked curiously.

"Well, with the six of us around, she's not afraid of anything! But we've, and you can't tell anyone what I am about to tell you, we've caught several terrorists that have infiltrated the palace guards. So, between those terrorists and the ones that were pretending to be police officers, that kept arresting us all summer long, we were able to figure out where the kidnapper took the girls, and with your help, go rescue them!" Rose replied brightly with a broad smile.

"Okay, we'll talk some more after a while. Go take care of the princess, before you're late!" Susan told her. "Flutter, will you please show Sam to a room next to Fred's and get him a change of clothes?"

"Yes, my Lady!" Flutter told her.

Rose turned back around and looked at Sam, "I'll see you when I get back from the palace! Mum and Fred will be here if you need anything!" then she turned back and hurried to her room to get showered and changed.

Dressed to the nines, Rose hurried to the floo. Julia was standing there waiting for her, and she timed the toss of the floo powder so that she and Rose would step through the floo together.

"Potter Mansion," Julia said just as Rose was next to her, and together the pair of them stepped into the floo, and out into the Potter mansion.

"Good, everybody is here," Vic said as the two young women stepped out of the floo.

Rose noticed that Louise was dressed for the late fall in Great Britain. It had probably been months since she had been dressed properly for the weather. She had been taken at the start of summer and here it was the first of November.

"Is everybody ready?" Cici asked. Looking around and hearing no negative comments, "Okay, let's take Louise home."

"Holyrood Palace!" Angel said as she tossed a pinch of floo powder into the floo.

.

The guard outside of the floo room in the palace was startled when the seven females exited the room.

"Her Highness the Queen?" Cici asked the guard.

And for a split second, the guard entertained the thought of not telling her. "In the small sitting room," he told the queen's personal detail.

"Thank you," Cici said as the group formed a protective detail around the young girl in the middle of them.

The clicking of their heels announced the approach of the queen's detail wherever they went in the palace. The palace staff found it easier to just move out of their way than try to bully the six young women. And today, it sounded like the six of them were on a mission to get somewhere rapidly. A few hallways, a few turns, and several minutes later the seven of them stopped outside of a closed door. There was a young page standing outside of the door, guarding it.

"We are here to see the queen," Cici told the young man guarding the door to the room.

The intense sexuality of the six young women was very uncomfortable for the young page. He began to swallow, hoping to swallow his uncomfortableness, he could feel the beads of perspiration beginning to appear on his forehead.

"Just a minute, please," he croaked out. Then he knocked on the door to announce his arrival.

"Yes?" came the female's voice.

The page opened the door and stepped into the room. "Your personal detail is here to see you, ma'am."

"Please show them in," the voice said.

At that instance, Cici led the group of seven girls into the room, single file. Once all of the girls were in the room, the page exited the room and closed the door behind himself.

"Sofi, you don't need to use the glamour bracelet," Sara told the young girl with the older girls.

"Who's Sofi, mummy?" Louise said confused.

Sara's brows furrowed in confusion also at that question. "Louise?" she asked too desperate to hope that her little girl had been returned home to her.

Sara, still standing, covered her mouth as the tears of joy started to flood her eyes, then she held out her arms to welcome her daughter back into her bosom. Louise raced to her waiting mother's arms, to feel the warm embrace again. The queen bent over to engulf her lost daughter in her arms, wanting to wrap herself around her to keep her safe, to protect her from being stolen from her again. Soft sobs of relief mixed with the laughter of joy as tears of happiness caused mascara to run down the queen's cheeks. The six young women had moved forward and unconsciously formed a protective circle around the reunited mother and daughter in the middle of them. They stayed that way long enough for the two in the middle to loosen their grip on the other. Long enough for Sara to lean back without letting go of her precious daughter, to take in the changes in Louise's face. She was thinner now, signs of malnourishment evident for those that wanted to see. Her cheekbones were protruding from a face that was too thin, the baby fat gone, months ago. Sara could feel her only daughter's ribs through the clothes that she was given to wear. As she looked her over, Sara could see that this was her daughter now, and Sofi was her daughter from months ago, she could see the difference. She held her back, one hand on each arm, and took in what her daughter looked like now. She was pulling her back into an 'I never want to let you go again hug…'

The doors to the sitting room exploded into the room, the body of the young page was with the doors as they skidded on the floor to a stop against the far wall. Cici and Vic rushed forwards, pulling the girl and her mother behind them. Rose and Angel moved quickly to the side of the room that used to have the doors in it, taking cover behind a large cabinet. Julia and Amber moved behind a couch near the windows of the room. Cici and Vic moved to put as much space between them and the threat that was entering into the room as they could. The two of them thinking as one, cast disillusionment charms on themselves, the queen, and the princess. As if knowing what their friends were thinking, the other four members of the bodyguard did the same thing.

" _CED!"_ the two wives yelled through their mental link.

" _You need to get to the palace! You have to protect the king!"_ Vic thought to him.

" _Call Fred and George! You need to protect the king!"_ Cici thought to him.

" _On our way!"_ Ced thought to them.

Ced sat up in the chair, he flipped open his watch, "Fred!" he said forcefully to the watch. Time seemed to drag on forever as Ced waited for Fred to answer. Seconds seemed like hours.

"Hey, what's going on?" Fred asked him in a cheerful, relaxed mood.

"The king is under attack! Meet me at the palace!" Ced almost shouted at the watch. Then he closed the watch to disconnect the call. He flipped the watch open again and said, "George!" How could it take so long to answer your communications watch? It's on your wrist!

"Hey! I was just getting ready to go over to Fred's. Want to join us?" George asked.

"The king is under attack! Meet us at the palace!" Ced shouted.

"What!? I'll meet you there!" and George slammed his watch shut.

George stood up and summoned his backpack to him. Then he summoned his and Amber's body armour to the pack. He was rushing out of their room when he skidded to a stop and changed directions. He hoped that Angel didn't lock her door. He got to her room and checked the knob, no, it wasn't locked. He opened the door and summoned Angel's body armour to his pack, and once the shield was in the pack, he pulled the drawstring closed. He turned and before he even slung the pack over his shoulders, he teleportused to the floo in his parent's house. Mum and dad weren't home from work yet.

"Holyrood Palace," George told the green flames.

In the floo room of the palace, the three young men were spit out of the floo one on top of the other. The one on top of the pile had to roll off of the others so they could stand up. Then the three of them were changing into their body armour as quickly as possible.

Once they had changed, "Give me your packs!" Ced told his mates. "I'll take them to the girls! Go, protect the king!"

With three packs on one arm and his shield on the other, Ced shifted to his wives. The sight of Death appearing in the room so close to the queen caused her to start screaming uncontrollably.

"Mum!" Louise hissed at her mother as she pulled her, trying to get her attention, trying to get her to look at her. "Mum! He's on our side!"

Ced dropped one of the packs with his wives, and then he opened the other two packs and dropped them so the girls could at least summon their shields to themselves. Ced put his shield in front of himself and began to advance on the attackers. The four other members of the bodyguards saw Ced and started to summon their body armour to themselves.

Ced saw the dozen wizards in red robes, and he roared at them, "RAH! I AM TIRED OF YOU! TODAY, ALL OF YOU ARE COMING WITH ME!"

With the Class-V body armour and the shield. It wasn't a fair fight, and Ced was taking the fight to them. It was a rainbow of curses that focused on Death in the room. The shield was deflecting and absorbing the variety of curses hurtled at its bearer. And its bearer was casting triple packs of spells as fast as he could.

Cici and Vic could feel Ced beginning to pull on their magic, and they could hear the destruction coming from the hallway outside of the room. They could hear the sounds of breaking glass and pottery. In the room they were in, the frames of the paintings were bouncing off of the wall from where things were hitting it from the other side.

Amber had laid down on the floor as she began to pull her body armour on over the dress that she was wearing. She gave up and stripped the dress off when she had covered most of her body. Then she made room for Julia to do the same thing. Now, at least, most of their bodies were covered! She stuck her head back up over the edge of the couch and watched as Ced was taking the fight to their attackers.

Across the room, Rose was wiggling her hips as fast as she could, trying to get the armour to slip over them. When she had the armour up to her bosom, she too gave up on her dress and peeled it off, leaving only her bra to protect her modesty. Rose moved out of the way so Angel could finish getting her body armour on too.

In the back of the room, Cici and Vic had pulled out their shields and given them to the queen and the princess. Then they too began the arduous process of changing into their body armour in a combat zone. And soon enough, there were two more dresses lying on the floor of the sitting room, a total of six pairs of heels joined the dresses, and three empty backpacks.

"Stay here," Death told the two females. "The shields will protect you. And we will be back for you when it is safe."

The queen just nodded vigorously as she and her daughter huddled behind the two shields.

"Amber, Julia!" Cici said authoritatively. "Stay with the queen and the princess! Rose, Angel let's go and help Ced!"

By the time that Cici had finished saying what she had, she was over halfway across the room, and Vic was right beside her. When they got to what was left of the door opening, they could see that Ced was fighting a two-front battle. Half of the terrorists had gone one direction, and the other half had gone in the other direction. The hallway was littered with bodies, both muggle and wizarding alike. But for the muggles, looking at their bank eyes, Vic knew it was the end of this adventure for them. The plaster walls were filled with dents caused by the flying bodies of the wizards that Ced had been hexing with a vengeance. The vases, the framed photos, and other delicate and breakable items had all suffered from the ongoing battle for the palace. The tapestries that had been hanging were cut, burned, or otherwise damaged. The centuries-old paintings, one of a kind artwork, suffered alongside of the rest of the valuables in the hallway.

"Cici, Vic, go to the floo room and work your way back from there! Angel, Rose, take that group there and work your way to your brothers!" Ced told the girls what he wanted to be done.

With the backup, Ced was able to move out into the hallway and continue to take the fight to his enemy. What he had thought to be just a dozen or so terrorists had turned into dozens of well-trained fanatical fighters. With Cici and Vic joining the fight, Ced had to stop drawing upon their magic to bolster his. With the shield on his arm, Ced was able to focus more on his offensive spells, and he kept pressing forwards. As he would pass downed terrorists, he would summon their wand and then bind them with chains. The curses deflecting off of his shield were doing a lot of damage to his surroundings, but at this point, that was a small price to pay for his security. As he kept pushing the attackers back, eventually they came to a junction with another hall. Again, the terrorist forces split, trying to get him to expose his back. Ced stopped, he looked down one hall, and he looked down the hall he was currently fighting in, then he looked behind him. It was clear behind him where Rose and Angel had taken the fight to the enemy. He made a choice.

He flipped open his watch, "Julia," he growled into the watch.

A moment later, he was rewarded with, "What's wrong?"

"I need your help. The enemy has split up, trying to get me to expose my back to them. Can you and Amber, if it is safe enough for the queen and the princess, come out here and help me? You know what? Just one of you come out here and help. The other of you need's to stay and protect the queen and her daughter!"

"I'll be there in a minute!" Julia told him.

Julia looked at Amber, and Amber had heard what Ced had told her. "Go!" Amber told her. "I'll stay here and take care of them!"

Julia stepped out into the carnage that was the hallway just on the other side of the wall. She looked both directions and then she could see Ced. She ran down the hall to get to him as quickly as she could. She slowed when he held his hand out in a way that would indicate slowdown or stop. She moved up slowly beside him.

Ced moved back behind the corner. "Work your way down that hallway there." And Ced pointed to the hall. "Be careful! They like to use the killing curse!" he told her.

Then Ced stepped out into the hallway and fired off a three pack of spells. Julia used that opportunity to start clearing the hall that Ced had indicated. She was greeted with a rainbow array of curses, she ducked down behind her shield and put her shoulder into it steadying it against the barrage of spells bouncing off. Then she stood up and fired off two three packs of spells. She was rewarded with two terrorists going down. Julia remembered the basics, cast and move, cast and move! It was in this way that she kept taking the fight to her enemy, pressing forwards. She was rewarded several minutes later when she sandwiched the last of her attackers between her and two more visions of shimmering death. Just as she had been taught, Julia summoned her enemy's wand and then she bound them with chains.

"Who's with the queen?" Cici asked her.

"I left Amber there to protect them!" Julia told her.

"You two go check on the queen, I'll go and help Ced," Vic told the pair of them.

"Be careful Little One."

"Always, Dark One!"

Vic ran down the connecting hallway to join her husband in the fight against the side of darkness.

Cici and Julia ran back down the hallway towards the sitting room where it had all begun. As they approached the damaged doorway, they could hear spell fire from the room.

All of this had been a diversion to get them away from the queen and her daughter? Cici thought to herself. They had expertly drawn us away from them!

When she and Julia rounded the corner into the room, they saw that Amber was pinned down protecting Sara and Louise. She may have been on her feet fighting terrorists by herself, but she couldn't move, she was going toe to toe, slugging it out with six terrorists dressed in red robes. Moving would leave the queen and the princess exposed, and she wasn't going to expose them to this danger.

Cici and Julia stepped into the room casting and hexing the terrorists from behind. The two witches each stunned one of the terrorists. The distraction let the three pack of spells that Amber was casting to get through the shield that her opponent was using. Now the odds were even at three against three, and Amber stepped forward, hitting her next opponent with another powerful three pack of spells.

"We need to get the royal family out of here!" Cici told the others. "We need to get them someplace safe!"

Sara and Louise braved a peak around their shields, and they saw three visions of shimmering death standing over six people in red robes lying on the floor.

"We need to find out where the others are, and find out where the king is, and if he's okay," Cici said to her friends.

"I'll call George and hope that he can answer," Amber used the excuse to call her husband and see if he was okay.

"I'll call Rose and check on her and Angel," Julia replied to Cici.

While those two were doing that, Cici went to check on Sara and Louise. Timidly, cautiously the two royals stood up, lifting the shields with them.

"We're going to get you out of here and to someplace safe," Cici told them.

Sara nodded nervously at her, almost too scared to speak, lest she be heard and put them in more danger. "Okay," she managed to squeak out.

"George says that they're trapped in a room, but that the king is okay," Amber told Cici.

"Does he know what room they're in?" she asked her.

"He says that there are a bunch of animal heads on the walls!" Amber replied.

"Okay, they're in the trophy room!" Cici said as she drifted off into thought. How was she going to get there to help with the king?

"There's a back way into that room," Sara told them. "The servants use it to serve drinks and other things to people in the room."

"Okay, can you get us there?" Cici asked.

"Yes, is it safe to go out there?" Sara asked hesitantly.

"Come on. Julia and Amber will lead, and I'll bring up the rear. Bring the shields with you," Cici instructed the queen.

Everybody got ready to go. Amber and Julia were in the lead, about two paces in front of the queen and her daughter, and Cici brought up the rear, about one step behind them. Sara directed them in which way they should go, she took them through parts of the palace they had never seen.

"These are passageways that the servants use to move around the palace quickly and unseen," she explained to them as they took a turn through what had to be the biggest kitchen any of them had ever seen, except maybe Hogwarts.

A few minutes later they were moving unheard on the soft carpeting behind the curtains of the trophy room.

"Fred! George!" Amber called out softly. For one, she didn't want to be a victim of friendly fire. The other was, she didn't want to let the enemy know that reinforcements had arrived.

Julia looked around and then she decided to belly crawled over to where her master was hiding behind a gun case.

"Hey!" she said. "We need the king."

"Okay, he's over there!" and Fred pointed across the room.

Julia looked, and the king was hiding behind and under a cabinet of some kind.

"How many terrorists do you have?" she asked her master.

"I'm not sure. Is Amber with you?" he asked the queen of his heart.

"Yeah, and so is Cici, but she's watching the queen and the princess," Julia half rolled to look back at the curtain.

"If we can get the king out of here, …" Fred said thinking out loud.

"That's what the rest of us are thinking. Get the king to a safe place and then take the fight to them!" Julia told her future husband.

"How are you going to do that? The bloody fool won't move! George is stuck over there because of him!" Fred was getting upset at the situation they were in because of the king not moving.

Julia looked back over to where she could just see the king. "I'll be back!" she told Fred and then she began belly crawling towards the king. As she crossed the centre of the room, Fred and George watched as she took a hit to her back. Julia felt the hit and was glad that her shield was back there to help her armour, she didn't know what kind of spell hit her, but she kept moving towards the king and his hiding spot.

"Your majesty," she said when she got close to him.

He looked at her with a terrified look.

"Your majesty, if you want to be safe and see your daughter, you need to come with me. The others will take care of the terrorists, but you need to come with me so I can help you get to someplace safe," Julia told the king in a soothing voice.

He just looked at her, terrified.

She looked into his eyes, then she was inside of the king's mind. What a mess it was in here! Geez, I really need Vic!

"Your majesty, we really have to go!" she told him inside of his mind.

"I can't, I was told to stay, so that I would tie down anybody that would try and help me," he told her.

"Well, I have your wife and your daughter, ready to go someplace safe!" she tried again.

"But, I have to stay! I can't leave!" he told her again, terrified.

"Shite!" she said and pulled out of his mind. She flipped open her watch. "Amber!" she said to the screen.

"What is taking so long?" Amber asked her.

"They've messed with his mind again! I need you to lead a charge to attack the terrorists, Fred and George will join you when they see you attacking. The king is a trap!"

"Did she just say that the king is a trap?" Sara asked Amber.

"Yes, ma'am. The terrorists managed to get back into his mind and did something to him," she told her.

Amber looked at Cici, "Go! I'll keep them safe. Lead the attack and use your shield! Be safe Amber," Cici told her.

Amber turned around and moved to the edge of the curtain. Cici moved the queen and Louise farther back into the hidden corridor and around a corner to keep them safe from any stray spells. The three of them heard Amber's yell as she charged the enemy.

George and Fred watched as a crazy woman started yelling and charging their enemy. Amber crouched down as a storm of curses began flying in her direction. She tucked in behind her shield and leaned into it to keep it steady. From her one side, she could see her husband advancing past her and towards the enemy. She got up and started moving forwards again casting triple packs of spells at the members of the UAA.

As soon as the room was clear, Julia stunned the king and drug his body out from under the cabinet that he was hiding under. Once she had him clear, she petrified him to make him easier to levitate, and then she levitated his body and headed to Cici.

When Sara saw her husband floating on air and not moving she gasped, "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing, I just had to stun him, and then I petrified him to make it easier to move him," Julia told her. "I need to go and help the others! I hope that you told Charles that you were bringing the king home this afternoon!" Julia teased Cici before she turned and went to join the others in the fight that was in the hallway now.

Cici stopped, Julia had a good point, and she called her mum to let her know what her plan was. Hermione promised to let Charles know that the royal family was coming back to the Potter mansion.

" _I'm headed to the floo room,"_ she thought to her bond-mates.

" _It should still be clear,"_ Vic thought back to her.

" _I hope so! I have the whole royal family with me. The king has been stunned and petrified. The terrorists got back into his mind,"_ she told them.

" _Okay, I'll fall back and help you,"_ Vic told her.

" _Keep them safe, Mi Amor,"_

" _I will, babe. And you be safe too,"_

" _I will,"_ he told her.

" _Where are you?"_ Vic asked. _"Never mind, I'll shift to you!"_

And then Death appeared next to its wife. This time the queen didn't scream.

"Sara," Death said to the queen. "You need to tell us how to get to the floo room so we can get you and your family out of here," Death said to her as soothingly as the most terrifying voice the queen had ever heard, could.

And so, Sara straightened her back and began telling the person in the front which way to go to get to the floo room.

"Okay, this is the room closest to the floo room that we can get to using the servant's passageways," Sara told one of the two girls. She couldn't tell them apart in their armour.

"The hallway is clear," leading Death said.

"Okay, turn to your left and go to the end of the hall, then we need to turn right, and it should be the third door on the left," Sara told her.

And down the hallway they went as quickly as they could, Vic cleared the next hall and then she checked the door, and she stopped suddenly.

She turned to face Louise, "Can I borrow my shield, please?" Vic/Death asked the young girl.

Louise slipped the comforting weight of the shield off of her arm and handed it to the vision of shimmering death.

Cici/Death urged the two of them to back up away from the room, she knew what her wife had planned for those inside of the room. As they watched, Vic/Death disappeared from in front of them.

Vic appeared in the centre of floo room, she managed to fire off two sets of a triple pack of spells and then she was out of the room as quickly as she had entered the room. She hadn't stayed long enough for the two terrorists' bodies to hit the floor, but she could still hear the other five terrorists casting spells for another couple of seconds after she was back in the hallway. Using her infrared tech, she was able to see through the walls and the door. She planned her next teleportus to take her into the middle of the remaining terrorists, besides the two that she had taken down, the terrorists had taken down another two of their own, three were left. Merlin, you had to love friendly fire when it worked in your favour! In she went facing the two that were closest together, fire off two more triple packs of spells and she was out in the hallway again. She watched the last terrorist with her infrared vision, she could see him pacing around, trying to look everywhere at once. He reminded her of a fly on a picnic table, moving and stopping, always changing directions, and when he was walking away from the door, Vic burst through the door, with her shield raised, and she was faster with a wand than he was. She turned around and waved the others through the door. While she waited for all of them to enter the room, she started summoning the terrorists' wands and binding them with chains. Then she left them where they lay, in case the CSI team wanted to recreate the crime scene.

Vic pulled off her balaclava, "Come on Sara, we need to get ready to go!" Vic told the queen. "Did you call mum and dad and tell them that we're coming with the royal family?" Vic asked Cici.

"Yes! I don't want Charles mad at me for a month!" Cici told her, holding her balaclava in her hand.

Vic tossed in some floo powder and took Louise's hand and Sara's hand and stepped into the green flames. Then it was Cici's turn to do the same thing with the petrified body of the king.

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 **A/N:**


	82. Year Seven Chapter 82

C O Potter

Year Seven

Chapter 82

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When the teams of Aurors arrived at Holyrood Palace, Vic and Cici were in the floo room 'inspecting their minds' as they passed through. Out of the two dozen or so Aurors that came to the palace, the two young women separated out three more terrorists. Catching them in that instant when they were spitting out of the floo and most confused.

Once all of the dead bodies and all of the terrorists had been removed from the palace, Sara asked her detail to take her back so she could inspect the damages done by the terrorists.

"So many lives lost, and so much damage done!" the queen said solemnly. "And for what? What did they hope to gain?" She stopped walking and turned to face the girls, "I would like to thank each and every one of you for what you have done for the Crown and for me personally. We owe you a debt that cannot be repaid," she told the girls, deeply sincere in her tone and thought.

"Your, Highness." The girls said and gave her a bow in recognition of the queen's gratitude.

Sara started walking again, leading her entourage, looking at the destruction of invaluable pieces of art, heirlooms passed down for a thousand years that had been destroyed. As she surveyed the damage, she realised, that wherever a fight had been fought, nothing survived the battle. It was as if the terrorists had taken great pride in the amount of damage they could do!

Vic could feel the depression creeping into the queen's thoughts. "If you can close the palace for a few weeks, I'm pretty sure that a team of house elves could set most everything back right," she told her, hoping to lift her mood and give her some hope.

Sara stopped and looked Vic in the eye, "Do you really think so?" she asked hopefully. Hoping that Vic wasn't just saying what she had said, just to try and make her feel better.

"I'm pretty sure! When the terrorists had infiltrated my company, we had a pretty big fight there too. I brought in a team of about a hundred and fifty house elves, and in less than half a day they had set almost everything straight. For some of the bigger and more complex things, we might need to bring in some specialists, but I think that most of this, might be salvageable," Vic was telling her.

"Could you take care of this for me?" Sara asked her hopefully.

"Not me! The one that would probably do the best job would be Amber's husband, George. What do you think, Amber? Is this something that George could handle?" Vic asked her friend with a cheerful tone.

The group had stopped at an intersection of a couple of hallways, they were looking around at the amount of damage in the two corridors. This was a lot worse than Cleansweep had been, but the elves had done a fantastic job there.

"It can't hurt to ask!" Amber told the queen. "Would you mind if I asked him to come to join us and take a look at what he would be getting into?"

"No, please do," the queen told her. "And, which of the house elves would you need to ask?" she turned to face Vic and Cici. They were holding hands again she noticed, it didn't seem as odd to her now.

"You had better ask Charles and let him delegate the job to whom he thinks would be best," Cici told her wife.

Vic nodded in agreement, "Charles!" Vic called out for the Head House Elf of the Potter Mansion.

"Your Highness, Ladies Potter," he addressed them as he bowed to the queen.

"Charles, do you think that it would be possible to repair all of the damages done by the battle in the palace?" Vic asked him.

Charles looked at what he could see, and what he could see looked bad, the palace was filthy! Didn't these muggles know how to clean? "I will ask if there are any elves that would want to come and clean, and repair the damages done to the Royal Palace. It would not be fair to the elves to ask them to work for free on this project," Charles was telling them.

"Oh! I couldn't let anybody work on the palace for free!" the queen sounded shocked that someone would even consider it!

"I will offer them a galleon a day," Charles told the two of them.

"How much is that?" Sara asked looking at Vic for an explanation.

"It's about £2.00 a day," Vic told her, waiting for the shock that was about to come.

"That's not enough! I would need to pay them at least four times that much, per hour!" the queen was outraged at how little the creatures were getting paid.

"Ma'am, if you were to pay them that much, then you would be insulting them," Charles told her delicately.

"Sara," Vic said, "The house elves live very frugally. Most of them are bonded to a family for their whole lives. The elves that would be coming here to work; are free elves. My mum and dad have tried to pay the elves more, they have tried to give them more time off."

"It is in a House Elf's nature to want to work. It is who we are," Charles told the queen respectfully.

"Fine, I don't like it, but I will accept it," she told them. "When would they want to start?" she asked.

"Some of them, I am sure, could start as early as tomorrow. We would need the palace empty of people so the elves could work undisturbed," Charles told her.

"Fine, I will see that the palace staff is gone home for the rest of the year," Sara told them. "I will send them home today, and then we will need to return to Buckingham Palace. Is George coming?" she turned and looked at Amber.

"He should be here momentarily," Amber told her nervously as she started looking around for her husband, what was taking him so long?

Charles looked up at the queen, "Master Weasley is a good supervisor. He treats the elves fairly and with respect, and he is a conscientious worker, he strives for the best."

From the little bit of time that Sara had lived with the Potters, she knew that this was high praise coming from Charles.

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOUUUUU!" the teaching staff, family, and friends at Hogwarts sang to Cedric and Cecilia inside of the Teacher's Lounge. Professor McGonagall had been the one tasked with getting the three of them to the room without spoiling the surprise after dinner that night. The school elves had gone overboard in baking the cake. The cake was half a metre in diameter and close to a metre tall, with eighteen candles spread evenly around the three layers of the cake. The white candles stood out from the chocolate frosting on one half of the cake and the thirty-centimetre tall candles almost blended in with the white frosting on the other side of the cake. And, with true wizarding magic, the wax from the candles never landed on the icing of the cake.

"Well, make a wish, and blow out the candles!" Professor McGonagall encouraged the two of them, her hands clasped together in joy.

While they were enjoying the festivities of the party, there came a knocking on the door to the break room. Professor Grumbly-Plank was closest to the door, so she was the one to open the door to the insistent knocking.

"May I help you?" she asked the young student gruffly.

"Professor, there's some kind of fog in the dungeons! Some of the students have gotten sick! And other students are just lying on the floor not moving!" Larry Patel told her in a rush of words.

"When did this happen?" she asked him growing interested in the fact that some of the students were lying on the floor not moving.

The noise in the room from the party had quieted down some, as others shushed some of the louder party goes so they could hear.

"About a half an hour ago!" he said excitedly.

"This isn't some Weasley prank now is it?" she asked him sternly.

"No, ma'am! It may have started off that way. But people are getting sick and coughing!" Patel said with tears of frustration hanging in the corners of his eyes.

"If this is some kind of prank! You're going to get a week's worth of detention! Do I make myself clear?" the stern old professor glared at the young student.

"No, ma'am! Yes, ma'am! I mean, just please come! They need help!" he stammered out in confusion.

Julia had taken an interest in the conversation when she heard about something happening in the dungeons. That was where her house common room was. It was where she was supposed to be sleeping if she wasn't still living in the married quarters in Gryffindor with Neville and Sofia.

"I'll go with you, Professor," Julia told the older professor.

"Okay, well," somebody had best save me a piece of cake! She thought to herself.

"I'm sure that there will be plenty of cake left," Julia told her after she picked up on her thoughts.

As Julia began walking to the door of the lounge, she felt Fred slip his hand into hers. As much as the two of them had been holding hands, you might have thought that they were a soul-bonded couple. When they got down to the basement floor of the castle, Julia could smell a horrid stench. Her eyes began to water, and her nose started to burn. Instinctively she backed away from the poisonous fog. She cast a bubblehead charm on herself. Then she and Fred stepped into the rising fog. As they began to descend the stairs, the mist grew thicker, and the light became dimmer. They could see students that had tried to leave the dungeons lying at the bottom of the steps.

"We're going to need the other's help," she told her owner.

Fred stopped moving so he wouldn't trip over an unconscious student. "Ced!" he commanded his watch.

Ced felt his watch vibrate on his wrist, he turned away from the party and covered his watch to try and hide it from the other professors, "Hey!" he said to the screen.

"We're going to need everybody's help!" he told his oldest friend.

Ced's brow furrowed in concern, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's some kind of poisonous gas," he told him. "There are bodies everywhere! We're going to need the hospital wing! We need to get the gas out of here so we can see better! Julia and I are using a bubblehead charm so we can move around inside of the gas."

"Okay," Ced said with a frown. "I'll tell the others and inform Madam Pomfrey."

"What's going on, babe?" Cici asked. She could feel the worry growing inside of her husband.

The others in the room picked up on the seriousness of Ced's mood. "There has been an attack on the students in the dungeons. Julia and Fred are there now, and they need our help to get the students up to the hospital wing," Ced told all of them gravely. "The attacker used some kind of poisonous gas on the students."

That news brought gasps of surprise that someone would use a weapon of mass destruction on children. But the professors knew that they didn't have time to be mad now, now they needed to get to the dungeons and help their students. Madam Pomfrey headed for the Hospital Wing and to also get her assistants coming back to the school to help. When they had gotten to the ground floor of the school, the poisonous gas was coming over the top of the first stair leading down to the dungeons, and the Slytherin common room.

"Use the bubblehead charm!" Ced yelled to be heard.

Ced knew that he needed to create a vortex to suck the poisonous gas out of the school, but what good would that do if they didn't stop the gas from coming?

"Go open the front doors to the school, babe," Vic told him. "Cici and I will figure out where the gas is coming from!"

With the bubblehead charm cast on themselves, the two soul-bonded women headed down into the dark mist that was the poisonous gas. At the bottom of the stairs they could see where students had tried to flee from the gas, but why hadn't Fred and Julia come back to the top of the stairs?

"I'm going to try and call Julia to see if they're safe," Cici told Vic.

"Okay, I'm going to keep looking for the source of the gas," Vic replied to her soul-mate.

"Be safe Little One," Cici told her.

"You too, Dark One."

Soon, Julia's image came swimming into view on Cici's watch. "Where are you?" Cici asked her, concern tinging her voice.

"We're trapped down here!" Julia told her. Then she saw the distortion of Cici's image caused by a bubblehead charm. "You're down here too? Now you're trapped also!" Julia said in shock.

"What do you mean?" Cici asked her in confusion.

"Whoever did this, they set up some kind of one-way ward at the bottom of the stairs. That's why none of the students made it up the stairs!" Julia told her.

"Well, right now, Vic is looking for the source of the gas," Cici said to her.

"We were running out of air inside of the bubblehead charm, that's how we figured out that once you step off of the bottom step, you can't go back up the stairs," Julia told her. "Right now, we've sealed ourselves and the other Slytherins inside of their common room. It smells bad, but at least the air is still breathable."

"Okay, stay there and stay calm. Ced's got the front doors to the castle open now, and he has an idea that should work," Cici told her friend.

" _I've found where the gas is coming from. It looks like someone put a replicating charm on a Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes portable fog box. Because when you touch the box, it self-replicates. There are a half a dozen boxes down here that are used up, and when I got here, there was one that was still putting out the gas. I put all of them in an unbreakable box and sealed it for the Aurors when they get here,"_ Vic thought to her spouses.

" _Okay, if both of you can shift to me, then I will start to suck the gas out of the dungeons. Then, Cici can burn the gas as it goes out the front doors of the school, and then Vic can use a mist to wash the ash away,"_ Ced thought to the two girls.

" _I'm going to leave the box where I found the evidence,"_ Vic thought to them as she waited for the all clear to shift.

" _Waiting on you, babe,"_ Cici thought.

"Okay, I'm going to need everyone to leave this area for your own protection!" Ced started to tell the other professors and the onlookers that this latest crisis had attracted. "Go back up the stairs, away from this level!" he encouraged everyone.

Once everyone had moved up to the landing above the level of the gas. Ced walked to the front doors of the school and began creating a vortex to suck the poisonous gas out of the dungeons. Cici and Vic could feel the air starting to move, down where they were standing in the midst of the gas.

" _It's working!"_ Cici told her husband of four years.

" _Okay, it's safe to come to me now!"_ he thought to the two of them.

The two wives shifted to where Ced was standing out on the front stoop of the school. As soon as they were there, they cancelled the charm that they had placed on themselves, but their clothes still smelled of the poisonous gas.

"Here it comes Mi Amor!" Ced told them as the sickly brown gas spiralled towards them.

Cici stepped off to the side of her husband and created two fireballs in her hands. Vic stood in-between her wife and her husband, on the same side, and started forming a raincloud to wash the ash away. As the funnel of poison reached her, Cici created a wall of fire for the gas to pass through. Ced's vortex pulled the ash past the wall of fire and into Vic's cleansing rain. From there, the vortex sprayed the vapour out on to the front lawn of the school.

George and Amber had walked out to join the trio on the front stoop of the school.

"Hey, can you call Fred and Julia and have them tell you how it's going down there?" Ced asked his mate.

"Yeah, just a second." And he opened his watch to call his cousin.

The amount of gas that Ced was seeing was dying down rapidly now.

"They just opened the common room door to the Slytherin's, and he says that the gas is being sucked out of there," George was telling Ced when he answered his watch again. "Fred says that all of the gas is gone now, but there's not much air to breathe!"

When Ced heard that he stopped suddenly. He was there to help, not suffocate! As soon as Ced stopped, Cici and Vic stopped also. The next thing that they needed to do was to get the ward taken down so they could get the students to the Matron! As the three of them entered the school again, there was a rush of people that were trying to help, headed down the stairs, and before they could stop them, they were now in the trap. Ced sent George and Amber down to help Fred and Julia with taking care of the students. Ced just hoped that none of the students was dead. The challenge now was bringing down the wards that had been erected to keep the people in. Having the stones that they had used on their last two missions would be a great help right now.

"Has anybody contacted the Aurors?" Rose asked as they watched Vic and Cici working on the wards.

"I don't know!" Ced told her. He had been too focused on removing the gas to think about calling the Aurors.

"I'll give her a call while Vic and Cici keep working," Rose told him. Then she walked back up the stairs, looking for a little privacy.

"Angel, do you know if anybody still has a set of stones from either of our last two missions?" Ced asked hopefully.

"I might, I don't think that Aunt Tonks asked for them back. Did she ask for the ones that she gave you?" Angel asked.

"I don't think so," Ced told her as he thought about it.

"No."

"No."

His two wives said as they worked on the problem at hand. And part of the problem was, the students wanted to leave the dungeons, now! And they were getting in the two young professors' faces.

"Are you going to be okay here?" Ced asked them. He wanted to go and check their backpacks for a set of stones.

"Yes, as soon as Patel here gets out of our faces!" Cici snapped at the young Slytherin.

"Sorry Professor, I've just been trapped inside of the common room doing homework since dinner time!" he told her.

"You've been in your common room the whole time?" Vic asked him.

"Yes!"

"So, you didn't come and find us to get help?" she clarified. She and her soul-mate stopped working to look at the young boy.

"No! Like I've said, I was in the common room when all of this started!" he whined defensively.

"Poly juice potion?" Vic looked at her spouse and asked.

"I think so!" her wife answered.

So, it was an elaborate trap to lure all of the professors down into the gas!

"But where did they get the poly juice potion?" Vic asked.

"They could have stolen it from one of the potions labs, or more than likely, they just bought it and sent it by owl to someone in the castle. But who?" Cici asked.

"The same thing with the portable fog box. Somebody bought it, modified it, and then they owled it to someone inside of the school. But when, and who?" she asked her mate.

"I don't know, but I wish Ced would hurry up with those stones!" Cici snapped.

"I know, I'm tired of this shite too," Vic sympathised with her.

Then diligently, Vic turned back to the task at hand.

"Tonks says that she's on the way," Rose informed the two friends.

"Good, we've learned something too," Cici told her.

"Oo, what's that?" she asked conspiratorially.

"One of the persons involved may have used poly juice potion!" Cici told her softly, so she wouldn't be overheard.

"Really!" she said, intrigued by this new clue.

Ced came rushing down the stairs, "Here, I had to go through all three of our backpacks to get the stones that I wanted!" he told them.

"Which ones did you bring, babe?" Vic asked in a loving tone.

"I chose the Garnet stones that were in Cici's bag," he told her, grateful for some appreciation.

Vic held her hand out for one of the large stones. Ced handed her the gem, "Okay babe, go over there, and on the count of three. Ready? One, two, three, and they both slipped the stones into the ward to create an opening in the protective ward that had been used to seal the students in the dungeons.

The four young women rushed inside to begin helping with the injured students.

Professor McGonagall walked quickly over to where Ced was standing, "So, I can start calling elves to begin taking students to the Hospital Wing?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ced told her as he stayed outside of the wards.

The Headmistress turned around and started calling on the elves of Hogwarts to begin transporting students upstairs, for medical attention.

As Ced stood guard over the stones. He watched to see if he saw anything out of the ordinary. The last thing they needed right now, was for someone to come along and kick one of the stones out of place. He sensed someone walking up on him, he turned to face the person. Tonks was approaching, her hair a dangerous red in colour.

"Hey," Ced said to her, his tone was gloomy.

"Hey," she said back, her tone matching his.

"Someone used a portable fog box from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes to dispense a poisonous gas," Ced told her. "Vic put all of them into an unbreakable box and sealed it. She left them where she found them."

"Okay," she said to him, waiting for the rest of what they had discovered.

"Whoever did this, had planned it out. We had to use some of the gems to bypass the wards that sealed everyone down here. They used a one-way ward to keep anyone that tried to help from getting out, once they were in," Ced told her what little they had figured out. "They were punished for being a good person."

A few minutes after Tonks had arrived at the school, the rest of her team started showing up. From what Ced had told her, Tonks began to delegate all of the interviews that were going to need to be done.

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Over the weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays, the school lost twenty-three more students in the attack that happened that night. The investigation revealed that the terrorists had used sulfur dioxide to poison the students and faculty of the school. The sulfur dioxide mixed with the moisture in the fog box and in people's lungs to form sulfuric acid, or better known as battery acid. The same gas that Tom Riddle and his followers had used in London in the early 1950s with the same results. Tonks now had another clue, she was looking for an old school Death Eater. Probably a grandparent or a great-grandparent. The attack on Hogwarts had cost the lives of fifty-eight students. The attack on London had cost between 3,000 and 4,000 lives directly and estimates up to 12,000 lives indirectly. But Tonks had something to go on. She had a place to start.

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The Hogsmeade weekend before the Christmas dance was a chance for Angel and Rose to spend time with their boyfriends out in public and with family and friends. Their first stop was the public floos at the train station to meet up with John and Sam. As soon as everyone had a chance to greet them, they all noticed the changes that John had made from the first time they had met him, last summer. John was being pulled out of his shell. The boost to his confidence from dating a beautiful woman like Angel was terrific. They also noticed that he didn't seem to be as skinny as he was when they had first met him.

"Well, it's kind of intimidating, dating a girl that can pin you to the floor! Not that I'm complaining mind you! She can pin me to the floor anytime she wants!" John told the rest of them with a laugh and a smile.

Angel for her part, blushed a deep red.

"Don't feel bad mate! Rose and I got to wrestling, and she pinned me too! I mean one minute I'm on top of her and the next thing I know, she's got me pinned to the ground!" Sam teased Rose who blushed a bright pink.

They were going to make the salon their first stop but changed their minds and walked over to Glad Rags. The girls wanted to pick out a new dress for the dance that was coming up next week.

As they opened the door to the store, the bell over the top tinkled out its chime to let the clerks know that they had a customer.

"Oh! If it's not my favourite customers!" their favourite salesgirl said as they walked through the door.

"Good morning!" all of them said to her.

"Oh," she said mildly surprised. "I see that you have a couple of new gentlemen with you! Well, that's good. I have all of the new merchandise for you ladies over here, and for you men, it is over there." She indicated the different areas that they had put the new outfits for the Christmas dance at the school. This group was always an early group, and they were consistently good spenders.

Just as the sales clerk had finished greeting the group of eleven, the bell over the door chimed again. All of them turned to see who was up and shopping this early in the morning.

"Hey, Nev! Hey Sofi!" Ced called out to his brother and his brother's 'girlfriend.'

"Hi!" Neville said to his brother and friends.

"Hey, Sofi! Come over here with us!" Amber called to the young bonded girl.

Sofi turned and gave Nevy a kiss and then went to join the other girls in looking for a dress. Nev for his part, kissed her back and then he went to join his brother and his friends.

"Hi, I'm Neville," he said to the two oldest members of the group.

"John," and he stuck his hand out to shake Neville's.

"Sam," the more athletic and fit of the two of them said as he stuck his hand out second to shake Neville's hand.

Neville looked to his brother for an explanation of who the two newest members of his very exclusive group were.

"John is Angel's boyfriend," Ced told him, and Neville nodded in understanding. "And Sam is Rose's boyfriend."

Neville pursed his lips a little and nodded his head. Good, he liked the feelings that he was getting off of John, and he liked Rose too. He was happy for her. It had taken both of them long enough to find someone worthy of them. Neville noticed that the other guys were kind of helping Sam with selecting a set of wizarding robes.

After a while, Fred looked up, "Hey! The girls are headed to the changing rooms!" Fred told the guys.

"So?" John said.

"So?" George said back to him. "They're going to want us to help them, by giving our approval or disapproval of what they select!" he told the new guy, as he turned to work his way across the sales floor of the store.

The other guys either kept the robes that they had selected or they hung them back up. And as they worked their way to the back of the store, the girls were waiting on them at the changing rooms. With six changing rooms and seven girls, it worked out just right with Cici and Vic sharing a changing room. The guys all took a chair outside of the correct changing room door. This is why the girls had waited, they didn't want the wrong guy waiting outside of their door! And so, the fashion show began, each of the girls had selected three or four dresses to try on for their man, and they observed their faces.

John had never done anything like this in his life! He had never had a girlfriend to do something like this with before! For Angel's part, she had never had a boyfriend to do this with before, she had always had Ced to help her select her dresses. John sat there, and he watched. Down the row of changing rooms, a door opened and Julia stepped out to model the dress that she was trying on for Fred. He knew them from over the summer. He couldn't see the expression on Fred's face, but Julia smiled, and then she spun around causing the hem of the dress to flare out briefly, and she went back into the changing room, and the door closed behind her. Then the door next to Angel's opened up, and he saw Neville sit up straighter in his chair, so he guessed that it must be the girl that was with him, what's her name? But the young girl stepped out and modelled the dress for him, she turned this way and that. Then the door that had Angel behind it opened, and all else was forgotten as there stood the most beautiful woman in the whole world! All he could focus on was her face. He just kept looking at those big, beautiful, brown eyes, they were so expressionistic. Then she smiled at him, and he was lost forever in her smile. She started walking over to him, then she knelt down, straddling his lap.

Angel smiled at him, then she kissed him, "I love you too! But right now, I need to know what you think of this dress," she told him.

John's head shook just a little as he tried to clear his thoughts and refocus on the dress that his goddess was wearing for him.

Angel used the arms of the chair to push herself back up to standing. He really did make her feel like a goddess. She turned this way and that for her man.

"Uh, its okay," John said. What was he supposed to say?

Angle spun around, and then she turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, "I'll be back."

"Uh, okay," he told her, confused as to why she was leaving.

John watched as the other doors opened and closed and the girls were all dressed differently now. Then the only door that mattered to him opened again, and his goddess was dressed in a different dress, and he knew immediately that he didn't like this dress at all.

Angel saw the look on John's face, and she knew that he didn't like the dress. She smiled at him and then she turned back around to change again. She knew that it would take time to figure out what John's taste was for her clothing, so she could blend what he liked with what she liked. So, the dress came off, and she hung it up magically while she started removing the next dress from its hanger, then she ran into a dilemma, should she try this dress with or without her bra? The dress could be worn either way with the correct bra, which she wasn't wearing. She reached up and unlatched her bra and tossed it on the bench in the changing room. It felt good to let the girls be free again. She massaged her breasts for a moment, it had been a long time since they had gone to the beach house in Greece she realised. A year? More? The last time they had gone there was with Toni! Almost a year ago! She finished pulling the dress up over her breasts and adjusting everything, so it fits correctly. She looked at herself in the mirror in the changing room, she twisted first one way and then the other. She straightened up and opened the door to see John's expression. Yeah, she figured that he would like this dress. With her figure and this dress, a guy would have to be dead not to like it! She walked over to her man. She bent over at the waist, and John's eyes went wide with the view that she was giving him.

She whispered in his ear, "Well, I guess that this dress is a keeper!"

John's face, ears, and neck all turned a bright red in response to the dress and what his goddess had just told him.

Angel kissed him and then she went back to the changing room to try on another dress. After she had tried on the final dress, Angel settled on the first and third dresses.

Their favourite salesclerk had brought a rolling clothes rack for the young ladies to hang the dresses that didn't pass muster. She would return the dresses later, right now, she wanted to see if she could sell them some shoes.

"We have a shoe sale going on! It's BOGO! Buy one get one free!" the clerk tempted all of the girls.

Yup, that did it! All of the young ladies turned to look at her when she said that. With the clerk leading the way, the group of thirteen headed for the shoe department of the store. The clerk was pleasantly surprised. All of the guys bought shoes this time too! Some of them bought two pairs of dress shoes, but most of them bought one pair of dress shoes and one pair of trainers.

At the counter, the clerk looked at Neville and Sofi. She had seen them in the store before, but she couldn't place them.

Seeing the confused look on the clerk's face as she was looking at Neville and Sofia, "This is my little brother Neville and his girlfriend, Sofia," Vic said to the clerk before she might make a connection.

"Hi!" the clerk said to them enthusiastically. "I'll tell you what! I'll give you the same discount that I give to your sister and all of her friends for being such good customers!"

"Thank you!" the two of them told her excitedly.

As everything got rung up and paid for, Sam worried about how they were going to handle all of the boxes for the rest of the day in this very different city. He wasn't looking forward to hauling around four shoe boxes and two new dresses, plus the clothes that he had purchased.

"Don't worry, babe," Rose told him. "You'll wear your new travelling cloak so you'll blend in better, and …" Rose's wand was in her hand, and she tapped the boxes and the bag.

Sam watched as everything shrank down small enough to fit in the pocket of her cloak.

"Wow! That's handy!" he exclaimed when she dropped everything into the pocket of her cloak.

With everybody ready, Neville and Sofi were leading the group out of the store when the others noticed Neville and Sofi's backs stiffen. The rest of them slowed as the two in the front slowed. They looked up to see what the problem was and three young girls were walking in the door of the store.

"Oh, look!" the oldest of the three girls said. "If it isn't the co-dependent ones!"

"Oh, look!" Sofi said. "If it isn't the Troubled Triplets! Have you seen your therapist lately?"

The three girls turned their noses up at the young bonded couple and turned to go look at clothes.

Neville and Sofia held the front doors of the store for the others. When they rejoined the group, they all headed over to the beauty salon. This time, George and Ced held the doors for the rest of their group. Cici and Vic both noticed that the salon was fully staffed for the weekend.

The salon owner smiled at the group as they entered. These Hogsmeade weekends before the school dances were always good weekends for the salon. Then her eyes fell on the big, tall, good-looking guy with the black hair holding the door for the others and her smile turned into a frown. She recognised this guy, he was always trouble. Trouble every time he showed up in her salon. And. She looked around, yup, there were the two gorgeous young ladies that were always with him. As long as he didn't get into one of the chairs, everything should be okay.

"So, what are we doing here?" Sam asked. He wasn't used to going to a salon and getting his hair done. If he needed his hair cut, he would either do it himself or go to the base barber and get it cut.

We're waiting on the girls." George told him. "They want to get their hair styled, a mani-pedi, and then get their nails polished to match their dresses."

"So, you just sit here and wait?" he asked him confused.

"Yeah, one time we read, but that just really messed with our heads. So, we mostly just sit here and talk about Quidditch or muggle football," George told him. "What do you do?"

"I don't know! I've never done this before. Gone to a salon with a woman," Sam told him. "What was it that you read that confused you so badly?"

"Well, there were these muggle magazines," Fred started looking on the table in front of him, "Like this one here," and he handed Sam a magazine with the article in big bold letters _'How to Cheat and not get Caught.'_ Another magazine with the headline of _'Your Steady and Your Ready,'_ another article entitled _'How to Train Your Man in Five Easy Steps: Get Him to Heel Now!'_. Then Fred found one that said _'Take Two for Twice the Fun!'_ "Here Ced, this one's for you!" Fred kept shuffling through the magazines, "Oh, this one is for you George!" _'The Big O and the Uh-Oh!: 9 Positions for every Trimester.'_

John had found a magazine, and he was pulling out his pen, "What did you find there, John?" Neville asked him.

John held up the magazine so they could read the front cover, _'Is it, Love? Take our 100 Question test NOW!'_

All of the guys got pulled in by at least one magazine article. Ced broke down and opened the magazine that Fred had handed him. There, for the cover shot of the article in the magazine, was a picture of him, Cici, and Vic walking down a street holding hands, big smiles on their faces. Ced closed the magazine so he could check the date on the cover. It was printed last June while they were taking classes. Still, the magazine had used their image or likeness without their permission. He shrank the magazine and dropped it in the pocket of his cloak. He would give the old woman that owned the salon a galleon for it when the girls paid. Ced looked over to where his wives were being pampered, he opened his telepathic link to them, he wanted to hear what they were talking about. He closed his eyes and laid his head back.

The two women were talking about Uncle Draco's girls and how lucky it was that they were up in Gryffindor tower with Kitten and Susy. The three of them began to share their consciousness.

" _What do you want to do about the article?"_ Vic asked them.

" _What they did was wrong,"_ Cici told them.

" _But, we were planning on retiring from that line of work anyway,"_ Ced said.

" _They still should have asked for our permission!"_ Vic agreed with Cici.

" _I agree with both of you!"_ Ced said to them.

" _So, do we want to talk to Daniel over the Christmas holidays?"_ Vic asked.

" _Do you think that we should talk to Sean first?"_ Ced asked them.

" _Why?"_ both of them asked at the same time.

" _Well, he would be a better judge of how much damage, if any was done, and if pursuing a lawsuit would do more damage than good,"_ Ced thought to them.

The two wives thought about this for a few minutes.

" _We could still do that line of work as a summer job!"_ Ced told the pair of them.

" _This coming summer. I am NOT wearing any clothes!"_ Cici told the other two.

The three of them laughed, it had been years since the three of them had spent any amount of time alone on their island.

One by one, the beauticians let the young women get out of the chairs, declaring them finished. The appropriate man gave the appropriate responses.

Angel picked up on John's frustration, "What's wrong, babe?" she asked him as she snuggled into his side while they waited to pay.

"Well, I was taking a test in one of those magazines, and somebody ripped the last page of the test out!" he told her.

With a laugh, she asked him, "What was the test about?"

"It was a hundred question test to know whether it is love or lust!" he told her realising how silly he must sound.

"The answer is, yes," she smiled up at him.

"It's, yes?" he asked her in confusion.

"Yes! The answer is, yes!"

"Yes, to what? Which part?" now he was confused.

"It is yes to both parts! Yes, we're in love, and yes, it's lust!" she said quietly into his ear, then she sucked his earlobe into her mouth and bit it gently. She watched as John changed from his ordinarily pale colouring to a bright pink at what she was telling him.

Sam had had a lot more experience with women that John had, but if someone had told him that he would be seeing a seventeen-year-old girl, he would have called them a liar to their face! But here he was, standing in line in a beauty salon, with one tucked under his arm waiting to pay! She was not your typical seventeen-year-old girl either! She was mature beyond her years! Yes, she still got excited about silly things, like getting her nails polished or shopping for clothes. And he was looking forward to her spending time with his family over the Christmas holidays. The little bit of time that his parents had met her, they really liked her. He really didn't know how much his parents kept up with the magical world, or if they knew who she was. But to him, she was really down to earth! It was tough for him to imagine that the princess of his life, really did live in a castle! And she didn't act like a 'Princess!' She would take the time to explain how things worked in the magical world and she didn't look down on him for not knowing. Like using the floo network, she took the time to tell him what he needed to do and what to expect, and that it was going to take time for him to get used to it. She had been flooing since before she could walk! And it was true, the more he did it, the better he became. The first couple of times he had been spit out in a heap and had to pick himself up off of the floor and dust off, while she would step out of the floo like, … well, let's just say that it was more difficult for her to get out of a cab than it was for her to step out of a floo. And she had such modesty! Whenever she would get out of a taxi, she always managed to cover her cleavage with her purse or clutch! It may have deprived the onlookers of a free view of her breasts, but he respected her, for respecting herself.

As the thirteen of them stepped out of the salon, snow had begun falling, it wasn't sticking yet, the flakes would land on railings or on the ground and melt. Neville and Sofi were going to meet some of their friends, so it would just be the eleven of them for lunch at The Three Broomsticks. Ced watched as his brother and sister-in-law turned and headed in the opposite direction that they needed to go. Hand in hand, arm in arm, the group walked towards the pub for lunch.

"Hey, slut!" someone yelled as they passed the post office.

The six witches dropped their man's hand and turned to walk towards the threat. Fred and George covered Sam and John. John may have been an Auror, but he was a techie Auror, not a street Auror that responded to calls.

"Oh, look. Six of you responded to your name!" a sixth-year student said to them patronisingly.

The six women stayed quiet, they had spread out presenting six individual targets.

"You cost me! You cost me my future!" he yelled at them, his voice was slurring now.

"And how did we do that?" Julia asked from one of the ends.

He turned his head to look at her, "By not dying! All of you were supposed to die!" his voice had changed to a whine.

"Why were we supposed to die?" Amber asked curiously, from the opposite end of the girls.

"When were we supposed to die?" Rose asked from the centre of the crescent line of females.

"Why!?" he yelled in confusion and hurt. "Why? Because that is what she wanted! All of you had to go away so that she could take back the school! You're teaching the kids too much! She has spent years dumbing down the students and their parents! Lowering the standards. Holding the best and the brightest back."

"So, it was you who cast the one-way ward at the bottom of the stairs," Vic stated.

"Yes! But the nine of you figured out how to get past it!" he shouted at them.

"But why you? What makes you so special?" Angel asked him. She hadn't grown up with an Auror as a mother and not learned something!

"Me!?" he sounded surprised. "She and my grandfather were supposed to get married! But their families forbade it! But that didn't stop them from seeing each other!" he began telling them his family history. "And then when my own father was sent to Azkaban, my grandfather started raising me. He took the time to teach me the right spells! Not those simple do nothing, watered-down spells that Hogwarts teaches, no. That was all part of her plan, put into motion years and years ago. He taught me spells that I could use to manipulate and control with! Spells to ensure compliance. It's so simple to get others to do what you want, with the proper motivation!" He pulled his wand out slowly. " _Imperio_!" he said as he lifted his wand and pointed it at Julia.

Silently and wandlessly Julia blocked the curse. It wouldn't have mattered, Cici and Vic had made sure that all of them could resist the curse if they ever came under it. Plus, years ago she had started enchanting all of her clothes to act as a shield. She watched as her five friends all had wands in their hands and were stunning the attacker. He may have been good, but he was no match for the five angry women.

Two of the Aurors that were assigned to Hogsmeade had been summoned by the postmaster when the yelling had started. The pair of them had shown up towards the end when they heard the boy talking about 'proper motivation' and things like that. They had seen him pull his wand before any of the other girls had drawn theirs. With the hoods of their cloaks up, the two Aurors couldn't tell who the other students were. But, they did hear him try and use an unforgivable curse on the girl at the end of the line of girls. It looked to them like she had just merely blocked it, without a wand! The two of them got on the sidewalk and checked on the student lying in front of the door to the post office. He was still breathing. They turned to look at the girls, all of them had lowered the hoods of their cloaks.

When the Aurors had gotten on the sidewalk to check on the student attacker, the six girls all reached up and pulled the hoods of their cloaks down so the Aurors could see their faces clearly, none of them moved or did anything that could be construed as a threatening gesture. They just stood there, hands empty, and waited while the Aurors did their job. The two Aurors turned to face them after deciding that the boy would live.

Tonks came walking from around the corner of the post office.

"Deputy Director!" the older of the two Aurors said in surprise.

Tonks looked down at the boy lying at her feet. Then she turned and walked over to the girls, "I'll need to collect memories from all six of you," she told them. "And you too, Hunter."

Was it finally over? Was she finally going to get to the root of evil that had been plaguing Magical Britain for over a half a century? If what Ced had told her, was right, and there wasn't any reason not to believe him, she was going to enjoy interrogating this one! But she was going to need to be quick about it. Before the spies inside of the Ministry could leak the information out! She still had the ring that Harry had loaned her, she kept it on her finger until she could find the time to give it back to him. She had just the place to start the interrogation. She looked back up from the student, a movement had caught her eye. It was just Vic handing her seven vials with a silvery liquid in them, their names had been etched on the sides.

"He's too young," Vic told her. "You're going to need a Ministry worker as a witness that you didn't violate his rights."

Tonks didn't like what Vic was saying right now. She was so close! But, she knew that it was true.

"Aunt Am would probably be more than happy to help you," Vic suggested.

Tonks still stared at Vic silently. Thinking. Her hair changing colours, giving away her mood at that instant.

"If Aunt Am is busy, then I'm sure that Uncle King would be able to make time," Vic started to name off the surviving members of the original Order of the Phoenix.

Tonks caught on to what Vic was suggesting, Minerva was a member all of those years ago, back before Tonks was even born!

"Thank you, but I think that the Headmistress would suffice for the initial questioning. And thank you for all of your memories," Tonks said with an evil smile creeping across her face.

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The morning of the dance, the mood in the Great Hall was lighter, happier. The group of nine couldn't think back to the last time that the atmosphere in the school was this joyful. When the morning post came, one of the owls swooped down and dropped an official-looking envelope in front of the trio. It wasn't a standard wizarding envelope, and it wasn't a typical muggle envelope either. This envelope was more substantial and much more expensive looking than regular mail. Cici picked it up and looked at it, the wax seal on the back looked very official, and she turned it over to read the return address, trying to figure out who could have sent it. With the help of a table knife, Cici broke the wax seal and opened the envelope. Moving much to slow for the others she reached in and pulled two pieces of paper out. Well, one piece of fine stationery, and one heavyweight piece of paper. Cici looked at the letterhead on the stationary, it was from Sara. Her brows furrowed for a moment as she began to read the letter. Why was Sara writing to them? Who took the letter to be owled to them? Cici kept reading.

"Well?" Rose asked, she could see the faint smile on Cici's lips as she read.

"It's a letter from Sara, and she says that Louise is doing great and that they both miss all of us. She has also enclosed a marriage certificate legalising Vic's, Ced's, and my marriage." Cici slipped the second piece of paper out from behind the piece of stationary and started to scrutinise it. The document had a lot more signatures on it than Cici thought a document like this should have. When she was done looking at it, she handed the marriage certificate to Ced to look over. Then she went back to reading the letter.

"Sara says that she went to the Prime Minister and all of the members of Cabinet and guilted them into signing the marriage certificate. When they resisted signing the certificate, she reminded them that they had done little to nothing to bring Louise back home. When they resisted more, she would ask them if they wanted somebody like us, even though we are in a non-typical marriage, or would they prefer one of their coworkers to go looking for their grandchild?" Cici went silent for a bit more. "She has also ordered the sum of £1,000,000 per person, to be deposited into each of our accounts!" She read a little more. "She says that she is very grateful to Neville and Sofia for the work that they did in helping keep the calm in the country during these trying times. For them, she has ordered a total of £1,000,000 be deposited into their account when they get one." Cici looked over the rest of the handwritten letter. "Again she says thank you to all of us and asks that we not become strangers." Cici handed the letter to Angel who wanted to look it over for herself.

Julia looked up and saw the Headmistress walking towards them. She waved her hand and cancelled the privacy charms that George had cast when they sat down for breakfast.

"Good morning, Professor," Fred said when she got close enough.

"Good morning to you too, Mr Bones," she replied. "Interesting reading?" she said indicating the letter and the marriage certificate.

"Yes, very," Cici replied to her, wondering where this conversation was going.

"Well, I was wondering if the nine of you would be teaching classes this morning?" Minerva asked them with a smirk on her face.

The group of them looked at their watches.

"I've got to go! I'm late" was heard around the table. Kisses were exchanged where needed, and then the table emptied out silently as professors teleportused to their classrooms.

"So, what do you have there?" Minerva asked, with one eyebrow cocked.

The trio looked around, the four of them were the only ones in the Great Hall. "It's a letter from the queen thanking us for our part in rescuing the princess, and a marriage certificate recognising and legalising our unusual marriage. It is signed by the king and queen, and all of the members of Cabinet, plus the Prime Minister." Cici told her, after all, she was the one that had read the letter.

"Well, if I were you three, I would put the letter and the marriage certificate in a very safe place, like your vault at Gringotts," she told them sincerely.

.

That night, Rose and Angel had both received special permission for their boyfriends to join them for the dance. The two young women walked together down to the gates of the school to meet their men. Greetings and kisses were exchanged. Then the two couples turned around and began holding hands as they walked back to the school.

For Sam, all of this was new to him. He had seen the castle from the village, but they hadn't walked up the road to visit. He was looking all around as best as he could in the dark. Rose was doing her best to tell him everything that she could think of and was worried about overloading him with information. After all, it had taken her, her whole life to learn all that she knew.

When John had been a student here, they didn't have school dances, not that he would have participated in one anyway. He had never seen a reason to, until now. Angel gave his life meaning, gave him a purpose, a reason to come home at night. He knew that she was breaking the rules, in staying with him at night, and her mum would probably have a fit if she ever found out that she was staying with him. They were basically living together if you thought about it.

Once the two couples were back in the Great Hall, they turned their two boyfriends over to Fred and George while they went back upstairs to get changed for the dance. The four guys started talking, and Sam kept staring at the ceiling of the hall. He watched as snowflakes fell from the roof of the building, but they never went below the candles that were floating overhead.

"How do they do that?" he asked in awe.

As Fred and George were telling Sam about the ceiling in the Great Hall, Angel and Rose both showed up, changed and ready for the school dance.

Daphne, Solaria, Willow, and Raven had all outdone themselves in the preparations for the party that night. Hagrid's enormous Christmas tree filled one corner of the hall, up by the head table. Two of the walls were lined with drinks and snack foods. And Raven had gotten a DJ to come in and play a variety of music. A waltz was the first piece of music the DJ played opening the dance.

With Cici over talking to Angel, Rose, and their boyfriends, Ced turned to Vic and held out his hand to her. She accepted his offer of a dance, and they joined George and Amber, as well as Fred and Julia out on the dance floor. Several minutes later, it was three very enthused couples that stepped off the floor. Unfortunately for Rose and Angel, Sam and John didn't know how to dance. Although, when the DJ changed up the tempo to more modern music, the two women were able to get the guys out on the dance floor with them.

At the end of the night, the group of nine helped the four girls get started on the cleanup before the army of Hogwarts house elves appeared and took over to get everything ready for the morning. Snuggled in each other's arms, the two new couples walked their boyfriends back to the front gates of the school.

"I'll see you in the morning," Angel told Rose.

"Okay, good night. Will I see you in the morning?" Rose asked her.

"Yeah, I'll be back in the morning to pack," Angel told her cousin.

And with that, the two of them were gone right in front of Sam's eyes.

"Where'd they go?" Sam asked Rose. He had never seen someone just disappear into thin air before.

"She apparated to his place for the night," Rose told him.

"Really? Is that normal? Are you allowed to do that?" he asked her inquisitively.

"Really? Yes, apparating is a normal means of travelling for the wizarding world. Is it normal for her to spend the night at his flat? Yes, for her it is. Are we allowed to do that? No, we're not supposed to leave school grounds," Rose explained to him.

"So, if I had a flat, you could come over if you wanted?" Sam asked her. A lot of the guys lived off base, all he had to do was ask for permission, and chances are Winkelman would say yes.

"I could …" she drug her statement out.

"Would you mind if I asked Winkelman if I could get my own place?" Sam just asked permission from his girlfriend!

"No, it would be better than living at your parent's house!" she smiled at him. "Are you going back to the base tonight?" she asked.

"Yes, and then on Monday I start two weeks of leave, so I can spend the Christmas holidays with you. We need to spend some time with my parents," he told her hopefully.

"Well, I need to get back in. It's after curfew," Rose told him, a little sadness creeping into her voice.

Sam closed the remaining distance between them, when he pulled her in tight and kissed her, she _teleportused_ them to the public floos in Hogsmeade. A few moments later, he broke the kiss and realised that he was someplace different, he was standing in front of the floos in the village.

"How did you do that?" he asked her bewildered.

"I used a different spell," she told him vaguely. Maybe Angel was right, perhaps she wanted to take her relationship up a level. But she knew that Sam shared a room with another soldier.

Sam through a pinch of floo powder into the floo and said, "The Leaky Cauldron!" and with Rose still on his arm, they stepped into the floo together. And together they stepped out of the floo into the old pub. They waved to the bartender as they walked to the front door, and from there, they walked across the street to a waiting cab. Here, Sam kissed Rose goodnight one last time. "I'll see you tonight," he told her as he opened the door for the ride back to his barracks.

With one last kiss goodnight, she waited for the cab to leave before she walked back across the street and into the protective barrier that surrounded the Leaky Cauldron. She was beginning to understand a little of what Fred and Julia were going through, maybe she would talk to Julia tomorrow. She twisted just ever so slightly, and she was standing in front of the gates at Hogwarts, she focused her eyes on the hill, and she was there, then she looked up at the tower, her room faced this direction, and she focused on the correct window. Once inside of her room, she began to get ready for bed.

.

The students of Hogwarts woke up to a full-on blizzard. What had been light snowflakes that had added ambience to the dance the night before, had now turned into a blizzard.

"Well, so much for riding our brooms home," Vic grumbled as she poked angrily at her breakfast.

"I don't know," Ced's brows furrowed in thought. "I just think that I want to ride the train home this time."

All of the others just looked at him like he had lost his mind somewhere. Fred and George both stopped with their loaded forks in mid-flight to their open mouths.

"Are you sure?" Amber asked him.

"Yeah, something is just telling me that I need to ride the train this time. The rest of you are free to do whatever you want! But for whatever reason, I need to ride the train," Ced told them seriously.

"Okay, mate, it's your choice," Fred told him, then he put the fork full of food into his mouth.

The group of nine was early enough that they had their pick of compartments on the train. Julia walked into the compartment, and she looked around, she waved her hand and the compartment enlarged, then she looked at the seating arrangement and waved her hand again, and the bench seats were replaced with loveseats and one large couch. She gave a nod of satisfaction and selected one of the loveseats for her and her owner.

When she had finished, the others filed into the comfortable room and paid her compliments on her selection and style. With the blinds pulled on the windows, a locking spell on the door, everyone snuggled up, and they all went back to sleep.

Sometime later, Ced's eyes opened up, "Mi Amor, Mon Amour, I need to get up!"

"Just five more minutes!" the two of them mumbled, but then the two of them rolled off of him.

Ced got up, and he opened the door to the compartment as quietly as he could. Then he looked up and down the walkway of the train. That little nagging voice told him to go towards the back of the train, so he did. He checked the compartments as he went. He saw Suzy was having a lot of fun with her friends, and he kept on walking.

And then he saw Daphne in a compartment alone with a boy, and they were just about to kiss!

He waited for their lips to touch and then he opened the compartment door silently. "Daphne and Davie sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes …"

"SHUT UP!" the platinum blonde haired girl screamed at him, her complexion a bright pink in colour. "Before I hex you into next week!"

"Try it, and I'll stun you so hard, mum won't be able to rennervate you!" he shot back at her, in a pleasant twist of fate.

"Are you going to tell mum?" she asked him nervously.

"No!" he laughed at her.

"How did you know?" she asked him curiously.

"I don't know, just a little voice in the back of my head," he told her honestly.

.

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 **A/N: The End! Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read this far! It is now time for me to write a book to sell on Amazon! The first book will be called Belleza Letal, and it should be ready at the end of August 2018.**

 **Revised 06.30.2018**

 **Revised again 10.07.2018**


	83. Epilogue

C O Potter

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Epilogue

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It was the second week of December, close to midnight, Cici and Ced had finished making love. The sweaty couple separated and lay in their overly large bed, relaxing in the glow of their love, the sweat glistening on their bare skin in the dim candlelight of the room. Eventually, the two of them got off of the bed and walked to the restroom to clean up before getting back in bed to go to sleep.

When they returned to their bed, their wife was already there waiting for the two of them. She had felt everything that had gone on between her spouses. She and her wife long ago had made a choice to leave their mental link opened fully to the other whenever they would make love to their husband. There were no hidden secrets, no jealousy, no resentments, just love, trust, and respect for each other. As Ced crawled into bed, Vic slipped into his side, her head on his shoulder, her leg over the top of his, her arm across his chest. She could smell the mustiness of the sweat still on his torso. It was okay, she loved the way her husband smelled. Cici slipped into her place on Ced's other side, her head on his opposite shoulder, her leg over the top of his leg and touching her wife's leg, her arm across Ced's chest, touching her wife. Vic could smell the sweat on her wife, it was different than the smell of her husband, thank Godric! But she loved the smell of her wife, the two smells blended together was comforting to her, calming, relaxing, soothing. Their love enveloped the three of them as they drifted off to sleep.

Cici's eyes flew open suddenly as her back arched with another of her wife's climaxes ripping through her, then she lay there panting and spent. She looked over, and her husband and wife were still entangled in each other. She could see the sweat on both of them, she could smell their scents. She closed her eyes again and moved her leg over to touch Ced's leg, she moved her hand over, to take Vic's hand. Her dream had been incredible and had finished off wonderfully. Now she could lay there and bask in the afterglow again, just a few short hours after her turn, the night before. Soon she could feel her spouses stirring, and she knew that the three of them would need to get up and share a shower. As she rolled away from her lovers, mid-roll, her eyes flew open again.

" _What's wrong, Dark One?"_ Vic asked her. She was still bathed in the afterglow of making love to her husband.

" _I'm pregnant!"_ Cici told her clinically.

" _What!"_ Ced shouted in surprise.

" _I'm pregnant,"_ she repeated herself.

Vic lay there, Ced was still on top of her, and she began to take mental stock of her own body. _"You need to get off, babe,"_ she told him gently, her tone neutral, but clinical.

Ced rolled over between Cici and Vic, he spread his legs so that his feet would touch theirs, he spread his arms so he could hold their hands, and he lay there quietly.

The three of them lay there not moving, silent, the two of them could feel and knew everything that Vic was thinking and feeling, but her mind was quiet, calm. Then her husband and wife turned and looked at her, Cici got up on one arm to see her better.

" _Now, I'm pregnant too!"_ Vic told them. _"A minute ago, I wasn't pregnant, and now I am! That was weird!"_

Cici rolled out of bed, Merlin! She thought as she headed for the shower. "Now we're both pregnant, and all three of us have finals this week!" she shouted from their bathroom.

.

Towards the end of the first trimester, during a routine well-baby check, the midlevel scan that their mom and mum were running over them showed that both Cici and Vic were pregnant with twins. Hermione and Angelica both brought up the diagnostic display so all of them in the room could see. The two expectant mothers were both excited and a little fearful of the thought of having twins.

Within a month of Cici and Vic becoming pregnant, the other four women all became pregnant too. With Fred, Rose, George, and Angel all being twins, everyone was expecting for them to have twins.

"Well, at least all of our kids will be in the same year at Hogwarts!" George told the others loudly.

"That should be a plus!" Sam shouted back to him across the back garden of his and Rose's home.

Sam had gotten out of the military and gone to work with his dad in private security. He could earn in a month what he was getting paid in a year in government service. The other benefit was, he didn't have to go out of the country if he didn't want to. Ever since he learned of Rose's pregnancy, he had only taken jobs that would keep him in country. Rose had worked with him to learn occlumency and then Legilimency skills, and the Legilimency skills had paid off for him on several occasions.

.

It was late April when five of the six pregnant women were walking to a class that they all had together. All of them were taking classes in education, and all of them were taking classes in subjects that interested them too. For example, Rose was taking classes in art, Amber took classes in investing. But it was a sight to see, the five women, all pregnant with twins, walking to class. None of them fit in the desks that were provided by the university. So, the school had to accommodate their special situation, and the other students had to respect that the five special desks were for them.

One afternoon, Julia, whose belly had swelled the most of the six, pregnant with triplets, walked into English class to find a young girl sitting in the desk that had been provided for her.

"Excuse me," Julia said pleasantly, not wanting to draw attention to the situation. "But you're sitting at a desk that has been provided for me."

The young girl turned to look at her, "Well, if you had kept that shilling between your knees, you wouldn't need it!" she said loudly and sarcastically, intending to draw attention to Julia and her condition, hoping to embarrass her.

Julia waited for her to get out of her seat, which the girl did in a very haughty manner, looking at Julia with disgust.

"You should have used the patch!" the girl sneered at Julia.

With a quick probe of the girl's mind, Julia learned that the girl was sexually active with multiple partners. So, with a wandless wordless spell, Julia removed all of the medication from the girl's birth control patch. Then she smiled at her and sat down in her seat.

.

Ced stood between the two women giving birth. Hermione was delivering Cici's babies, and Angelica was delivering Vic's babies. He was holding both of their hands, as he listened to them screaming at him. The medical room of the mansion had been enlarged and a second delivery bed had been installed. The two women looked at each other and smiled, then they looked at him and scowled.

"Okay, breathe!" Hermione coached Cici, encouragingly.

"Breathe baby breathe!" Angelica coached Vic in the same tone of voice.

There were four house elves that had been trained in labour and delivery waiting by the sides, two other elves were helping the doctors with the delivery. The women had been in labour for five hours, and the babies were finally crowning.

"Okay! I can see the top of its head!" Angelica told Vic.

"I can see the top of its head also!" said Hermione to Cici.

Both women had closed off their mental links so they wouldn't cripple Cedric, for doing this to them, at least not now, maybe later.

Cici pushed one last time, and a black-haired boy was welcomed into this world.

"Time of birth is 10:27am," Hermione said.

"Time of birth is 10:27am," Angelica said as she held up a baby girl with light brown hair.

Two of the house elves moved over to take the newborn babies from the two doctors. They walked across the room to start cleaning the babies and then measuring them and weighing them, to record the information on the birth certificates. The two new mothers twisted their heads to follow the two elves as they moved around the room with the most precious things in the mansion. A few minutes later, the other two babies reminded everyone that they were still there and were ready to come into this world also.

"Aaah!" Vic screamed as the next set of contractions took her by surprise. And then she started breathing correctly.

"That's a girl!" Angelica praised her daughter-in-law.

Cici had just enough warning from Vic when her contractions started all over again with a vengeance.

With Vic's breathing back on track, Angelica said, "Okay, I can see the top of the head! On the next contraction, push!"

A moment later, Hermione was telling Cici the same thing. Five minutes later, two new lives had entered this world brought about by the miracle of childbirth. Time of birth for the second babies? 10:57am. After the umbilical cords were cut, the two healers finished taking care of the new mothers.

With mothers and babies ready, the house elf nurses brought the four hungry babies to their mums to begin nursing, two at a time.

.

A week later, Ced was presenting mothers and children to all of their family and friends. This was done to give the mothers time to recover from childbirth, and to help smooth out some wrinkles. Vic's old room had been converted into the nursery for the babies since it already had a door into their bedroom. One problem was, the threesome was used to casting privacy charms when they went to bed. With the babies feeding every two hours or less, the mums needed to hear the babies cry. If one started crying, that would wake up the other three! Thankfully, the house elves were able to pass through the charms and wake the mothers when they needed to nurse the babies.

"I would like to present to you," Ced began, all dressed up for the occasion. "Harold Fredric Potter," he paused for a moment. "His sister Angelica Rose Potter," Ced paused again. "And their mother, Cecilia Ophelia Potter." Cici stepped forward at the announcement of her name. Ced looked at her and smiled lovingly at her. "I would also like to present to you," Ced paused again for effect. "Daniel George Potter," Pause. "His sister Hermione Angel Potter," Another pause. "And their mother, Victoria Jeanette Potter," Vic stepped forward at the announcement of her name, and Ced finished to rounds of applause for the new family.

.

After they graduated from Hogwarts, Ced had gone to school to study business to follow in his father's footsteps and take over the family businesses. Cici had chosen to go to medical school, and she had two years left before she would graduate with her medical degree. Vic graduated with Ced, and she decided to study business also, it would help with the daycare/preschool centre that all of the girls had opened up. They had seen a need to help the students be competitive in the world. When parents were sending their children to school that couldn't even write their own name, they didn't even know the alphabet, or they couldn't count to twenty, the six girls had decided that this would be the best way to help Magical Britain. All of the guys had gone to school to study business and or finance to take care of the money that they had earned. All of them remembered the lessons they had learned from Zander, and all of the different people that worked to steal his money from him. George started his own wedding planning business, he had found out that he really enjoyed planning Vic's wedding, Neville's wedding, Aunt Ginny's wedding, and of course Fred and Julia's wedding, and Rose's and Angel's.

The daycare and preschool had taken off quickly with a total of one-hundred students within two months of opening, attending at various grade levels. The house elves were a huge, huge help with the daycare, especially with the younger children.

.

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 **A/N:**


End file.
